EPA ASSESSMENT GRANT PROGRAMOttawa County, Ohio

Presented by:

Daniel R. Cassidy, CPG - SME

Ann M. Winegar, PG - SME

Karla Auker, PG – USEPA

Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc.

Bay City Cincinnati Cleveland Grand Rapids Indianapolis

Kalamazoo Lansing Plymouth Shelby Twp Traverse City Toledo

Consultants in Geosciences, Materials and Environment

OVERVIEW

What Are Brownfields

EPA Assessment Grant

WHAT ARE BROWNFIELDS

BROWNFIELDS

Contaminated

BROWNFIELDS – CONTAMINATED SITES

Brownfield Site (EPA)

The term “brownfield site” means 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.

BROWNFIELDS

Manufacturing plants

Gas stations

Tool and die shops

Machine shops

Steel fabricators

Dry cleaners

Printing shops

Paint shops

Auto repair shops

Oil/fuel terminals

Farms

Marinas

Greenhouses

Agricultural suppliers

Municipal dumps

Municipal public works yards

Asphalt plants

Former coal yards

Manufactured gas plant sites

Scrap yards

Blacksmith shops

Shooting ranges

WHAT CREATED BROWNFIELDS

Closed industrial and commercial facilities Economics

Population changes

City development and planning changes

Unintended consequences of federal and state environmental regulations Liability for contamination

Stringent cleanup requirements

Relative costs of development – old urban sites vs. new suburban land

WHY REDEVELOP BROWNFIELDS

Reuse existing infrastructure

Increase tax base

Attract new employees and residents

Control hazards Environmental contamination

Dangerous buildings

Other site hazards

Sustainable development Revitalize urban core areas

Reduce sprawl pressures

BROWNFIELD ISSUES

Environmental liability and cleanup

Demolition (internal, structure)

Site conditions

Environmental - residual impact, engineering controls, institutional controls

Buildability - soil conditions, subsurface infrastructure, infrastructure modifications

Matching a development/developer and site

EPA SITE ASSESSMENT GRANT

SITE ASSESSMENT GRANT

Grants provided to tribes, states, local units of government, regional councils, and redevelopment agencies

Grant levels (individual communities)

Up to $200,000 for hazardous substances sites

Up to $200,000 for petroleum sites

Grant levels (coalitions)

Up to $1,000,000 for sites

Any ratio for hazardous substances and petroleum sites

Three-year performance period

CERCLA performance criteria

SITE ELIGIBILITY

Hazardous Substances

Grantee cannot be a liable party (e.g. owner, operator, arranger, …) for site contamination

Other owner, developer, etc. can be a liable party

Petroleum

Grantee cannot be a liable party

Neither the developer NOR immediately preceding owner can be a liable party

Site cannot be a state “priority site” for cleanup

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

Community outreach Grant “marketing”

Community involvement in site selection and funds use

Brownfields inventory

Environmental Assessments Due diligence (property acquisition – seller or buyer)

» Phase I site assessment» Phase II site assessment» Hazardous Materials Assessments (asbestos, lead paint)

Remedial investigation

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (cont.)

Cleanup planning

Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA)

Developing Remedial Action Plan or Interim Response Plan under the Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program (VAP) or Ohio Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR)

Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program

Created by the Ohio legislature to give entities a way to investigate possible environmental contamination, clean it up if necessary, and receive a promise from the State of Ohio that no more cleanup is needed (Covenant Not to Sue).

Ohio BUSTR Program

Regulates Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) in Ohio

Oversees response, assessment, and cleanup at sites where releases from UST systems have occurred.

Issues “No Further Action” (NFA) letter when corrective action or cleanup at these sites meets their standards.

OTTAWA COUNTY BROWNFIELD PROGRAM

Ottawa County’s Grant Funding

FY 2009 - $200,000 Assessment Grant – Hazardous Substances (Closed)

FY 2012 - $200,000 Assessment Grant – Hazardous Substances

FY 2012 - $200,000 Assessment Grant – Petroleum

FY 2009 Assessment Grant Summary

Lake Erie Business Park

Conducted hazardous materials assessments on 8 former army depot structures to prepare them for demo/rehab.

Conducted Phase II on an approximately 70-acre parcel in the south portion of the business park to help market the site and support environmental liability management for a prospective purchaser.

FY 2009 Assessment Grant (continued)

Port Clinton Marina & Port Clinton Waterworks

Conducted Phase I and Phase II of the Waterworks property and Phase II of the Marina property to prepare sites for redevelopment of Port Clinton’s waterfront area.

Ross Abbott Property Conducted Phase I and Phase II of this former machine shop/auto repair facility in Genoa to determine liability management requirements for prospective purchaser. Site is currently in process of changing ownership and being re-utilized.

FY 2009 Assessment Grant (continued)

Transmissions Unlimited

Phase II of this auto repair facility to aid in marketability of the site for redevelopment and to determine liability management requirements for prospective purchaser.

214 East Main StreetAsbestos Hazard Assessment of vacant residential structure. The structure was demolished and the property was converted to green space for public use.

The Process

1. Complete site application (available on Ottawa County website) and submit to Regional Planning Commission.

The Process (continued)

2. County Assessment Grant Board reviews application and votes on whether to approve the site for use of grant funds.

3. If a site is approved by the Board, SME completes an eligibility form for the site and submits it for review to:

» USEPA - if site assessment is going to be funded by the Hazardous Substances grant.

» BUSTR - if contamination or suspected contamination is petroleum products and the site assessment is going to be funded by the Petroleum grant.

The Process (continued)

4. If USEPA or BUSTR confirm the site eligibility determination, Phase I site assessment can proceed.

5. If a Phase II assessment is planned, SME prepares a Sample and Analysis Plan (SAP) and Health and Safety Plan (HASP). The SAP must be approved by the USEPA before field work can begin.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Help identify eligible brownfield sites

Tell others in the community about this program

Tell interested sellers and developers about this program

Send interested sellers and developers to get more information

EPA ASSESSMENT GRANT PROGRAMOttawa County, Ohio

Daniel R. Cassidy, CPG - SME

Ann M. Winegar, PG - SME

Karla Auker, PG – USEPA

Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc.

Bay City Cincinnati Cleveland Grand Rapids Indianapolis

Kalamazoo Lansing Plymouth Shelby Twp Traverse City Toledo

Consultants in Geosciences, Materials and Environment