EPA Region 6 Recognizes Baton Rouge Brownfields Program

Region 6 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a check ceremony to recognize the Baton Rouge Brownfields Program, administered by the City-Parish Planning Commission, and two local non-profit organizations for grants awarded to facilitate the redevelopment of underutilized environmentally impacted properties. The ceremony was held Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at 1:30 at the location of the future Pelican Nest Learning and Resource Center on Nicholson Drive between Grant Street and Garfield Street.

The City-Parish received $400,000 to assess brownfields sites throughout the Parish. In addition to brownfields assessment funding, two (2) non-profit owned sites in Baton Rouge were awarded brownfields cleanup funding. Hope Community Development Corporation received $35,000 to cleanup a site at North Street and North 46'h Street. Pelican Nest Learning and Resource Center was awarded $40,000 in funding to cleanup its site on Nicholson Drive. Working with local community groups, the Baton Rouge Brownfields Program has successfully acquired funding for community revitalization through brownfields cleanup and redevelopment.

Among nationwide competition, Louisiana received a total of four (4) brownfields grants, three (3) of which were awarded to Baton Rouge.

1n 2000, Baton Rouge was awarded an EPA Brownfields Pilot Grant in the amount of $200,000. Since this initial award, the Baton Rouge Brownfields Program has established a brownfields inventory that includes over 110 sites and has funded assessments for 27 properties in East Baton Rouge Parish. The program has leveraged approximately $4.7 million dollars for construction and redevelopment.

As defined by EPA, a brownfield is property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The Baton Rouge Brownfields Program works to eliminate concerns associated with the purchase and redevelopment of these potentially contaminated sites. An estimated 400 brownfields sites exist in East Baton Rouge Parish.

The Baton Rouge Brownfields Program is a component of the City-Parish comprehensive plan, the Horizon Plan.