Utah DEQ official outlines Brownfields program, says state can help assess and clean legacy sites

Bill Reese, Brownfields and Voluntary Cleanup program manager at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, told the Beaver City Council on Tuesday that Brownfields are common across the state and that DEQ has tools to help communities assess and, when necessary, clean them.

The presentation explained that Brownfields are properties where redevelopment or reuse “may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminants.” Reese said they range from former gas stations and dry cleaners to old railyards, industrial sites and mining tailings, and that redevelopment can produce economic returns and protect public health.

Reese said DEQ can fund Phase I (site history and reconnaissance) and Phase II (testing) assessments and can provide technical assistance; he showed statewide examples where assessment and voluntary cleanup enabled reuse, including affordable housing and a hotel redevelopment. He described tools including state assessment grants, voluntary cleanup oversight and U.S. EPA assessment grants that local governments or nonprofits can use to reduce uncertainty that otherwise discourages lenders and buyers.

Reese said the program has supported rural and urban projects and stressed that many sites that look vacant may be underutilized because of stigma rather than confirmed contamination. He told council members that “the main and most important thing is that we look into those properties in advance of acquiring the land rather than getting stuck with them on the backside.”

When asked whether DEQ has a running list of Brownfields for Beaver City, Reese said he did not have specific properties catalogued for the city but that his division maintains an inventory and that petroleum and regulated underground storage tank sites may be tracked by a different branch.

Reese also told the council that federal-level decisions had temporarily limited new Brownfields assessment awards; DEQ is completing previously authorized projects and expects to return to routine grant activity when federal guidance allows. He encouraged the council to start planning (identifying candidate sites and community goals) so Beaver City is ready when grants reopen.

The presentation was presented as an educational briefing; there was no council action tied to the DEQ presentation during the meeting. Council members discussed local buildings and sites that could be candidates for planning and assessment work and directed staff to continue exploring options.

Reese offered to be a contact for follow-up and to help the city identify whether an initial Phase I assessment or planning project would be a good fit for available state or federal funds.

Ending — The council did not vote on any Brownfields funding or commitments at the meeting but received contact information and an overview of DEQ resources that could be used if the city identifies sites for study or voluntary cleanup.