Northeast Region Project Managers Receive EPA Brownfields Award

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Congratulations to NER’s Tauren Beggs and Annette Weissbach (retired) for receiving a 2018 National Notable Achievement Award for Brownfields and Land Revitalization from the U.S. EPA. The two project managers in the Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program were recognized for their work in building strategic approaches among multiple groups and agencies to cleanup and redevelop sites in Green Bay and Manitowoc.

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Comprehensive Per- and poly-fluoroaklyl (PFAS) Legislation Proposed

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Today, Governor Evers and Secretary Cole accompanied Senators David Hansen (Green Bay) and Mark Miller (Monona) to announce one of the most comprehensive bills in the nation to address contamination by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This bill (LRB-2297/2), if passed, will protect public health as well as the air, waters and lands of Wisconsin.

What would the legislation do?

  • This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to establish and enforce various standards for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
  • The PFAS group of substances includes several thousand chemicals (4,000+); two of the most well-known are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
  • The bill requires DNR to establish, by rule, the following:
    • acceptable levels and standards,
    • monitoring requirements, and
    • required response actions for any PFAS.
  • Applies to all media:
    • in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, air, solid waste, beds of navigable waters, and soil and sediment, if the department determines that the substance may be harmful to human health or the environment.
  • These rules must cover, at a minimum, PFOA and PFOS, as well as perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA).
  • In recommending a groundwater enforcement standard for a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance, the department of health services may recommend individual standards for each substance, a standard for these substances as a class, or standards for groups of these substances.

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New Fillable PDF Form for Materials Management Plan

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A new, fillable PDF form has replaced RR-072. The new form is 4400-315: Recommended Template for Request to Manage Materials under Wis. Admin. Code § NR 718.12 or NR 718.15

The purpose of this form is to provide an optional template format for consultants and responsible parties to demonstrate the proposed management of solid waste material qualifies for a Wis. Admin. Code § NR 718.12 or NR 718.15 exemption and to request written approval of the request.

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Application Deadline Extended to May 29 for Brownfields Section Chief Position

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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.

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Snapshot: April 2019 PECFA Financials

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The Remediation and Redevelopment Program provides a monthly update on the status of claims submitted to the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program and the overall PECFA program budget.

Below are the updated PECFA numbers for April 2019.

Number Value
Claims Received 64 $373,785
Claims Paid 86 $574,919
Claims in Audit Line (as of 4/30/19) 18 $67,509
Total Paid Biennium to Date $12,875,791

 

Brownfields Opportunity Zones: TAB Webinar on May 21

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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

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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

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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

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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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