BROWN FIELDS

BROWN FIELDS. Brown fields was a term used to designate properties containing hazardous substances or containments. Dubuque's history of these involved the KEY CITY GAS COMPANY, COAL TAR PITS, and the BEE BRANCH restoration.

In May, 2015 the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the city two grants totaling $400,000 to inventory and assess brownfields. City officials chose to use the grants to encourage landowners who redevelop properties by paying for environmental assessments of sites with the Historic Millwork Distrit, SOUTH PORT and Washington Neighborhood. The program was voluntary with owners of abandoned or underutilized property with real or likely contamination to receive free site assessments which normally would cost between $2,000 to $80,000. If the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) considered additional investigation was needed that could be completed with grant funds. If major cleanup was determined, funding would he possible through DNR or EPA grants. (1)

On June 25, 2021 city officials announced plans to remove hazardous materials from three sites to allow for future development. The project which was approved unanimously by the city council followed an $800,000 brownfields' multipurpose grant the city received in 2019 from the (EPA). In addition to the grant, the city would be required to provide about $40,000 in city staff work to manage the project.

The consultant hired by the city would carry out a number of tasks. First, the consultant would prioritize removing hazardous compounds and metals from part of a property the city purchased to expand COMISKEY PARK. The city would either remove the contaminated soil or cover it with a hard surface such as a parking lot or basketball courts. The other two sites were located in the SOUTH PORT area. These were former locations for oil refinement and railroad operations. The goal in this case would be to make the site usable for commercial development.

The grant would also provide initial steps in assessing five additional brownfield sites. Focus would be made in the North Port, Historic Millwork District, and Bee Branch Creek Greenway. (2)

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Source:

1. Barton, Thomas J. "City Targets Stigma of 'Brownfields,'" Telegraph Herald, May 31, 2015, p. 13

2. Kruse, John, "Dubuque to Decontaminate 3 Properties," Telegraph Herald, June 25th, 2021, p. 1A