Brownfields Buzz

Your hub for brownfields spotlights, tools, events, news, and more

February, 2024

Spotlight

Brownfields Job Training Technical Assistance at KSU

Kansas State University (KSU) is pleased to support continuation of the EPA Brownfields Job Training (JT) technical assistance program as part of our Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) program. JT-TAB, as we are calling it, will provide a forum for aspiring new and current JT grantees to learn the latest strategies for developing and implementing successful JT programs. Those familiar with the previous HMTRI job training assistance program will recognize Mike Senew, Steve Fenton, and Nolan Curtis as additions to our KSU TAB program. Stay tuned for upcoming Professional Learning Community (PLC) announcements, e*newsletters, a virtual All-Grantee Meeting, and additional new outreach events. In the interim, technical assistance questions can be directed to our JT-TAB team. Please address your request to:

Blase Leven at baleven@ksu.edu and copy the JT-TAB technical consultants,

Mike Senew at msenew@aol.com, Steve Fenton at sfenton103@aol.com, and Nolan Curtis at nola n.curtis@stanfordalumni.org

Toolbox

RE-Powering America's Land Initiative Mapper

Is your community considering redeveloping a brownfield to use for renewable energy? The RE-Powering America's Land Initiative Mapper provides federal and state data for over 190,000 brownfields, superfund, landfill, mine sites and other contaminated lands to help users identify sites for renewable energy development. Sites have been pre-screened for renewable energy potential using criteria from the national renewable energy lab. Click here to give the RE-Powering Mapper a try. If you’d like to further explore opportunities for renewable energy on your brownfields, get in touch with us to learn more!

Events

Justfields: Elevate Your Land Use Initiatives with

New EJ Funding

EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) Program, created under the Inflation Reduction Act, will infuse a historic $3B investment into communities facing environmental justice concerns. The funding will help underserved and overburdened communities take action and implement initiatives that support the health, wellbeing, and resilience of their neighborhoods. Each of the new funding opportunities includes eligible activities that support land reuse and brownfields redevelopment. Click here for registration and more information about this exciting event taking place on March 7, hosted by our friends at the CCLR TAB program.

KSU TAB has several regionally focused events coming this Spring. Visit our Events webpage to find an event near you!

News & Noteworthy

PlaceKnowing Podcast Series Coming Soon

We are excited to give you a heads up for the upcoming late March release of the six-part podcast series called PlaceKnowing - which is sponsored by KSU TAB.

PlaceKnowing is hosted by KSU TAB Partner & friend, Dr. Ted Jojola (Pueblo Isleta) of University of New Mexico's Indigenous Planning and Design Institute (iD+Pi), and is about engaging Indigenous planning and worldview through TAB to support tribal and non-tribal communities as they restore brownfields.

In the podcast, Dr. Jojola provides background on iD+Pi's work and then takes a deep dive into case studies on Navajo Nation and in Golovin, Alaska and looks at land rematriation at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma. Stay tuned for more information and how to listen to the first episodes in next month's newsletter!

Turning Brownfields into Community-Supported & Urban Agriculture

Thinking about establishing a community garden or an urban farm on your brownfield? Be sure to check out the Know Before You Grow guide from the EPA Office of Land & Emergency Management to see the steps to consider when creating urban agriculture and community garden reuses in former vacant areas. And then reach out to us and we can help you get started!

Follow your KSU TAB Team on LinkedIn and Facebook!

Visit our website at www.ksutab.org.