New Community Health Brownfield Grant Opportunity

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is offering a new brownfield funding opportunity for two communities through its Community Health Projects (CHP) related to contamination at Brownfield sites. The letter of intent deadline is February 19; full application deadline is March 19. To learn more and access the application package: 

1. Go to: www.grants.gov  

2. Select: "Applicants"

3. Select: "Apply for Grants"
4. Select: "Download a Grant Application Package"
5. Type in the Funding Opportunity Number, formatted as: CDC-RFA-TS14-1404  


Brownfield Grants Power Minnesota Communities
Minnesota grantors team up on February 6 to showcase their grant programs funding assessment, cleanup and redevelopment activities. Event details above. One of those grantors, the Metropolitan Council, approved $4M in Livable Communities Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA) grants for investigation and cleanup. Details on specific projects receiving funds here. Another grantor, Hennepin County, approved over $1.4M in Environmental Response Fund (ERF) grants for 11 different projects, including a $150,000 grant to Minnesota Brownfields for the Brownfield Gap Financing Program. See the full list of projects receiving ERF grants here. 

MN "Unsession" Holds Potential Impact for Brownfields
The Minnesota Legislature opens the 2014 Session on February 25. Expectations are mixed for the so-called Unsession given the significant logistical challenges posed by renovations. The Economic Development Association of MN (EDAM) recently released their 2014 legislative platform. Among EDAM's priorities benefitting redevelopment: changes to streamline and enhance tax-increment financing (TIF) and $3M in funding for the MN Department of Employment & Economic Development's Redevelopment Grant Program.   

               

St. Paul Port Authority Acquires Downtown Macy's Site     

Last week the Saint Paul Port Authority acquired the now-vacant St. Paul Macy's department store and adjacent parking garage for $3 million. "We want to ensure that the Macy's site will be the new home of a vibrant development that fits the character of Saint Paul," Port President Louie Jambois said, adding that the Port will take its time in deciding whether to demolish the approximately 500,000-square foot, six-story building and adjacent parking structure or retrofit it. "Our ultimate decision will be market driven." Read more here. 

State Brownfield Application Updated

Soil Reuse Study Update
Following review and comments from a group of key stakeholders, Minnesota Brownfields is finalizing work on a report analyzing the potential for cost savings of soil reuse associated with brownfield redevelopment sites. Getting access to data on precise disposal costs for moderately contaminated soil proved more challenging and time-consuming than expected. Our thanks to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the many developers and environmental consultants who have assisted with the study thus far, If you receive this newsletter, you can expect to see a draft report sometime in March. In April, we'll hold a forum focused on the study's findings and recommendations.  More news soon! 

Record Year for Minneapolis Construction Building Permits   

The City of Minneapolis set a record in 2013 for construction building permits, issuing over 12,000 building permits with a total valuation of over $1.2 billion.
The top 2013 construction projects by building permit valuation in Minneapolis were all housing projects. Read the full release here. In related news, Minneapolis Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) is hiring a new Director of Housing Development and Policy, who will manage and provide leadership in implementing CPED housing policies and objectives.       

U.S. Borax to pay $1.25 million for Arsenic Contamination Cleanup

U.S. Borax Inc. has agreed to pay $1.25 million and a penalty of $25,000 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a massive cleanup of arsenic contamination at more than 700 residential properties in south Minneapolis. The agreement is part of a consent decree that must be approved by a court. Incidentally, the Superfund site is located adjacent to the Greenway office building, where Minnesota Brownfields office is located.  Read more here.   

Correction 

January's newsletter referred to the Arden Hills 427-acre former TCAAP site as the state's largest Superfund site. Our sources in Duluth note that the distinction actually belongs to Duluth's two Superfund sites, the 252-acre St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar site and the 550-acre U.S. Steel site, which are considered a combined site (of over 800 acres) by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.