Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England
What's New: May 2013
In this Issue
Send your Brownfields-related items for inclusion in this newsletter to Joe Ferrari (ferrari.joe@epa.gov).
Disclaimer: Some of the events, articles and websites listed in this newsletter are non-EPA sponsored events and websites. EPA is providing them for your information only and is not responsible for the content of the websites or the information distributed at a non-EPA listed event. 
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EPA Brownfields Assessment, RLF & Cleanup Grants – $12 million to New England Communities
Communities across New England will receive $12 million from EPA to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, transforming them from abandoned and blighted properties into community assets. The communities are being awarded funding under EPA's Brownfields program after being selected in a competitive national competition.
- National Press Release
- Region 1 News Release
- EPA New England 2013 Grant Awards (PDF) (2 pp, 25K)
- State Brownfields Funding Sheets
- Connecticut Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
- Maine Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
- Massachusetts Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
- New Hampshire Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
- Rhode Island Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
- Vermont Funding Sheet (PDF) (13 pp, 247K)
EPA Region 1 Brownfields Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Annual Updates and Five Year Expirations
Message to the Brownfields consultant community from Gerry Sotolongo, Regional Quality Assurance Manager:
The Region 1 QA Office wants to remind consultants with Brownfields Generic QAPPs that the documents need to be reviewed and updated annually and that they have a maximum 5 year shelf life.
Region 1 has been successfully using the regional guidance document, Planning and Documenting Brownfields Projects Generic Quality Assurance Project Plans and Site-specific QAPP Addenda, Final, March 2009 for a few years now. The guidance includes the following statement “Once a Generic QAPP is developed by the environmental consulting firm, and approved by EPA, it will have a 5- year shelf life with an annual review and update.” EPA is not consistently receiving documentation of annual reviews and updates. Also, Generic QAPPs are reaching their 5-year expiration dates. This message formalizes the process for annual updates and serves as a reminder that 5-year expiration dates are approaching.
Annual Updates
The Brownfields QAPP guidance does not contain a formal process for documenting annual reviews of Generic QAPPs. To provide consistency, a formal process is being established.
Each year, submit a letter or memorandum stating that the Generic QAPP has been reviewed. Outline significant changes and include attachments as appropriate. The letter should be submitted electronically to the listed contacts with a copy to Alan Peterson.
Generic QAPPs
Generic QAPPs need to be resubmitted as full documents at least every 5 years for review and approval. The Generic QAPPs should reflect any changes made to state regulations such as field methods and regulatory criteria. Analytical Sensitivity and Project Criteria Tables (Form K) do not have to be included. Laboratory SOPs for RCRA hazardous waste determinations should be included. EPA no longer requires hardcopies of field and laboratory SOPs. Instead, SOPs may be submitted on CD with a detailed table of contents included with the Generic QAPP. Additionally, EPA requests that the body of the QAPP be sent electronically. EPA now has the capability to store the electronic documents in our RFA tracking system.
Brownfields Generic QAPP Contacts:
To better service the Brownfields community, the QA Unit has divided the responsibility for reviewing Generic QAPPs and annual reviews among the Brownfields QAPP reviewers.
Please contact the following staff for Generic QAPP updates and annual review documentation:
Nora Conlon (conlon.nora@epa.gov) for New Hampshire or multi-state
Steve DiMattei (dimattei.steve@epa.gov) for Rhode Island or Connecticut
Robert Reinhart (reinhart.robert@epa.gov) for Maine or Vermont
John Smaldone (smaldone.john@epa.gov) for Massachusetts
Electronic copies of all Generic QAPP documents should be provided to Alan Peterson (peterson.alan@epa.gov) for the Brownfields program office.
As always, please contact Nora Conlon of my staff should you have any questions. She may be reached at 617-918-8335 or conlon.nora@epa.gov.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation towards making these improvements.
The 2013 Brownfields Conference
May 15 – 17, 2013 in Atlanta, GA
- Brownfields 2013 Website
- Schedule
- Educational Program Sessions
- Exhibitor & Sponsor Information
- Registration & Lodging
- Region 1 Open House (PDF) (1 pg, 73K)
Some selected sessions that have Region 1 brownfields speakers/participation:
Prepared Workbook: EPA's Secret Weapon for Brownfields Redevelopment
May 16, 2013, 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM, Room B-406.
Join us for a special PREPARED Workbook session at the 2013 Brownfields Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on May 16th at 4pm in Room B 406.
The session will be moderated by Timothy Fields of MDB, Inc. and panelists will include Jim Rocco of Vita Nuova, Barry Hersh of NYU, and Kathy Castagna of USEPA Region 1.
The Prepared Workbook is a roadmap for all public and community entities planning to become involved in brownfields redevelopment. This session will help participants understand how to navigate and coordinate all appropriate inquiry with redevelopment planning within the framework of organizational decision-making. Participation in this session will help attendees work through decisions related to a rural or urban brownfields redevelopment project and provide an opportunity to bring specific development issues for discussion. An interactive format will be used to lead participants through the PREPARED approach and work through various reuse-related barriers and issues.
If you plan on attending the session, please email Hana Lewis (lewis@vnproductions.net) so that we can send you helpful materials in advance.
ABC’s of Successful Compliance with Section 106
May 17, 2013, 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM, Room 211/212
Compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) has become an emerging issue for the Brownfields Program. Even though compliance has always been a requirement, regional staff and grantees, as well as their environmental consultants, have been struggling to understand the process, what steps are required, and how to coordinate their work. This session will provide an overview of how to navigate the Section 106 process - everything from what type of project triggers NHPA, selecting consultants, budgeting time and money, engaging stakeholders, and how to efficiently submit the consultation paperwork. Groups can further explore strategies for balancing EPA's lead role in working with the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices with the grantees’ role in managing the technical contractor and the environmental oversight authority.
Broadening the Horizons: Area-Wide Strategies for Comprehensive Brownfields Redevelopment
May 17, 2013, 1:45 PM – 3:00 PM, Room B-313
Addressing brownfield revitalization in a more comprehensive manner is proving to be very successful in building momentum more quickly and in leveraging funds for cleanup and redevelopment. However, redevelopment planning for multiple sites, often spanning across several municipalities, presents the challenge that many more stakeholders have to be engaged, convinced and energized to act. The session will highlight unique strategies that were implemented to build partnerships and develop area-wide plans that can be implemented and the tangible successes that resulted. Featured in this session will be three AWPG Pilot Projects - Chicopee, MA ; Monaca, PA and Ranson WV.
IEDC 2013 Annual Conference
Registration is now open for the International Economic Development Council's 2013 Annual Conference, October 6-9, 2013, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will address obstacles facing economic developers, and existing trends in our dynamic economy. With the right tools, economic developers everywhere can create a vision for the future, stimulate consensus, and prepare their communities for 21st century success.
