U.S. EPA and the German Bilateral Working Group

By Terri Smith

The cleanup and revitalization of brownfield properties is a global concern that requires integrated approaches to mitigate the risk posed to human health and the environment. As demonstrated at the Concerted Action on Brownfield and Economic Regeneration Network (CABERNET) Conference that was held in Belfast, Ireland, in April 2005, many countries have committed extensive resources to address the environmental, social and economic issues related to the cleanup and revitalization of these properties.

The challenge for anyone involved in these redevelopment efforts is to develop ways to capitalize on the existing resources, expertise and knowledge available from practitioners and successful programs and, in turn, effectively share this information to facilitate the reuse of these properties. It is clear that the cooperative efforts undertaken by all stakeholders involved in the brownfield revitalization process are what will lead to their successful cleanup and reuse.

The Bilateral Working Group Is Formed

In 1990, the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, or BMBF) established the Bilateral Working Group to gain a better understanding of each country’s efforts in the cleanup of properties contaminated with hazardous materials. The initial focus (Phase I and II) of the group was to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative technologies as a tool for conducting cleanup activities on these properties.

In 2000, the Bilateral Working Group entered into Phase III of this cooperative effort with the goal of focusing on the development of strategies to assist in brownfield revitalization efforts in both the United States and Germany. The overall objective identified was to explore the needs of the states, municipalities and community stakeholders and other practitioners involved in the revitalization of brownfield properties. Due to the fact that municipalities often play a key role in brownfield revitalization, the inclusion and exchange of experience and information between U.S. and German practitioners assisted in the development of additional tools and instruments to facilitate brownfield reuse.

To this end, Phase III centered on developing strategies and resources to assist communities and other stakeholders in cleanup and reuse in both countries. Workshops were held in both countries to gather and share information on tools and strategies that could be used in the successful revitalization of brownfields in both countries.

The bilateral collaboration effort also adopted a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the remediation issues of individual brownfields and integrates public and private stakeholder input into the overall reuse and revitalization process. The group concluded that the following presumptions were valid concerns and addressing them was a way to enhance urban development

• Prevent and/or limit further green space consumption
• Stabilize and broaden the municipal tax base
• Enhance the quality of life and sustainable aspects of cleanup and reuse
• Provide incentives for revitalization efforts undertaken by the private sector

Taking these presumptions into consideration, the Bilateral Working Group developed a series of workshops to address the following topics:

• Economic tools for brownfield redevelopment
• Project management and marketing in brownfield redevelopment
• Risk assessment and risk communication in brownfield redevelopment
• Social aspects of brownfield redevelopment

Sustainable Reuses of Brownfields

These workshops were held in both the United States and Germany. The Bilateral Working Group then, in April of 2005, hosted a two-day workshop in Berlin, Germany, to present information and data that was gathered from the Phase III effort and the previous workshops to approximately 200 attendees. A similar two-day workshop was planned in Denver prior to the Brownfields 2005 conference. 

In addition to these workshops, the Bilateral Working Group, with input from the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC), also conducted case studies on model sites across the United States and Germany where brownfield revitalization efforts were being undertaken. The research was completed in the form of interviews with all stakeholders involved in the remediation and reuse of the sites. The individuals interviewed included developers, bankers or financial institutions, state and/or federal regulatory agencies, local community groups, municipal leaders and/or local redevelopment agencies.

SMARTe and START-UP

From the information and data gathered from this effort, the Bilateral Working Group developed the Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools-electronic (SMARTe) and the German START-UP plan.

SMARTe is being developed as an Internet-based decision instrument that allows all parties involved in the redevelopment and/or reuse of brownfields to identify resources as well as test future reuse scenarios. SMARTe is composed of existing databases and developed analysis tools. It can be used to assist in developing strategies to address different components of the brownfield revitalization effort such as planning, environmental risk management, economic viability as well as social compatibility and acceptance. To this end, SMARTe can be viewed as a holistic decision and analysis system.

In contrast, the START-UP plan that is being developed in Germany is a type of tool box, which bundles know-how for successful and sustainable brownfield revitalization. It provides information that can be used in the preparation of development concepts and describes the interplay between the planning, economic, social and ecological aspects of brownfield revitalization.

The START-UP plan makes it possible to create a revitalization plan that is target-group specific and will integrate the project with input from the various stakeholders as well as assist in the development of a business plan that can be used in the revitalization of a specific brownfield. The focus of the START-UP plan is to gather and focus critical information that is required to meet the needs of each of the individual stakeholder groups.

The plan helps to organize often-unstructured information, which may be available in various forms including existing databases or as concepts or professional assessments and, in turn, identifies data gaps in this information. In addition, the START-UP plan identifies areas for improvement such as the communication between involved parties, project planning and securing project funding. The START-UP plan can be used by property owners, investors and banks, real estate developers, politicians, residents and other affected parties, municipalities, public authorities, organizations, the scientific community, professionals in the field, and other practitioners.

The Bilateral Working Group is now evaluating its conceptual plan for the Phase IV effort to be conducted through the continued cooperative partnership that has been ongoing for the past 15 years. Phase IV of the Bilateral Working Group will include the goal of the development of a sustainable resource protection strategy that can be applied to the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated sites. BFN

Terri Smith is redevelopment coordinator at Environmental Liability Management, Inc.