WHAT ARE “BROWNFIELDS”?
Brownfields are defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as properties impacted by real or perceived contamination. These properties have been targeted nationwide by the EPA as high priority for redevelopment. The redevelopment of brownfields is part of a broader strategy to improve the environment, create and retain jobs, reduce sprawl and revitalize urban areas. Fewer acres of raw land are used for new buildings, neighborhoods are being rebuilt, and the process of redeveloping contaminated sites has become more routine.

HOW ARE BROWNFIELDS IDENTIFIED?
In recent years, insurers and lending institutions have been requiring environmental "due diligence" as part of commercial land sales. "Due diligence" is the evaluation of risks involved with the purchase of a property. For a brownfield site, this generally means that a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is performed. The Phase I ESA, standardized to ensure accuracy and consistency, is performed by consultants trained in environmental science and/or engineering. The Phase I consists of a site walkover, historical records search, interviews with current and past users of the site, and a study of Sanborn fire insurance maps which show past uses that could have led to the release of a hazardous substance. Each Phase I report concludes with recommendations for further action if warranted.

If the consultant recommends further investigation of a site, often a Phase II ESA is specified with sampling performed (soils, groundwater, air) to determine the degree and extent to which contamination might be present. If contamination is found, the consultant must report it immediately to the Vermont DEC. If it is found that contamination is present that requires action to protect human health and/or the environment, a site number is established and the property listed in the DEC Hazardous Sites List.

AFTER BROWNFIELDS ARE IDENTIFED, WHAT IS THE CLEANUP PROCESS?
Once a Phase II ESA is complete and data is available to the public, the process of planning for cleanup (or "Phase III") can begin. The consultant’s recommendations (the conclusion of the Phase II ESA) is submitted to the State for review. A final "Corrective Action Plan" (CAP) is crafted based on the feedback from Vermont DEC and changes made (if necessary) by the consultant, and remediation can go forward. The cleanup is performed, in part, to accommodate the future use of the site (i.e., a parking lot has different cleanup standards than a school). In general, three options are evaluated: leave contamination in place and monitor, treat the contamination in place and monitor the cleanup, or completely remove the contamination. Especially on larger sites, a combination of these techniques is generally employed.

WHO PAYS FOR CLEANUP?
All environmental law is based on a "polluter pays" principle. In general, the entity that causes the pollution has to pay for the cleanup. Often, however, sites are abandoned and it is difficult or impossible to track down past owners or users, or the contamination is so old that the source of it is unknown. In these cases, there are new funding sources and programs to assist new owners working to resolve environmental issues and redevelop.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN BURLINGTON WITH BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT?
The Burlington Brownfields Pilot Initiative is an EPA funded program targeting properties with "real or perceived" contamination issues in the City of Burlington. In general, these properties are difficult to redevelop into productive use due to a range of issues: threats to the environment and human health, liability, regulatory barriers, difficulty in obtaining financing, and the overall stigma associated with these sites. The Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) administers the program, and has successfully assisted with assessments leading to the redevelopment of contaminated sites into commercial and residential success stories.

CEDO works directly with developers, landowners, financial institutions, regulators, citizen groups, and non-profits on brownfield redevelopment projects. This includes working through all issues associated with the successful completion of the project.

WHY ISN’T THE PINE STREET BARGE CANAL A BROWNFIELD?
The Pine Street Barge Canal site is a "higher tier" site that has federal Superfund designation http://www.epa.gov/region01/remed/sfsites/pinest.html. Superfund Sites have contamination levels and threats to human health and the environment exceeding those of Brownfields. A separate funding mechanism and regulatory process drives the cleanup of Superfund sites. In Burlington, the Barge Canal Coordinating Council spent four years devising a cleanup plan in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (Vermont DEC), citizens, and representatives of the polluting parties. In 2001 the remedial plan will go into construction.

WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF BROWNFIELD PROJECTS IN BURLINGTON?

Completed projects:

--Architectural Salvage Warehouse: abandoned warehouse into fully redeveloped Architectural Salvage operation
--River View Apartments: former gas station into affordable housing and office space
--Multigenerational Center: former drycleaning facility into senior center/daycare/community center facility
--VT Transit Passenger Terminal: Former bulk petroleum facility (in Superfund Site) into bus terminal
--Thelma Maple Housing Coop: former roofing company site into affordable housing
--Metalworks: former offices of Exxon Oil terminal into custom metal fabrication business

Works in progress include:

--Vermont Transit Bus Barns: Bus and trolley maintenance and repair facility into 25 units of affordable housing and 20,000 square feet of new commercial space
--Urban Reserve: former bulk oil storage into open space
--Moran Plant: Abandoned coal-fired power plant into arts center
--Pine Street: 100,000 square foot commercial/retail development on former superfund site
--Vermont Railway Rail Yard: possibility in future for 13 acres for mixed-use development
--General Dynamics Armament Systems (GDAS): Construction of new world headquarters and redevelopment of 225,000 square foot manufacturing facility
--Central Market: former dairy/ice cream factory/police station into a food market
--Mulitmodal Center: former auto parts and repair facility into Multimodal transportation center