Lake County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority

Brownfield Site Assessment Grants

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 
has awarded two grants totaling $400,000 to 
Lake County for assessment of sites that may 
be contaminated by hazardous or petroleum 
substances. These grant funds are being used to:

" identify and prioritize brownfield properties"
" perform Environmental Site Assessments"
" provide liability protection for new owners or operators"
" conduct outreach activities in communities throughout the County"

The completion of brownfield assessments will 
hopefully encourage investment in communities 
throughout the County, create jobs, help reduce 
public health risks, preserve the rural character
and protect natural resources in the County.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "brownfield?"

The law defines a "brownfield site" as 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. The law also further defines a 
"brownfield site" to include sites contaminated by 
controlled substances, petroleum or petroleum 
products and mine-scarred lands. The site assessment 
grants awarded to the County can help determine if a 
property is impacted by contaminants, protect new 
owners from liability for past problems and plan for cleanup.

Are all brownfield sites contaminated?

No! They are considered to be
"brownfield sites" because of the uncertainty
of the environmental conditions of the 
property - the potential for something to 
have been released into the soil or water as 
a result of their past use.

What are examples of brownfield sites?

A "brownfield site" can be former gas 
stations, convenience stores, factories, dry 
cleaners, shooting ranges, homes, farms, 
equipment yards, junk yards, paint stores, 
and so on. They may, or may not, be 
contaminated. Soil and/or water testing 
would help to determine if they were 
impacted by a hazardous substance, pollutant
or contaminant.

What if my property is nominated by someone, but I do not want any assessments done?

This is a voluntary program. No one will ever 
enter anyone's property under this program 
without explicit permission. It is our intent to
develop information and provide incentives
for developers to find lake County an 
exciting place to locate. It is a process that
will enable us to remove uncertainty and 
place previously used properties on a 
competitive basis with green field sites 
- preserving the natural beauty and rich 
heritage that makes Lake County a 
wonderful place to live, work and raise a 
family.

Lake County EPA Grant Activities

Task 1: Develop a Brownfield Inventory and Prioritize Sites
Properties throughout Lake County are eligible for assessment 
activities under both EPA grants. The County will use the funds to:
" Research existing databases at State and Federal levels"
" Reach out to the community for information and site nominations"
" Develop prioritization criteria"

Task 2 and 3: Environmental Site Assessments and Baseline 
Environmental Assessments The County's qualified environmental consultant will conduct the actual assessment activities. These activities include:

"Phase I Environmental Assessments including historic 
record searches and a visual inspection of the property."

"Phase II Environmental Assessments that involve taking 
samples of soil and water suspected of containing contamination. 
If, after the Phase I assessment, there is no evidence to 
suggest that any activities occurred that caused a release of 
contamination, then no Phase II (sampling) activities will be undertaken"

"Baseline Environmental Assessments can be conducted to 
provide liability protection for new owners or operators on 
a contaminated property."

Task 4: Community Outreach
The goal of this program is to improve our communities,
protect human health and the environment and spur 
economic development.
The County will use a portion of the funds to prepare information materials and 
reach out to elected officials and residents. It is our intent to provide numerous
opportunities for interested parties to participate in the project. We will share 
information:

"with businesses, residents, local councils and boards"
"at neighborhood meeting"

"with interest groups that have an active role in shaping our future"

A voluntary program

The goal of this program is to assist with property transfers 
and to promote redevelopment of brownfield properties. 
It is a voluntary program. These grants are available county-wide 
to help bring brownfield properties back to productive use, to 
protect public health, and to support economic development and 
natural resource protection.

Your questions and comments are important to us
If you would like more information, are interested in 
redeveloping a brownfield property or if you would 
like to nominate a site for consideration, please contact 
any of our Brownfield Authority members or:

Mr. Tony Gagliardo, Chair
Lake County Economic Development Corporation
800 10th Street, Suite 110
Baldwin, Michigan 49304
Phone: 231-745-2722 Email: bldgcode@co.lake.mi.us

Click the image below to visit an interactive map
of brownsfield sites in Lake County

.