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

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

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.

Now Available: Publication RR-0136, Guidance: Wisconsin Vapor Quick Look-Up Table

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

Updated publication RR-0136, Guidance: Wisconsin Vapor Quick Look-Up Table, is now posted and available online.

The document can be found on the Vapor Intrusion for Environmental Professionals webpage. 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 document lists select volatile organic compounds frequently encountered at remediation sites; it is updated periodically based on updates to inhalation toxicity data. Consultants should compare vapor data for open sites to the updated table for potential additional actions and should routinely reference the webpage for the most recent version.

The basis for the U.S. EPA Regional Screening Levels were updated in May 2022; the update does not include revisions to action or screening levels.

Consultants should compare vapor data for chemicals not available on Wisconsin’s Vapor Quick Look-Up Table directly to the U.S. EPA’s Vapor Intrusion Screening Level Calculator; instructions are included on Wisconsin’s Vapor Quick Look-Up Table.

Site-specific questions regarding vapor intrusion in Wisconsin should be directed to the assigned DNR project manager. General questions can be directed to the contacts listed on the DNR’s Vapor Intrusion Resources for Environmental Professionals webpage.

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

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

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.

Save the Date! Brownfield Fundamentals Series

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

Are you looking for ideas to address the brownfields in your community, or information on how to fund brownfield redevelopment projects? Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for two panel discussions on Sept. 15, 2022, as part of our Brownfields Fundamentals series.

The panel discussions will include experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the Kansas State University Technical Assistance for Brownfields to discuss brownfields financial assistance available to Wisconsin local governments, with an emphasis on federal infrastructure funding.

Save the date! 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 Learned
    Experienced staff from four Wisconsin communities will share best practices and lessons learned while navigating brownfield redevelopment projects.

Both panel discussions will be held via zoom video conferencing.

Watch the RR Report and the RR Program Presentations & Trainings webpage for registration and additional information.

Request for Statements of Qualifications

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) to provide professional services to the DNR for the following Requests for Qualifications (RFQs):

  • Federal Brownfields Assessment at Vapor Intrusion Priority Properties
  • Federal Brownfields Assessment at Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) Properties
  • State Vapor Intrusion Zone Contract for Vapor Investigation and Mitigation Services

Interested consultants may choose to submit an SOQ to any or all of the RFQs.

Copies of the RFQs are available on the RR Program Public Notices webpage.

Public Input Opportunity – Five-Year Review of the Kohler Co. Landfill Superfund Site

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now seeking input on the Five-Year Review of the Kohler Co. Landfill Superfund Site.

The public notice 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. 3 to BJ LeRoy at BJ.LeRoy@wisconsin.gov.

NR 700 Reporting Due Jul. 30

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

Semi-annual reporting for the period of Jan. 1, 2022 to Jun. 30, 2022 is due by Jul. 30, 2022. 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 will send an email with a unique Report Identification (ID) number to contacts of sites listed in the database during the first week of January 2022. If you do not receive an email by Jul. 7, 2022, 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 Jul. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2022.

DNR To Hold First Remediation And Redevelopment External Advisory Group Meeting

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host its first meeting of the Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 15, 2022.

The DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment Program oversees the investigation and cleanup of environmental contamination and the redevelopment of contaminated properties. The DNR has a business need to receive constructive and practical input from, and provide information to, interested parties on a wide variety of regulatory and policy issues.

The Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group 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.

The Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group meetings are open to the public.

EVENT DETAILS

What: Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group Meeting
When: 9 a.m. – noon Friday, July 15, 2022
Where: State Natural Resources Building Room G09
101 S. Webster Street, Madison, WI 53703
Enter from Webster Street and take the hallway to the right to the reception desk.
Register here to join the meeting via Zoom.

Visit the DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment External Advisory Group webpage for meeting agendas, materials and additional information. Subscribe here for updates on future meetings.

DNR’s Database Of Remediation And Redevelopment Activities Can Help Local Governments

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maintains a public database of locations with remediation and redevelopment activities in Wisconsin.

The database is referred to as the DNR’s Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment Tracking System on the web. A visual display of much of the information is available on the web-based mapping system, RR Sites Map.

Over 95,000 properties are in included in the database. Contaminated sites (i.e., the physical area of environmental contamination) affect properties in all counties and in approximately 95% of all cities, towns and villages in Wisconsin. The system includes links to numerous letters, reports and other information about the properties.

The DNR encourages local governmental units to use the database and RR Sites Map to identify contaminated and cleaned up properties within their communities. Information from the database and RR Sites Map may be useful to local governments when:

  • Identifying potential health and safety concerns in the community
  • Evaluating potential real estate transactions (e.g., conducting due diligence activities prior to the initiation of condemnation, tax foreclosure and other property acquisitions efforts)
  • Considering issuance of permits or approving plans for development – this includes understanding the status of contamination at sites where the cleanup is complete because residual contamination may affect the allowed uses and redevelopment options for a property, or require ongoing maintenance (e.g., caps over contaminated areas)
  • Reviewing proposed public works and utility projects to determine feasibility and whether contaminated material needs to be managed
  • Understanding the status of the property within the cleanup process, including what types of contamination is present, what needs to be done to satisfy regulatory requirements, and who is responsible for completing the necessary work

DNR staff are also available to help. Local governments can contact a brownfields specialist or schedule a “Green Team” meeting with DNR to discuss specific properties.

For more information about how to use the database, go to https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Brownfields/botwHelp.html

Free, Professional Services To Help Your Community With Brownfield Properties

Posted on by Jodie Thistle

Does your community have any run-down, tax delinquent or otherwise derelict properties that you would like to see get redeveloped? Is the reuse of these properties complicated by known or potential environmental contamination? If so, help is available.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds a national program run by Kansas State University that provides free assistance to help communities, tribes and nonprofit organizations get brownfield properties redeveloped.

The program is named the Technical Assistance for Brownfields program, or KSU TAB for short. Contact Beth Grigsby, KSU TAB Regional Coordinator, at 317-601-3839 or bethgrigsbylpg@gmail.com to ask about and apply for services for your community.

KSU TAB Services Include:

  • Help identifying and inventorying brownfields
  • Strategic planning and redevelopment visioning
  • Assistance in identifying stakeholders and partners
  • Economic feasibility and sustainability analysis
  • Educational workshops
  • Community outreach and input
  • Help in identifying funding sources
  • Resource roundtables, funding strategies
  • Review of grant applications
  • Assistance with the use of the TAB EZ tool to write individual grant applications
  • Help finding and evaluating environmental consultants
  • Assistance with request for qualifications (RFQs), request for proposals (RFPs) and evaluation criteria
  • Review of plans and technical reports
  • Assistance with understanding results of Phase I, II environmental site assessment reports and cleanup plans

The DNR also has staff who can help your community with brownfield properties. More information and resources about brownfield redevelopment in Wisconsin is available on the DNR’s brownfields webpage or by contacting DNR brownfields staff.