What is the Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative?
The Superfund Redevelopment Initiative
is EPA’s new coordinated national effort to facilitate the return
of Superfund sites to productive use. The Superfund program’s
primary mission is the timely and efficient assessment, investigation,
and cleanup of the nation’s worst hazardous waste sites, with
an emphasis on those on the National Priorities List (NPL). The Agency
is also instrumental in returning contaminated sites to commercial,
ecological, recreational, residential, and public use. Working in
partnership with states, tribes, other federal agencies, local, governments,
communities, land owners, lenders, developers, and parties potentially
responsible for contamination, EPA is facilitating the reuse of sites
through the development of cleanup plans that take into account the
future use of the site, such as retail stores, office buildings, homes,
golf courses, softball fields and wetlands. Thus, Superfund sites,
which were once thought to be unusable, are being put back into productive
use.
What is the Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative Pilot Program?
EPA will be selecting sites for the pilot
program where circumstances are well-suited for demonstrating the
way local governments can better participate with EPA and states in
the process of returning Superfund sites to productive use. For each
pilot, EPA may fund the development of reuse assessments, public outreach
to help determine what the future use is likely to be, or perhaps
provide an expert through an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA)
assignment. EPA will also offer access to facilitation services to
support stakeholder involvement. In addition, the International City/County
Management Association will offer a peer match program which will
enable local governments that have succeeded in reusing Superfund
sites to share their experiences with those just starting the process.
By the end of FY2000, EPA expects to have funded about 50 pilot projects
on a competitive basis. These activities are expected to be valued
at $50,000 to $100,000 in direct financial assistance and/or services.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for selection as a pilot,
the local government must have a site within its jurisdiction that
is proposed or final in the NPL, and for which construction has not
yet begun. Sites that are not on the NPL may also be eligible if a
significant removal action is planned but a cleanup decision is still
pending
How Does the Pilot Proposal and
Selection Process Work?
EPA has selected a number of targeted
pilot candidates that will serve as models for the open proposal process.
In late summer of 1999, EPA will provide in the Federal Register,
the details of the open proposal procedure, pilot eligibility, evaluation
criteria, and types of assistance that EPA will offer. Preliminary
evaluation criteria include: value added through EPA funding; level
of community involvement; and anticipated state role.
Interested local governments will complete
a proposal with basic information about the types of activities they
plan to undertake, and the type and amount of support they are requesting.
A review panel will evaluate the merits of the proposals based on
the stated eligibility and evaluation criteria. Pilots will be chosen
early in the year 2000.
What Types of Activities Can Receive
Assistance?
- Reuse Assessments to predict future
land use
- Facilitation Services by neutral parties
to identify local stakeholder interests for future land uses
- Coordination among different levels
of government, community members and natural resource organizations
to identify future land uses
- Reuse Advisors to provide assistance
to local governments in determining site reuse and supporting remedies
consistent with that reuse
- Public Outreach including public meetings,
newsletters and other public information material, and the education
of community leaders in cleanup and site reuse
- Training and Workshops on cleanup,
remedy selection, and determining site reuse
- Support for a Citizen Advisory Group
to advise the community in determining the reuse of a site
- Other Technical Assistance to study
and develop recommendations on legal, fiscal, economic, and other
issues as appropriate to determine site reuse and support the remedy
selection
How Can I Get More Information?
For more information on the Superfund
Redevelopment Initiative Pilots Program, contact: Susan Sladek (703)
603-8848
Or visit the Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative Webpage at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/index.htm.