The concept of the Brownfields Program is to take contaminated or potentially
contaminated, underdeveloped, unproductive property
and convert it into productive real estate. Brownfield sites are defined as
abandoned, idled or underused industrial or commercial properties whose
redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.
To date, the Department continues to receive Brownfields State Response grants from the EPA. The
grant can be used by the Department for
environmental assessment and hazardous material cleanup activities at Brownfield sites. The
assessment
activities include environmental activities preliminary to cleanup such as site
assessment, site characterization and site response, or cleanup planning and
design for areas that have an actual or threatened release of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Brownfield assessment and cleanup funds may only
be used at sites where there is release, or substantial threat of release, of a
hazardous substance, or there is a release, or substantial threat of release, of
a pollutant or contaminant which may present an imminent and substantial danger
to public health or welfare. In addition, funds may be used at sites where
there is a reason to believe that a release has occurred or is about to occur.
Examples of potential Brownfield sites in North Dakota include:
- An abandoned retail commercial building which has or is suspected to
have asbestos in the ceiling tiles, wall insulation, or on the heating boiler
in the basement or pipes coming off the boiler, and
- An abandoned gas station with soil contamination.
The Division of Waste Management Brownfields
Program is application based, and cities, counties or local development groups
may apply for assistance. Two documents have been developed to assist in
the application process.
The first is a
Brownfields
Introduction letter. The letter
provides prospective applicants background information on Brownfields and how
the Division's Brownfields Program will work.
The second is a
Application Guideline
For Brownfields Assistance In North Dakota.
The
guideline identifies the minimum requirements for submitting an application for a
single potential Brownfields site. There are no limits on the number of
sites that may be submitted for consideration, however, there is a limit on
funds available to the Program. Applicants submitting more than one site
are asked to prioritize
the applications based on local importance for redevelopment.
Sites will be prioritized should the number and potential assessment costs for
all sites submitted exceed available funds. The Division envisions that factors such as
level of contamination and community commitment toward cleanup and redevelopment
will be considered during prioritization.
Brownfields
Sites In North Dakota
For more information, contact by e-mail,
Derek Hall.
For more information on Brownfields, visit EPA's Brownfields
And Land Revitalization.
