[CPEO-BIF] Arkansas' brownfields program

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Arkansas Brownfields: Keeping green space green


Heber Springs Sun-Times (AR)
July 8, 2011

Little Rock, Ark. - Industry and environmental protection are  
typically perceived as being on opposite ends of the political  
spectrum. But one program where Arkansans can see the two being  
linked and benefitting their community is in Brownfields redevelopment.
...


On average at any given time there are five or more Brownfields  
projects in active status across the state. Some sites such as those  
which will be used for non-profit agencies are often eligible for  
grants. For sites enrolled in the Brownfields program, ADEQ will  
oversee the work. The certificate of completion then releases the new  
property owner from any past liability. The certificate of completion  
is only issued after ADEQ believes any threat to human health or the  
environment has been removed.


One of the most notable projects is the Heifer International  
Headquarters in downtown Little Rock. Prior to the start of  
construction in 2002, Heifer International selected a site in a  
former warehouse district and rail yard. Heifer removed over 75  
thousand tons of dirt from the site to a city landfill where the soil  
was reprocessed for daily fill use. A small amount of soil  
contaminated with metals and petroleum associated with the past  
industrial activity was sent to a special disposal facility. This  
effort constituted the largest brownfield clean-up in terms of volume  
in the state’s history.



...

For the entire article, see
http://www.thesuntimes.com/news/x311101563/Arkansas-Brownfields- 
Keeping-green-space-green

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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