08-A Brownfields Grant - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

and left cleanup to be done. Since then the area has suffered from lack of investment as new development is occurring around the interstate and away from downtown area. Much of the region is currently served by Kansas City Southern Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad but abandoned right of way exists throughout the region where commercial use is no longer viable. The interstate was built in Texarkana in the 1960's and retail trade is building up around the interstate. A similar situation is occurring in the city of Paris. There are numerous sites that are potential brownfields in these areas. Closed landfills (legal and illegal) are problems in all of the counties in the project area as -- -- --- - - - .-- -. --'-l"-0SÌ.Q@Bt-ial-ar-e-a-s-ha~-ewa.--aJHifØufld-their-b0\ifidari.~-here--are-ove~1-ee-sit-es---- ----- identified in the ATCOO Closed Landfill Inventory. In addition to these landfills, community residents have preliminarily identified a number of now-abandoned manufacturing and industrial facilities in the region. There are numerous abandoned gas stations as they used to be on every corner. Further complicating the redevelopment of these properties is the large undeveloped areas devoted to agriculture that are easy to acquire for new development. There is no incentive to undertake risky redevelopment of potential brownfield areas when unsullied land is nearby. Without a commitInent on the part of elected public officials and the community at large, potential brownfield areas will continue to be both eyesores and hazards. Land that could be used in productive ways and added to the tax rolls will instead be left idle while surrounding land is developed. Redeveloping these properties will substantially impact the surrounding communities. Removing these blight properties and putting them back into productive use will spur economic growth and job creation, while protecting the environment from the on-going impacts of contamination. In addition, successful redevelopment of a few key areas would demonstrate the tangible value of such efforts and provide the rationale for undertaking additional projects. c. Site Selection Process Preliminary discussions with the project partners and community members through outreach activities and community meetings have identified a number of potential brownfields sites to target for redevelopment. A TCOG will work with these groups to conduct a broader inventory of brownfields properties in the region and establish redevelopment priorities. Based on these preliminary discussions, A rcoo envisions that these priorities will include the following evaluation criteria. 1. Potential for economic development and job creation 2. Level of health and safety and environmental impacts on the community 3. Local community need 4. Reuse of existing infrastructure Ark- Tex Council of Government 2004 EP A Brownfields Grant Application - Hazardous Substance Page 6 II