City of Monroe, LA

Ouachita Parish ~ City of Monroe ~ City of West Monroe

The Coalition of the Cities of Monroe, West Monroe, and Ouachita Parish was recently awarded a $479,000 Community-Wide Assessment Grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The purpose of the program is to help redevelop abandoned, idle, or underutilized properties where expansion or redevelopment is hindered by actual or perceived environmental conditions. Examples include abandoned gas stations, industrial, and commercial properties. Grant funds can be used to pay for environmental assessments and cleanup planning to help move commercial properties towards redevelopment.
PPM Consultants, Inc. has been retained by the Coalition to facilitate the grant program and to get the word out to the commercial real estate community and to potential buyers and sellers of real estate.

WHAT IS EPA’S BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM?

EPA’s Brownfields Program is built on four pillars:

• Protecting the Environment
• Promoting Partnerships
• Strengthening the Marketplace
• Sustaining Reuse

“A revitalized brownfield site reduces threats to human health and the environment, creates green jobs, promotes community involvement, and attracts investment in local neighborhoods.”

WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM PAY FOR?

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs): Like title searches, surveys, and appraisals, such assessments are now routine on commercial real estate transactions. Phase I ESAs include a site inspection, interviews with persons knowledgeable about the history of the property, and a review of environmental records to determine if potential environmental conditions exist.

Phase II ESAs: If the Phase I ESA identifies potential environmental conditions, additional investigation may be needed to determine if adverse environmental conditions actually exist. Phase II ESAs may include soil, surface water, and groundwater testing; asbestos surveys; lead-based paint surveys; mold surveys; tank removal; and/or threatened and endangered species studies.

Cleanup Planning: If a site is found to be impacted, the grant will pay for certain engineering and consulting fees to plan for redevelopment. This can include remedial alternatives analysis and meeting with regulatory agencies.

BENEFITS

• Will make your property more attractive by removing potential concerns regarding the environmental condition of your property.
• Will cover the costs of environmental studies, thus reducing capital expenditures associated with due diligence prior to selling or purchasing a commercial property.
• No contractual obligations to the city or consulting firm providing the studies.

ELIGIBILITY

Any commercial property located within Ouachita Parish is eligible for funding, regardless of ownership. The program is designed to facilitate development of any commercial property, whether a private or public transaction.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Contact one of the individuals listed below to ask if you are eligible for grant services.

http://www.ouachitacoalition.com/

Ouachita Brownfields Coalition Flyer (pdf)