Brownfields Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet

PILOT SNAPSHOT
	Date of Announcement: May 2000 Amount: $200,000 Greenspace: $50,000
Profile: The Fort Collins Pilot will target brownfields sites in the Downtown River Corridor. Additional greenspace funding will be used to assess and address environmental conditions along the riverbanks and riparian environments along the Cache la Poudre River.

BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the City of Fort Collins for a Brownfields Pilot. Fort Collins was also selected to receive additional funding for assessments at Brownfields properties to be used for greenspace purposes. The City of Fort Collins is situated at the eastern base of the "Front Range" of the Rocky Mountains. The Cache la Poudre River flows through the city, providing agricultural and recreational benefits to residents throughout the region. Fort Collins was founded as a military fort in 1864. This original fort site in the Downtown River Corridor and the adjacent historic district known as "Old Town" comprise a nationally designated historic district. The city's downtown area and the Old Town area are prosperous with revitalized retail stores and restaurants. The Downtown River Corridor, however, is experiencing a decline in environmental conditions, economic health, and the conditions of building facades and structures. Further, known environmental problems and the specter of unknown conditions create a stigma that discourages reinvestment and integration with the nearby downtown core. The Poudre River itself has been degraded by the dumping of debris along the banks and in the river bed. Environmental barriers to redevelopment in the Corridor, including those posed by contamination, must be addressed before redevelopment can occur and generate the necessary tax base to support further community revitalization.

OBJECTIVES

The city plans to use the Pilot to help recover and preserve the Downtown River Corridor as a community asset. The Pilot will facilitate the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of the area that is needed to stimulate the economy of the Corridor. Redevelopment of the Corridor will protect and restore the quality of the natural environment, improve the quality of life for the community, and preserve the history and culture of the area for future generations. For example, the city will reuse historical buildings wherever possible to preserve cultural elements and conserve the use of building materials.

The Pilot will use the greenspace funding to assess and address environmental conditions along the riverbanks and riparian environments of the Poudre River. The funding will be used to conduct assessment activities necessary to restore riverbank habitats, preserve riparian land and greenways along the riverbanks, and to reestablish the riverside trail through downtown as a positive, natural experience for the community.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Conducting a Corridor-wide Phase I environmental assessment;

• Conducting Phase II assessments at sites targeted through the Phase I process;

• Developing cleanup and redevelopment plans for targeted brownfields in the Corridor;

• Developing and implementing a community outreach program by holding meetings, sending out newsletters, and implementing other techniques to involve the residents;

• Using greenspace funding to conduct Phase I site assessments; and

• Using greenspace funding to conduct targeted Phase II site assessments at sites targeted through the Phase I site assessments.

The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.

CONTACTS

Natural Resources Department
Community Planning and Environmental Services
(970) 221-6505

Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 8
(303) 312-6019

Visit the EPA Region 8 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region08/land_waste/bfhome/bfhome.html

For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/