Brownfield Redevelopment Plan in Barre City, Vermont

Graphic representation of proposed Central Vermont Community Land Trust Remediated brownfields campus.

The Summer Street Housing Limited Partnership, a partnership between the Central Vermont Community Land Trust (CVCLT) and the non-profit Housing Vermont, sought to redevelop a site in Barre, Vermont. The site was the former location of an automobile servicing station and a paint shop, and previously contained several underground petroleum storage tanks.

To guide the redevelopment efforts, the partnership conducted an Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA). As part of its analysis – and to build in preparedness and resiliency – the partnership used available regional projections to anticipate current and future risks, namely flooding and increases to average temperatures. The partnership then considered the vulnerability of potential cleanup remedies to the identified risks.

By including current and future threats in its analysis, the partnership was better able to understand potential vulnerabilities associated with its planned brownfields investment. For example, the increasing frequency and intensity of storms projected for the region may lead to flooding that could compromise potential remediation fixes such as engineered caps. By its explicit consideration of projected threats, now and in the future, the partnership's final remedy selection is designed to safeguard public health.

How Did They Do It?	Applicable EPA Tools
Identified potential hazards and impacts. Reviewed federal technical reports on regional trends and scenarios to identify anticipated regional risks to environmental hazards and impact. After identifying anticipated risks, the partnership used local knowledge of the site to determine primary vulnerabilities. Specifically, more frequent and intense storms may lead to flooding which could result in potential contamination releases beyond the site. An increase in average temperatures could also exacerbate the risk of soil gas exchange, which compromises the ability to maintain healthy indoor air quality.	Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation
Considered risks and vulnerability when evaluating cleanup alternatives. The site's Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives stated, "...concerns for site-wide soil gas contamination include: drought conditions could lower the surficial groundwater table, leading to a larger vadose zone for soil gas migration [for more on Vadose Zone Leaching see EPA VLEACH]; and the loss of a winter frost layer could alter soil gas contaminant migration pathways to indoor air in unknown ways." While several cleanup options were identified, several were rejected because they would not have reduced vulnerability. For example, capping the contaminated soil was not selected because while it may have reduced current exposure, it would have been vulnerable to future flooding events anticipated as a result of projected increased precipitation.	Use EPA's Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternative checklist to help consider anticipated environmental conditions in your Corrective Action Plan.
Selected a Brownfield Cleanup Alternative that they identified as having Adaptive Benefits. A cleanup that included a soil management plan (SMP) and targeted excavation was adopted. Excavation was selected due to the level of uncertainty on how changing environmental conditions could "alter soil gas contaminant migration to indoor air in unknown ways" (as identified in the Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives). For additional safety, a "sub-slab depressurization (SSD) system and vapor barrier to mitigate exposure to indoor air via the vapor intrusion pathway in the future buildings" was included in the Corrective Action Public Notice in order to attain "land use restrictions (LURs) to protect any potential future construction/utility workers or new property owners from exposure to site contaminants."	Use EPA Brownfield Revitalization in Climate-Vulnerable Areas to help inform selection of appropriate preparedness and resiliency options.

How Did They Do It?

Applicable EPA Tools

Identified potential hazards and impacts.

Reviewed federal technical reports on regional trends and scenarios to identify anticipated regional risks to environmental hazards and impact.
After identifying anticipated risks, the partnership used local knowledge of the site to determine primary vulnerabilities. Specifically, more frequent and intense storms may lead to flooding which could result in potential contamination releases beyond the site. An increase in average temperatures could also exacerbate the risk of soil gas exchange, which compromises the ability to maintain healthy indoor air quality.

Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation

Considered risks and vulnerability when evaluating cleanup alternatives.

The site's Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives stated, "...concerns for site-wide soil gas contamination include: drought conditions could lower the surficial groundwater table, leading to a larger vadose zone for soil gas migration [for more on Vadose Zone Leaching see EPA VLEACH]; and the loss of a winter frost layer could alter soil gas contaminant migration pathways to indoor air in unknown ways."
While several cleanup options were identified, several were rejected because they would not have reduced vulnerability. For example, capping the contaminated soil was not selected because while it may have reduced current exposure, it would have been vulnerable to future flooding events anticipated as a result of projected increased precipitation.

Use EPA's Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternative checklist to help consider anticipated environmental conditions in your Corrective Action Plan.

Selected a Brownfield Cleanup Alternative that they identified as having Adaptive Benefits.

A cleanup that included a soil management plan (SMP) and targeted excavation was adopted. Excavation was selected due to the level of uncertainty on how changing environmental conditions could "alter soil gas contaminant migration to indoor air in unknown ways" (as identified in the Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives).
For additional safety, a "sub-slab depressurization (SSD) system and vapor barrier to mitigate exposure to indoor air via the vapor intrusion pathway in the future buildings" was included in the Corrective Action Public Notice in order to attain "land use restrictions (LURs) to protect any potential future construction/utility workers or new property owners from exposure to site contaminants."

Use EPA Brownfield Revitalization in Climate-Vulnerable Areas to help inform selection of appropriate preparedness and resiliency options.

Similar Cases and More Information

The Summer Street Housing Limited Partnership anticipated the effects of changing environmental conditions to their brownfield redevelopment efforts. To see how waste sites (Superfund or RCRA sites) have implemented preparedness actions, use the American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduces Climate Exposure case study.

Brownfield Redevelopment Plan in Barre City, Vermont

Similar Cases and More Information

References

Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X)