1. Brownfields 2006: A Revolution in Redevelopment & Revitalization Franklin Regional Council of Governments Brownfields Site Assessment Program November 14, 2006 Peggy Sloan, AICP – Director of Planning & Development Franklin Regional Council of Governments

2. Tighe&Bond Project Background The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) has obtained two EPA Brownfields assessment grants. The first grant was awarded in 2002 and the second grant was awarded in 2004. Franklin County is the most rural area in Massachusetts with 26 communities and a total population of 72,334 (U.S. Census 2005 est. population).

3. Tighe&Bond Project Background Our Brownfields Program sponsored by the EPA has assessed 18 properties with 16 of those properties identified by municipalities during a Master Planning or Community Development Planning process. Of the sites identified by communities, many had not been identified by the DEP as either a confirmed Brownfield site or a location to be investigated.

4. Tighe&Bond Project Background During the community planning process, potential Brownfield sites are often identified because of:  an interest in reusing the sites since many are vacant or underutilized  environmental concerns such as protection of drinking water supplies

5. Tighe&Bond Project Background Municipalities often identify a potential use for the property during the community planning process:  redevelopment as a commercial or industrial site  public parking to support economic development in the downtown  senior housing  park or recreation area

6. Tighe&Bond Project Background Communities act as partners with the FRCOG and work with us to set up meetings where we educate property owners about the Brownfield program and negotiate site access agreements. The town and the property owner(s) sign the site access agreement naming the FRCOG and its environmental engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond as agents. The town is named as an additional insured on the consultant’s Insurance Certificate.

7. Tighe&Bond Project Background The FRCOG and the town also work with the property owner to secure clean-up funding if hazardous materials are found which require remediation. A Brownfield Steering Committee was established to oversee the FRCOG program and includes a municipal official from the 12 towns which have sites in the program as well as representatives from local banks, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, and the Franklin County Community Development Corporation.

8. Tighe&Bond Sites Evaluated under 2004 Brownfields Grant Strathmore Mill, MontagueStrathmore Mill, Montague Sogard Tool, OrangeSogard Tool, Orange Buckland Freight YardBuckland Freight Yard Lake Asphalt Plant, DeerfieldLake Asphalt Plant, Deerfield Greenfield ToyotaGreenfield Toyota Mix N Match/ Salvation Army, GreenfieldMix N Match/ Salvation Army, Greenfield Phan Oil, DeerfieldPhan Oil, Deerfield Former Service Station, ConwayFormer Service Station, Conway Putnam Hall, OrangePutnam Hall, Orange

9. Tighe&Bond Strathmore Mill, Montague 8-20 Canal Street 2.85 Acres Between Connecticut River and Power Canal Constructed 1877 Former Cutlery and Paper Mill Western Recycling Inc. Soils: arsenic and PAHs No remediation required Site release closed

10. Tighe&Bond Strathmore Mill, Montague (cont.) Asbestos/hazardous materials survey funded by Brownfields grant. Asbestos and hazardous materials survey conducted prior to architectural, structural and economic evaluation. Findings of subsequent evaluation indicate that it would be very expensive to renovate building.

11. Tighe&Bond Former Service Station, Conway 33 Main St – Route 116 Phase I completed under first grant Service station/garage from 1930s to at least 1960s At least 2 USTs suspected to remain at site Private wells at site and adjacent properties Second Grant - Fall 2005 access agreement signed

12. Tighe&Bond Former Service Station, Conway (cont.) Site visit conducted – October 2005 Limited space to conduct additional investigations Limited space to conduct additional investigations Garage is in poor condition – broken windows Garage is in poor condition – broken windows Structural issues Structural issues QAPP Addendum submitted to EPA in October 2005 GPR survey – four USTs on site GPR survey – four USTs on site Five borings/ four monitoring wells advanced Five borings/ four monitoring wells advanced Soil and groundwater samples collected Soil and groundwater samples collected Based on detections – private wells sampled Based on detections – private wells sampled Release reported to DEP Release reported to DEP Funding has been secured from the DEP to remove tanks Funding has been secured from the DEP to remove tanks

13. Tighe&Bond Sites Evaluated under 2002 Brownfields Grant Strathmore Mill, MontagueStrathmore Mill, Montague Dubois Property, MontagueDubois Property, Montague Griswold Cotton Mill, MontagueGriswold Cotton Mill, Montague Usher Mill, ErvingUsher Mill, Erving Ramage Paper Company, MonroeRamage Paper Company, Monroe Wells Street property, GreenfieldWells Street property, Greenfield First National Bank Building, GreenfieldFirst National Bank Building, Greenfield New Salem Restaurant, New SalemNew Salem Restaurant, New Salem Former Service Station, ConwayFormer Service Station, Conway Fox Fertilizer, WhatelyFox Fertilizer, Whately Rod Shop, MontagueRod Shop, Montague

14. Tighe&Bond Dubois Property, Montague 2 Third Street, 0.43 Acres Former junk yard; auto sales and service Partially collapsed building; debris piles 2 USTs removed Soil samples, monitoring wells, surficial soil samples Reportable conditions: lead, PCBs and petroleum in surficial soils Unable to assess beneath building

15. Tighe&Bond Dubois Property, Montague (cont.) EPA completed cleanup of site with assistance of Town of Montague personnel Building was demolished Building was demolished Hazardous materials were removed Hazardous materials were removed Impacted soils were excavated Impacted soils were excavated Closure document submitted to DEP in September 2005

16. Tighe&Bond Dubois Property, Montague (cont.) Materials removed from site: Waste mercury - 20 lbs. Lead acid batteries – 5 gallons PCB capacitors – 200 lbs. Asbestos pipe insulation - 150 lbs. Paint waste – 5,200 lbs. Flammable aerosols - 150 lbs. Flammable liquids – 110 gallons Acid liquids – 46 gallons Caustic liquids – 210 gallons Pesticides - 5 gallons Hazardous waste solids - 1500 lbs. Corrosive solids - 400 lbs.

17. Tighe&Bond Usher Mill, Erving Arch Street 7.5 Acres Constructed 1917 7 Semi-independent buildings Former Furniture Factory; Heel Factory; Erving Paper Railroad spur to the north Buildings vacant PAHs and lead in soil Site release closed under MCP

18. Tighe&Bond Negotiating With Private Property Owners A key time to approach a property owner to negotiate a site access agreement is when they have just acquired the site:  Documents preexisting conditions which can help reduce the new property owner’s future liability  May help with future access to loan or grant programs for clean-up if it is documented that they are not the “Responsible Party”

19. Tighe&Bond Negotiating With Private Property Owners  Stress the cost of “doing nothing” - if the contaminants enter the groundwater, clean-up costs increase greatly  If they plan to sell in the future and bank financing is involved they will most likely need soil and groundwater testing if recommended by a Phase I assessment - the average cost per site for our program has been between $25,000 - $35,000

20. Tighe&Bond Negotiating With Private Property Owners Three of the sites in our program had property owners which inherited a potential Brownfield site and a few strategies we successfully used to obtain site access follow:  If the property is held in a trust this may afford some protection by limiting the liability to the assets held in the trust (consult with Legal Counsel)  If the town wants to acquire the property, offer to work with the property owner to apply for clean-up grants if hazardous materials are found or to reduce the purchase price to cover clean-up costs  Determine if there are any down gradient public or community supply wells in the areas and find out if any contaminants have been found during testing

21. Tighe&Bond GOOD LUCK!