NJIT TAB December Digest 2024

Brownfield-related news:

Former TNT storage facility to be transformed into a housing development in south Knoxville, following additional environmental investigation and working with TDEC to enter the voluntary cleanup program: https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/south-knoxville-housing-development-former-tnt-storage-site-approved/51-be711412-9b02-43f0-81fe-ed3a15016e42

EPA announces nearly $7.7 million dollars in grants given to organizations to train workers in skills related to brownfield investigations and cleanup. Congratulations to the winners, especially the 3 selected in Regions 2 and 4! NJIT looks forward to continuing to work together: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-boosts-workforce-training-underserved-and-overburdened

This parking lot, once an industrial site, is getting a new life for a planned housing development with affordable units. An environmental investigation revealed soil exceedances that the developer hopes to clean up using NY’s Brownfield Cleanup Program tax program: https://www.buffalorising.com/2024/12/first-step-for-61-terrace-cleanup/

Inactive rail lines have the opportunity to be turned into linear recreation and development projects, after their legacy pollution has been investigated and cleaned up. “Properties with a brownfield designation are eligible for incentives such as tax credits, grants, and liability protections, which can help offset the costs of cleanup and redevelopment.” Check out this project in Florida that is hoping to take advantage of some of these state incentives: https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/12/18/ludlam-trail-facing-brownfields-designation/

A boat ride down NJ’s Passaic River highlights the legacy of industrial pollution and the looming threat of climate change:  https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/12/05/amid-newark-building-boom-passaic-river-flooding-poses-threat/

Resource links:

Year-end ‘best of’ lists can be a source of inspiration. Check out Main Street America’s top 8 blogs of 2024: https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/main-spotlight-top-eight-blogs-of-2024

EPA’s Urban Waters Federal Partnership released their report on “Partnership Approaches for Equitable Climate Resilience Planning.” This study provides a framework that can also be applicable to brownfields redevelopment for resilience in communities overburdened by environmental and climate injustice. “The weight and convening power of federal agencies, consistent coordination across activities, ability to engage a wide variety of partners and build stakeholder trust are valuable benefits of an Urban Waters Federal Partnership location and can be directly credited for their progress in equitable climate resilience.” https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-11/uwfp-climate-paper-final_508.pdf

Funding opportunity, due February 2025: The Partners for Places program provides matching grants for capacity building and partnership in sustainability projects for communities impacted by climate justice: https://www.fundersnetwork.org/new-grant-opportunities-the-latest-round-of-partners-for-places-is-now-open/

Showcasing the possible impacts of your project will help to convince potential funders of the value. For projects that incorporate “nature-based solutions” (actions that protect, conserve, restore and sustainably manage natural or modified ecosystems), the EPA has published a compendium of tools to help quantify those impacts: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-11/co-benefit-accounting-summary_508.pdf

Funding opportunity for sustainable projects in the Long Island Sound watershed: https://estuaries.org/liscif/

Funding opportunity, due January 17th 2025, supporting sustainability and resiliency projects that help protect estuaries and watersheds: https://estuaries.org/nep-watersheds-grant/

Siting renewable energy projects on brownfields can be a great option for putting contaminated land back into productive reuse. EPA offers a guide on design considerations: https://www.epa.gov/re-powering/design-and-development

Assistance Highlights:

• NJIT created a map for a nonprofit in Ulster County, NY to identify brownfields with certain attributes for a commercial reuse. 

Meaningful Outreach:

• City of Savannah (GA)

• Maplewood, NJ

• City of Fulton, NY

• Atlanta Housing Authority and City of Atlanta (GA)

• Southern MS Planning + Development District

• SmileFaith (KY)

• Family Partnership (NY)