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eMacomb - Featured Article, July 2008
EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant accelerates redevelopment throughout Macomb County
The Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development is pleased to announce that it was awarded a $400,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
MCPED, in collaboration with environmental consulting firm AKT Peerless, has used the grant funding to conduct community outreach and education activities, identify potential redevelopment sites, complete environmental site assessments, and to promote and market redevelopment opportunities available throughout the county.
Beginning in early 2006, MCPED held public outreach sessions to educate residents, community leaders, and other key stakeholders regarding brownfield and the incentives available to help identify redevelopment opportunities.
Based on feedback garnered from these sessions, MCPED partnered with several communities, property owners, business operators and real estate developers to accelerate the redevelopment of properties throughout the county. The $200,000 EPA grant was used to fund Phase I; Phase II; and Baseline Environmental Assessments as well as the consulting fees associated with the preparation of brownfield plans. The cost of each assessment ranged from $2,000 to more than $50,000 per site. Overall, 12 key projects were identified in seven communities. For more information, please see the table for a summary and current and completed project.
Building upon our success with the first grant, MCPED is pleased to announce the securing of two additional EPA grants: $200,000 for Hazardous Materials Brownfield Assessment and $200,000 for Petroleum Brownfield Assessment. The additional funding for the assessments of properties potentially contaminated by petroleum products will facilitate the redevelopment of former gas stations and others sites where petroleum products may have been used or stored.
Similar to the first grant, MCPED staff will utilize grant funding to conduct community outreach and education activities, identify potential redevelopment sites, complete environmental site assessments, and promote and market redevelopment opportunities located throughout the County.
For more information please contact MCPED at 586-469-5285.
2008 National Brownfields Conference
The 2008 National Brownfields Conference, hosted by the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), was held at Detroit’s Cobo Center May 5th – 7th.
The event was a tremendous great success for the region and for Macomb County. The National Brownfields Conference is the nations largest conference focused on property redevelopment.
Conference attendance exceeded 6,000 attendees with participants from around the world, second only to the past Nation Brownfields Conference held in Boston.
There was great interest in redevelopment opportunities highlighted at the Macomb County booth and at the Brownfield Transaction Forum (BTF) where landowners, developers, municipalities, and investors had the opportunity to learn more about currently available properties. MCPED made several great connections at the conference and is currently moving forward with three redevelopment projects that resulted from participation at the conference including the redevelopment of an large industrial complex, an affordable housing development, and a family innovation + education + recreation center.
A “brownfield” is defined as real property for which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.