Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Belcourt, ND: Collaboration to Revitalize Aging Homes

2021 Brownfields Success Story

L’BelCour after cleanup with 8 new homes.

EPA Grant Recipient:

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

Belcourt, North Dakota

Technical Assistance Tool:

Targeted Brownfields Assessment

Grants:

EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant
HUD Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Grant

For more information, contact:

Ted Lanzano at (303) 312-6596

Lanzano.Ted@epa.gov

History

The Turtle Mountain Reservation is located near the Canadian border in north central North Dakota. Built in the 1960’s under the 1937 Housing Act, the L’BelCour residential complex contained 21 structures with over 70 apartments. This complex was once a thriving housing community but became a hazard for its residents. By 2017, many of the units were still occupied, despite substantial contamination, fire damage, and poor structural integrity.

EPA Partnership Begins Revitalization

In partnership with the Tribe, EPA began assessing the L’BelCour units in 2017 under its Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program. The assessments found asbestos-containing materials throughout the units. After the assessments, the Tribe applied for and received a total of $1,200,000 in competitive cleanup grants from the EPA. Between 2018 to 2020, 17 of the 21 structures were abated using the cleanup grants. The Tribe completed the cleanup of the remaining four structures with its own funding.

Collaborative Efforts Provide New Hope

In 2019, the Department of Housing and Urban Development joined the partnership with the Tribe’s Housing Authority and the EPA. With a $3,000,000 grant, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act provided by HUD, the 21 L’BelCour structures were demolished, and redevelopment of new homes began. By November 2020, demolition and disposal were completed, and 8 new prefabricated homes were installed. These new homes provide proper heating for the cold North Dakota winters, while eliminating any health concerns that previously existed. Today, the Turtle Mountain Housing Authority is working with HUD for additional funding to complete the redevelopment.

We are excited about the incredible transformation of L’BelCour from an unsafe complex of homes to a clean property with eight new homes and hopefully more on the way.
– Ray Reed, Turtle Mountain Brownfields Coordinator