MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – BCA Environmental Consultants will manage and implement a U.S. EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant after being selected by an RFP committee.
The city was awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to redevelop brownfields that have been impacted by petroleum and hazardous substances. BCA will fulfill grant requirements over a four-year period.
“BCA’s expertise and experience are vital to moving through the grant process and ensuring we are identifying and redeveloping brownfield areas correctly and with the best end results,” said Economic Development Corporation Michigan City Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse.
BCA is an environmental, health and safety consulting firm that was launched in 1987 and has offices in Indianapolis, Goshen, Ind., Tennessee and Puerto Rico. BCA’s services include investigation and remediation, contract services, seminars and training, and environmental, health, safety and energy services.
“BCA works with our client communities like Michigan City to identify and secure a variety of federal, state and private funding to support identification, assessment, planning, remediation and redevelopment of brownfield properties,” said Len D. Hinrichs II, Director of Client Relations at BCA.
The grant encompasses four key tasks: program management, training support and brownfield inventory/prioritization; environmental investigation; clean-up and re-use planning; and community outreach and involvement.
Task 1 launches the grant process with initial surveys to determine brownfield locations and engaging with EPA staff members and city leaders. Task 2 encompasses the environmental investigation to locate and assess hazardous substance sites and prepare Quality Assurance Project Plans as required by the EPA.
“Initial steps for Michigan City’s assessment grant will be to update the community’s existing Brownfields Inventory to reflect the current status of brownfields sites in the city. Additionally, BCA can begin conducting Phase I ESAs (Environmental Site Assessments) immediately,” Hinrichs said.
Task 3 centers on how to clean up and re-use the identified areas. Remedial techniques will be analyzed as well as cleanup goals, costs associated with the redevelopment and potential sources of funding. Task 4 focuses on connecting with the community to educate residents on the process and sites and provide technical expertise to help the public understand details.
Hinrichs said focusing on brownfield properties is important to a community’s economic development and redevelopment plan for a mix of reasons including spurring additional developer interest, bringing in new industries, creating green space and jobs, and targeting issues related to blight.
“Infill redevelopment uses existing properties that are often in desirable locations and have infrastructure already present,” Hinrichs said.
“Redeveloping brownfield sites is critical to revitalizing neighborhoods, supporting infill development, and growing our local economy in a thoughtful way. This effort helps us reuse land wisely, reduce blight, and create spaces that serve people and community,” added Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch.