so, you’ve got a superfund site in your town!minneapolis, minnesota you’re not alone epa...

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So, You’ve Got a Superfund Site in Your Town!

American Public Works AssociationSeptember 13, 2005

3:30 PMMinneapolis, Minnesota

You’re Not Alone

EPA estimates as many as 350,000 hazardous waste sites will require cleanup over the next 30 years

States and the private sector will be responsible for approximately half

There are currently 1,604 Superfund Sites

603 in remedial cleanup phase638 sites are Construction Complete299 sites have been Deleted

The numbers in this graphic are estimates.

Just Around the Corner…120 million people live within 4 miles of sites that are currently on NPL or have been deleted from NPL; 40 million people live within 2.5 miles of NPL sites

There are more than 800 NPL sites with nearby populations between 10,000 and 100,000 people

There are more than 200 NPL sites with nearby populations over 100,000 people

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Why Does EPA Care About the Reuse of Sites?

Developing and understanding a site’s reasonably anticipated future land uses informs the entire remedial process:

Remedial Action ObjectivesRemedy selectionRemedy design and implementationLong-term protectiveness Remediation underway at the Golden

Strip Septic Tank site in South Carolina

Protecting Remedies: Remedial & Long-Term Stewardship Benefits

Discourages inappropriate activities such as:

VandalismDumpingTrespassingActivities that could damage a landfill cap

Ensures the implementation of appropriate and effective institutional controls

Encourages responsible stewardship

Evidence of vagrants and trespassers in an abandoned building at a Superfund site in Florida

Growing Smarter: Environmental & Social Benefits of Reuse

Protects greenfields

Minimizes infrastructure investments

Encourages infill development and open space preservation

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Providing Opportunity:Local Economic Benefits of Reuse

Approximately 375 sites with actual or planned reuse

32,000 on-site jobs

$1.35 billion in income

Over 42,500 acres created, preserved, and restored for recreational and ecological purposes

Superfund Programs: Supporting the Community

Technical Assistance Grants

Community Advisory Groups

Technical Outreach Services for Communities

Superfund Job Training Initiative

Superfund Redevelopment Initiative

Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI)

“Our mission is to clean up the most contaminated areas of land and return them to communities for safe reuse in a healthy environment”

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Building on the Past

Between 1999 and 2002, SRI awarded cooperative agreements for Superfund site reuse at almost 70 sites

SRI’s Current Activities

Develop new tools and resources to support the appropriate reuse of sitesImprove site reuse planning performance for local communitiesWork with “Return to Use”demonstration projectsLink interested communities to SRI partnersAssist with the development of Ready for Reuse Determinations

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Superfund Tools & Resources

Background MaterialsTechnical Reports

Fact SheetsSite-Specific Assistance

SRI Tools & Resources:Background Materials

SRI brochure

Video

Website

SURE database

SRI Tools & Resources:Technical Reports

Reusing Superfund Sites: Commercial Use Where Waste is Left on SiteRecreational Reuse of Land Above Hazardous Containment AreasReusing Cleaned Up Superfund Sites: Golf Facilities Where Waste is Left on SiteEcoPlanner (coming soon)

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SRI Tools & Resources: Fact Sheets

Top Ten Questions to Ask When Buying a Superfund SiteReuse Planning GuideLocal Economic Impacts fact sheetsIn-depth case studies

H.O.D. LandfillMurray SmelterCalifornia Gulch

Site Snapshots and Success Stories Site reuse fact sheets (Regions 4 and 5)

SRI Tools & Resources:Site-Specific Assistance

Enhanced community involvement projects involving reuse planning

Return to Use demonstration projects

Partnerships

Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determinations

Reuse Planning: Goals & Objectives

Enhance EPA’s consideration of reasonably anticipated future land uses (RAFLUs)

Provide opportunity for each community to learn about a local Superfund site, discuss potential future use opportunities, and develop an approach to return the site to use

Address Agency and community reuse obstacles

Integrate remedy and reuse throughout the pipeline of activities

City of Picayune, MS: Composite Land Use Map

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Reuse Planning: Benefits

Potential for targeted remedial process and lower remedial costs

Establishment of realistic community expectations

Strengthened working relationships between communities and EPA

Environmental and smart growth benefits

Enhances Long Term Stewardship (ICs)

City of Louisville, MS: Draft Site Reuse Framework

Return to Use Initiative: A New Phase of Superfund Redevelopment

GOAL: Remove barriers to reuse that are not necessary for the protection of human health, the environment, or the

remedy at sites where remedies are already in place

Past Demonstration ProjectsRegion 3

Southern Maryland Wood Treating

Region 5Butterworth LandfillCannelton Industries Inc.H.O.D. LandfillKentwood LandfillTri-County Landfill

Region 4Arlington Blending & PackagingRoss Metals

Region 7Fulbright Landfill

Region 8Sharon Steel

Region 9MGM Brakes

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2005 Demonstration Projects

SRI continues to support Return to Use candidates in 2005

Regions are currently working with over 15 new potential demonstration projects

View of the Tar Lake Superfund site, a Return to Use candidate for 2005

Linking Communities to Partners

Academy of Model Aeronautics

Member clubs mow grass, maintain appearance of sites and mend fences on used area

U.S. Soccer FoundationAssists EPA in developing cleaned-up former toxic waste sites into safe recreational parksHelps communities find most appropriate and efficient way to maintain soccer fieldsProvides equipment starter kits

Ready for Reuse Determinations

Purpose:

Provide information to real estate market

Facilitate reuse of sites

Protect future site users

The RfR Determination cover sheet for the Tex Tin Superfund site in Region 6.

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RfR Success Story:Arlington Blending & Packaging

Was used in conjunction with a comfort letter to address local government concerns

Documents a technical determination that the site is ready for recreational reuse

Successfully combats the stigma associated with the site

Town Superintendent“Without the Ready for Reuse Determination, there is no way that we could have ever convinced the board and people that here’s a property that was once a Superfund site, and we’re going to put it to use.

It enhanced the aesthetics of the community, upgraded the property value of the surrounding properties, and makes a better experience for the people and the children in the area.”

RfR Success Story: Sharon Steel

Received the first RfR Determination issued in Region 8

The first in the nation issued for mixed use

Makes a technical determination that the site is ready for residential and mixed reuse.Successfully combats the stigma associated with the site

Superfund Case Study

Midvale CityUtah

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Background and History

Midvale City was founded in 1909, is located 12 miles south of Salt Lake City and is part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan areaMidvale’s area is 6.6 square miles which is primarily “built out” with existing infrastructure, homes, and businessesMidvale’s population is approximately 28,000 people


Historically Midvale’s major employers were a smelter and a mill located along the western boundary of townThe former mill and smelter properties are about 1.3 square miles or 20% of the land area of the CityThere is no infrastructure interior to the two sites

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Area is divided into two sites – Sharon Steel and Midvale Slag – which were placed on the EPA’s National Priorities List (Superfund) in the early 1990sListing on the NPL occurred after a decade of review and discussionEssentially the more than 600 acres involved have been empty and unproductive since 1982

Current Environmental Status

Sharon Steel SiteReturn to Use Initiative siteRemediation complete in 1995Remediation involved regrading of approximately 10 million cubic yards of tailings, capping with a geofabric and 1 ½ feet of fill, putting a fence around it and calling it good

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Sharon Steel SiteBeginning in 2003 EPA worked closely with the City and a new property owner to resolve regulatory issues including long term stewardship issuesDeleted from NPL in 2004, Ready for Reuse Determination issued in 2004Key component was an engineering study to establish reuse impacts paid for by new property owner and reimbursed by City RDA


Midvale Slag (OU1)Northern end considered clean for most uses as of 1994Pursuing an Explanation of Significant Differences to identify process to allow all usesPursuing a Ready for Reuse Determination to allow commercial, residential, light industrial, and recreational uses

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Midvale Slag OU2Southern end currently being remediatedCleanup is intended to allow all uses

Plans for the Future

Sharon Steel has become Jordan BluffsA Master Planned community of 2500 new homes, a town center, and office parkConstruction to begin Spring 2006

Midvale Slag has become Bingham JunctionSuperfund Reuse Initiative Pilot Site in 1999A Master Planned community of 1800 new homes, 3 million square feet of retail and 2 million square feet of officeConstruction to begin Spring 2006

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So, What’s the Difference?

From Superfund to New Life

Midvale City recognized in 1998 that the key to redevelopment was for the City to take an active role in what happened nextDuring the Sharon Steel process Midvale elected and appointed officials assumed an adversarial posture with EPADuring the Midvale Slag process we were partners

From Superfund to New Life

Develop a community consensus of what the ultimate use should be following cleanup –“Reuse Master Plan” (Reasonably Anticipated Future Land Uses – RAFLU)Identify the activities, services, and investment City can make to help realize the vision contained in the plan (Long Term Stewardship)

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Steps Midvale Has Taken

Identified and agreed to role in Institutional Controls to simplify long-term stewardship of the two cleanup areas

Planning and Zoning ControlsBuilding Permit ControlsEngineering Design ControlsPublic Information role


Developed and clearly communicated community vision for redevelopment through master planning processPerformed a “gaps” analysis of in place and available resources and needed resources


As a result of the “gaps” analysis:Established “redevelopment areas” to allow the use of “tax increment financing” to offset higher costs of infrastructure constructionAgreed to fund “offsite” improvements through public utilities funds to decrease costs of development

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Jordan Bluffs Redevelopment

Institutional controlsRedevelopment areaTax Increment reimbursement for 3.4 million cubic yards of clean fill and infrastructure costs ($44 million)Sewer utility installing a sewer lift station & transmission line ($919,000)Water utility installing transmission lines and capacity ($370,000)

Bingham Junction Redevelopment

Institutional controlsRedevelopment areaTax Increment reimbursement for infrastructure costs ($22 million)Sewer utility installing lift station ($600,000)Water utility installing transmission lines and capacity ($468,000)

Lessons Learned

Outcomes improve if all levels of government and all interested parties work togetherCity may have to take the lead to force the issue of redevelopment into consideration during the processDifficult, complex problems require creative solutionsDon’t get outside of your “comfort zone” –work creatively within it

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Melissa Friedland National Program Manager for Superfund Redevelopment 703.603.8864 [email protected] Online Information, Tools, and Resources: Superfund Redevelopment Initiative http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle Return to Use Initiative http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/rtu/index.htm Academy of Model Aeronautics http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/news/modelair.htm Guidance for Preparing Superfund Ready for Reuse Determinations http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/rfr.htm Examples of Ready for Reuse Determinations http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/rfr/index.htm