| Brownfields | Community development |
Brownfields are properties with environmental contamination, usually located in urban areas. Redevelopment of brownfields has been difficult in the past because the cost of cleanup was unknown and there was a risk of future liability for the owner or developer. However, cities and towns see redevelopment of brownfields as a key element of economic redevelopment programs and have sought the means to expedite cleanup.
A national conference on brownfields was held in November '03 in Charlotte, sponsored by the EPA. This conference highlighted the efforts undertaken in North Carolina to promote Brownfields development.
For more information on brownfields, please go to www.ncbrownfields.org/welcome.htm or http://www.epa.gov/brownfields .
LATEST UPDATES (July 8, 04):
Smart Growth and Brownfields Grants Available
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for Smart Growth and Brownfields Redevelopment grants. Up to $150,000 for three years is available for community efforts to integrate smart growth principles and practices into their brownfield redevelopment activities. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and local, state, or tribal government entities. Applications are due August 21, 2004. For further information, including obtaining application materials, please visit www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgbf.htm
Four NC Communities receive brownfields grants
On June 15, North Carolina entities received four brownfields grants from the EPA totaling $2 million. If your town, local government or nonprofit corporation is still considering whether to apply later this year for the 2005 grants, the following data may interest you: North Carolina applicants won these four awards from nine applications.
Congratulations to the North Carolina grant recipients:
The City of Laurinburg won a $200,000 brownfields assessment grant.
Land-of-Sky Regional Council won two grants, a $400,000 assessment grant and a $1,000,000 revolving loan fund grant.
The City of Raleigh won a $400,000 brownfields assessment grant.
NC Brownfields Program opens an Asheville office
The NC Brownfields Program has a staff person in Asheville placed at the offices of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council. Brownfields Project Manager Tracy Wahl is ready to serve the interests of prospective developers in Western North Carolina. Contact her at (828) 251-6225 extension 150 or by e-mail at Tracy.Wahl@ncmail.net .
Community development is a broad encompassing term for initiating change to raise the quality of life for all citizens of a community. Local governments are necessary partners in this goal, and are often responsible for distribution of monies for multiple initiatives. The largest source of these funds usually come from the Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD. HUD administers the Community Development Block Grant Program or HMGP. These grant funds are used for a variety of projects within a community. Some communities get funds directly from HUD and are called entitlement communities. Others receive their HMGP distribution from the North Carolina Department of Commerce .
Community Development is not often thought of as being an environmental issue, however, increasingly community developers can take advantage of programs that encourage environmental stewardship to promote the general welfare of their community. The Brownfields program is one example of a strong tool for urban renewal that community developers can use, others include energy saving initiatives that can be put to use in housing projects.
The League has many strong incentives to be advocates of good community development policy on the state level, we also maintain as an affiliate the North Carolina Community Development Association (NCCDA).
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