Brownfields Center News & Announcements

News:

Workshop Announced:
"Cooperative Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration Workshop: Working Together to Restore Injured Natural Resources." When natural resources and their services are injured by hazardous substances or oil, how can affected parties expeditiously and effectively restore these resources and services? How can the damage assessment and restoration process be streamlined? What does it take to bring affected parties to the table—and keep them at the table—to resolve liabilities and ensure development of a common restoration vision? These questions and more will be the focus of a workshop on Cooperative Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration to be held on June 9 and 10, 2004, at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California. The workshop will include participants from federal and state government, industry, American Indian tribes, and environmental groups. Workshop participants will discuss experiences and develop ideas to enhance cooperation. To register or for more information, visit www.darp.noaa.gov/cap.htm.

EPA Announces Grants:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $73.1 million in grants under the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act for projects in 37 states and seven tribal communities. The funds include 117 assessment grants totaling $30.7 million, 69 cleanup grants totaling $12 million, and 28 revolving loan fund grants totaling $30.4 million. For more information, visit EPA's June 20 press release.

EPA Plans to Establish Rulemaking Committee:
The US Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of intent in the Federal Register on March 6 to establish a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee under the Federal Advisory Act and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act. The Committee met on June 10 and 11 in Washington, D.C., to negotiate the contents of a proposed
regulation setting federal standards and practices for conducting all appropriate inquiry. Meetings are open to the public and are announced in the Federal Register.

New Fund available for Brownfields Redevelopment
The California Center for Land Recycling (CCLR) and the California Environmental Redevelopment Fund (CERF) announced the availability of forgivable loans of up to $125,000 for brownfield site assessment and characterization, technical assistance, and remedial action planning. The program, California Recycle Underutilized Sites (Cal ReUSE), will provide funds to eligible projects, including sites with potential beneficial reuse not currently redeveloped due to lack of information about real or perceived contamination, uncertainty about clean-up costs, or concerns regarding timeframes and the regulatory process.

Brownfields Center Co-Director Presents at Brownfields 2002:
Jay Pendergrass, co-director of ELI's Brownfields Center, gave presentations on Institutional Controls and Long-Term Stewardship and State Voluntary Cleanup and Brownfields Programs at Brownfields 2002 in Charlotte, North Carolina, November 13-15, 2002. He presented results from Eli'sAn Analysis of State Superfund Programs: 50-State Study, 2001, which includes extensive information about states' voluntary cleanup programs, brownfields programs, and programs for long-term stewardship of contaminated land.

US EPA Works to Implement Brownfields Provision:
The US Environmental Protection Agency is beginning to implement a little-known provision of the Brownfields Revitalization Act, signed by President Bush in January, 2002, and mentioned below. As reported by the Center for Public Environmental Oversight (CPEO), in Section 223 of the statute, Congress directs the EPA Administrator to promulgate a regulation, within two years of enactment of the law, establishing "standards and practices for the purpose of satisfying the requirement to carry out all appropriate inquiries" under three sections of the law. Those sections deal with Contiguous Properties, Prospective Purchases and Windfall Liens, and Innocent Landowners. For further information, visit the CPEO Brownfields Email List archive at www.cpeo.org.

NGA Releases Report on LTS:
The National Governors' Association released an issue brief titled "Funding Long-term Stewardship at DOE's Weapons Sites: Tennessee's Perpetual Care Trust Fund." The brief discusses a method being used by Tennessee to ensure long-term funding to protect the public from hazardous or radioactive waste and contamination. The Perpetual Care Trust Fund is currently being used at the Oak Ridge Reservation. To view the document, click here.

CEPM Releases Practice Guides:
The University of Louisville Center for Environmental Policy and Management produced a series of Practice Guides for use by local officials and staff. The series is intended to provide tools to inform elected officials and other agency staff about environmental planning issues and the economic and financial implications of various policy choices. The Practice Guides, titled "Public Strategies for Cost-Effective Community Brownfield Redevelopment," "Managing Growth with Fairness: The Regulator Takings Test of Smart Growth Policies," and "Closing the Brownfield Information Gap: Practical Methods for Identifying Brownfields," are available from the University's Environmental Finance Center at http://cepm.louisville.edu/index.html or from efc@louisville.edu.

CPEO Updates Online Technology Resource:
The Center for Public Environmental Oversight recently updated its "Technology Tree" -- an interactive tool designed for citizens to gain easy access to information on the latest technologies. In the past year, CPEO added 23 new environmental cleanup technology overviews for a total of 118. The Tech Tree includes a "Tech Chart," which allows users to match contaminants with the appropriate technologies. The Tech Tree is available at www.cpeo.org/tree.html.

EPA Releases Final Guidelines and is Accepting Proposals for Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants:
The US Environmental Protection Agency's assessment grants provide up to $200,000 over two years of funding to inventory, characterize, assess, conduct planning, and encourage community involvement related to brownfield sites. Loan Fund grants provide up to $1 million over five years of funding for a grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields sites. Cleanup grants provide up to $200,000 over two years of funding for a grant recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. The brownfields grants will be selected on a competitive basis using a two-step proposal selection process. The deadline for initial proposals is December 16, 2002. Final proposals for those initial proposals with the highest rankings will be due March 5, 2003. EPA's final guidelines are available at www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm#pg.

Senate Hearing Addresses School Siting Issue:
On October 1st, the Environment and Public Works Committee conducted a hearing on green initiatives at schools, including school siting in relation to toxic waste sites. The Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice (CHEJ) testified on the need for school siting legislation. Testimony is available online at www.senate.gov/%7Eepw/stm1_107.htm#10-01-02.

Brownfields Communities Receive Funding for Job Training:
The US Environmental Protection Agency selected 12 communities impacted by brownfields to receive $750,000 under the Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilots. Project officials will use the supplemental funding to continue efforts to train residents in the procedures for the handling and removal of hazardous substances. More information is available at www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/html-doc/jt0802.htm.

New Green Buildings on Brownfields Program:
The US Environmental Protection Agency announced an initiative to promote the construction of environmentally friendly buildings on brownfields properties. EPA is providing $15,000 worth of technical assistance to pilot projects in eight states. More information is available at www.epa.gov/greenbuilding.

New Clearinghouse on Land Use Controls Available:
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) announced its new online information clearinghouse about land use controls (LUCs) at brownfields and other sites where contamination remains after cleanup. The web site, supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency, includes an electronic library of searchable documents and materials, news and events, and frequently asked questions. The clearinghouse is available at www.lucs.org.

Phoenix Award Winners Announced:
The Phoenix Awards were created in 1997 to recognize innovative, yet practical remediation projects in each of the ten US Environmental Protection Agency regions. The Phoenix Awards will be presented at Brownfields 2002 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More information is available at www.dep.state.pa.us/hosting/phoenixawards/default.htm.

EPA Launches Web Tool:
The US Environmental Protection Agency launched a web site designed to promote the cleanup and reuse of brownfield properties across the nation that are regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The RCRA Brownfields Prevention Initiative web site will provide easy access to information about the reuse of brownfield properties where hazardous waste was generated, treated, stored, or disposed. The site is online at www.epa.gov/swerosps/rcrabf/index.html.

Brownfields Law Passed:
On December 21st, 2001, the US House of Representatives passed the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (HR 2869). It was signed by President Bush on January 11, 2002. The bill combines the Small Business Liability Relief Act (HR 1831) and the Brownfields Reform Legislation (S 350). The short title, as introduced is: To provide certain relief for small businesses from liability under the Comprehension Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, and to amend such Act to promote the cleanup and reuse of brownfields, to provide financial assistance for brownfields revitalization, to enhance State response programs, and for other purposes. To view the full text of the bill in PDF click here. Meeting notes and legislation details are available at www.epa.gov/brownfields/sblrbra.htm.

Conferences:

Brownfields 2003
October 27 - 29, 2003
Portland, Oregon

The Business of Brownfields
November 17 - 18, 2003
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Press Releases:

ELI releases citizen handbook on Environmental Justice.

Long Term Stewardship of Department of Energy Sites Presents Challenges For Local Government.

Ford Grant Will Upgrade ELI Brownfields Program.

New Handbook Helps Landowners Clean Up Brownfields.

Seminars:

Real Audio File: September 28, 2000 Associates Seminar on ELI’s Brownfield Center and other brownfield activities.

Updated 01/17/2003.