Department of Justice

Program Description

Mission

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) does not have a specific brownfields reuse program, but it supports initiatives through the Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) that encourages redevelopment directly, through its Brownfield Special Emphasis Initiative, and indirectly, through the Weed and Seed Program. The CCDO aims to work with local communities to design strategies for deterring crime, promoting economic growth and enhancing quality of life.

Brownfields Connections

Brownfields Special Emphasis Initiative gives communities that are unsuccessful in seeking EPA funding, a “second chance” to carry out initiatives aimed at site preparation and development, and community outreach and participation — targeted to Weed and Seed program grantees.
Advise and assist with the use of EPA Brownfields Program funds to clean up methamphetamine labs — targeted to all EPA grantees addressing meth labs.
Assist in crime prevention and improving the community climate through neighborhood restoration and crime prevention — targeted to local governments for community use.

Resources

Financial Assistance

Brownfields Special Emphasis Initiative (found within Methamphetamine Lab/Environmental Activities)

In order to support community health and economic development, the CCDO provides funding through its Brownfields Special Emphasis Initiative. Applicants are encouraged to seek funding for brownfields activities from existing brownfields programs prior to seeking funding from the Weed and Seed program.

Eligibility Requirements: Only Officially Recognized Weed and Seed sites in good standing are eligible to apply for funding. Official Recognition (OR) designation is the first step in the federal Weed and Seed process. A community that is interested in becoming a Weed and Seed site must first notify the appropriate U.S. Attorney’s Office and then obtain a Weed and Seed Implementation Manual and the current Official Recognition Guidelines and Application. These documents can be downloaded from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Web site

Availability: Only one Weed and Seed grant award per site per federal fiscal year is allowed. Unless otherwise noted Continuation sites may apply for a total of $225,000: $175,000 in core funding plus $50,000 for Special Emphasis Initiatives.

Uses/Applications: Grants and technical resources can be used for brownfields related activities including:

Build partnerships and outreach among stakeholders

Cleanup, reuse planning, assessment and evaluation

Renovate existing facilities

Foster local job development and training initiatives

Technical Assistance

Weed and Seed Program

Weed and Seed’s law enforcement and community policing elements make up the “weed” portion, while the prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood restoration elements comprise the “seeds”. It is the program’s seed portion that may indirectly affect redevelopment by promoting revitalization activities in distressed areas where brownfields are located.

Uses/Applications:

Weed and Seed sites can budget up to a maximum of $7,500 in grant funds for travel to CCDO-sponsored conferences and training. Sites should seek prior approval from their program manager prior to any other use of these funds.

Weed and Seed sites can submit a written site-driven Technical Assistance request asking attendance at appropriate off-site training courses. The request is reviewed by the applicable CCDO director for final review and approval.

Website: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/welcome.html

SNAPSHOT
East Palo Alto, California

The City of East Palo Alto, California is the location for the 130-acre Ravenswood Industrial Area. The Ravenswood area overlooks wetlands and the San Francisco Bay, and is located at the gateway to technology-based Silicon Valley, making it an attractive location for local industries. East Palo Alto continues to assess potentially contaminated properties in the Ravenswood area. EPA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) teamed up to assist the city by providing a federal staff liaison to work on brownfields and economic development issues, coordinate federal and state programs to meet the needs of East Palo Alto and identify assistance programs for which the city qualifies. The U.S. Department of Justice contributed conference travel funds to assist program administrators in East Palo Alto to attend professional development conferences. The program also established a Ravenswood Industrial Area Stakeholders Group to determine future land uses with assistance from EPA and HUD.

Additional Information

Karen Wardzinski
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 4390
Washington, DC 20044-4390
202-514-0474
karen.wardzinski@usdoj.gov

Sharee M. Freeman, Director
Community Relations Service
U.S. Department of Justice
600 E Street, NW, Suite 6000
Washington, D.C. 20530
202-305-2935
sharee.freeman@usdoj.gov

Stephen Thom, Deputy Director
Community Relations Service
U.S. Department of Justice
600 E Street, NW, Suite 6000
Washington, D.C. 20530
202-514-0474
stephen.thom@usdoj.gov

Main Website: http://www.usdoj.gov

Region 3 | Mid-Atlantic Cleanup | Mid-Atlantic Brownfields & Land Revitalization