|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brownfields Redevelopment
By Bridget
Shadler
It is estimated that there are over 450,000 brownfields in the
United States.
In 1995, the EPA created the Brownfields Program in order to
address and manage the number of brownfield properties. Since then
the program has allowed for clean up and reinvestment in these
properties, which increases the local tax base, creates job
opportunities, and improves both the environment and human health.
However, there are several challenges that make the remediation and
redevelopment of these properties more difficult than other
properties. The largest challenge that typically occurs is the
financial burden that can be accrued on these sites. In order to
lighten the financial burden, one could apply for programs that
offer tax credits, tax abatements, grants, loans, etc. through
local economic development authorities or state brownfield
programs. Some other challenges that are present are environmental
liability concerns, cleanup considerations, and the absence of any
reuse planning.
Although redeveloping brownfield properties can present different
challenges, there are many advantages to reutilizing these sites.
Some of the advantages of brownfields redevelopment are:
- Tax base growth
- Creation of new
jobs
- Increase in
population capacity
- Removal of
potentially harmful contaminants from urban communities and
the environment
Ford City (approximately 40-miles northeast of Pittsburgh) is just
one example of the many brownfield properties that have been
successful. In 1993, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries, Inc. (PPG)
(the largest plate glass factory in the world) shut down its
operations. At one time, this company employed over 5,000 people;
however, through economic down turn, the company began a slow
decline. By 1993, almost 45% of the town's population left the
area, leaving behind a vacant seven-acre parcel of land. Parts of
this former parcel were bought and sold to other companies,
including a foundry. However, by 1995, the former PPG property,
including at least three buildings and unknown amounts of
contamination was abandoned.
In 1998, Ford City was awarded a grant to perform an environmental
assessment of the property. It was discovered that the onsite soils
contained arsenic and lead and that onsite groundwater was impacted
with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The land was turned over to
the town and Ford City was given multiple grants to help remediate
and redevelop the property. The area now houses a new Heritage and
Technology Park featuring more than 90,000 square feet of
commercial properties, office space, and light industrial space.
There is also a museum to pay tribute to the 105 years of PPG glass
making.
Another successful brownfield property that is in the process of
being redeveloped is a former cork and bottling manufacturing
facility, which currently contains AES' office building. This
property was once a brownfield; however, today it now houses
several, small commercial businesses and apartments, with more to
come, including planned lodging, retail, and restaurant facilities.
At AES, we are prepared and ready to help you with your brownfield
redevelopment. We have the necessary tools and more importantly,
the knowledgeable and experienced staff to safely, efficiently, and
cost-effectively remediate your brownfield property.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Conceptual Site
Model: Important for Proper Site Remediation
By Daryl
Valley
One of the most important parts of the site characterization and
remediation process that we routinely engage in when attempting to
assess amount of environmental hazard associated with a property,
is the conceptual site model (CSM) development process. We can
compare this process as something akin to the five W's of writing,
i.e., the Who, What, When, Where, and Why (and often How) of the
site characterization process. Questions such as the following form
the basis of this model and the subsequent remedial actions: What
are the current and potential hazards or contaminants of concern?;
Who may be exposed?; Where are the areas of concern?; Why does the
collected data suggest a particular risk scenario?; How are
receptors exposed to the hazards(s)?, How does this exposure change
over time?; and What are the risks and are they likely to change?
While the CSM is focused on providing an understanding about a
specific impacted property, area, or site, this process is
fundamentally the same even as the details and terminology differ
from regulatory program to program and site to site. The general
cleanup process is the same: site identification, site
characterization, remedial action and/or attainment, and, if
necessary, risk mitigation. At each step of the process, critical
decisions are made. Probably the major decision made during the
site characterization and CSM construction process is determining
whether portions of a site pose a contamination concern that
requires action. These decisions are based on data collected from
the site, data that usually take the form of samples analyzed to
determine the presence and level of potential contaminants of
concern. This is critical data; however, initial reports that come
out of initial site characterization activities are sometimes
little more than data dumps, with little provided explanation or
reasoning behind the conclusions or assumptions made in these
reports, nor a full assessment of the risks associated with the
known environmental conditions.
This underlines the importance of initially assembling the CSM more
or less holistically, by combining the collected data and site
information with an analysis of the potential environmental and
human health risks onsite. The risk assessment process, includes an
analysis of the sources of impact, the affected media, the method
of transport and exposure, an analysis of human or ecological
receptors, and their potential exposure routes. It is also useful
to identify future potential methods of exposure and receptors,
particularly in cases of property redevelopment. A critical part of
this risk analysis that is often neglected, is an assessment of
unknowns or data gaps and how this may affect a consultant's
understanding of the site and its accompanying CSM. Of course, we
must acknowledge the reality that a CSM must be continually refined
as new information is collected, as well.
The CSM production process is often a critical, but sometimes not
fully realized, early step in the remedial process for property
redevelopment. AES strives to provide proper attention to the above
concepts in order to help limit the costs and time required for the
typical involved remedial/redevelopment project, and improve the
efficiency of the process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cap-and-Trade Program and What it Means to You
By Brian J.
Beahan, P.G., President
The EPA defines Cap-and-Trade as such: "Cap and Trade is a
market-based policy tool for protecting human health and the
environment. A cap and trade program first sets an aggressive cap,
or maximum limit, on emissions. Sources covered by the program then
receive authorizations to emit in the form of emissions allowances,
with the total amount of allowances limited by the cap. Each source
can design its own compliance strategy to meet the overall
reduction requirement, including sale or purchase of allowances,
installation of pollution controls, implementation of efficiency
measures, among other options. Individual control requirements are
not specified under a cap and trade program, but each emissions
source must surrender allowances equal to its actual emissions in
order to comply. Sources must also completely and accurately
measure and report all emissions in a timely manner to guarantee
that the overall cap is achieved."
This law would place an emissions cap on the amount of greenhouse
gas emissions a company is allowed to emit. The government would
auction emissions permits to companies required to reduce their
emissions, then it would be up to the company to reduce emissions
below its cap. If a company emitted less than the cap imposed, it
could sell emissions credits to another company who needs to
increase their emission allowance above its cap.
To accomplish this, Congress will have to agree to impose a
staggering $646 billion of new energy costs on U.S. industry.
Although obviously controversial, this is seen as a strong attempt
to force industry to reduce their contribution to global warming.
A few important facts:
- President Obama has
set a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by the
year 2050.
- The Obama
administration states the trading allowance would be
approximately $20 per ton of emissions, and will rise.
- Under the
guidelines, climate change revenue will begin coming in for
the fiscal year 2012 at an estimated $79 billion (for the year
2012.)
- Over the next 10
years the Cap-and-Trade Program is expected to fund $120
billion for clean energy technologies and $526 billion in
payroll tax refunds to help offset any increase in energy
costs that may result from this law.
This is not the first time that the United States considered such
an action. In 1998, Vice President Al Gore signed the Kyoto
Protocol -a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, signed by more than 180 countries. The United
States chose not to ratify this, citing 'the United States should
not be a signatory to any protocol that did not include binding
targets and timetables for developing nations as well as
industrialized nations or "would result in serious harm to the
economy of the United States".'
To learn more about how Alternative Environmental Solutions can
help you manage your carbon emissions, please contact us at (888)
877-2371. To learn more about the Cap-and-Trade Program, visit the
EPA website EPA
Cap-and-Trade information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seeking Employment?
By Brian J. Beahan, P.G., President
We are always looking for qualified professionals to join our team.
We appreciate your referrals of business and now are seeking your
referrals for qualified environmental and geologic consulting professionals.
If you know of anyone who is seeking a change and a challenging new
direction in their career, where creativity and solutions-oriented
thinking really make a difference, please pass on our contact
information.
Find out more....
|
|
|
Our customers have approached us with problems, we've
understood what needed to be done and we've provided appropriate
solutions. Our mission statement, indeed our company as a whole, is
centered on meeting this objective. May we put our quality,
client-centered environmental solutions to work for you too?
On behalf of the staff of Alternative Environmental
Solutions, Inc., I invite you to experience the value we add to your
business.
Sincerely,
Brian J. Beahan
Alternative
Environmental Solutions
email: aes1@altenv.com
phone:
717-517-5000
fax:
717-517-5004
web: http://www.altenv.com
|
