If your community or organization intends to apply for an EPA 2020 Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund or Cleanup (ARC) Grant, EPA requires grant applicants, excluding tribal environmental authorities, to obtain a letter from the Wisconsin DNR acknowledging that the state is aware the applicant is applying for a federal grant to conduct brownfield assessment, revolving loan fund or cleanup activities.
Continue reading “Nov. 19 Deadline for State Letter of Acknowledgment for EPA ARC Grants”
Applications for FY 2020 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brownfield grants are now being accepted. EPA’s request for proposals and application guidance are available here: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/solicitations-brownfield-grants.
Applications are due by Dec. 3, 2019.
Wisconsin DNR staff will play a role in a multi-state remediation and redevelopment conference planned for later this fall in Michigan.
The Great Lakes Environmental Remediation and Redevelopment Conference will be held October 16-18 at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan.
Mark your calendars and make plans to join the US EPA’s RE-Development Academy for Communities, a free three-part webinar series where you will learn the process for redeveloping a contaminated site through the eyes of a property developer.
These events are sponsored by the EPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization. For details and to register, click the separate links below:
September 13: Redevelopment Process: The Intersection of Real Estate and Brownfields
October 18: Peering into the Crystal Ball: How the Market Decides Future Use!
November 8: Pulling Back the Curtain: How Developers Make Money!
Continue reading “EPA Brownfields Redevelopment Webinars – Fall 2019”
DNR has learned that U.S. EPA may require FY20 brownfield grant applications to be submitted earlier than usual this year, so the grant process doesn’t overlap with preparations or participation at the 2019 National Brownfields Training Conference in Los Angeles, CA, December 11–13. There is no official decision yet, but release of the grant proposal guidelines and the subsequent proposal deadline could be moved up several weeks or more.
It is our understanding that the multipurpose grants available in the last round may not be offered this fall. It sounds like multipurpose and revolving loan fund (RLF) grants could alternate rounds and only be available bi-annually. If so, FY20 RLF grants should be available this fall.
If your community is challenged by the “engagement” requirement as part of your federal brownfield grant, the National Technical Assistance for Brownfields and the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Program at Kansas State University are teaming up to help you out.
A webinar on Thursday, July 18 will cover various community engagement topics for new (or recent) ARC Grant award recipients. It’s free to join in, but registration is required to ensure your connection. Click here to register. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Blake Belanger or Sheree Walsh.
Continue reading “TAB webinar to address community engagement”
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $3.69 million in Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) brownfields grants to seven Wisconsin communities.
Grants awarded by the EPA’s Brownfield Program provide communities across Wisconsin and the country with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes while taking advantage of existing infrastructure. In many cases, brownfields grants have been shown to not only increase local tax revenue, but to also have a positive impact on residential property values.
Continue reading “EPA Awards 2019 MAC Grants to Wisconsin Communities”
The Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a new (June 2019) handbook titled, “Anatomy of Brownfields Redevelopment.” This 14-page publication is available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/anat_bf_redev_101106.pdf.
The handbook provides a good overview of the issues, challenges, and opportunities associated with old and unproductive commercial and industrial properties that may have environmental contamination. It also describes various process steps and best practices for local governments to consider when taking on a brownfield property.
More Wisconsin-specific brownfield cleanup and reuse information is available from DNR at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Brownfields/ and https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Brownfields/lgu.html and https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/brownfields/GreenTeam.html.
The Department of Natural Resources is seeking a qualified and talented pool of candidates for the Remediation & Redevelopment (RR) Program’s Brownfields Policy and Outreach Section Chief position.
The deadline to apply for this position is now May 29, 2019. The position is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Continue reading “Application Deadline Extended to May 29 for Brownfields Section Chief Position”
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.
Continue reading “Brownfields Opportunity Zones: TAB Webinar on May 21”
