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Planning for Site Reuse
Numerous factors can influence the reuse potential of contaminated sites. These factors and characteristics include on-site factors (e.g., the type of site, site size and configuration, prior use, type and extent of contamination, current status of the site), as well as off-site factors such as local real estate market conditions.
The following steps should provide you with revitalization tools and resources to help you gather information about your site, including the type of site (e.g., brownfield, Superfund, RCRA site), if it is an EPA site or state site, and other important reuse considerations. The information will also enable you to communicate with the appropriate revitalization contacts within Region 7 to help you take advantage of the most appropriate revitalization tools and resources to help with the redevelopment of your site.
- Type of Site
- Agency Overseeing Site
- Status of Site
- Site Search
- Site Reuse Considerations
- Revitalization Tools
- Agency Contacts
Step 1: Determine the Type of Contaminated Property
To take advantage of the most appropriate and useful revitalization tools, and to better understand the potential opportunities and barriers to reuse, it is important to understand the kind of site you are interested in reusing because there are different types or categories of contaminated property. The type of site can impact the types of revitalization tools and assistance available for the site. For example, some legal, financial, or technical revitalization tools and resources may only apply to certain sites (e.g., Superfund sites on the National Priorities List are typically not eligible for Brownfield grants).
Step 2: Determine Which Government Agency Manages the Site or Property
Recognizing whether the site is being cleaned up by EPA or by your state is another important piece of information. Knowing who is in charge of cleaning up the site will help you contact the appropriate federal or state governmental agency and to take advantage of the appropriate revitalization tools that are available for your site and site type.
The federal, state and local governments have different legal authorities and different revitalization tools. Being aware of these factors is important as national, state, and even local authorities all have laws and policies in place that can impact the redevelopment of contaminated and formerly contaminated sites.
Step 3: Determine the Current Status of the Site or Property
Site conditions and circumstances may determine how and when redevelopment of a site can proceed. Some sites or properties may have perceived contamination issues, but need to be assessed before anything further can happen with the site. Other sites may have had some cleanup occur to address immediate contamination hazards, but additional cleanup work will be needed before redevelopment can occur. Many sites can be reused during the cleanup work as long as the owner or user of the site is aware of the limitations, such as refraining from sinking ground water wells. If you are not already familiar with environmental conditions at your site, collecting information on the site will be a critical next step. Region 7 recommends collecting the following information on your site.
- Current status of environmental conditions at the site.
- Future anticipated cleanup actions at the site.
- Current or future restrictions on the use of the site.
- Compatibility between anticipated use of the site and the cleanup or restrictions on use.
- Liability protections that are available.
- Liens associated with cleanup work (only applies to some types of contaminated property).
Step 4: Search for Your Property or Site
If you do not know what type of site you have (e.g., Brownfield, Superfund site, state site), or the status of your site, there are a number of online contaminated site inventories and databases that you can search for additional information about the type and status of your site.
The following links can help you determine if your site is a known contaminated site, on an existing site inventory, and the status of the site. The links will also help in determining if the site is being cleaned up by EPA under one of its cleanup programs or if site cleanup is funded by your state.
Step 4a: See if your site is in an EPA site inventory
- Cleaning up in Region 7
- National Priority List Sites in Region 7
- RCRA Cleanup Reform
- Brownfields in Region 7
Cleanups in my Community does not include sites that are being cleaned up or funded by state or local agencies. As a result, your site search may uncover no information about your site, which may indicate your site is being overseen by the relevant agency or department in your state.
Step 4b: See if your site is in a state site inventory
- Iowa
Hazardous waste or contaminated sites in Iowa, classified by cleanup priority. - Kansas
The Kansas Identified Sites List, a public record of environmentally contaminated sites (excluding underground and above-ground tank sites). - Missouri
A list of Confirmed Abandoned or Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites in Missouri. - Nebraska
Nebraska’s Public Record, a list of sites at which response actions have been completed during the previous year, are in process of being completed, or are planned to be addressed in the upcoming year.
Land Revitalization Regional Contacts
If your site or property does not show up in either the Cleanups in my Community tool or the appropriate inventory for your state, an appropriate revitalization contact person can help you with your site.
Step 5: Examine and Review Other Site Reuse Considerations
The process of getting a formerly contaminated or potentially contaminated site or property back into use is influenced by many factors and issues that affect how to effectively revitalize a contaminated site or property. View a list of revitalization topics and issues to consider as you begin to explore reuse opportunities at your site.
Step 6: Explore Revitalization Tools for Your Revitalization Project
EPA and the states have developed numerous tools to assist in the revitalization of contaminated properties. Region 7 encourages you to contact us to learn more about the right tool to help you purchase, sell, finance, assess, clean, or use the site. For example, revitalization tools include:- Informational tools and resources
- Funding opportunities
- Legal tools such as liability protections and settlement agreements
Step 7: Contact the Government Agency in Charge of the Cleanup
After you have identified and researched the type of site you are interested in revitalizing, contact the government agency or agencies in charge of the cleanup for more information about the status of the site, available liability protections, and to take advantage of the appropriate revitalization tools that are available for your site and site type.