brownfields along the beltline
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Brownfields along the Beltline. An Anthropological, Scientific and Historical Exploration of Contaminated Sites Near or On the Atlanta Beltline Frances Brionne Roberts-Gregory Environmental Science Major Spelman College Class of 2012. What is a Brownfield?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
An Anthropological, Scientific and Historical Exploration of Contaminated Sites Near or On the
Atlanta Beltline
Frances Brionne Roberts-GregoryEnvironmental Science Major
Spelman CollegeClass of 2012
Brownfields along the Beltline
Sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs.
What is a Brownfield?
City’s involvement in the cleanup of brownfield sites can be traced to 1996 when it received funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a pilot project in select communities
Increase the tax base, create thousands of new jobs, bring new housing to the city, stimulate public and private investment, and make unproductive land useful for redevelopment purposes
Significance
“In early November, Forbes.com named Atlanta the most toxic city in the country, describing it as “the U.S. metro in the worst environmental shape.” But Atlanta has also made news in recent years for its commitment to sustainability and for Mayor Shirley Franklin’s ambitious plans to get the city on a “green” track.”- http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/2010/winter/mahoney.html
“Look at Atlantic Station,” Mahoney says of the vibrant live-work-shop district. “That’s the largest brownfield remediation in the country. It was formerly a steel mill and very polluted . . . now it has totally transformed that part of town.”
Significance
Encourages cleanup and redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 brownfields sites EPA has awarded 1449 assessment grants totaling
over $337.3 million, 242 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $233.4 million, and 534 cleanup grants totaling $93.3 million
Estimated 950 brownfield properties within Atlanta136 brownfields along the BeltLine
$400,000 grant from EPA clean up brownfields along BeltLine environmental site assessments, cleanup planning
and community outreach activities.
Clean Up
City of Atlanta Brownfield Program
James E. Shelby, Commissioner –DPCD
Charletta Wilson Jacks, Director –Office of Planning
Garnett Brown, Assistant Director –Office of Planning
Charles Whatley, Director of Commerce and Entrepreneurship –Atlanta Development
Authority
City of Atlanta Contacts
“One of the largest efforts underway to remediate environmentally contaminated properties in the urban core. The success of the 138-acre Atlantic Station project in Atlanta demonstrates the value and benefits of cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated properties within the City of Atlanta.”
Estimated 1,100 acres of brownfields within the 6,500 acre Atlanta BeltLine
Brownfields Along the Beltline
Attended APAB and Beltline 101 Meetings
Conducted Phone, Email and In Person Interviews with government officials and concerned community members
Analyzed Different Perspectives on Brownfields/Contaminated Sites along Beltline
Drew Conclusions
Methodology
Views on Beltline Varied Drastically
Lack of InputDefinition of a BrownfieldHistorical Importance of
Contamination Insufficient Health DisparitiesLivable Remediated Areas
Stanton Park, Historic 4th Ward Park, Old Exxon Battery Plant
Poor and Blacks High RiskEnvironmental JusticeUnregulated DumpsEthics of Government Response
Interview Findings
MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I)
identified arsenic in shallow soil remediation may be required, depending on future land use Groundwater conditions Georgia Voluntary Brownfield Program removal of the railroad ties,
properly disposed in a permitted landfill or incinerated Limited testing 2004 and 2006 identified volatile and semivolatile organic compounds
in soil Former use of fuels, oils, hydraulic fluids and lubricants associated with historical train
traffic Metals were detected in soil below Notification Concentrations. Trichloroethene detected in deep groundwater near the southern end of the property
likely originated from an upgradient dry cleaning facility in operation since at least 1970. Suspected regulated constituents in shallow soils include herbicides historically used
for weed control along railroad tracts. Herbicides used in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendation are exempt under
HSRA
Case Study- Ansley North Beltline Tract
Geophysical survey conducted
Excavation of hazardous constituents and petroleum contaminants in compliance with Georgia's Type 1 Risk Reduction Standards (RRS), excavated and removed
approx.4879 tons (3750 cubic yards) of soil
redeveloped with residential lofts and the client received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV Brownfields Award
Case Study
Atlantic Station Redevelopment of the former Atlantic Steel site in Midtown
Atlanta 10 years ago no brownfield law in Georgia Removal 165,000 tons of soil, established ground water
monitoring in perpetuity, encapsulated the site in a belt-and-suspenders approach with a hard cap (roads, buildings, etc.) and soft cap (two feet of clean dirt); and used a conservation easement, LEED certification
Aerotropolis Atlanta Redevelopment of the former Ford plant adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport Ford selected Jacoby Development for the redevelopment of its Atlanta site
in February 2008 More than 95 percent of the existing structures were recycled including:
all concrete (more than 100,000 cubic yards) crushed and reused; and all steel (structural and stainless from the plant), tin (siding and roofing), copper and brass (more than 40,000 tons of recycled metals) recycled in Georgia and the Southeast via rail directly from the site for greatest fuel efficiency and least environmental and highway impact.
Case Study – Atlantic Station and Aerotropolis Atlanta (130 acres)
Disconnect between Beltline Perception and Community Reality
Importance of Transportation
Diversity of Players Involved
More Funding and Education NeededDissemination of Information
Analysis
Procrastination
Follow Up Interviews
Unfinished Research/Time Constraints
Questionnaire Methodology
Increased and Better Quality Participation
Challenges and Improvements
Brownfield Remediation key to Beltline Implementation
Increased Awareness
Economic and Health Benefits
Increased Community Input
Conclusion
Beltline ClassBeltline Professors
Jerry Weaver, Shirley Franklin, Tom Weyandt, Fatima Shafiei, Jewel Harper
Garnett BrownBen HowardCamilla WarrenConcerned Community
Members and Governmental Officials
Acknowledments