Redevelopment Tools for Local Governments

Local governments play an important role in returning Superfund sites to productive use. Local governments have many opportunities to be involved in the cleanup plan and/or redevelopment of a contaminated property. EPA staff work with local governments, communities, and other interested parties to ensure community involvement when considering how to integrate appropriate future reuse into a cleanup plan. EPA staff also can work with local governments to provide community reuse planning efforts for Superfund sites. Examples of local government involvement and assistance may include:

• Acquiring the site for long-term ownership or transfer to another entity.
• Tax foreclosure to get the property out of a defunct ownership situation and to extinguish other liens.
• Promoting the financial viability of site reuse with tax increment financing and tax benefits like Opportunity Zones or Enterprise Zones.
• Helping with site access, site assessments and investigations and especially securing site restrictions called institutional controls (IC's).
• Rezoning and community planning to identify or meet the anticipated future land use.

The tools and resources below can assist local governments with site related information and decision-making.

On this page:

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 Mapping Applications

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  Superfund Redevelopment Mapper
  People use this mapping application to explore new development opportunities at Superfund sites. Search filters include Superfund site locations and related data layers, such as site details, community context, renewable energy potential, demographics, environmental conditions and infrastructure considerations. These features enable users to tailor reuse queries for specific areas and evaluate them quickly and easily.
   
• EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool
  In order to better meet the Agency’s responsibilities related to the protection of public health and the environment, EPA has developed a new environmental justice (EJ) mapping and screening tool called EJScreen. It is based on nationally consistent data and an approach that combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and reports.
   
• Superfund Sites and Opportunity Zones StoryMap
  This StoryMap provides information about how Opportunity Zone tax incentives can be used to redevelop sites. Redevelopment of current or former Superfund sites may qualify for Opportunity Zone tax benefits.

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Documents and Other Resources

• Revitalization-Ready Guide

  

  
  This Revitalization-Ready Guide is designed to provide information for local and county governments, tribes, quasi-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations interested in facilitating the cleanup and reuse of brownfield properties.
   
• Revitalization Handbook – Revitalizing Contaminated Lands: Addressing Liability Concerns
  The Revitalization Handbook discusses potential liability concerns associated with cleanup and reuse of Superfund sites and shares tools to address them.
   
• Top 10 Questions to Ask When Buying a Superfund Site
  Las 10 Preguntas Principales Que Hacer Al Comprar Un Sitio Superfund (PDF)
  Las 10 Preguntas Principales Que Hacer Al Comprar Un Sitio Superfund (Puerto Rico) (PDF)
  This document answers many of prospective purchasers’ most common questions when considering property acquisitions at Superfund sites.
   
• Guidance: Superfund Liability Protections for Local Government Acquisitions
  Superfund liability protections may be available to state and local governments when they acquire a contaminated property through, and including tax foreclosure, abandonment, escheat, eminent domain, and transfers between units of state and local governments such as land banks or redevelopment authorities. EPA recommends that local governments contact the Agency’s staff, consult with their appropriate state environmental agency, and their own legal counsel, and review EPA guidance on Superfund liability protections for local governments prior to taking any action to acquire ownership or control or to clean up or redevelop contaminated property at a Superfund site.
   
• Prospective Purchaser Inquiry Process (PDF) 
  Servicio de Consulta para Compradores Prospectos (PDF)
  Servicio de Consulta para Compradores Prospectos (Puerto Rico) (PDF)
  Several EPA Regions offer a Prospective Purchaser Inquiry Process. This free information service is available to prospective purchasers, sellers, lessees and other stakeholders involved in the redevelopment of a current or former Superfund site. Contact your EPA Regional Redevelopment Coordinator to learn more about the availability of this service for a site of interest.
• Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determinations
  An EPA Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determination provides a technical determination that a site is “ready for reuse” and will remain protective of human health and the environment for that use, so long as any use limitations established by EPA continue to be met.

"The RfR Determination has been very helpful. We have been able to attract and reassure developers and businesses that the site is safe and protective. EPA had clearly stated that the Agency was comfortable with the reuse of the site."

- Midvale, Utah Mayor, JoAnn Seghini

• EPA SRP Webinar (May 2017): Restoring Superfund Sites to Public Good
  This webinar highlighted examples of successful public service-related redevelopment at Superfund sites and provided lessons learned on how EPA and local municipalities worked together to make reuse happen. Local governments across the country that own and acquire Superfund sites are restoring these properties for beneficial public uses ranging from roads and utilities to recreational resources. This webinar also highlighted the PREPARED Workbook as a tool to assist local governments with contaminated property acquisitions.
   
• Superfund Redevelopment and Community Revitalization, Redevelopment Planning: Four Keys to Success (PDF)
  The Superfund Site Reuse & Land Revitalization Reuse Planning: Four Keys to Success fact sheet describes four activities needed to undertake successful reuse planning at Superfund sites.
   
• Superfund Redevelopment Technical Assistance Services Fact Sheet (PDF)
  Reurbanización del Programa Superfund Servicios de Asistencia Técnica (PDF)
  Reurbanización del Programa Superfondo Servicios de Asistencia Técnica (Puerto Rico) (PDF)
  This fact sheet describes EPA’s technical assistance services that are available to support the productive reuse and redevelopment of Superfund sites.
   

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  Superfund Redevelopment Using Opportunity Zone Tax Incentives (PDF)
  This fact sheet provides information on using Opportunity Zone tax incentives for Superfund site redevelopment.  Opportunity Zones are a powerful way to encourage revitalization in economically distressed communities. Redevelopment of current or former Superfund sites may qualify for Opportunity Zone tax benefits.
   
• Innovative Redevelopment at Superfund Sites: Supporting Healthy, Sustainable and Equitable Communities (PDF)
  This  fact sheet series highlights innovative projects at Superfund sites that support healthy, sustainable and equitable communities.
   
• Reuse Opportunities at Capped Superfund Sites (PDF)
  This report discusses leading examples of capped-area reuses across the country, highlighting recent trends, key factors and considerations that make these uses possible.
   
• Pilot Framework for Integrating Community Health and Wellness into the Superfund Reuse Assessment Process (PDF)
  This document discusses an approach that integrates health, prevention and wellness considerations as part of the Superfund reuse assessment process, and helps facilitate identification of reasonably anticipated future land uses for sites.
   
• Promoting Redevelopment and Revitalization (PDF)
  This fact sheet describes how to secure EPA resources and support for reuse planning activities.
   
• Superfund Redevelopment: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  This tool shares and answers questions often asked about Superfund Redevelopment, including topics related to safety, how EPA’s Superfund program supports reuse, and the relationship between Superfund cleanups and reuse.