HOW TO USE BROWNFIELDS FUNDING
Presented
by
Debra Love
Project Manager
What is a Brownfield Site?
“Real property, the expansion, redevelopment,
or reuse of which may be complicated by the
presence or potential presence of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”
Likely Locations of Brownfields
Low
Income Communities
Communities
Unattractive
Inner
of Color
Property
City Neighborhoods
Former
Industrial and Commercial Corridors
Brownfields
Problems and Issues
Risk
to investors and developers due to threat of
contamination
Property
High
value impacted
concentration of crime
Environmental
Health
conditions
issues due to contamination
Brownfields
Problems and Issues
Risk
to investors and developers due to threat of
contamination
Property
High
value impacted
concentration of crime
Environmental
Health
conditions
issues due to contamination
Best Practices for a
Successful Brownfield Program
1.
Strong Commitment from the Mayor of City
2.
Carefully Select Brownfield Advisory Board
3.
Community Outreach and Training
4.
Work Closely with Brownfield Advisory Board to Select Sites for
Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
5.
Obtain Technical Assistance
6.
Work Closely with State Environmental Agency
7.
Work Closely with Regional Environmental Protection Agency
Best Practices for a
Successful Brownfield Program (cont)
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Profile Your Community
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Develop Master Strategic Plan
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Solicit government and political support
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Develop Marketing and Outreach Plan
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Adapt to the Technological Times
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Know relevant laws and regulations
Best Practices for a
Successful Brownfield Program (cont)
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Manage economic, environmental and legal risks
Always keep community informed and involved
Plan for the long haul
Be creative about potential uses
Improve the health of the community
Promote smart growth
Promote economic growth
Create new jobs
Empower the community
Benefit businesses
Always address the community needs
Brownfield Solutions
Identify Stakeholders
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City Governments
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Communities
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Site Owners
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Environmental Regulators
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Investors
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Consultants
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Developers
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Public
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Private or for profit
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Nonprofit
Current Brownfields Grant
Opportunities
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Brownfields Assessment Grant
$200,000 Hazardous Substances
$200,000 Petroleum Substances
$1 million for coalitions of 3 or more applicants
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Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund
$1,000,000
Funding to establish a revolving fund to provide no/low interest
loans or subgrants to pay for site cleanup
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Brownfields Cleanup Grant
$200,000
Applicant must own the site at time of proposal submission
The proposal deadline is November 28, 2011
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Brownfields Grant Opportunities
 Brownfields Job Training Grant
$300,000
Brownfields Resources
 Community Visioning
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Target Brownfields Assessment
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Area Wide Planning Grant
Before
After
New Social Security Building
•
587,000 Square Foot Office Complex
•
2,200 Employees
•
$100 million building
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Built in Partnership by Opus South Corp of Atlanta and GSA
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Building leased from Opus for 20 years
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Achieved Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
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Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council
Selma, Alabama
Brownfield Success Story
Former All-Lock Property
Background
1. Donated to City:
1998
2. Appraised Value:
$3.5m (Approx.)
3. 150,000 Sq. Ft.
Under Roof
4. 50 Acres
5. Gift Included:
$250,000 Cash and
Lease Terms for 2
Years Back to
Owner
6. Contamination
Acknowledged to
City
Former All-Lock Property
Problems ~ Issues ~ Dilemmas
1. Groundwater and soil
contaminated with
chlorinated solvents (i.e.
Trichloroethylene and
Perchloroethylene)
2. City spent five (5) years
monitoring groundwater
contamination and spent
$250,000 gift +
3. City spent two (2) years
performing environmental
assessments on
groundwater and soil
outside EPA Brownfields
Program
Former All-Lock Property
Strategies and Solutions
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Formed Consultant Relationship with Environmental Specialist
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Worked Closely with the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management, Brownfields Division
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Entered Former All-Lock Property into the State of Alabama Voluntary
Cleanup Program
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Obtained the Highest Technical Assistance from the Environmental
Protection Agency
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Community Involvement through Brownfields Advisory Board
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Educational Training for the Community
•
SUCCESS
1. November 2003--Entered Site
into State of Alabama Voluntary
Cleanup Program.
2. February 2004--Asked for
Highest Technical Assistance
from EPA Region IV.
3. May 2004--Identified Corporate
Prospect.
4. June 2004--Indoor Air Study
Conducted to determine if
volatile solvents were entering
into the building from the
groundwater contamination.
5. July 2004-- Results from Indoor
Air Study: No volatile organics
were detected above the limits
established by OSHA.
6. July 2004--Building Leased to
Meadowcraft Corporation.
7. August 2004--125 jobs created
in the City of Selma.
BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM
Prichard’s Demographics
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Consists of roughly 25.4 square miles in Mobile County
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Population: 28,633
(2006 Census data estimates)
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Median Income
 City of Prichard: $19,544
 State of Alabama: $34,135
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Unemployment Rate
 City of Prichard: 15.1%
 State of Alabama: 10.4%
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Divided into 4 distinct areas:
 East Prichard -oldest part of the city
 Eight Mile-largest and least developed
 Kushala-largely undeveloped area
 Whistler-Small area and home of several antebellum houses and
historical sites
Problems / Issues / Dilemmas
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Reduced Workforce
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Numerous Brownfields Sites
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Lack of financial resources
– Reduced tax base
– Lack of resources for grant writers
– Lack of resources for matching funds
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Infrastructure Problems
– Sewer Issues
– Drinking Water Issues
Strategies and Solutions
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Formed a partnership with the Prichard Environmental Restoration Keepers
(PERK)
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Applied for an EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant
and awarded in November 2009
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Identified numerous Brownfields sites
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Submitted grant application on October 15, 2010 for $400,000 to perform
environmental site assessments on Brownfields sites.
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The City of Prichard was the only city awarded in 2011 for an environmental
assessment grant in the state of Alabama
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The City of Prichard conducted a labor market survey and hundreds of trained
environmental technicians are needed in the area. In order to create jobs, the City
of Prichard will submit a Brownfields Job Training Grant Application to the EPA
for $300,000.
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The City of Prichard will apply for a CARE Level II to address the top
environmental issues identified by the citizens.
The City of Prichard’s CARE Program
Accomplishments
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Created Community and Citizen Partnerships
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Created Business Partnerships
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Created Partnerships with Local, State and Federal Agencies
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Conducted outreach in all communities in Prichard
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Regular Community Meetings
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Training
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Secured public opinion on environmental problems
The City of Prichard’s CARE Program
Accomplishments
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Created Community and Citizen Partnerships
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Created Business Partnerships
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Created Partnerships with Local, State and Federal Agencies
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Conducted outreach in all communities in Prichard
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Regular Community Meetings
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Training
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Secured public opinion on environmental problems
Partners
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Environmental Protection Agency
Prichard Environmental Restoration Keepers (PERK)
Mobile County Health Department
Prichard Water and Sewer
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Prichard’s Housing Authority
s
Light of the Village Christian Academy
Alabama Community Action Agency
Mobile Community Action Agency
Army Corps of Engineer
Alabama Asthma Coalition
Mount Calvary Baptist Church
New Light Missionary Baptist Church
Alabama Clean Water Partnership
Mobile County Master Gardner Association
Partners
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Alabama A&M University
Progressive Men of Whistler
Minister Alliance
University of South Alabama
SMC Associates, LLC
Tennessee State University
Antioch Baptist Church, Prichard, AL
Corporate Environmental Risk Management
Volkert, Inc.
Environmental Staffing
Spherion Recruiting and Staffing
Severn Trent Services
Aerotek
Community Concerns
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Seafood Safety
Standing water in ditches and yards
Excessive use of chemicals to kill weeds
Abandon houses
Rats, mice and roaches
Trash in watershed and streams
Brownfields sites
Lead in houses
Flooding
Chinese Dry Wall in houses
Erosion
Pot holes
Air Quality
Community Concerns
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Impaired streams
– Bacteria
– 8 Mile Creek, 3.2 miles
– Gumtree Branch, 2.2 miles
Sanitary sewer overflows
Failing septic systems
Urban runoff
Drinking water
Sewer
Smells from Chemical Plant
Abandoned cars sitting in yards
Illegal dumps
Wetland issues surrounding sea life
Landfills
Trash in watershed and streams
Asbestos in homes and commercial buildings
Community Assets
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University of Mobile located in City of Prichard
150 acres of City-owned land designated as Africatown Park
Plenty of developable land available (both undeveloped land or
greenfields and vacant undeveloped properties)
Long term businesses (hardware, BBQ, Jack’s Tires)
Renewal Community in Downtown Prichard
Empowerment Zone for the U.S. HUD and ADECA
Unique historic and cultural resources
Political will necessary to facilitate public-private cooperation and
create City incentives to attract new development
Close to Mobile
Environmental Concerns identified and ranked by the
Citizens of Prichard to have the greatest risk and impact
1.
Standing Water In Ditches and Yards
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Drinking Water
Pot Holes
Abandon Houses
Sewer
Illegal Dumps
Sanitary Sewer Overflows
Trash in Watershed and Streams
Flooding
Failing Septic Systems
Abandoned Cars Sitting in Yards
Rats, Mice and Roaches
Environmental Concerns identified and ranked by the
Citizens of Prichard to have the greatest risk and impact
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Brownfields Sites
Chinese Dry Wall in Homes
Urban Runoff
Landfills
Lead
Impaired Streams
Wetland Issues Surround Sea life
Erosion
Air Quality
Asbestos
Smells from Chemical Plant
Seafood Safety
Excessive use of chemicals to kill weeds
CARE Community Meeting
CARE Community Meeting
Jeff McCool-Alabama Department of Public Health
(Seafood Branch)
City of Prichard
HAZWOPER TRAINING CLASS
HAZWOPER 40 HR Class
Leveraging Financial and Other Resources
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BP HAZWOPER Classes for Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup
$54,538.47
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City of Prichard HAZWOPER Classes for Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup
$ 28,350.00
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US Army Corps of Engineers (Mobile District) GIS Training
$ 1368.00
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SMC Associates, LLC Alternative Energy Technical Assistance
$250.00
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EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant
$400,000.00
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National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Grant and In-kind Contributions
$45,350.00
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Total Leveraged Amount
$529,856.47
Anniston, Alabama
Brownfields Job Training
Program
Brownfields Job Training Program
Curriculum
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Life Skills
HAZWOPER 40 Hour
OSHA 30 Hour
Confined Space
First Aid-CPR
Environmental Sampling
Heavy Equipment (Forklift)
Lead Worker
Asbestos Worker
NIMS 100, 200, 700 and 800
HAZWOPER 40 HR
Environmental Sampling
Environmental Sampling
Environmental Sampling Class
OSHA Training Class
Responses from Students Working
on the Gulf Coast
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The City of Anniston’s Brownfields Job Training Program
has given me the ability to work on the Gulf Coast Oil Spill
Project. The certifications I received have kept me
employed and strengthened my resume.
Terry Riggins
City of Anniston
Brownfields Job Training Program
Prichard, Alabama
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Conducted 40 HR HAZWOPER Classes for
 Citizens
– Results: Reduced high unemployment rate and
crime rate
City of Prichard
HAZWOPER 40 HR Class
City of Prichard
Environmental Justice Class
Questions
Contact Information:
Debra Love
Environmental Technical Advisor
and Project Manager
[email protected]
[email protected]
251-583-4648 or 205-540-2806