[CPEO-BIF] Willcox Brownfields Workshop attracts neighboring city officials

Willcox Brownfields Workshop attracts neighboring city officials

WILLCOX — The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9, presented a day-long Brownfields Workshop Tuesday, April 23, at the Golden Rule Vineyard on Haskell Ave.

The workshop was intended to educate those attending on identifying, revitalizing, and reusing vacant and underused properties that fall under the “brownfields” designation.

Many commercial, industrial and some residential properties may be environmentally contaminated due to past uses at the site. By understanding past property uses, communities can better understand health and environmental risks, but sometimes it’s difficult to know past use.

Communities can request technical assistance or seek funds from the EPA, state, or tribal programs to assess properties and to help determine the history and past use and presence, or sources of possible site contamination.

The workshop was held at The Golden Rule Vineyards tasting room, which was a former Chevrolet dealership and garage. Brownfields funding was used to help turn it into a wine tasting and storage facility.

Former garages like that one, as well as former gas stations and related structures can have underground storage tanks and piping, storage areas for oil, fuel, or solvents which were used in manufacturing and repair. These can continue to have harmful effects even after those business uses are gone.

Sheryl Gonzales, CCLR Senior Brownfield Consultant, was master of ceremonies during the workshop, which began with a Brownfield 101 primer.

She introduced Jim Ritchie, Vice President of SCS Engineers, a registered Professional Geologist in California and Washington, with nearly four decades of environmental consulting and site investigation and restoration experience throughout the Western U.S.

He leads site investigation, remediation, and large-scale groundwater monitoring and reporting projects, and oversees the application of remedial approaches to a variety of site conditions, including supporting site closures.

The audience for the workshop were a mix of local business leaders, city planners and officials from municipalities near Willcox. Benson City Council members, Safford and Huachuca city officials also attended.

Scott Strollman, from the EPA’s Region 9, explained the agency's role in helping local governments and nonprofits engage neighbors on brownfields redevelopment. They have a wide variety of free resources, including one-on-one technical assistance.

In the 1990's, mayors from across the country asked EPA to help identify and clean up contaminated properties to make them safe to redevelop. They established a 'Brownfields' Program that, with funding from Congress, provides grants and technical assistance to jump-start redevelopment and make communities cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous.

The workshop continued with a presentation by the West Environmental Justice Center given by Melissa Garcia. The group associated with the University of Arizona provide technical expertise and guidance on grant applications and forms.

The city of Willcox has used brownfields funding to collaborate with the area's wine growers in bringing some its historic buildings back to life.

Gonzales introduced a panel of experts and consultants which included Willcox City Manager Caleb Blaschke and Director at Cochise County Development Services Dan Coxworth.

Coxworth has been a proponent of using brownfield grants. In April last year he sought and was awarded a $500,000 grant from the EPA to clean up brownfield sites.

Five properties in Bisbee were targeted properties, the old Bisbee High School, the former juvenile delinquent facility on Tovreaville Rd., St. Patrick School, the Hillcrest Apartments; and 123 Arizona St.

In Sierra Vista, there are four slated properties: the former bus station at 4 S. Fab Ave., 245 and 297 E. Fry Blvd. and 1224 North Ave.

Bowie High School also made the list, structures at 1107 and 1225 G Avenue in Douglas, and the Chevrolet building in Willcox.

Coxworth worked with StanTec and Terracon, consulting agencies to improve the chances to receive even more grant money.

Blashke has built a portfolio of projects in Willcox. Enough to take a group on a tour of downtown Willcox, highlighted by the building housing the workshops, the Chevrolet building.

Thanks to part of a Brownfields Assessment Program grant of $600,000 acquired by the county, Jim and Ruth Graham, farmers, and owners of the Golden Rule Vineyards, they were able to proceed with exploration and cleanup and buying the building in 2021.

“The first thing I wanted to start with is our relationship with the county.” Blashke said. “We don’t have engineers; we don’t have qualified staff in some of these areas. So, I think it’s important to work with your county and be close to them. Working with Dan Coxworth, he’s been a great asset.”

Blashke proposed the towns Area Wide Planning, or as he refers to it the Downtown Redevelopment Plan, using community leaders to create a methodical approach to identify properties to prioritize a list for assessment.

“Through this process we were able to come up with a great approach to improving our parks, improving our city hall, and improving a lot of different locations,” he said.

There are many types of properties that can be suited for brownfield designation and most cities have them. They can include former gas stations, older buildings, former industrial sites, former dry cleaners, or sometimes areas suffering from blight, vacant lots, or waste piles.

The workshop stressed the need for networking and collaboration between agencies.

Gonzales said her group would be hosting two additional workshops during the week, in Phoenix and in Flagstaff.

Read the article on the Sierra Vista Herald Review: https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/willcox/willcox-brownfields-workshop-attracts-neighboring-city-officials/article_7e04faea-038f-11ef-b533-93a0403fa59e.html

Lauren Ghazikhanian (she/her)| Communications Manager

Center for Creative Land Recycling

Lauren.Ghazikhanian@cclr.org | 661-221-3565

Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities | www.cclr.org

From:	Lauren Ghazikhanian <lauren.ghazikhanian@cclr.org>
Date:	Wed, 1 May 2024 11:12:59 -0700 (PDT)
Reply:	cpeo-brownfields
Subject:	[CPEO-BIF] Willcox Brownfields Workshop attracts neighboring city officials

Willcox Brownfields Workshop attracts neighboring city officials WILLCOX — The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9, presented a day-long Brownfields Workshop Tuesday, April 23, at the Golden Rule Vineyard on Haskell Ave. The workshop was intended to educate those attending on identifying, revitalizing, and reusing vacant and underused properties that fall under the “brownfields” designation. Many commercial, industrial and some residential properties may be environmentally contaminated due to past uses at the site. By understanding past property uses, communities can better understand health and environmental risks, but sometimes it’s difficult to know past use. Communities can request technical assistance or seek funds from the EPA, state, or tribal programs to assess properties and to help determine the history and past use and presence, or sources of possible site contamination. The workshop was held at The Golden Rule Vineyards tasting room, which was a former Chevrolet dealership and garage. Brownfields funding was used to help turn it into a wine tasting and storage facility. Former garages like that one, as well as former gas stations and related structures can have underground storage tanks and piping, storage areas for oil, fuel, or solvents which were used in manufacturing and repair. These can continue to have harmful effects even after those business uses are gone. Sheryl Gonzales, CCLR Senior Brownfield Consultant, was master of ceremonies during the workshop, which began with a Brownfield 101 primer. She introduced Jim Ritchie, Vice President of SCS Engineers, a registered Professional Geologist in California and Washington, with nearly four decades of environmental consulting and site investigation and restoration experience throughout the Western U.S. He leads site investigation, remediation, and large-scale groundwater monitoring and reporting projects, and oversees the application of remedial approaches to a variety of site conditions, including supporting site closures. The audience for the workshop were a mix of local business leaders, city planners and officials from municipalities near Willcox. Benson City Council members, Safford and Huachuca city officials also attended. Scott Strollman, from the EPA’s Region 9, explained the agency's role in helping local governments and nonprofits engage neighbors on brownfields redevelopment. They have a wide variety of free resources, including one-on-one technical assistance. In the 1990's, mayors from across the country asked EPA to help identify and clean up contaminated properties to make them safe to redevelop. They established a 'Brownfields' Program that, with funding from Congress, provides grants and technical assistance to jump-start redevelopment and make communities cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous. The workshop continued with a presentation by the West Environmental Justice Center given by Melissa Garcia. The group associated with the University of Arizona provide technical expertise and guidance on grant applications and forms. The city of Willcox has used brownfields funding to collaborate with the area's wine growers in bringing some its historic buildings back to life. Gonzales introduced a panel of experts and consultants which included Willcox City Manager Caleb Blaschke and Director at Cochise County Development Services Dan Coxworth. Coxworth has been a proponent of using brownfield grants. In April last year he sought and was awarded a $500,000 grant from the EPA to clean up brownfield sites. Five properties in Bisbee were targeted properties, the old Bisbee High School, the former juvenile delinquent facility on Tovreaville Rd., St. Patrick School, the Hillcrest Apartments; and 123 Arizona St. In Sierra Vista, there are four slated properties: the former bus station at 4 S. Fab Ave., 245 and 297 E. Fry Blvd. and 1224 North Ave. Bowie High School also made the list, structures at 1107 and 1225 G Avenue in Douglas, and the Chevrolet building in Willcox. Coxworth worked with StanTec and Terracon, consulting agencies to improve the chances to receive even more grant money. Blashke has built a portfolio of projects in Willcox. Enough to take a group on a tour of downtown Willcox, highlighted by the building housing the workshops, the Chevrolet building. Thanks to part of a Brownfields Assessment Program grant of $600,000 acquired by the county, Jim and Ruth Graham, farmers, and owners of the Golden Rule Vineyards, they were able to proceed with exploration and cleanup and buying the building in 2021. “The first thing I wanted to start with is our relationship with the county.” Blashke said. “We don’t have engineers; we don’t have qualified staff in some of these areas. So, I think it’s important to work with your county and be close to them. Working with Dan Coxworth, he’s been a great asset.” Blashke proposed the towns Area Wide Planning, or as he refers to it the Downtown Redevelopment Plan, using community leaders to create a methodical approach to identify properties to prioritize a list for assessment. “Through this process we were able to come up with a great approach to improving our parks, improving our city hall, and improving a lot of different locations,” he said. There are many types of properties that can be suited for brownfield designation and most cities have them. They can include former gas stations, older buildings, former industrial sites, former dry cleaners, or sometimes areas suffering from blight, vacant lots, or waste piles. The workshop stressed the need for networking and collaboration between agencies. Gonzales said her group would be hosting two additional workshops during the week, in Phoenix and in Flagstaff. Read the article on the Sierra Vista Herald Review: https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/willcox/willcox-brownfields-workshop-attracts-neighboring-city-officials/article_7e04faea-038f-11ef-b533-93a0403fa59e.html -- Lauren Ghazikhanian (she/her)\| Communications Manager Center for Creative Land Recycling Lauren.Ghazikhanian@cclr.org \| 661-221-3565 Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities \| www.cclr.org _______________________________________________ Brownfields mailing list Brownfields@lists.cpeo.org http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/brownfields-cpeo.org
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