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Redevelopment Tools and Information
South Point, Ohio
Before: A 610-acre chemical manufacturing and disposal facility that operated for over 50 years at the South Point Plant Superfund site.
After: Much of the site was redeveloped into an industrial park called The Point. In addition, portions of the Site have been leased for Agricultural purposes.
A wide range of tools and information are available to help guide decisions regarding the redevelopment of Superfund sites. Tools have been divided into six categories:
- Comfort/Status Letters
- Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determinations
- Redevelopment Legal Issues
- Local Community Tools and Resources
- Superfund Return to Use Initiative
Comfort/Status Letters
A comfort/status letter may be issued by Region 5 to:
- clarify the likelihood of EPA involvement at a site;
- identify whether a party is protected by a statute or provision or discretionary enforcement policy; or
- indicate the progress of a Superfund cleanup.
Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determinations
An RfR determination is an EPA document which provides potential users of a Superfund site with an environmental status report indicating that all or a portion of the real estate property at a site can support specified types of uses and remain protective of human health and the environment. This web page describes EPA's guidance regarding how staff should make and document these determinations.
Redevelopment Legal Issues
- Comfort/Status
Letters
A comfort/status letter is a document that may be issued by EPA to provide some level of "comfort" to parties wishing to purchase contaminated sites that EPA will not pursue them for the costs to clean up any contamination resulting from the previous use. - Guidance
for Obtaining 'Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser' Status (Common Elements
Guidance) (PDF) (22 pp, 366K, About PDF)
A 'bona fide prospective purchaser' is protected from owner or operator liability under the Superfund law so long as the new purchaser meets the definition of a 'bona fide prospective purchaser.' This document describes criteria that landowners must meet in order to qualify. - Frequent Questions About Legal
Issues
There are complex legal issues associated with reuse of all contaminated properties. This web page answers common questions about legal issues related to Superfund site reuse.
Local Community Tools and Resources
- Community
Advisory Groups
Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) are committees or boards made up of citizens with diverse community interests. They can also help give communities a voice in the redevelopment of Superfund sites. - Technical
Assistance Grants
Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) are grants of up to $50,000 (or more for unusually large or complex sites) that are available to qualified community groups. - Technical
Outreach Services for Communities
Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) is a technical assistance program that helps communities cope with hazardous substance issues. - Reuse
Planning Services
Region 5 supports community-based planning efforts at Superfund sites which integrate future land use information with site information and remedy considerations. - Reuse Help Desk
The Reuse Help Desk provides EPA staff and potential developers with information and assistance in carrying out Superfund reuse-related activities. It operates from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with voice mail service after hours. Call: (434) 817-0470.
Return to Use Initiative
The Return to Use Initiative is the latest phase of the national Superfund Redevelopment Program. It shares the Program's mission to support community efforts to reuse Superfund sites. It does this by removing barriers to reuse that are not needed to protect human health, the environment, or the remedy at a Superfund site.