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How To Apply for Environmental Remediation Programs

What is a Brownfield?

A “brownfield” is a proposed development site that is contaminated with hazardous materials. The EPA awards grants to incentivize assessments and development of these properties.

Revitalizing these sites improves and protects the environment, increases local tax bases, and facilitates job growth. Salt Lake County prioritizes spending EPA funds on properties that demonstrate a public benefit and/or are within underserved communities.

Salt Lake County has two active Brownfields programs: 

  • Assessment Grants
  • Revolving Loan Funds

Assessment Grants

In 2021, Salt Lake County received an EPA Coalition Assessment Grant. This grant is available to public and private entities to assess and characterize environmental contamination on properties within Salt Lake County.

The EPA Coalition Assessment grant is managed by Salt Lake County and governed by the Salt Lake Brownfields Coalition Board with representatives from Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, and Murray City.

The EPA Coalition Assessment Grant provides funding to complete the following requirements through a specified Qualified Environmental Professional:

  • Phase I Environmental Assessment
  • Phase II Environmental Assessment
  • Cleanup Plan or ABCA
  • Asbestos, Lead, and Hazardous Materials Surveys

The Salt Lake Brownfields Coalition Board prioritizes assessments on properties that demonstrate a public benefit and/or are within underserved communities.

If you’d like your property considered for assessment, contact Kersten Swinyard at kswinyard@slco.org or 385-468-4869 for more information.

Revolving Loan Funds

In 2022, Salt Lake County received a $3.9 million grant from the EPA Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program. This grant funds low-interest loans to private and public entities seeking to clean up and redevelop brownfields sites throughout Salt Lake County and Ogden City.

The Revolving Loan Fund is managed by Salt Lake County and governed by the Wasatch Brownfields Coalition Board with representatives from Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, and Ogden City.

The Revolving Loan Fund offers low-interest loans for public and private entities that are pursuing a remediation plan with oversight from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

Please review the following document to understand if you qualify:

Loan Terms

If you’d like your property considered for a remediation loan, contact Kersten Swinyard at kswinyard@slco.org or 385-468-4869 for more information.

  1. To access all documents for RLF properties, please contact Kersten Swinyard at kswinyard@slco.org

  2. Some examples of relevant documentation include:
    • The site and borrower/subgrantee eligibility determination;
    • An ABCA or its equivalent;
    • Phase I and II assessment reports;
    • QAPP;
    • Loan Application;
    • Wasatch Brownfield Coalition Board Minutes;
    • Cleanup completion documentation
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Folsom Corridor

Folsom Corridor is an abandoned rail line near the Utah Power & Light/Utah Barrel Company Superfund site. The area experienced heavy contamination from years of industrial use.

Today, the historic train corridor is an active trail corridor that connects the FrontRunner North Temple Station to the Jordan River Trail. The EPA Assessment Grant funded a Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessment and a Cleanup Plan to understand environmental contamination in the area.

Additional redevelopment plans include daylighting City Creek to create an active green space with installments from local artists.

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Centro Civico Mexicano

Established in 1935, Centro Civico Mexicano is a nonprofit serving the Hispanic and Immigrant community in Salt Lake City. The original civic center building (photo 1) was used as a gathering place for cultural and community events.

With a subgrant from the EPA’s Revolving Loan Fund, Centro Civico Mexicano removed asbestos, mercury, hydrocarbons and other contaminates from its civic center and surrounding soils. The remediated property now features a remodeled community center and 61 apartments for low-income seniors.

A large building with a parking lot. A large building with a parking lot.

 

Granton Square

Granton Square is located in Murray City near two historic smelting sites­–– the Murray Smelter Site and Morgan-Hanauer Smelter Site. The property itself was a flour mill, then a fish food processing facility, and later a small engine repair shop.

A $500,000 loan from the EPA’s Revolving Loan Fund supported the cleanup of metals from the historic smelting activities. Today, the site is home to an office building and 61 townhomes.