Brownfields
Brownfields
programs are not just about restoring old buildings and cleaning up contaminated sites. These programs also provide technical assistance
and funding for tribal capacity building. This capacity building is necessary in several areas. In order to develop an efficient
Brownfields program, tribes need to hire and train staff, engage with the community, and prioritize efforts to cleanup, redevelop
and/or reuse property. Resources available to Brownfields programs allow you to determine what risks may be present in your community,
how to prevent future contamination, and provide you with strategies for developing outreach materials, writing ordinances, and
identifying other sources of assistance and funding for your community’s environmental planning.
For examples of what tribes have used Brownfields funding and technical assistance for, go to the following link:
What can Brownfields funding be used for in tribal communities?
Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential
presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects the
environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off greenspaces and working lands. On EPA’s site, you can find
information about US EPA's Brownfields Program including the
Brownfields Law,
Brownfields Grants,
Land Revitalization Information, and
more...
State and tribal response programs oversee assessment and cleanup activities at the majority of brownfields sites across
the country. The depth and breadth of state and tribal response programs vary. Some focus on Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) related activities, while others are multifaceted, for example, addressing
sites regulated by both CERCLA and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
The elements of a response program that a State or Tribe must include or take reasonable steps to include are:
- Timely Brownfields sites inventory
- Oversight and enforcement authorities to ensure response actions will protect human health, be conducted in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws, and will be completed
- Mechanisms and resources to provide meaningful opportunities for public participation
- Mechanisms for approval of a cleanup plan
These elements are further described within the training modules developed by the Midwest Assistance Program provided here.
Training Modules:
The
Midwest Assistance Program has developed CERCLA 128(a)
Tribal Response Program training modules and resources for:
Establishing a Tribal Response Program and Enhancing a Tribal Response Program
Alaska specific training modules for Establishing a Tribal Response Program and Enhancing a Tribal Response Program
ITEP