BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Editor
LAKE BUTLER — Union County has been awarded a federal Brownfield Grant, administered through the United States Environmental Protection Agency, that will fund the assessment of properties that may be harboring hidden hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants. Most of these sites are former industrial or commercial land where future use may be limited or prevented without proper clean-up.
According to the EPA, such properties are designated as Brownfields and can complicate expansion, development, redevelopment and reuse of them. The first step in dealing with these Brownfields it to identify them as such and assess the nature of the problem that needs to be dealt with. Brownfield properties can occur anywhere, but many are located in metro areas with connections to local infrastructure. Once these properties are identified there are grant and loan programs through the EPA to allow property owners to have the affected areas cleaned up. Once clean, the land becomes more valuable and easier to sell, as it is a surety that it is “clean” of problems, and this can stimulate economic development through buyers knowledge of the fact that they are not buying a problem along with the land.
Cleaning up Brownfield sites can improve water quality, since those which feature impervious (paved) surface can spread contamination through the action of storm water runoff. So far, the program has shown an increase in the value of residential properties within 1.29 miles of the sites ranging from 5-15.2%, creating more tax revenue for the local government. Assessment funds may be used not only to find and classify Brownfield sites but will also fund efforts to promote area-wide planning around the identified sites. This can lead to job growth, better utilization of existing infrastructure and both improves and protects the environment. So far, the program has generated 183,817 jobs nationwide, with economic expansion stimulated by the fact that buyers can purchase the land and create businesses and jobs knowing that they will not be buying a current or future (and costly) problem that will adversely affect their investment.
Union County has been awarded a grant of $430,500 to fund the identification and assessment of Brownfields sites. The funds can pay for the assessment of county owned property and any privately owned property in the county with the landowner’s permission. Former industrial sites are the primary target for assessment, but other sites may be considered. There is also an allowance of the use of some of the funds to create a community outreach to let residents know what is being done and why, hopefully getting their support and encouraging them to suggest potential assessment sites.
“This grant opens the doorway for funding for the property owner to clean up any environmental problems on their land,” County Coordinator Jimmy Williams said. “There are several sources of fund for actual clean-up, some in the form of grants and other being low-interest loans, and the county will assist property owners in applying for these funds if a need is shown by the assessment.”
There is also a Federal incentive to businesses who move to a cleaned-up Brownfield property. This, along with the assurance that the property has a clean bill of health environmentally, will encourage new business to locate on Brownfield properties, thus having a positive effect on economic development.
The county is now in the process of selecting properties it feels to be in need of assessment. These can include old industrial sites, garages, unauthorized trash dumping areas and former junkyards.
The EPA was well pleased with the county’s application, calling it “outstanding” in its execution.
The areas to be considered for assessment will be in the City of Lake Butler, the other municipalities in the county as well and lands outside these areas in the outlying areas of the county. At this time sites already identified as priority areas in need of assessment include the site of a former gas station (2.77 acres), a former county dumpsite (54 acres) and a current location of an automotive repair shop (0.5 acres). Properties can and will include county (or municipality) owned, resident owned and non-profit owned sites.
County and city officials are hoping that the assessments and subsequent clean-up of Brownfield sites will make the properties in the county more attractive for the location of new business, creating tax revenue and jobs. In a side benefit, the creation of local employment will decrease greenhouse emissions from vehicles as local employment will reduce the number of people (and vehicles) having to go outside the county for employment.
The environmental assessments will begin soon and continue until as many Brownfield sites have been identified within the limits of the funds provided. Residents are encouraged to suggest sites for assessment, their own or properties with problems from previous use. The end result will be an environmentally cleaner and healthier county that can offer employment and economic growth to its residents.
