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DNR To Host Free Learning Sessions For Local Governments On Brownfield Redevelopment

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host learning sessions for local governments on redevelopment of underused and abandoned properties, otherwise known as brownfields, on Sept. 10 in Stevens Point, Oct. 7 in Ashland, Oct. 8 in Eau Claire and Oct. 28 in Fond du Lac. The sessions are free to attend and the same content will be covered in each location.  

A brownfield is a property where real or perceived contamination complicates expansion, redevelopment or reuse. Brownfields may be found in many locations throughout the state and vary in size, age and past use.    

The in-person sessions will share information about resources available to support local governments in redevelopment of properties into community assets. Participants will learn how to identify brownfield sites in their community and understand the liability considerations and due diligence recommended when acquiring brownfield properties. Highlights of the sessions include an overview of assistance available to support redevelopment efforts. Representatives from local governments will also share their successful brownfield projects.  

The learning sessions will also offer an opportunity for local governments to connect one-on-one with representatives from the DNR and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and ask questions about brownfield properties and redevelopment.  

Session Information

Sept. 10, 2025
Mid-State College
1001 Centerpoint Dr. 
Stevens Point
Time: 10 a.m. – noon  

Oct. 7, 2025
City Hall
601 Main Street W.
Ashland
Time: 10 a.m. – noon 

Oct. 8, 2025
L.E. Phillips Memorial Library
400 Eau Claire St.
Eau Claire
Time: 10 a.m. – noon 

Oct. 28, 2025
Fire Station #1 Training Room
815 S Main Street
Fond du Lac
Time: 10 a.m. – noon 

Local government officials interested in learning more about brownfield redevelopment in Wisconsin are encouraged to attend. To register, contact Thomas.Coogan@wisconsin.gov at least three days in advance of the session you plan to attend. 

More information about DNR’s brownfield cleanup programs and services is available on the DNR’s brownfields webpage. The page provides access to a webinar series titled “Brownfields Fundamentals” for on-demand information on brownfield redevelopment topics.      

Before and after redevelopment.

Redevelopment in Green Bay led to Tundra Lodge.

DNR staff around the state are available to meet with community leaders, bankers, developers and private individuals to discuss brownfield projects. Reach out to schedule a Green Team meeting.  

NR 700 Reporting Due July 31, 2025

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

Semi-annual reporting for the period of Jan. 1 to June 30, 2025, is due by July 31, 2025. Semi-annual reporting is required of responsible parties (RPs) for all open sites, including those sites the DNR formerly classified as “conditionally closed” in the Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System (BRRTS) online database. Consultants may submit these reports on behalf of RPs. 

The DNR sent an email with a unique Report Identification (ID) number to contacts of sites listed in the database the first week of July 2025. If you did not receive an email, you can request a Report ID number by submitting the Report ID Request Form.  

The Report ID number uniquely identifies the activity you can report, the reporting period and verifies the person using the Report ID is authorized to submit the report. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Zeichert at Timothy.Zeichert@wisconsin.gov or 608-219-2240. 

State law requires semi-annual reports from people who meet the definition of a responsible party in NR 700. Property owners, such as local governments that have an exemption under Wis. Stats. §§ 292.11(9)(e) or 292.23, and lenders that have an exemption under Wis. Stats. § 292.21 for specific properties are not required to submit a semi-annual report for those exempt properties under state law. 

Sites formerly classified by the DNR as “conditionally closed” are open sites that have not been granted case closure and, by definition, have remaining action(s) needed (e.g., properly abandoning monitoring wells or investigative waste needing to be removed).  

Semi-annual reporting for sites formerly classified as “conditionally closed” should indicate what actions are being taken to complete the remaining actions. 

The next reporting period is from July 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025. 

Request for Qualifications: Vapor Intrusion Zone Contract

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) to identify up to four qualified environmental consultants to provide professional services to investigate and mitigate vapor intrusion at sites in Wisconsin. This work will be conducted on an as-needed basis under a Vapor Intrusion Zone Contract. 

Selected consultants will be offered a 3-year professional services contract, with the option for two 1-year extensions (5 years total). 

Interested parties should submit an SOQ by Aug. 1, 2025.  

Copies of the Request for Qualifications are available on the RR Program Public Notices webpage. 

DNR To Hold RR External Advisory Group Meeting And Back To Basics Training

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

Upcoming Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group (RR EAG) Meeting
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a meeting of the RR EAG on July 17, 2025. The RR EAG was formed to address a broad range of issues, encompassing technical and policy topics related to encouraging the investigation, cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites in Wisconsin. RR EAG meetings are open to the public.  

The agenda and meeting materials will be posted in advance on the DNR’s RR EAG webpage.  

Registration Open for Session 2 of the Back to Basics Training Series: Investigation, Sampling and Lab Data
The Back to Basics training series will be presented in conjunction with the RR EAG meetings throughout 2025 and early 2026. Each session of the series provides information and practitioner perspectives on the investigation and cleanup of contaminated properties.  

Individuals involved in or affected by the investigation and cleanup of environmental contamination and the redevelopment of contaminated properties are encouraged to attend, including environmental consultants, developers, attorneys, responsible parties, local governments, property owners, and those affected by contamination in their communities. 

The session on July 17, Back to Basics: Investigation, Sampling and Lab Data, will provide an overview of site investigation, offer best practices for sampling and share information about working with a lab and understanding lab results. Topics and presenters include: 

  • NR 700 Process Overview – Jodie Thistle, DNR
  • Site Investigation Toolkit – John Sager, DNR
  • Preparing for the Field: Sampling Best Practices – Adam Roder, Geosyntec 
  • Working with the Lab and Understanding Lab Results – Jeff Ramey/Krzysztof Trafalski, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services  
  • Comparing Sampling Results with Standards – Erin Endsley, DNR 
  • Tips from RR Program supervisors – Michele Norman, DNR 
  • Moderated discussion with presenters – Bill Nelson/Derek Punches, Godfrey & Kahn 

Information and registration for future Back to Basics training sessions are posted on the RR Program Presentations & Trainings webpage. 

Attending on July 17
In-person and virtual attendance options are available for both the training and for the RR EAG meeting. 

Schedule
9:00 to 9:30 a.m. In person arrival and coffee with the DNR
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Back to Basics: Investigation, Sampling and Lab Data
12:30 to 2:30 p.m. RR EAG Meeting 

In-person attendees will have an opportunity to meet and greet regional DNR staff members from the RR Program; RSVP to Coreen Fallat at CoreenR.Fallat@wisconsin.gov by noon on July 15, 2025.  

Attend in-person in Madison, Milwaukee or Superior:
State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2)   
Room G09   
101 S. Webster St.   
Madison, WI   

Wisconsin DNR – Milwaukee Service Center  
1027 West St. Paul Ave. 
Harbor Room, Rm 107 
Milwaukee, WI 

Wisconsin DNR – Superior Field Office
Lake Superior Conference Room
1701 N 4th St.
Superior, WI  

Attend via Zoom:  Register to attend by Zoom [exit DNR] 

Registration Open For National Brownfields Training Conference And Opportunity To Apply For Free Project Assistance

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

Registration is now open for the 2025 National Brownfields Training Conference. The 2025 conference will take place from Aug. 5 to Aug. 8 in Chicago. Held every two years, the conference, sponsored by the U.S. EPA, is the largest event in the nation focused on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment and attracts over 2,000 stakeholders to learn and network.  

Local government officials, developers, attorneys, consultants, non-profit organizations and others who work to revitalize and redevelop brownfields are encouraged to attend. Visit the conference webpage to learn more and register.  

An opportunity to receive up to $50,000 in free professional reuse support for your brownfield redevelopment project through the U.S. EPA’s Technical Assistance for Brownfields program is also available. The support will offer a chance for feedback from a panel of expert redevelopment professionals to help take any project to the next level. Apply for the Perfect Pitch Competition by June 27, 2025.

Remediation And Redevelopment Database Enhancements Available Now

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

A newly designed and enhanced Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Database Tracking System (BRRTS) application is now available. Update your existing bookmarks to the new web address for quick access to the information.  

BRRTS is a go-to source for publicly available information about reports of potential contamination, property with contamination, cleanup activities and redevelopment activities in Wisconsin.  

Updates to BRRTS were planned to transition the application to different technology platform. As part of the process, the DNR asked internal and external stakeholders to suggest improvements to the tool. Recommendations included updating the user interface and improving search features. The DNR completed the first phase of improvements which include the following highlights: 

  • The ability to search by the Consultant Company and Historical Waste Fill fields 
  • Improved options for viewing search results  
  • Buttons to easily navigate to supplemental datasets, maps and location details 
  • Faster page scrolling on the Activity Details Page  
  • And more! 

Additional enhancements are anticipated for the Fall of 2025.  

Contact Sonya.Rowe@wisconsin.gov with questions or suggestions.

Public Input Opportunity – Publication: Implementation Of Wis. Admin. Code Chs. NR 749 & NR 750 Fees (RR-997)

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program is seeking input on the publication Implementation of Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 749 & NR 750 Fees (RR-997).

This publication provides guidance for responsible parties, environmental consultants and others who request technical assistance or oversight from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program and is intended to assist parties in determining the appropriate fee to accompany a request for DNR review and response under Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 749.

The document can be found at the RR Program’s Public Notices & Guidance webpage under Current Notices. Comments may be submitted through June 25, 2025, to Alexis Heim-Peter at Alexis.Peter@wisconsin.gov or DNRRRGuidance@wisconsin.gov.

DNR Seeking Qualified Individuals To Act As An Umpire For Local Government Negotiation And Cost Recovery

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The DNR is seeking qualified individuals to act as umpires for local government negotiation and cost recovery actions related to environmental remediation activities. The DNR maintains a list of qualified umpires and when requested from a local government, appoints an umpire to assist the local government (Wisconsin Statutes § 292.35).

Individuals qualified in the areas of mediation or arbitration who would like to be considered for the umpire list should complete the linked questionnaire by June 23, 2025.  Background in environmental law, specifically in the area of environmental remediation, is preferred.

Please contact MollyE.Schmidt@wisconsin.gov or 608-219-2153 with questions about serving as an umpire.

Public Input Opportunity – Publication: Vapor Intrusion Guidance (RR-800)

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program is now seeking input on the publication Vapor Intrusion Guidance (RR-800). 

This publication provides guidance for persons who investigate, remediate and mitigate contaminated sites under Wisconsin Statute (Wis. Stat.) ch. 292 and Wisconsin Administrative (Wis. Admin.) Code chs. NR 700 – 799. The guidance applies to sites where contaminated vapor has, or has the potential, to migrate to any current or future buildings. 

The document can be found at the RR Program’s Public Notices & Guidance webpage under the “Program Guidance” tab. Comments may be submitted through July 27, 2025, to Jennifer Borski at Jennifer.Borski@wisconsin.gov or DNRRRGuidance@wisconsin.gov. 

DNR To Hold Meeting Of RR External Advisory Group Vapor Intrusion Subgroup

Posted on by Coreen Fallat

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a meeting of the Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group (RR EAG) Vapor Intrusion subgroup on Thursday, June 5, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  

The RR EAG was formed to address a broad range of issues, encompassing both technical and policy topics related to encouraging the investigation, cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites in Wisconsin. The RR EAG identifies issues and topics of interest that may be addressed by ad hoc subgroups. Subgroup members are expected to research and develop recommendations on the selected topics for presentation to the full group. RR EAG subgroup meetings are open to the public. Interested individuals may register to attend by zoom. 

Zoom attendance registration.   

Visit the DNR’s RR EAG webpage for meeting agendas, materials and additional information. Subscribe for updates on future RR EAG meetings.