Get in Touch!
If you have a property development project in mind, and would like to know if it might be eligible for brownfields funding, contact Adam Short with the City of Kinston by calling (252) 939-3269, Reina Clark at Mid-Atlantic Associates by calling (919) 250-9918, or by filling out and submitting the contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
What is a brownfield?
Brownfields are “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” Brownfields blight communities across the country, inhibiting economic development and contaminating the environment. Brownfield sites include unproductive and abandoned textile mills, service stations, industrial facilities, and chemical processing plants. By cleaning up these properties, local governments can protect the environment, spur economic growth, and create jobs.
What is the purpose of this grant project?
The purpose of this grant is to assess the level and nature of environmental contamination at selected brownfield sites and conduct planning for the cleanup and reuse of the properties. By assessing contaminated properties in Kinston, the City is quantifying the risks involved in redeveloping the properties to encourage property owners and developers to clean up the sites and put them back into productive use.
Will the grant pay for the cleanup of the sites?
This grant will not pay for the actual cleanup and redevelopment of the site. While the EPA offers separate cleanup grants to assist with cleanup activities, property owners and developers are often eager to invest in the redevelopment activities in order to put the site back into productive use.a.
How will the community benefit from the redevelopment of these properties?
The cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites create productive properties, removes blight, protects the environment and often leads to the creation of new jobs.
Who will pay for the cleanup if contamination is found?
The owner of the property is typically responsible for cleanup. However, there are reimbursement programs and mitigation strategies that can be used in certain situations. In addition, EPA offers low interest loans to private property owners for the cleanup of contamination. The City’s environmental specialists will assist property owners in developing a strategy (including cost mitigation) to address cleanup before testing is conducted.
What activities are included in cleanup/redevelopment planning?
The primary goal of this effort is to identify potentially applicable cleanup alternatives and to estimate the nature, extent, duration, and cost of implementing selected cleanup alternatives at the site. This task will provide property owners and prospective purchasers with a general description of potential cleanup alternatives and approximate cost to complete these activities. In addition, cleanup decisions are often times based on the proposed end use of the site (residential, commercial) and how the proposed redevelopment (buildings, parking lots) limits access to onsite contamination. It is not uncommon for cleanup costs to be significantly reduced as a result of these efforts.
What is EPA's involvement?
The Brownfield Assessment Program is NOT a regulatory program. Assessment projects are a mechanism/tool to promote economic development. EPA involvement is typically limited to review of work plans and general program oversight.
What does the program offer property owners?
Participation in the Kinston Brownfields Program by the private sector is voluntary. The program helps move properties towards redevelopment by conducting environmental site assessments and identifying/removing the environmental risk/uncertainty associated with the property. With funds from EPA, the City is able to support environmental site assessment activities on properties where the current owner or prospective purchaser may be unwilling and/or unable to perform assessments independently. Program participation is particularly helpful where a property is perceived to have an environmental problem, although one may not actually exist.
Why would property owners want to participate?
Participation in a Brownfields project brings resources to the property owners and prospective purchasers that facilitate re-development. The project can help clarify environmental concerns and plan redevelopment to address real or perceived environmental issues. If your property is selected, project-provided services might include (1) All Appropriate Inquiries (Phase I and Phase II Environmental Assessments) and (2) Clean-up/redevelopment Planning.
If I am a property owner and I participate what happens if environmental contamination is found?
The answer to this question depends on the historical activities at the site, potential contaminant sources, types of contaminants and the regulatory agency that would have jurisdiction over the site. The City has specialists who will consult with property owners to answer this question BEFORE testing is conducted. In this way a property owner knows exactly what the ramifications are if indeed contamination is found and helps them make an informed decision before authorizing testing on a site.
What if redevelopment opportunities are not identified?
Although specific redevelopment opportunities do not necessarily need to be defined before work is performed, a general plan for generating redevelopment opportunities is typically needed to obtain EPA approval to spend grant funds on assessment work. In addition, the City will seek to prioritize sites for funding based on the site’s redevelopment potential and plans.
What if I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Please contact Reina Clark, with Mid-Atlantic Associates, at (919) 250-9918 or rclark@maaonline.com. You can also reach Ms. lark via the contact form below.