Published: November 05, 2009 09:55 pm      

ENVIRONMENT: Brownfield program eyes overhaul

Changes could be afoot for the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.

At a press conference Thursday, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced two new policies to speed up the process for applications and approvals.

“The changes proposed today will help provide earlier predictability to private developers and further assist communities in marketing sites,” Grannis said.

One of the proposals would set up a system for pre-approving sites, providing municipalities and interested businesses with a quicker estimation of whether a development there could draw state aid. Locations that are deemed eligible would still have to be formally accepted into the program, but the pre-determination will speed the application process and give predictability to private developers that might be interested in investing, according to a DEC release.

The other change would shorten the amount of time applicants wait for approval. The time from DEC’s receipt of a completed application until the execution of an agreement could range from several weeks to many months. Grannis is hoping to trim that to 45 days maximum.

Ken Swanekamp, who serves as chairman of the Town of Tonawanda planning board and is director of business assistance for Erie County’s economic development office, said while he isn’t aware of any current brownfield development in the town or City of Tonawanda, the changes would likely be met with good reviews from local municipalities and developers alike.

“I don’t think anybody is going to complain about things moving faster,” Swanekamp said.

But the changes are unlikely to benefit many on-going local projects. The remediation of Spaulding Fibre is being completed with assistance from both the state’s Superfund Program and Environmental Restoration Program. The difference, Swanekamp said, is who does the cleanup. The system used at Spaulding assists a public entity — the city — in removing contamination, while the Brownfield program helps private developers do the work.

“It’s either or, not both,” Swanekamp said.

The area’s largest brownfield project, Remington Rand’s rehabilitation, is already approved and underway, so changing the application process would have no effect on that effort either.

But Bob Dimmig, executive director of the town’s Development Corporation, said the changes would be welcome whether there’s anything in the pipe now or not. Citing areas like the former Erie Petroleum Transfers site on River Road and others, Dimmig said the town never knows what kinds of opportunities will pop up in the future.

“Changes in the program would open that up and help us do more,” Dimmig said.

The DEC is accepting public comments on both proposals until Dec. 4. Written comments can be mailed to Bureau of Program Management Policy and Planning Section, Division of Environmental Remediation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233 or e-mailed to derweb@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

Contact reporter Daniel Pye at 693-1000, ext. 158.