Coralville Brownfields Map Viewer

BROWNFIELDS PROJECT APPROACH

The Project assessment under the EPA Pilot study is preliminary

The project only begins the process to evaluate if redevelopment of all or portions of approximately 200 acres of mixed-use properties is feasible.

The City intends to assess the environmental integrity of several contiguous properties located in eastern Coralville using first non-intrusive investigation and later adaptive intrusive exploration. The intent of assessment is to produce a portfolio to allow the City and public stakeholders to look further at the likelihood of redevelopment. The assessments provide information regarding the environmental integrity of land parcels within the Project which might be considered.

The environmental assessments conducted are Transaction Screens and Phase I environmental site assessments (Phase I ESAs), both of which are non-intrusive. Phase II ESAs may also be conducted which involve soil and groundwater sampling and laboratory analysis.

Budgets are limited

Funds in the Project are only available to produce a quality and quantity of information to support exploration for preliminary screening. Phase II ESAs may be done at six prioritized properties located within the pilot study area. The location of these Phase II ESAs is dependent upon the findings of the Transaction Screens, Phase I ESAs, and the ability to acquire property access.

It is anticipated that all sites with some type of recognized environmental condition identified by the Phase I ESAs cannot be further assessed. To focus too much budget/chemistry on too few sites will not meet the needs of producing a meaningful inventory of multiple properties under the Brownfields grant. To focus too little budget/chemistry on too many sites will not produce sufficient quality data to support meaningful estimates of the relative degree of impairment as it relates to potential cleanup and/or redevelopment. Unable to assess all sites, a balance must be established. This will be accomplished through a relative scoring and ranking of sites having recognized environmental concerns.

The Phase II ESAs must be adaptive in matching technology-to-contaminant while being as cost-effective as possible to produce data sufficient to the level of decision-making. Phase II ESAs will primarily study exposure pathways set forth in Initial Site Conceptual Models developed for the properties with the six highest ranking scores. The Phase II ESA screening will use a biased sampling approach determined on the findings of the Phase I data accumulation and adaptive to field restrictions. It is not possible nor intended to produce an extensive statistically-based Phase II physical assessment within the available funding and Project concept.

Work has proceeded or is in progress consistent with project work plans reviewed by USEPA titled PROJECT PLAN - EPA BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT DEMONSTRATION PILOT - 1st AVENUE REVITALIZATION PROJECT and EPA BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT GRANT WORK PLAN-IOWA RIVER LANDING REVITALIZATION PROJECT, CORALVILLE, IOWA Terracon Project No. 42997048 and 06047114.

The successful assessment and evaluation of the 1st Avenue Revitalization Project requires significant forethought and pre-planning to achieve the Brownfields applicant's goals under the limited funding of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Initiative Grant. Brownfield assessments are by nature variable and evolve as determined by conditions and information discovered in-process. The approach to identify and respond to these findings must remain flexible.

Terracon provided project plans as a working framework for participants of the Project. Plans consider a reasonable degree of contingent measures based on experience. These documents integrate methods of EPA regulatory guidance and industry experience from other EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot projects.

The Project Plan is comprised of three parts;

Part 1:

General Project Management and Phase I Environmental Site Assessment

Part 2:

Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Data Quality Objectives and Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan (Approved by USEPA July 7, 2000)

Part 3:

Phase II Property-Specific Sampling and Analysis Checklists

THE EARLY PHASE I ASSESSMENT ONLY IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. THE NEXT LEVEL OF EVALUATION IS TO SAMPLE AND TEST THE "RECOGNIZED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION" TO SEE IF IT IS REAL.

THE SAMPLING & CHEMICAL TESTING EFFORT IS CALLED PHASE II ASSESSMENT. TO BEGIN PHASE II, THE CITY MUST HAVE A "PROPERTY-SPECIFIC SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS CHECKLIST" COMPLETED AND APPROVED BY U.S. EPA. PROPERTY-SPECIFIC PLANS APPROVED BY EPA TO DATE ARE:

Zone 1: CRANDIC Coal and Rail Area
Zone 2: Former Hawk-I Truck Stop Non-Petroleum Fill Area
Zone 4: Former Sunset Motel / Landfill Area

A FULL VERSION OF EACH PROJECT-SPECIFIC SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS CHECKLIST APPROVED BY EPA FOR TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION, WITH SIGNATURES AND APPENDICES OF REFERENCE, IS ALSO ON FILE AT CITY HALL WITH THE BROWNFIELDS PROJECT DIRECTOR.