Hazardous Substance Research Centers/South & Southwest

TAB/TOSC Communities Map

Program Status
The current EPA grant for the TAB program in Regions 4 & 6 is set to expire September 30, 2007. EPA has issued an open call for proposals for the next round of funding and expects a new program to resume December 1, 2007.

What Is a Brownfield Site?
With certain legal exclusions and additions, EPA defines a "brownfield site" as real property whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the actual or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the following conditions exclude properties from eligibility as brownfield sites:

The site is the subject of a planned or ongoing removal action, a unilateral administrative order, court order, or an administrative order under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA);
The site is the subject of a unilateral administrative order, closure notification, or a corrective action proceeding under the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
The site is subject to the jurisdiction, custody, or control of the U.S. government, except for land held in trust by the national government for an Indian tribe;
The site is subject to remedial action under the Toxic Substances Control Act for polychlorinated biphenyls contamination; and
The site has received assistance for remedial action through the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.

Purpose of TAB Program
The Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) program has been established as part of EPA's Brownfields Initiative to help communities clean and redevelop properties that have been damaged or undervalued by actual or perceived environmental contamination. The purpose of these efforts is to create better jobs, increase the local tax base, improve neighborhood environments, and enhance the overall quality of life.

Audience
The aim of the TAB program is to facilitate stakeholder involvement in community brownfields redevelopment efforts, so the main audiences for TAB assistance are community groups, municipal officials, developers, and leaders with lending institutions constituting a secondary audience.

Program Management
TAB activities will be managed by the five regional Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRC) programs. The HSRCs draw upon the technical expertise of faculty at 29 universities throughout the United States. The HSRC program has developed a wide range of new approaches for understanding and cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Many of these new methods offer users significant savings in time and money.

Activities

Leadership training. The TAB program will provide leadership training to select brownfields pilot community leaders, focusing on the following topics: community dynamics , the technical side of clean-up activities, interaction with government agencies, neighborhood planning, sustainable economic and land use planning, environmental regulations, clean-up technologies, and risk assessment.
Risk assessment. Each center will provide local government planners, developers and community members with one risk assessment training session that builds knowledge of the basic mechanisms and protocols of risk assessment. Topics will include site inventory, characterization, end use, and environmental quality requirements as part of the measurement of risk.
Brownfields processes. Workshops will be provided in each region that walks a variety of stakeholders through the entire brownfield redevelopment process, tailoring subject matter to local requirements and interests.
Site assessment. Workshops will be conducted in each region to help community leaders and local government environmental professionals develop a better understanding of site assessment principles. These sessions will focus on integration of the assessment with land use decisions and a provide information about the acceptable tools for data collection.
Cleanup alternatives. Local government officials, developers, and environmental/planning professionals will be traught to use appropriate technology for sustainable land use.

Presentations and Other Resources
The following presentations and papers by TAB staff members in the South & Southwest HSRC summarize the key elements in a brownfields redevelopment program:

"Brownfields Information Clearinghouse, developed to provide information and educational materials concerning brownfields redevelopment.
"Brownfield Redevelopment: Getting the Community Involved," presented at the EIA conference in Las Vegas, April 1998.

"Identification of Environmental Issues and Overview of Remediation Approaches" presented at Redeveloping Brownfields, a workshop presented by the Graduate Program in City Planning of the Georgia Institute of Technology, March 18-19, 1998.

"How to Make Sure You Get What You Want From a Contractor: Starting with the Request for Proposal" presented at the EPA Region 4 Brownfields Conference, July 16, 2002.

"HSRC/S&SW Outreach Activities and Capabilities" a presentation by Dr. Danny Reible at EPA Region 6 headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

"HSRC/S&SW Outreach Activities and Capabilities" a presentation by Dr. Danny Reible in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Brownfields Process Flow and Progression" a paper by Faith Stephens, Louisiana State University.

"Brownfields Process Flow Diagram" by Faith Stephens, Louisiana State University

EPA Region 4 Program Contact

Ms. Ann Carpenter
EPA Region 4 Primary Contact
Georgia Institute of Technology
GTRI/ITTL
Atlanta, GA 30332-0837
Telephone: 404/407-8044
FAX: 404/407-8081
E-mail: ann.carpenter@gtri.gatech.edu

EPA Region 6 Program Contact

Ms. Tomeka Prioleau
TAB Contact
3418 CEBA Building
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-6421
Telephone: 225-578-6698
FAX: 225/578-5043
E-mail: drf@hsrc.lsu.edu