Brownfields
The Orange County Brownfields Revitalization Program (“OCBRP”) provides funding and technical assistance to cities, unincorporated communities, community-based organizations, and eligible property/business owners and developers to conduct environmental site assessments (ESAs) and evaluate cleanup/revitalization strategies for priority brownfields in Orange County, California. The OCBRP aims to revitalize underdeveloped properties and position them for reuse and redevelopment.
The OCBRP is funded through a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant awarded to the OCCOG and its Coalition partners, including the cities of Garden Grove, Orange and Santa Ana and NeighborWorks Orange County. The OCCOG manages and administers the OCBRP with support from its consultant, Montrose Environmental Solutions, Inc. (Montrose). The OCBRP will fund Phase I/II ESAs and other cleanup/reuse planning activities at publicly and privately-owned brownfields over a four-year period or until the grant funds are expended (approximately through September 2028). Notably, private property owners may be eligible to receive funding assistance to evaluate cleanup/reuse plans and strategies for their land holdings (subject to site prioritization and eligibility criteria).
Brownfields Revitalization Program Overview
Vision: Revitalize vacant and underutilized “brownfield” properties throughout Orange County to provide benefits to the community, including (but not limited to) environmental restoration, economic development, quality affordable housing, enhanced community services and recreational amenities.
Mission: Effectively utilize available funding and technical resources to inventory, prioritize and assess brownfields throughout Orange County and position them for restoration, remediation, and redevelopment in support of established community goals and objectives.
Guiding Principles:
Support revitalization initiatives throughout Orange County.
Promote infill development projects within existing neighborhoods/districts to capitalize on infrastructure, utilities, and public services.
Prioritize use of grant funds for sites that will attract investment and catalyze new employment opportunities and a sustainable job base.
Remove redevelopment barriers by addressing problematic site conditions and creating shovel ready sites for new community-serving uses and quality affordable housing.
Prioritize activities that will attract and leverage public and private investments.
Transform blighted areas into thriving neighborhoods.
Protect public health and the environment.
Solicit meaningful public participation and input on priority redevelopment areas and sites.
Program Background
What is a brownfield?
The EPA defines brownfields as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential [i.e., perceived] presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”
Brownfields are vacant and underutilized properties with historic uses and/or current conditions that may have resulted in environmental impacts from petroleum and/or hazardous substances. Brownfields also include older (e.g. - pre-1980s) structures that pre-date the use of safer building materials (e.g., structures containing asbestos, lead-based paint, etc.). Brownfields also include former gas stations, auto repairs, commercial/industrial sites, landfills and illicit dump sites.
Why focus on brownfields?
Many vacant and/or underutilized properties throughout Orange County have potential environmental impacts for historic use of petroleum and/or hazardous substances, including regulated building materials. These could include petroleum products and toxic chemicals in soils, and/or asbestos, lead-based paint, or other hazards in older structures. When present, environmental impacts must be addressed before these properties can be restored /reused for community benefits (like housing, community services, and recreational space).
If left unaddressed, these properties can remain inactive or underutilized, contributing to economic decline, blight, and crime. Under the OCBRP, the OCCOG and its partners will play an active role in helping public and private property/business owners, developers, neighborhoods, and community-based organizations identify site conditions and develop cleanup/reuse plans/strategies to revitalize their priority brownfields as new community-serving uses. Under contract with OCCOG, Montrose will provide consulting services for eligible priority brownfields, including conducting Phase I/II ESAs, Regulated Building Materials (RBM) Sureys, and cleanup/reuse plans.
What are the benefits of brownfield reuse/redevelopment?
Community stakeholders who cleanup and reuse brownfields provide benefits to themselves and their communities, including:
Removing unknowns regarding site conditions that might delay (or prohibit) a property transaction and/or redevelopment project.
Increasing return from the property by making it more valuable and marketable.
Contributing to economic prosperity and environmental restoration.
Making neighborhoods safer and healthier.
Avoiding actions by regulatory agencies that may impose penalties and costly cleanups.
Evaluate the potential that neighboring properties could be impacting another property (and vice versa).
What will grant funds be used for?
Grant funding can be used to inventory, assess, and plan the cleanup/reuse of priority brownfields. Additional information is included on the Fact Sheets and Process Guides provided in the Resources section at the bottom of the page.
What sites are eligible for grant funds?
Potentially eligible sites include both publicly and privately-owned properties with confirmed or suspected environmental impacts and where sale, restoration, or reuse is planned. Site prioritization and eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. Eligible sites may include (but are not limited to):
Former industrial sites (e.g., factories, tank farms, etc.)
Underutilized commercial facilities (e.g., warehouses, malls, etc.)
Former gas stations and auto repair shops
Former dry cleaners
Salvage yards, landfills, and illicit dumping sites
Old buildings with suspected hazardous and/or regulated building materials, including asbestos and/or lead-based paint
Ineligible sites include those on the EPA National Priority “Superfund” List or those targeted for other state or federal enforcement actions.
What are the program requirements?
Participation is voluntary, and the property owner (or authorized representative) must provide site access via an access agreement. To qualify, sites must meet certain site prioritization and eligibility requirements (described above). If you (or your organization) are interested in participating in the program please contact Erin Gardner, Grant Program Manager (erin@occog.com or 714-501-9416) for additional information.
For additional information, please reach out to OCCOG and/or refer to the materials provided in the Resources section.
How do I nominate sites for use of grant funding?
Property/business owners and other community stakeholders are encouraged to nominate sites for use of grant funds by completing a Site Nomination Form (provided in the Resources section). This will initiate the site prioritization and eligibility process.
After a Site Nomination Form has been submitted and the site has been prioritized, the OCCOG will submit an eligibility determination request to EPA requesting approval for use of grant funding. If approved, the property owner or authorized representative will work with the OCCOG and Montrose to coordinate the environmental site assessment (ESA) and/or related activities. The owner will receive a report with findings and recommendations.