Brownfield Investment Fund Receives $500,000

By Maria Thi Mai

11300014_1 With more than 700 contaminated properties (Brownfields) across Portland, Commissioner Adams spearheaded an initiative to streamline the regulatory and redevelopment of these Brownfields by securing $500,000 to help property owners clean up and redevelop their property. This Brownfield Investment Fund will allow us to continue and build on the City's commitment to assess, cleanup, and redevelop properties and therefore contribute to Portland's economic prosperity.

Since 1996, Portland has received Federal funding to provide technical assistance on the complexity and costs of environmental assessment and cleanup to property owners. And it is the cost of cleanup that is often one of the biggest hurdles for property owners. By establishing this Brownfield Investment Fund, we will provide assistance for Brownfield redevelopment. Additionally, we've applied to the National Park Service for a Brownfield redevelopment grant. (see pdf file)

So, what is a Brownfield site? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a Brownfield site means 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.

Download 052206_groundwork_usa.pdf

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Posted Tue, 05/30/2006 - 9:27am.

re: Brownfield Investment Fund Receives $500,000

Submitted by Marian on Tue, 05/30/2006 - 5:05pm.

Duh -- So how come Portland Parks are still using herbicides, then?

Wouldn't it be more useful to stop using MORE poisons, than it would be to try to clean up the ones that are already here?

I also have a question -- are the schools using herbicides? It would not surprise me if they are.

I have an answer to another question:

Q. Are any of the large apartment complexes which have children and playgrounds using herbicides?

A. Yes!

Last Question:

Is Commissioner Sam going to do anything about these three major pollutant arenas, namely: parks, schools, and apartment complexes? Oh, and what about churches?

A. _______________________________

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re: Brownfield Investment Fund Receives $500,000

Submitted by Javier O Sanchez on Fri, 06/02/2006 - 2:33pm.

As a concerned community member and dedicated voter who likes applauding great efforts (as well as a good scratch around my ears), I'm very excited to see Commissioner's Adams office tackling the issue of Brownfields. I'm anxious to see the city make the $$$ available for other stakeholders in the community, other than property owners.

With that said, I was hoping for a little clarity on the 'additional' item from Ms Thi Mai, specifically the City of Portland's Brownfields Redevelopment proposal to NPS and Groundwork USA. I was told that it is a coalition effort comprised of community based groups and diverse stakeholders (including the City of Portland Brownfield Program) who applied for the NPS grant, with a focus on community-led priorities with Sam's office supporting the community-led effort.
I volunteer for an environmental justice group here in Portland, OPAL, who address the prevalence of idle sites and brownfields in our most vulnerable and neglected communities, and who is one of the groups leading this brownfield redevelopment effort and proposal. I think OPAL, as well as the other great groups in the coalition who worked hard to organize tours and generate interest in the proposal, would be upset to hear their work couched as a proposal from Sam's office.

thanks again,

Javier O. Sanchez
Southeast Portland

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