Environmental Advisory Council forms Brownfields subcommittee to monitor Erie Coke redevelopment

The Erie Environmental Advisory Council on June 24 approved creation of a Brownfields subcommittee to focus on hazardous properties in the city and to expand public outreach around remediation and redevelopment.

A committee member introduced the proposal, saying the group would “establish an additional subcommittee for the EAC, really focused on on brownfields in the city” to help the public understand how hazardous properties affect water and air quality and to coordinate education and monitoring around redevelopment such as the Erie Coke site. The member cited the EPA Office of Brownfields definition to explain the scope could include sites complicated by hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants.

The committee discussed whether the term “Brownfields” in this proposal meant only federally designated sites or a broader set of properties. A member raised that the city can request a public involvement plan for notices of intent to remediate appearing in local papers and asked whether the EAC subcommittee could monitor those notices and alert the city. The Chair and staff agreed to look into how the city could be regularly notified when notices of intent appear and whether a formal request process exists.

The Chair moved to approve the subcommittee as amended to include monitoring of relevant notices and advising the city about requesting public involvement plans; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Next steps: members asked staff and volunteers to research the notice/public‑involvement process with DEP and report back, and to draft formal goals and objectives for the new subcommittee for a future meeting.