A blighted riverfront property in Stoughton is on the way to being cleaned up with assistance from a brownfields grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Financial Assistance
Monthly PECFA Financial Summaries: March – September, 2020
The Remediation and Redevelopment Program provides updates on the status of the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program claims and the overall PECFA budget.
Please note that the PECFA program ended on June 30, 2020. The “sunset date” is found in Wis. Stat. § 292.63(3)(ac).
The DNR does not have statutory authority to unilaterally change or amend a deadline found in statute as that authority is exclusive to the state legislature.
The monthly financial summaries are as follows:
| Month | Claims | Number | Value |
| March | |||
| Claims Received | 53 | $258,848 | |
| Claims Paid | 14 | $84,777 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 3/31/20) | 86 | $458,357 | |
| Total Paid FY20 | $4,366,043 | ||
| April | |||
| Claims Received | 137 | $745,336 | |
| Claims Paid | 39 | $187,274 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 4/30/20) | 185 | $1,014,502 | |
| Total Paid FY20 | $4,553,317 | ||
| May | Claims Received | 81 | $316,980 |
| Claims Paid | 114 | $502,096 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 5/31/20) | 150 | $797,012 | |
| Total Paid FY20 | $5,055,413 | ||
| June | Claims Received | 278 | $3,006,690 |
| Claims Paid | 22 | $89,254 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 6/30/20) | 356 | $2,750,738 | |
| Total Paid FY20 | $5,114,667 | ||
| July | Claims Received | 38 | $516,072 |
| Claims Paid | 173 | $917,495 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 7/31/20) | 289 | $3,457,844 | |
| Total Paid FY21 | $917,496 | ||
| August | Claims Received | 0 | $0 |
| Claims Paid | 131 | $1,349,346 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 8/31/20) | 148 | $1,939,423 | |
| Total Paid FY21 | $2,266,824 | ||
| Sept. | Claims Received | 0 | $0 |
| Claims Paid | 126 | $1,503,132 | |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of 9/30/20) | 18 | $361,784 | |
| Total Paid FY21 | $3,769,956 | ||
Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Grant Applications Due October 28, 2020; EPA Region 5 Application Webinar on September 23
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now accepting applications for FY21 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment & Cleanup (MAC) Grants. All applications are due October 28, 2020.
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.
Coastal Management Grants Available
The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP) seeks proposals to enhance, preserve, protect and restore resources within the state’s coastal zone – all counties adjacent to Lakes Superior and Michigan – with their nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline. The WCMP anticipates awarding up to $1.5 million in grant funding.
Applications are due November 2, 2020.
EPA Brownfields Awards to Three Wisconsin Communities
Three Wisconsin communities will receive a total of $2.1 million in brownfields awards. The grants come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ARC Grants Programs – Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup. Green Bay and Washington County both stand to receive $800,000; Brillion will receive $500,000.
The grants will provide those communities with needed assistance as they work to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes.
Continue reading “EPA Brownfields Awards to Three Wisconsin Communities”
Natural Resources Board Considers Emergency Rule May 27
On May 27, 2020, the department will present proposed emergency rules to the Natural Resources Board (NRB) for adoption. The proposed emergency rules implement statutory financial assurance requirements that apply to certain types of sites with contaminated sediment. When available, the proposed emergency rule board order RR-11-17E will be posted online as part of the NRB’s agenda.
Continue reading “Natural Resources Board Considers Emergency Rule May 27”
WAM Awards Granted to Langlade County and Antigo for Cooperative Project
Two brownfields cleanup projects in Antigo are getting financial assistance in the form of grants from the Department of Natural Resources.
The financial awards come from the DNR’s Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program, which provides contractor services worth up to $35,000 for eligible sites. The DNR awarded the grants to the city of Antigo and Langlade County for two neighboring sites near the intersection of Edison Street and 1st Avenue.
“DNR is proud to partner with the city of Antigo and Langlade County as they work to address environmental concerns associated with these two properties,” said DNR Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s Brownfields, Outreach and Policy Section Chief Jodie Peotter. “Often, WAM grants are able to kick-start a project and may be used as leverage against other grants or loans.”
The neighboring properties that were awarded grants face each other from opposite sides of 1st Avenue. The southern property, located at 915 1st Avenue, is occupied by a vacant building that was formerly Care Partners Assisted Living. The vacant building is being considered for future use as a sober living facility for women. The second property that will receive a grant is located across 1st Avenue to the north at 1020 Edison Street. Redevelopment is anticipated to include a similar sober living facility for men.
Both properties are located along an abandoned railroad yard and maintenance facility that was discontinued from service in the late 1970s. The grants for contractor services will help Antigo and Langlade County officials determine whether environmental contamination exists at the properties.
Since 2009, the WAM program has provided more than $2.5 million to 61 communities across the state, partnering to help clean up and redevelop old, often run-down or underused properties that distract from a community’s potential.
Administered by the DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment program, WAM awards provide communities with professional environmental site assessments of properties with known or perceived contamination. The program is funded through a U.S. EPA brownfields assessment grant.
Participation in the WAM program requires minimal effort by local governments. Because there is no local financial match, WAM is an attractive opportunity for communities to gain knowledge of environmental conditions. In many instances, WAM awards are leveraged with other sources of funding to kick-start repurposing efforts on properties that may have been underutilized for many years.
Applications for WAM assistance may be submitted at any time. The DNR uses WAM funding to assess brownfields throughout the state, concentrating on industrial sites and closed, or closing, manufacturing plants. WAM awards are also made for sites that may not have had a history of manufacturing but are in rural areas, racially diverse communities or economically disadvantaged areas.
For more information about WAM or other cleanup award programs from the RR Program, visit the DNR’s WAM webpage or the brownfields webpage.
Calumet County Receives WAM Award for Site Near Chilton
A brownfields cleanup project near Chilton is getting financial assistance in the form of a grant from the Department of Natural Resources.
The financial award comes from the DNR’s Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program, which provides contractor services worth up to $35,000 for eligible sites. The DNR awarded the grant to Calumet County for the former Stoeger’s Plating Service/T&M Plating Service, LLC site near Chilton.
“DNR is proud to partner with Calumet County as officials work to clean up this property,” said DNR Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s Brownfields, Outreach and Policy Section Chief Jodie Peotter. “Often, the time and expense of looking into potential environmental contamination is daunting for local governments. An award like this can be very helpful to communities that take on the task of redeveloping brownfields.”
The site, located at N3503 Highway 55 near Chilton, was a cheese factory before it was purchased by the Stoeger family in 1971. The Stoeger family ran an antique store until the late 1990s, when they transferred the nearly two-acre property to their sons. The sons operated a plating business at the site for much of the early 2000s. The property eventually became tax delinquent; Calumet County acquired the site through tax foreclosure proceedings in March of last year.
After the county acquired the property, the U.S. EPA completed the removal of 100 drums and other containers of hazardous materials that were left behind when the building was vacated. Potential environmental issues related to the plating business and other historical site uses require additional environmental investigation. The WAM grant for contractor services will help Calumet County investigate whether environmental contamination exists at the property.
Since 2009, the WAM program has now provided more than $2.5 million to 60 communities across the state, partnering to help clean up and redevelop old, often run-down or underused properties that distract from a community’s potential.
Administered by the DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment program, WAM awards provide communities with professional environmental site assessments of properties with known or perceived contamination. The program is funded through a U.S. EPA brownfields assessment grant.
Participation in the WAM program requires minimal effort by local governments. Because there is no local financial match, WAM is an attractive opportunity for communities to gain knowledge of environmental conditions. In many instances, WAM awards are leveraged with other sources of funding to kick-start repurposing efforts on properties that may have been underutilized for many years.
Applications for WAM assistance may be submitted at any time. The DNR uses WAM funding to assess brownfields throughout the state, concentrating on industrial sites and closed, or closing, manufacturing plants. WAM awards are also made for sites that may not have had a history of manufacturing but are in rural areas, racially diverse communities or economically disadvantaged areas.
For more information about WAM or other cleanup award programs from the RR Program, visit the DNR’s WAM webpage or the brownfields webpage.
Snapshot: February PECFA Financials
The Remediation and Redevelopment Program provides monthly updates on the status of the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program claims and the overall PECFA budget.
Below are the updated PECFA figures for February 2020.
| Number | Value | |
| Claims Received | 93 | $600,927 |
| Claims Paid | 80 | $443,843 |
| Claims in Audit Line (as of Feb. 29, 2020) | 52 | $280,789 |
| Total Paid FY20 | $4,281,266 |
DNR Awards Brownfields Grant Valued up to $35,000 to Village of Randolph
A brownfields cleanup project in the village of Randolph is getting financial assistance by way of a grant from the Department of Natural Resources.
The financial award comes from DNR’s Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program, which provides contractor services worth up to $35,000 to eligible sites. The grant for contractor services will help city officials assess if environmental contamination exists at the former Graafsma Garage on Stark Street in Randolph.
Continue reading “DNR Awards Brownfields Grant Valued up to $35,000 to Village of Randolph”