Brownfields Redevelopment

Now Available: U.S. EPA FY 2024 Brownfields Grant Guidelines & Wisconsin State Acknowledgement Letters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is now accepting applications for FY24 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Grants. The deadline for applications is Nov. 13, 2023.

Visit the U.S. EPA’s FY24 Brownfields MARC Application Resource webpage for grant information, requirements and other valuable resources such as:

  • A new resource for state/tribal environmental authorities: FY 2024 Cleanup Grant sample site characterization letter template
  • Pre-recorded videos to provide an overview of the FY24 grants submission
  • Dates and links to webinars on grant ranking criteria
  • Tips and ideas for grant proposals

Grants offered by the U.S. EPA Brownfields Program can be used on various brownfield activities, with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes.

Wisconsin State Acknowledgement Letters
If your community or organization intends to apply for an FY24 MAC Grant, the EPA requires grant applicants – except tribal entities – to obtain a state acknowledgement letter from the DNR. The letter acknowledges that the state is aware of the community or organization’s application for a federal grant and intent to conduct brownfield assessment or cleanup activities.

Request a DNR Acknowledgement Letter by Oct. 25, 2023. Send written requests for state acknowledgement letters to Molly Schmidt at MollyE.Schmidt@Wisconsin.gov no later than Oct. 25, 2023, to allow adequate time to draft and receive the letter prior to the EPA’s application deadline of Nov. 13, 2023. More information state acknowledgement letter requirements are available on the DNR Federal Brownfields Grants webpage under “DNR acknowledgement letter.”

Brownfields Fundamentals On-Demand Webinars
Interested in learning how cleaning up brownfields can help your community? The DNR’s series of on-demand Brownfields Fundamentals webinars cover brownfields planning, cleanup, liability and other topics as part of a well-rounded crash course in Wisconsin brownfields redevelopment. Topics include:

Brownfields Fundamentals on-demand webinars are available on the RR Program’s Presentations and Trainings webpage.

Brownfields Success: Watertown And The Bentzin Family Town Square

Crowd of people watching ribbon cutting on waterfront.

Official ribbon-cutting ceremony at Bentzin Family Town Square, Watertown WI in May 2023.

The city motto of Watertown, WI is “Opportunity Runs Through It.” Watertown has been intentionally and incrementally creating that opportunity through long-term redevelopment of brownfields and under-utilized areas in its riverfront downtown corridor. Ten years of planning later, the Bentzin Family Town Square is the redevelopment that ties the community’s vision together.

Watertown utilized funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) and Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant, along with over $2 million in additional funds to spur the redevelopment of a former hair salon, pharmacy, restaurant, karate studio and printing press. A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment and subsequent site investigations identified petroleum contaminated soil prior to cleanup and demolition.

Bentzin Family Town Square is designed to be open, inviting, and beautiful space that provides a central place for community activities and gatherings for guests of all ages and abilities. The multi-purpose space serves many purposes such as:

  • Providing a portal to the Rock River with an accessible boat and kayak launch
  • Celebrating the unique and rich history of the city with a regionally produced art installation
  • Promoting tourism and community activity with a plaza for music performances, markets and food trucks
  • Creating a space for youth activities with a splash pad and interactive water art piece
  • Connecting the library to the downtown corridor with a new central entrance and ‘front porch’ leading directly to the town square

Watertown government officials recognized the importance of community buy-in and support early in the planning process. They communicated proactively through community meetings, a dedicated website, and a robust social media plan which included a monthly production video. Even the youngest Watertown residents were included in planning; Watertown held a K-5 grade art contest to collect ideas for amenities to add to the square. A program events coordinator position was created to organize and manage year-round activities, which demonstrated continued investment in the area. Future town square expansion plans include a 101-unit luxury multi-family development with approximately 2,800 square feet of commercial and retail space. Construction is set to begin September of 2023.

Town square with green grass in middle of small town main street.

Bentzin Family Town Square is a monument to collaboration; stakeholders from private and public sectors committed to the project. Credit: Watertown Redevelopment Authority.

Watertown city officials state that investment in redevelopment “has already paid dividends by increasing downtown activity, opening doors to more employment opportunities, and encouraging other business owners to update their properties.”

Cleaning up and redeveloping a brownfield property takes time, but with Green Team help from the DNR and the support of state financial partners, a successful redevelopment is possible.

The DNR has a wide range of financial and liability tools available to help local governments, businesses, lenders, and others clean up and redevelop brownfields in Wisconsin, including Ready for Reuse financial awards, which may be used for environmental cleanup and the WAM Program, which partners with communities to help clean up and redevelop often run-down or underused properties that detract from a community’s potential. The Wisconsin Brownfield Success Stories Map showcases some of the many communities that have effectively cleaned up and repurposed brownfield properties.

Feeling inspired? The DNR is happy to help you and your community with your cleanup and redevelopment efforts. Request a Green Team meeting and start the conversation.

Now Available: Publication Brownfields Redevelopment in Wisconsin (RR-933)

Following a public comment period, the publication Brownfields Redevelopment in Wisconsin (RR-933) is now posted and available online.

The document can be found here. Additional documents and guidance from the Remediation and Redevelopment Program may be found using the search tools available on the publications and forms webpage.

The purpose of the guidance is to provide a definition of brownfield and provide essential steps and resources for successful redevelopment of brownfield properties.

Questions regarding this document may be submitted to Michael Prager at Michael.Prager@wisconsin.gov.

EPA Offers Brownfields 101 Training

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 will offer online training about Brownfields 101.

Brownfields 101 – April 11, 2023, 9:30-11 a.m. CST

This training will cover brownfields basics, assessing environmental conditions, and ownership and management. Register online.

Access additional information, resources, and materials about EPA Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) on the Brownfields and Land Revitalization in EPA Region 5 website.

Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) Applications Open

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting applications for the Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program. The WAM program provides services and funding to investigate brownfields sites where potential or known contamination is acting as an impediment to redevelopment. Since 2010, the U.S. EPA has awarded the DNR and its partners $5.3 million in brownfield assessment grant funding. The DNR uses the funding to aid local governments and others in investigating brownfield properties throughout the state.

Eligible assessment activities through WAM include:

  • Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (All Appropriate Inquiries/AAI)
  • Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
  • NR 716 Site Investigations
  • Remedial action planning

Two types of awards are available through WAM:

WAM Community Managed Awards: Subgrants of up to $75,000 each are available to communities to assess a brownfield property. The award recipient selects a qualified environmental professional and manages all aspects of the project.

WAM Contractor Services Awards: Award recipients receive assessment services performed by the DNR’s environmental contractors. The DNR manages the project and oversees the contractors.

Eligible applicants include local governments and tribal entities. Private entities may also apply for contractor services awards.

Eligible properties must meet the federal definition of a brownfield, “A brownfield is a 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.”

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are expended. For more information about the application, process, materials needed, and model documents visit the RR Program’s WAM webpage or email Gena Larson at Gena.Larson@wisconsin.gov.

Remediation and Redevelopment Program 128(a) Year-End Report Available

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program’s year-end report, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a) Grant Final Report (RR-0142), is now available on the About the RR Program webpage.

The report highlights work undertaken within the latest funding year under the CERCLA Sec. 128(a) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The RR Program utilizes its CERCLA Sec. 128(a) grant to enhance its state response program and fulfill public record requirements. In addition, the grant is used to support state programs and designated federal programs under the jurisdiction of the RR Program, by supporting outreach, site discovery and redevelopment tools such as:

  • Hands-on assistance, like Green Team meetings, which empower local governments to tackle brownfields redevelopment
  • The Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE) program
  • General liability assistance
  • Conferences and training
  • Policy development to address emerging issues
  • Continuing obligation audits
  • Online site information including BRRTS on the Web (BOTW) and RR Sites Map
  • Public/private partnerships for continuous program improvement

Reporting period highlights include activities related to Vapor Intrusion Prevention & Partnership (VIPPI) Toolkit, local government outreach with Brownfields Fundamentals, and continued protection through continuing obligations audits at closed sites.

Additional CERCLA Sec. 128(a) reports can be found on the Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s webpage.

State Acknowledgement Letter for EPA Grants: State Deadline & New EPA Requirement

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now accepting applications for FY23 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) & Cleanup (MARC) Grants. The deadline for applications is Nov. 22, 2022.

If your community or organization intends to apply for an FY23 MARC Grant, the EPA requires grant applicants – except tribal entities – to obtain a state acknowledgement letter from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The letter acknowledges that the state is aware of the community or organization’s application for a federal grant and intent to conduct brownfield assessment or cleanup activities.

New EPA Requirement for Cleanup Grants. A new EPA requirement for cleanup grant applicants affects the state acknowledgment letter for cleanup grants. Cleanup grant applicants must demonstrate that a proposed property was sufficiently characterized and is ready for the cleanup to begin (or will be ready to begin by June 15, 2023). For any requested state acknowledgement letters for cleanup grants, the DNR may describe:

  • The general status of a property in the state’s contaminated site cleanup process
  • The enrollment eligibility of the property in the voluntary party liability exemption program
  • The specific site characterization and remediation status of the property, as listed in BRRTS, as well as the status of submittals and any requested DNR technical reviews

Request a DNR Acknowledgement Letter by Nov. 4, 2022. Send written requests for state acknowledgement letters to Molly Schmidt at MollyE.Schmidt@Wisconsin.gov no later than Nov. 4, 2022, to allow adequate time to draft and receive the letter prior to the EPA’s application deadline of Nov. 22, 2022.

  • For all grants, include the following information:
    • Type of grant being applied for: multipurpose, assessment, cleanup or revolving loan fund
    • The name, title and mailing address of the person to whom the letter should be addressed (i.e., the representative of the entity applying for the grant)
    • A general description of the community concerns about the property related to brownfields, socioeconomic challenges and redevelopment needs
  • For assessment grants, include the following information:
    • The property address, a brief history of ownership, a brief history of site-specific land use and why the property is suspected of being contaminated; include DNR Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) identification number(s), if applicable
  • For cleanup grants, include the following information:
    • The property address, a brief history of ownership, a brief history of site-specific land uses and why the property is known to be contaminated; include BRRTS identification number(s), if applicable
    • A statement of whether the applicant and/or landowner intends to enroll the property in the voluntary party liability exemption program
    • The approximate timeframe to complete site investigation, begin cleanup at the property, submit reports required under Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 700-799 and estimated time for DNR staff review
  • For petroleum contamination cleanup or assessment grants, include the following information:
    • The current property owner, occupant and the immediate past-owner of the property
    • The date and method by which the current owner acquired the property (e.g., purchase, tax foreclosure)
    • Whether the applicant, the current owner, or immediate past-owner dispensed or disposed of petroleum on the property
    • Whether the applicant, the current owner, or immediate past-owner took reasonable steps to contain any known contamination
    • Whether there are any state or federal environmental judgments or orders, or third-party suits or claims against the current or immediate past-owner, and if the current or immediate past-owner has the financial means to comply
    • Reasons why any of the above information may not be available

Grants awarded by the EPA provide resources that can be used for various brownfield activities, with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes.

EPA Grant Information. For grant guidelines and application resources, visit the EPA’s FY23 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF and Cleanup Grant Resource webpage.

NAR Activities Now Available on RR Sites Map

DNR staff recently completed a project which added geographic information for No Action Required (NAR) activities on RR Sites Map.

NAR activities are sites where after notification of a hazardous substance discharge the DNR determined that the responsible party did not need to undertake an investigation or cleanup in response to that discharge because there was no or insignificant contamination.

This information is accessible as a new layer on RR Sites Map and the DNR GIS Open Data Portal. This layer provides users with direct access to over 11,000 additional activity locations on RR Sites Map.

Users can access map layers by selecting Navigate on the top menu bar. Select “Show Map Layers” and expand the “Additional Site Information” menu to check the “No Action Required (NAR) Activity” layer. This will populate the map with small yellow boxes with an activity number beginning with “09.” The prefix “09” is used for NAR activities in BRRTS on the Web (BOTW).

 

Brownfield Fundamentals On-Demand Webinars Available; Registration for Brownfields Fundamentals Panel Discussions Open

Action by local communities is often the key to cleaning up and redeveloping brownfield sites. The DNR has new resources available for communities interested in revitalizing brownfields, but aren’t sure where to start or need financial resources to make it happen.

Brownfields Fundamentals On-Demand Webinars
Interested in learning how cleaning up brownfields can help your community? The DNR’s series of on-demand Brownfields Fundamentals webinars cover brownfields planning, cleanup, liability, and other topics as part of a well-rounded crash course in Wisconsin brownfields redevelopment. Topics include:

Brownfields Fundamentals on-demand webinars are available on the RR Program’s Presentations and Trainings webpage.

Brownfields Fundamentals Panel Discussions Sept. 15, 2022

9:30 – 11 a.m. Brownfields Assistance: Boosting Redevelopment with Fresh Funds A panel of experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the Kansas State University Technical Assistance for Brownfields program will join the DNR to discuss brownfields financial assistance available to Wisconsin local governments, with an emphasis on federal infrastructure funding.

1:30 – 3 p.m. Local Governments and Brownfields: Best Practices and Lessons Experienced staff from four Wisconsin communities – Calumet County and the cities of Prairie du Chien, Manitowoc, and Appleton – will share best practices and lessons learned while navigating brownfield redevelopment projects.

Register on the RR Program’s Presentations and Trainings webpage.

Public Input Opportunity – Five-Year Review Of The Lauer 1 Landfill/Boundary Road Superfund Site

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now seeking input on the Five-Year Review of the Lauer 1 Landfill/Boundary Road (BRL) Superfund Site and the potential formation of a Community Advisory Group for the BRL Superfund site.

The public notice and a fact sheet with further details can be found at the Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s Public Notices & Guidance webpage under the “Public Notices” tab. Comments may be submitted through Aug. 31, 2022 to BJ LeRoy at BJ.LeRoy@wisconsin.gov.