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DeKalb County reports 151-site brownfields inventory under $500,000 EPA assessment grant
Summary
County staff reported the first-year progress on a $500,000 EPA countywide brownfields assessment grant: a 151-site inventory, two site-access agreements issued (Waterloo), outreach to local communities, and plans for phased environmental work.
DeKalb County staff told commissioners on Aug. 18 that the countywide brownfields assessment grant is beginning to yield an inventory of potentially redevelopable properties and that next steps depend on property-owner site-access agreements.
Anton, a county staff member and the grant manager, summarized progress: “Just bridal recap, $500,000 to be used across DeKalb County, and, through that, that grants through the from the EPA, and, BCA Environmental, Consultants was the contractor awarded, said said grant. So we've been our office has been working, with them on, general site, site inventory, if you will. And so, to date, we have roughly a 151 sites, that are, in that inventory across DeKalb County.”
Anton said the county has issued two site-access agreements for phase I assessments (both in Waterloo) and is awaiting signed authorizations from property owners. A Phase I environmental assessment determines whether recognized environmental conditions exist and, if needed, can lead to a Phase II investigation; funds from the grant can cover both phases for eligible sites.
County staff also reported outreach to municipal officials, real-estate professionals and contractors to encourage use of the program. Anton said the county will prioritize sites that communities identify; his office hopes to advance 20–30 interested sites by year’s end and bring 5–10 into Phase II if needed. He also described an early-stage idea to explore a revolving loan fund to support redevelopment financing.
No formal board action was required; commissioners asked for a prioritized list of sites showing interest and requested staff return with the top candidates for assessments.
