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EPA brownfields grant to fund environmental assessments at former Kraft Cheese Factory site in Fayetteville area
Summary
South Central Tennessee Development District and consultant team will use EPA brownfields funds to perform Phase I/II assessments at the former Kraft Cheese Factory after the property owner signed an access agreement and EPA approved the project.
South Central Tennessee Development District representatives told the Fayetteville Board of Mayor and Aldermen that an EPA brownfields grant will fund environmental assessments at the former Kraft Cheese Factory and other sites in the region, and that crews expect to begin Phase I work soon.
Misty Baker of the South Central Tennessee Development District and consultant Terry Lane briefed the board on an EPA award of $1,500,000 that SCTDD will share among 13 counties to pay for Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, cleanup planning and community outreach. Lane said the grant is 100% up front and requires property-owner permission to proceed.
"We got the signed access agreement from the owner of the Kraft Cheese Factory a few weeks ago, and I think we actually got approval today from EPA to go ahead and start work on that, so we'll be starting the Phase I assessment work on that pretty soon," Lane said. He estimated a Phase I study could take about six weeks and a Phase II (more invasive testing) two to three months, with tests that may include groundwater, soil and vapor sampling as well as asbestos and lead-based paint surveys.
Lane emphasized that the grant covers assessment work only; cleanup funding from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) is a separate pool that could be available later. He said TDEC cleanup dollars (which he described as site-specific awards, sometimes in the roughly $500,000-per-site range) generally require the site to be "site controlled" by a city, county or a committed developer and to be enrolled in the state's program before cleanup funds are applied.
Lane described the grant as an economic-development tool: assessments lower the cost barrier for owners or buyers and can help move a property toward redevelopment for housing, commercial uses, parks or other community-driven outcomes. He also said the EPA-funded assessments do not require enrollment in the state's program to begin assessment work; any further cleanup funding would be handled separately.
Discussion: Board members asked how the process affects property owners and whether the city must take title to qualify for cleanup monies. Lane said owners must sign an access agreement to allow assessments; an option-to-purchase or similar instrument could be used later so the city's hands are not tied. Lane also noted that if a redevelopment moves to cleanup, the site would typically need to have site control and be enrolled in the state's program to access TDEC cleanup dollars.
Decision/direction: The board was updated; the owners of the Kraft Cheese Factory have signed an access agreement and the consultant reported EPA approval to start assessments. No board vote was recorded to accept funds or transfer property control during the meeting.
Ending: Lane and Baker offered staff contact cards for follow-up; the project will provide written reports to SCTDD and the property owner as assessments are completed.
