Redevelopment Successes Detailed in Reports

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Report Covers

The RR Program details the various activities undertaken and achieved throughout the year through the biannual Section 128(a) Report.

For nearly 15 years, the Remediation and Redevelopment Program has worked under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enhance state efforts with the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. As part of the agreement, the RR Program details the various activities undertaken and achieved throughout the year and makes those efforts available to the public through the biannual Section 128(a) Report. These reports can be found on the Brownfields Program webpage and we invite you to have a look. Recent reports detail redevelopment sites in Manitowoc and Madison, highlight video projects, recognize staff efforts, and recognize our external partners for helping guide program efforts.  

 

National TAB Webinar: The Basics of Site Remediation for Communities

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Kansas State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the Center for Creative Land Recycling will present an introductory webinar and remediation technologies. The webinar will take place on August 2, from 2:30-4:00 CDT.

During this webinar, you’ll learn about environmental cleanup technology, including the differences between remediation corridors versus single sites and how to work with the regulators, especially the state. This webinar will give you the tools to make informed decisions about your projects and remind you of special considerations to make while working on brownfield sites.

This webinar is geared for local and regional government officials, not-for-profit economic and community development organizations and anyone interested in learning about brownfield remediation.

The event is free, but registration required. For more information or help with registration contact Erica Rippe.

“When Life Hands You a Landfill” Webinar Recording Now Available

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What to do with those pesky landfills? The Center for Creative Land Recycling presents an online recording of its recent webinar “When life hands you a landfill, make it into something better.”

The 60-minute video features experts from the field of brownfields redevelopment and covers a range of issues particular to working on landfill projects.

Reminder: Required Submittals, Consultant Qualifications and Certifications

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As part of the Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s continuing outreach to its customers, the program wants to remind consultants and responsible parties that:

(1) Wis. Admin. Code § NR 700 rule series (hereafter “NR 700”) specifies the technical reports or documents that must be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regardless of whether the responsible party is requesting a fee review or not; and

(2) Those documents are to be prepared by or under the supervision of a professional engineer, hydrogeologist or scientist as those terms are specifically defined in NR 712.03. This rule chapter requires: (1) appropriate qualifications of the consultant; (2) signatures; and (3) certification language to be included with the appropriate NR 700 submittals.

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Wisconsin Communities Receive $1.8M in EPA Brownfields Awards for FY17

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Money stack clip artA handful of Wisconsin communities, counties and entities will put to use recent brownfields awards from the US EPA. The awards are for assessment or cleanup activities and are part of the 279 awards given to communities across the nation, totaling $56.8 million.

These Assessment and Cleanup Grants, in Wisconsin and elsewhere, will aid under-served communities through the assessment and cleanup of abandoned industrial and commercial properties and expand the ability of communities to recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses.

Recipient Assessment / Cleanup Award Amount
Blugold Real Estate Foundation, Inc. (Eau Claire) Cleanup $200,000
Blugold Real Estate Foundation, Inc. (Eau Claire) Cleanup $200,000
Green Bay Assessment $300,000
Sheboygan County Assessment $300,000
Washington County Assessment $600,000
Wauwatosa Assessment $200,000

The US EPA has a list of all FY17 grants selected for funding, as well as a searchable database and fact sheets of all selected applicants.

NR 700 Semi-Annual Reporting Due Soon

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Clip art of reportSemi-annual reporting for the period of January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 is due August 8, 2017. 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 BRRTS online database. Consultants may submit these reports on behalf of the RPs.

An email from the DNR with your unique report identification number will go out on July 7, 2017. If you do not receive an email, you can request a number by submitting the Report ID Request Form. The Report ID number you will receive uniquely identifies the activity for which you wish to report, the reporting period, and verifies the person using the ID is authorized to submit the report. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Zeichert at (608) 266-5788.

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Snapshot: PECFA Financials

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The RR Program will provide monthly updates on the status of PECFA claims and the overall PECFA budget. The table below provides information on the number and value of claims submitted, the number and value of claims paid, and the remaining available funding for the fiscal year.

Below are the updated PECFA numbers for May 2017.

Number Value
Claims Received 68 $357,590
Claims Paid 38 $163,448
Claims in audit line (as of May 31) 56 $279,340
Remaining fiscal year funding $1,030,795

 

Ready for Reuse Assistance Available for Brownfields Cleanup

Posted on by Zachary Teicher

Funds from the Ready for Reuse program are used for environmental cleanup of hazardous substances or petroleum at brownfields throughout Wisconsin. Funds are available in the form of zero-interest loans with flexible payback options and grants in limited circumstances. As the name implies, Ready for Reuse dollars can only be used on sites that are ready to begin cleanup activities and have adequate funding in place to finish the cleanup.

There are some specific requirements related to Ready for Reuse dollars. It’s strongly recommended that you speak with program administrator Gena Larson to learn if your project qualifies for funding before beginning to work on your application.

For more information about Ready for Reuse, including eligibility requirements:

Public Input Opportunity on Soil RCLs for PAHs

Posted on by Zachary Teicher

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program seeks your input on a new guidance document titled Calculating Soil RCLs for PAHs Wis. Admin Code § NR 722.11 (1) (RR-079).

This guidance document introduces the modified residual contaminant level (RCL) spreadsheet that allows for an alternative method of calculating non-industrial direct contact RCLs for seven carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs). The modifications are based on a reassessment of the risk posed by cPAHs by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The modified spreadsheet assesses these cPAHs exclusively on cumulative risk and does not assess their individual compound-specific risk. Use of this spreadsheet complies with the requirements of Wis. Admin. § NR 722.11 for developing alternate standards when meeting the RCLs in Wis. Admin. § NR 720 is not practicable.

The comment period will be open through May 31, 2017. This document can be reviewed on the Department’s public input web page, and comments can be submitted to Paul Grittner.

Jumpstart Redevelopment with Wisconsin Assessment Monies

Posted on by Zachary Teicher

The Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM) program helps address brownfields sites throughout the state where closed or closing industrial plants are acting as impediments to economic redevelopment. The DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment Program provides assistance by offering contractor services for completion of Phase I and II environmental assessments and limited site investigation. This program helps jump-start the process of turning properties around and getting them ready for new uses. Minimal project administration is required by the recipient and there are no matching funds required.

Clip Art of a Building

WAM is made available by a grant from the U.S. EPA at the request of the DNR and Wisconsin’s Regional Planning Commissions (jointly, the Wisconsin Brownfields Coalition).

Sites assisted by WAM are generally less than 10 acres and have petroleum or hazardous substance contamination that can be assessed for less than $35,000.  Applications for WAM services are accepted on an ongoing basis.

For more information about WAM, including eligibility requirements:

Email Tom at Thomas.Coogan@Wisconsin.gov