The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected seven Oregon projects to receive funding in FY23. Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) was the recipient of a $1 million Coalition Grant. This grant will support environmental assessments, clean-up plans, site reuse plans, a public involvement plan, and a variety of community engagement activities. The primary objective of this project is to identify and characterize contamination at key sites, and work with property owners to position them for redevelopment aligned with community needs. The grant period is October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2027.
What is a Brownfield?
Brownfields are real property, the expansion, development or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Property owners interested in the program should submit a Site Nomination Form or if you have any questions please reach out.
DevNW
City of Tangent
City of Albany
City of Lebanon
OCWCOG
OCWCOG
Benton County
Linn County
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Environmental Protection Agency
Maul Foster and Alongi
Banks typically require an environmental assessment before lending
Property values are often affected by uncertainty regarding site history and the financial and legal risks of potential environmental impacts
Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) allow property owners to quantify the amount of contamination on a property (if any)
An ESA can help owners who are redeveloping their own property plan for unexpected contingencies like contaminated soil or underground storage tanks
Conducting assessments eliminates “unknowns,” reducing environmental constraints
An ESA can verify that a property is not contaminated
ESAs are funded by the grant and performed by a consultant, requiring minimal time from the property owner
Public and privately owned properties
Active, underutilized, vacant, and abandoned properties
Sites with known or perceived petroleum and/or hazardous substance issues
Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments
Hazardous Building Materials (asbestos, lead-based paint, mold) survey
Cleanup Planning and Redevelopment Planning / Market Analysis / Pro Forma
Cleanup implementation (soil removal, groundwater treatment, etc.)
Environmental assessment or cleanup work already completed
Property purchase and associated fees
The funds will be available until the fall of 2027 or until expended
Cascades West provides land use planning services on an as needed basis for cities and counties located in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties.
GIS projects are typically completed as a part of larger planning efforts; however individual and/or specialized requests can also be accommodated after consultation with OCWCOG staff.
Tell us what you’re working on and what support you need. Our team can help with grant technical assistance, application and administration support, and GIS mapping or analysis for planning efforts or specialized requests.
