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Brownfields Opportunity Zones: TAB Webinar on May 21

Posted on by Mick

There are a lot of financing tools and incentives available to communities for tackling the challenges of financing brownfields redevelopment. From tax-exempt bonds to district-based financing to revolving loan funds, the financing for brownfields redevelopment is often layered with multiple financing tools to produce the final project capital stack. With the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, communities now have a new federal incentive in their toolbox – Opportunity Zones.

Through a special partnership with KSU TAB, CCLR, and CDFA, webinar panelists will explore how communities are preparing themselves for Opportunity Zone investments. Speakers will also examine how communities across the U.S. are integrating these new strategies with current and future redevelopment plans, with a specific focus on brownfields sites.

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DNR Commits $4.3 Million to Portage Canal Cleanup

Posted on by Mick

Dredging and cleanup of a nearly three-quarter mile section of the Portage Canal is moving ahead with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources providing $4.3 million to cover the cost of the work.

“In the spirit of Gov. Evers’ declaring 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water, the DNR is committed to cleaning up contaminated sediments in this section of the Portage Canal,” said DNR Secretary Preston Cole. “We’re excited to work with the city on this cleanup project and look forward to seeing the bicycle and pedestrian pathways the city plans to construct along the canal.”

As the owner of the Portage Canal, the state of Wisconsin is responsible for taking the necessary actions to address the contamination that has impacted the canal. “Completing this project is one of the agency’s top priorities,” said Cole.

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NR 700 – 754 Rules Meeting on May 7, 2019

Posted on by Mick

On May 7, 2019, the Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program will host a meeting to provide information and seek input on the development of revisions to select provisions of Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 700–799, Environmental Protection – Investigation and Remediation of Environmental Contamination.

This meeting is part of a series of rule development meetings that the RR program is hosting as it develops proposed rule revisions. The May 7 meeting will be a discussion of rule development relating to:

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EPA Brownfield Grants for Environmental Job Training

Posted on by Mick

The U.S. EPA Brownfields program is now accepting applications for its Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) grant. The deadline is June 10, 2019.

Through the EWDJT program, graduates develop skill sets to improve their ability to secure full-time, sustainable employment in various aspects of hazardous and solid waste management and within the larger environmental field, including sustainable cleanup and reuse, water quality improvement, chemical safety, and pesticide management.

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Site Investigations Basics; TAB Webinar on May 2, 2019

Posted on by Mick

Register today for a free webinar about the environmental assessment and investigation of real property and how the results of these processes impact redevelopment options.

The webinar is May 2, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. (CST), and is sponsored by the National Technical Assistance to Brownfields Program, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You can register here: https://www.ksutab.org/education/webinars/details?id=352.

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RR Program Seeks Four Hydrogeologists

Posted on by Mick

The DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program has four Hydrogeologist positions to fill; two positions in the Milwaukee office, one position based in either Ashland, Park Falls, Rhinelander or Superior, and one position based in the Eau Claire office. All four jobs will be filled at the senior level position.

These are technical positions in which the qualified candidate must have solid knowledge of geology and hydrogeology, well hydraulics, chemistry, soil science, environmental clean-ups, and biological processes in subsurface soil and groundwater environments. They support regional coordination of a major environmental program that affects other department programs, state agencies, local communities and the public. Specifically, this involves providing technical advice and recommendations to management, co-workers, senior staff, and central office personnel.

Please see the job announcement for details on the position descriptions and how to apply.

The deadline to apply for these positions is April 29, 2019.

Electronic Documents to be Submitted Via RR Submittal Portal

Posted on by Mick

Under the NR 700 rule series, responsible parties (RPs), or their representative, must provide DNR with one paper copy and one electronic copy of all submitted documents, including those related to case closure requests. These submittal requirements can be found in Wis. Admin. Code § NR 700.11 (3g), as well as throughout Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 700 ‐ 754 for specific situations.

Since January 2019, the RR Program has directed RPs and consultants to submit all electronic documents required by Wis. Admin. Code chs. NR 700-754 via the RR Program Submittal Portal.

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PFAS Technical Advisory Group – Fate and Transport Subgroup to Meet April 18

Posted on by Mick

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program will host a meeting of the PFAS Technical Advisory Group – Fate and Transport subgroup on Thursday, April 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The meeting will be held in Madison, at the Natural Resources Building, in Room 513.

Fate and transport of PFAS is fundamental to the investigation and cleanup of a contaminated site.

To attend the meeting in person, please RSVP to Mick Skwarok. To join the meeting via conference call, dial 1-855-947-8255, passcode 6612 745#.

The RR Program has convened the PFAS Technical Advisory Group to discuss PFAS-related concerns that are specific to the assessment and cleanup of environmental contamination. The goal of the group is to examine the what, where, when and how of PFAS investigation and remediation by sharing concerns, identifying current and proposed practices and strategizing on issues requiring solutions.

A meeting agenda and presentation materials will soon be posted on the PFAS Technical Advisory Group web page.

DNR and DHS Work Together to Improve Water Quality in Wisconsin

Posted on by Mick

The Department of Natural Resources announced two new water quality initiatives as part of Governor Evers’ Year of Clean Drinking Water declaration for 2019.

This week the DNR worked with Department of Health Services (DHS) to ask the health agency to review 40 contaminants for possible groundwater quality standards. This work comes on the heels of the department asking DHS last spring to review an initial 27 contaminants, including two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades in numerous products, such as non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain resistant sprays and firefighting foam.

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