Brownfields Assessment Pilot Fact Sheet

PILOT SNAPSHOT
Minneapolis, MN	Date of Announcement: June 1999 Amount: $200,000
Profile: The Pilot targets tax-forfeit, orphan brownfields within the Minneapolis EZ for assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment.

BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the City of Minneapolis for a Brownfields Pilot. The project area is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-designated Minneapolis Empowerment Zone (EZ), population 49,096, which includes 50 percent of the state's hazardous waste generators and 88 percent of its tax-forfeit properties. Also within the EZ, 60 percent of the residents are minority and 60 percent of the children are living in poverty.

Minneapolis and the state have been successful in cleaning up larger contaminated sites, obtaining over $11 million in state and city funding toward revitalization. However, smaller brownfields within the EZ have not yet been addressed, causing economic distress and blight within the EZ neighborhoods. Nine brownfields sites, in a key commercial corridor and part of the EZ, have been identified for preliminary assessment. Each EZ area has a community organization experienced in dealing with environmental issues able to assist with community outreach efforts.

OBJECTIVES

The Pilot will focus on the brownfields sites within the EZ for assessment and eventual redevelopment. The Pilot's goal is to assess and develop Remedial Action Plans (RAP) for three priority sites. The EZ Implementation Plan uses the Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) framework for community involvement. By using the NRP, the Pilot will expand the communities' involvement in Pilot site selection, assessment activities, and the redevelopment process, which will include community workshops and charettes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Identifying which of nine sites require Phase I assessments;

• Conducting Phase I assessments on target sites;

• Identifying redevelopment planning goals based on Phase I assessment results through community workshops and charettes;

• Completing Phase II assessments on target sites; and

• Completing a RAP for three target sites.

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

CONTACTS:

City of Minneapolis

Minneapolis Community Development Agency
(612) 673-5193

Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 5
(312) 353-3161

Visit the EPA Region 5 Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/

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/