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City joins coalition for Brownfields hazard grants |
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Wednesday, 01 October 2008 |
The communities of Conrad, Shelby, Kevin and Sunburst and the counties of Pondera and Toole have begun formation of the Northern Montana Brownfields Coalition in an effort to submit a grant proposal for assessment funding for potentially hazardous sites affected by petroleum or other hazardous substances within our region.
Agnes Fowler tells the I-O, “This grant will enable our communities to take positive steps forward in conducting environmental site assessment activities on Brownfields sites located within our region.”
She went on to add, “It is the hope of the coalition that with assessment activities completed, clean-up activities will follow, returning properties to useful, productive components in the economic viability of our communities and potential green spaces.”
The north central region of Montana was once a hub of oil and gas activity with several refineries activated and eventually closed within the last half century.
The City of Shelby is currently working on the clean up of the former Shelby Petroleum Refinery site. Brownfields Cleanup funding has allowed the city to take the first steps in revitalizing and redeveloping the property for economic development within the community.
The town of Sunburst has also begun clean up activities working in partnership with the Texaco Corporation for clean up of properties affected by a previous refinery within the community.
Conrad has several petroleum sites of which assessment is critical in determination of contamination and course of action as well the community of Kevin. Each of the coalition members has begun a list of environmentally affected sites with the hope that assessment funding will be available to prioritize and assess these sites with the intention of clean up and redevelopment.
Regionally, our populations have been declining.
At the same time, populations are aging; average earnings per job, adjusted for inflation have fallen drastically; and low to moderate income families are increasing. All these factors weigh heavily in the amount of community funding available to assist in assessing potential hazardous sites.
The grant will be used in the revitalization of properties and facilitate the creation of green spaces.
The city is asking for the input of community members. If you’d like to comment on the Northern Montana Brownfields Coalition application to EPA Brownfields funding, you may submit your comments to the City of Conrad, 411 ½ S. Main St., 59425.
“Your input and direction is critical to the success of the application and we appreciate the support of the community in these efforts,” commented Mayor John Shevlin.
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