3ra Cumbre para el Desarrollo de Brownfields en

Puerto Rico

Center for Creative Land Recycling

Centro Gubernamental Minillas

May 10, 2017

Promoting Sustainability thru Brownfields Redevelopment in Caguas, Puerto Rico

Brownfields Program

• USEPA’s Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes, and other stakeholders, giving them the resources they need to prevent assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields.

• Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects the environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off green spaces and working lands.

• EPA’s Land Revitalization program works with communities, states, non-profits and other stakeholders to develop and test sustainable approaches for the reuse of formerly contaminated properties.

Brownfields Program

• In 2009 the Autonomous Municipality of Caguas (AMC) was awarded two Community Wide Brownfield’s Assessments grants from EPA - one for sites suspected of containing hazardous substance and one for sites suspected of containing petroleum contamination.

• The municipality and its contractors conducted the required environmental studies, and public outreach activities, at selected properties within the municipality for its possible re-development in accordance with the Brownfield’s program criteria.

Brownfield Site- a real property whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence,

or potential presence, of a hazardous substance, or a petroleum related contaminant.

Introduction

• The AMC is located in an area of fifty-nine square miles in a central valley surrounded by mountains, also known as the Turabo Valley.

• According to the US Census, the population of Caguas grew from 65,098 in 1960, to 140,502 inhabitants in 2010 with a population density of 2,400 inhabitants per square mile.

A view of Caguas, Puerto Rico

The socio-economics of Caguas and the Brownfields Program

• 37.3% of residents live below poverty levels

• 9.8% unemployed rate

• $10,555.00 per capita income

• 24.0% Female Head of Household

Table 1: Socioeconomic indicators and geographic comparison*

Caguas Puerto Rico

Economic

Percent below poverty

Percent unemployed

Median household income

Per capita income

37.3

9.8

20,925

10,555

41.5

11.9

24,173

11,865

Housing and Crime

Total Crime Index

Percent owner occupied housing

Percent vacant housing

Median rent

70.76

92.8

7.2

650.00

65.91

63.0

15.9

557.00

Families and Children

Percent female head of household (HoH) 24.0

Percent female (HoH) with children 11.0

Percent population under 5 years age 5.6

22.6

10.9

2.9

71.1

28.1

74.1

23.3

Educational Attainment

Percent with high school diplomas

Percent with Bachelor's or higher

* [7],[8]References

The Caguas Path to Sustainability

• In 2009 the AMC received $400,000.00 through two Brownfields grants from the USEPA to perform environmental assessments on idle properties.

• Early on, the AMC and the EPA recognized the need for a robust and proactive public participation to achieve the revitalization of the identified properties and communities.

The economics of the Caguas Brownfields Program

• Between 2010 and 2014, two inventories provided 40 potential brownfields properties including abandoned industries, retail shops, restaurants and commercial buildings.

• During the first phase twenty-five were evaluated and eight were finally submitted to EPA for Phase I (six for Hazardous and two for Petroleum derivate).

Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corp. Lot

BASE Checklist Score: 55 points

The owner is the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corporation (PRIDCO).

The site has been vacant for more than 10 years, and PRIDCO provides needed maintenance to the facility.

The facility was previously used for aircraft engines manufacturing and testing. The municipality has interest in the site redevelopment as a new technological research facility.

Abandoned Building of SEDECO

BASE Checklist Score: 75 points

The building was used for more than thirtyyears, first as a circuit breakers & electricalpanels distribution center, and after as afurniture store and warehouse.

The Building was included in the HazardousSection of the Caguas Brownfields Program.

Idle Building of Marianne

BASE Checklist Score: 55 points

• According to the Registry of Land Titles Records, the property was possibly used as a gas station and/or mechanical workshop between the years 1928 through 1962.

• The AMC decided to establish the new Secretariat of Economic Development including Tourism, Promo Caguas and the Assistance to Small Businesses.

Conclusions and Benefits

• Abandoned or idle properties, although a serious problem in Puerto Rico, may represent an excellent opportunity for the economic development of the archipelago. The properties redeveloped in Caguas, Puerto Rico serve as an example on how Brownfields can turn into great tools for sustainability.

• Thru the process of working with community organizations, both the USEPA and the Autonomous Municipality of Caguas were able to improve the economy of the region while strengthening and maintaining the cultural characteristics of the area.

Conclusions and Benefits

• A series of End Use Plans were developed as a road map for each property owner to establish a redevelopment strategy under the revitalization plans of the AMC. As of August 31, 2015, three idle properties have been or are in the process of being redeveloped. The initial investment from the private sector has exceeded$1,200,000.00 [10].

Conclusions and Benefits

Authors

Guillermo Rivera, Autonomous Municipality of Caguas, P.R.

Sandra Velázquez, Autonomous Municipality of Caguas, P.R.

Ramón Torres, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Javier Vélez Arocho, EcoStahlia, Environmental Consultants

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?

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