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| Funding and Partnerships |
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The latest New York State brownfields legislation encourages partnerships between municipalities and community-based organizations. Building broad-based partnerships will help ensure that any redevelopment occurring on brownfields follows a larger community vision and benefits everyone.
Qualifying community-based organizations are now eligible for Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) of up to $50,000 for use when the site is considered a significant threat. This money can be used for several purposes, including increasing public awareness or helping citizens understand certain phases of the cleanup process. For example, the group could hire an independent consultant to review the draft cleanup plan and ensure that the proposed cleanup is acceptable to the community. Also, the consultant could help assure that, if the property is to become a public park or school, there will not be any remaining health risks once the contamination has been dealt with and the property redeveloped.
In addition to Technical Assistance Grants, municipalities and community-based organizations may be eligible for assistance under the Brownfield Opportunity Area Program. This program, implemented jointly by the DEC and the Department of State, provides up to 90 percent funding plus technical assistance to municipalities and community-based organizations. Money can be used to conduct pre-nomination studies, submit a BOA nomination, and complete site assessments and remediation strategies. This program is unique in that it encourages communities to evaluate brownfields in the larger context, allowing for area-wide planning to clean up and redevelop a group of sites. One key component of the BOA program is that a community can receive funding for planning and pre-nomination studies prior to receiving an actual BOA designation. To qualify for a BOA designation, the properties must be located in areas with at least a 20 percent poverty rate and with an unemployment rate at least 25 percent above the state average. |
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| Locating a Consultant |
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Need help locating a consultant to assist in reviewing or implementing a brownfield project? Start your search by contacting the Environmental Business Association of NYS for information.
For more information, please visit 8 Steps to Brownfield Redevelopment. |
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| Illustrations by Dan Baxter. |
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