The Basics About The Basics About Getting Involved Getting Involved

with Contaminated with Contaminated SitesSites

February 2008February 2008

What Do We Mean by What Do We Mean by Contaminated Sites? Contaminated Sites?

• DEM Regulates Contaminated Sites:DEM Regulates Contaminated Sites:– Properties found to have levels in Properties found to have levels in

excess of any of the standards excess of any of the standards required to be reported to DEM (e.g. required to be reported to DEM (e.g. lead, arsenic, VOCs). lead, arsenic, VOCs). • Goal is to Mitigate Risk from Goal is to Mitigate Risk from

ContaminationContamination

• Includes Superfund sites, DoD sites, Includes Superfund sites, DoD sites, sites w/ leaking underground storage sites w/ leaking underground storage tanks (USTs), and all other state sites tanks (USTs), and all other state sites requiring some sort of cleanup. requiring some sort of cleanup.

BrownfieldsBrownfields

• Brownfields = Subset of Contaminated Brownfields = Subset of Contaminated Sites Sites Properties being investigated or Properties being investigated or cleaned up as a result of property transfercleaned up as a result of property transfer

•Goal is to mitigate risk from Goal is to mitigate risk from contamination contamination and fand facilitate reuse and acilitate reuse and redevelopmentredevelopment

• Sites where potential liability for actual or Sites where potential liability for actual or suspected contamination is a barrier to suspected contamination is a barrier to reuse or redevelopment. reuse or redevelopment.

• Often driven by economic development Often driven by economic development efforts.efforts.

• However, can also be motivated by other However, can also be motivated by other community needs for land/facilities. community needs for land/facilities.

Who are the Likely Who are the Likely Players Involved in the Players Involved in the

Cleanup of Cleanup of Contaminated Sites?Contaminated Sites?

• Developers & property ownersDevelopers & property owners• Banks/lendersBanks/lenders• Environmental consultantsEnvironmental consultants• DEM (state regulatory agency)DEM (state regulatory agency)• Local government (planning, zoning, Local government (planning, zoning,

etc)etc)• Citizens/community organizationsCitizens/community organizations

What Does All This What Does All This Mean for Mean for

Residents/NeighborhoodResidents/Neighborhoods Near These Sites?s Near These Sites?

• There are risks associated with living There are risks associated with living near contaminated sites. near contaminated sites.

• There is an opportunity for residents & There is an opportunity for residents & organizations to get involved in the organizations to get involved in the cleanup and redevelopment process. cleanup and redevelopment process.

• Asking questions about the cleanup and Asking questions about the cleanup and redevelopment process is critical redevelopment process is critical (construction? trucks? fences? contact (construction? trucks? fences? contact person if problems?)person if problems?)

There is a Risk There is a Risk Associated Associated

with the Sitewith the Site– Soil:Soil: Eat it, put it on your skin, track Eat it, put it on your skin, track it it into your home into your home

– Air:Air: Vapors move indoors, landfill Vapors move indoors, landfill gas gas

– Water:Water: Surface water and groundwater Surface water and groundwater

These risks can vary depending upon These risks can vary depending upon whether the contamination is entirely within whether the contamination is entirely within the boundaries of the site or if the the boundaries of the site or if the contamination has migrated off the site into contamination has migrated off the site into surrounding property. surrounding property.

You (as a You (as a Resident/Concerned Resident/Concerned

Citizen/Local Citizen/Local Organization) Can Get Organization) Can Get

InvolvedInvolved • Lean about the site’s history - residents Lean about the site’s history - residents are a great source of information about a are a great source of information about a sites history (which companies? what sites history (which companies? what chemicals?)chemicals?)

• Get involved as early as possible with city Get involved as early as possible with city & developer when cleanup & reuse are & developer when cleanup & reuse are being plannedbeing planned

• Take advantage of public meetings. Take advantage of public meetings.

Asking Questions about a Asking Questions about a Site Cleanup is Critical…. Site Cleanup is Critical…. Helps Communities Know Helps Communities Know

What to ExpectWhat to Expect• Timing? Timing? • Noise? Noise? • Traffic? Traffic? • Is waste treated Is waste treated

onsite or trucked onsite or trucked through through neighborhood? neighborhood?

• Dust/smell? Dust/smell?

• Site fenced off?Site fenced off?• How long will How long will

cleanup and cleanup and construction last? construction last?

• How will the public How will the public be provided with be provided with information about information about the site - signs? the site - signs? meetings?meetings?

Stay Connected….and Be a Stay Connected….and Be a ConnectorConnector

• DEM has project managers who can DEM has project managers who can answer questions about a particular answer questions about a particular contaminated site. contaminated site.

• City planning departments are often City planning departments are often involved with the project and are a involved with the project and are a good source of information. good source of information.

• DEM Brownfields Assessment DEM Brownfields Assessment Program has $$$ available to help Program has $$$ available to help municipalities and non-profits municipalities and non-profits investigate sites so they can be investigate sites so they can be productively reused. productively reused.

ResourcesResources

• Brownfields – Turning Bad Places into Brownfields – Turning Bad Places into Good Spaces (English & Spanish)Good Spaces (English & Spanish)

• http://www.dem.ri.gov/envequity/index.htm http://www.dem.ri.gov/envequity/index.htm • RI DEM Office of Waste Management 222-RI DEM Office of Waste Management 222-

27972797 http://http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/waste/indwww.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/waste/index.htmex.htm

• Reinvesting in Rhode Island’s BrownfieldsReinvesting in Rhode Island’s Brownfields• http://www.dem.ri.gov/brownfields/default.htm http://www.dem.ri.gov/brownfields/default.htm • EPA Region 1 Brownfields in New EnglandEPA Region 1 Brownfields in New England• http://www.epa.gov/region1/brownfields/http://www.epa.gov/region1/brownfields/

index.htm index.htm

Questions?Questions?

Elizabeth StoneElizabeth Stone

RI DEMRI DEM

elizabeth.stone@dem.ri.govelizabeth.stone@dem.ri.gov

222-4700 x2422222-4700 x2422