The Clinton County Port Authority and Clinton County Regional Planning Commission are hosting an informational meeting for property owners and interested community members on the Brownfield Study program. Earlier this year, the Port Authority was granted $200,000 to assess potential brownfield sites in the county and provide plans for remediation of the assessed sites.

The US EPA defines a brownfield as “A property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” As part of the grant program, participating owners of brownfield sites would be able to receive a Phase 1 and Phase 2 (if warranted) environmental assessment for the site at no cost, subject to the availability of funds.

Assisting the program on behalf of the Port Authority, and leading the informational session will be Joel Hecker and Beth Grigsby with SME (www.sme-usa.com).

SME’s Brownfield Redevelopment Team has spent the last 20 years helping owners, developers and communities successfully turn abandoned and underused brownfields into new manufacturing plants, mixed-use office/retail/residential buildings, microbreweries, single family neighborhoods, schools, parks and recreational facilities. They have supported over $1.3 billion in brownfield redevelopment projects and have acquired and managed over $150 million in funding and other incentives to make them successful.

Any owners of potential brownfield sites, or community members interested in learning more about the program, are encouraged to attend this public meeting as the grant funds are limited. There will be a short presentation on the program and then time for question and answer.

If you are unable to make the meeting, but would like to learn more about the program, please contact Beth Huber with the Clinton County Port Authority at 937-655-7040 or [email protected].