2015 rising seas summit - mitigating brownfield risk
TRANSCRIPT
Regional Brownfield & Climate Risk MitigationNovember 3, 2015
Brian BidolliExecutive DirectorConnecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (METROCOG)
• Introduction & Context
• Regional Brownfields Partnership
• Climate preparedness workshops
• Tools, process, and outcomes
• East Bridgeport Development Corridor
• Next Steps…
OVERVIEW
•169 autonomous municipalities within the state
•Little to no statutory requirement to coordinate outside of local boundary
•Municipal property taxes comprise large proportion of local budget
•Difficult to change historical municipal-centric governance
•Environment does not care about political boundaries
PLANNING CHALLENGES IN CONNECTICUT
Emphasis from state and federal agencies on regionally shared services
Regional planning required for federal transportation and transit funding, growing interest in conservation.
Increased number of grant programs supporting/favoring regional applications
MOVING TOWARD REGIONALISM
Source: FEMA
SANDY FLOODING,GREATER BRIDGEPORT REGION
INFR
AST
RU
CTU
RE
©TNC
©TNC
BR
IDG
EPO
RT W
OR
KSH
OPS
Comprehensive (All Hazards) & Community Driven
Proactive Planning & Mitigation vs. Crisis Management
www.coastalresilience.org
Objectives
Identify vulnerabilities & strengths – hazard, infrastructure, societal and ecosystem profiles.
Initiate development of actions for the City, local organizations, businesses and community groups and the region.
Identify opportunities to advance actions that reduce risk and increase resilience.
BR
IDG
EPO
RT W
OR
KSH
OPS
Giny Fullam
• City of Bridgeport: Emergency Management, Planning Economic Development, Public Facilities, Finance, Health & Social Services, Utilities, Land Use, Environmental Health, Sustainability, Parks
• Business Community• Education• Environmental Consultants• Federal/State Agencies• Congressional Representation
©TNC
WHATYOUSAID…
www.coastalresilience.org
BR
IDG
EPO
RT W
OR
KSH
OPS Vulnerable areas identified by workshop participants
BR
IDG
EPO
RT W
OR
KSH
OPS
Results…
• Economically, environmentally and mobility limited population
• Proposed Barnum Station to act as the gateway to East Bridgeport (East Side and East End)
• Connections to Bridgeport Hospital and other development opportunities
EAST
BR
IDG
EPO
RT
DEV
ELO
PMEN
T C
OR
RID
OR
• Approximately 2/3 of the parcels within ¼ mile of proposed station are vacant or underutilized
• Many of the parcels require environmental cleanup before development
EAST
BR
IDG
EPO
RT
DEV
ELO
PMEN
T C
OR
RID
OR
• Along with commercial development there are proposed environmental improvements
• Implement recommendations of BGREEN 2020
• Repair riparian corridor and create greenway
• $10 M TIGER Grant for Barnum Station
EAST
BR
IDG
EPO
RT
DEV
ELO
PMEN
T C
OR
RID
OR
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
• Brownfield assessment program primarily focused on local economic development
• Process could benefit from a conservation corridor approach, and encourage retreat when appropriate.
• Incentives could be structured to encourage mitigation of climate risk through brownfields redevelopment
• Integration of federal, state, and local programs can achieve economies of scale and scope.
NEXT STEPS
• Regional analysis of brownfields corridors to rank environmental and economic benefits of site remediation.
• Prioritization of sites for regional remediation funding.
• Continue awareness program
• Integration of federal, state, and local programs can achieve economies of scale and scope.
