Environment DEC
From the May 2005 issue
Applications Now Available for Citizen Participation in Brownfield Cleanups
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan announced that applications are available for grants to support efforts that increase public awareness and understanding of cleanup activities taking place in communities. DEC's technical assistance grants (TAG) are a component of the comprehensive Superfund/Brownfield legislation signed into law by Governor Pataki in 2003.
The New York State Superfund Program provides for the investigation and cleanup of sites that pose a significant threat to public health and/or the environment due to contamination by hazardous wastes. The new statutory Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), modeled after the former Voluntary Cleanup Program, is designed to enhance private-sector cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. Brownfields are abandoned or underused properties where real or perceived environmental contamination hinders the potential for redevelopment. The goals of the BCP include protecting public health and the environment, reducing development pressure on "greenfields," and promoting job creation and community redevelopment.
"Governor Pataki is committed to encouraging community participation in the significant progress being made with DEC's cleanup programs in revitalizing neighborhoods throughout New York State," Commissioner Sheehan said. "The TAG program is an important citizen participation tool that will help keep residents, businesses and community leaders informed of the improvements being made through our brownfield cleanup programs."
Eligibility
Sites that are eligible for
a TAG include "significant threat"
sites being cleaned up in the
state Superfund Program or BCP
Eligible community groups which have incorporated as not-for-profit corporations may apply to receive grants for up to $50,000 per eligible site. Currently, $3 million is available to fund TAGs. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. TAGs, in the form of state assistance contracts (SAC), are available for the purpose of obtaining independent technical assistance in interpreting existing environmental information about an eligible "significant threat" site being cleaned up in the state Superfund Program or BCP.
Technical Assistance Grants
Technical assistance is intended to help the grant recipient and the represented community understand existing environmental data developed about the site, comment on site remedial activities and proposals, and share this information with the public. Eligible community groups cannot be among the parties responsible for contamination at a site and must be incorporated as not-for-profit corporations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. An eligible group must certify that its membership represents the interest of the community affected by the site, and that its members' health, economic well-being, or enjoyment of the environment are potentially threatened by the site.
The TAG application and additional information about TAGs are available by calling the Division of Environmental Remediation at 518-402-9711, or on DEC's Web Site. DEC currently is accepting applications on a continuous basis. There is no matching contribution required on the part of the grant recipient.
