Colorado Brownfields Conference 2011 Archive
Presenting Sponsors
Colorado Brownfields Foundation
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
US Environmental Protection Agency | Region 8
The Colorado State Brownfields Conference provides a forum to educate communities, local governments, and businesses about opportunities for economic revitalization. Emerging economic conditions and associated changes in the real estate development climate create opportunities to foster community reinvestment, regional partnerships, and creative partnering. This conference explored the issues around policy, planning and implementation of economic redevelopment projects.
Continuing Education Credits: Real Estate (15 hrs); CLE (15 hrs); APA/AICP (CM 20.5 | L 10.75)
Attendee List
Sessions Schedule
Speaker Presentations:
Monday Sessions | November 14
Introduction to Brownfields
Brownfields defined, voluntary cleanups and “future use-based” closure, no further action letters, liability management provided by federal and state statutes and programs, federal and state grant and loan programs, the role of nonprofits and technical assistance resources available.
Fonda Apostolopoulos, Brownfields Project Manager, CDPHE [view]
Bill Rothenmeyer, Brownfields Project Manager, USEPA Region 8 [view]
Mark Walker, Project Director, Colorado Brownfields Foundation [view]
Redevelopment Showcase
Presentations highlighting the brownfields redevelopment process from inception to implementation. This session will provide a national perspective on public-private and public-public partnering, infrastructure planning and funding, addressing blight conditions, community engagement, sustainability considerations, public and private finance opportunities. A case study of the Derby Neighborhood Redevelopment Project in Commerce City will be presented. Uses of City Council adoption of PUD and design standards will be addressed.
Edward Icenogle, Shareholder, Icenogle Seaver Pogue, P.C. [view]
Chris Cramer, Planning Manager, City of Commerce City, CO [view]
Tamara Seaver, Shareholder, Icenogle Seaver Pogue, P.C.
Brownfields Briefing
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Colorado Brownfields Foundation will each provide a brief overview of their organization’s role in brownfields and the types of information and knowledge that attendees should walk away with from the conference.
Doug Jamison, Superfund and Brownfields Unit Leader, CDPHE
Dan Heffernan, Brownfields Coordinator, USEPA
Jesse Silverstein, Executive Director, CBF
Colorado’s Emerging State Blueprint for Economic Development
Since Jan. 11, 2011, the Hickenlooper Administration has engaged more than 5,000 Coloradans from all 64 counties in developing a comprehensive and collaborative approach to economic development. Every county put together a summary expressing the needs, priorities, vision, strengths and weaknesses of its local economy. This session will present the resulting vision, priorities, and initiatives of the Colorado Blueprint.
David Thomson, Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade [view]
Redevelopment In Progress: Lamar Station Transit Oriented Development, Lakewood, CO
Metro West Housing Solutions is in the process of implementing redevelopment for a transit-oriented mixed market rate/affordable housing project adjacent to the 13th and Lamar light rail station in Lakewood, Colorado. The project will utilize green construction, bring new investment to an economically stressed part of town, and utilize a variety of funding mechanisms including tax credits, a USEPA Brownfields cleanup grant, and assistance through the State of Colorado Brownfields program.
Ryan McCaw, LEED AP, Sustainability Manager, Metro West Housing Solutions [view]
Renewable Energy Technologies and Financing for Brownfields Redevelopment
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working in partnership with USEPA’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization RE-Powering America’s Lands Initiative to identify and support the integration of renewable energy into brownfield redevelopment projects. Members of NREL’s team will convey important information on technologies and financing tools for renewable energy projects.
Gail Mosey, Senior Project Leader, National Renewable Energy Laboratory [view]
John Nangle, Senior Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Karlynn Cory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory [view]
Owen Roberts, Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory [view]
By the Numbers: An Outlook on Colorado’s Economy and Demographics
Emerging economic conditions and changing demographics profoundly impact Colorado’s opportunities for investment, economic development, and real estate investment. What does the economic future hold for Colorado? What demographic trends will be impacting Colorado the most and how are we likely to change over the next 20 years? This session will provide insights into Colorado’s economic and demographic outlook for those trying to understand how Colorado is changing.
Patty Silverstein, President, Development Research Partners [view]
Elizabeth Garner, Colorado State Demographer, CO Department of Local Affairs [view]
Tuesday Sessions | November 15
Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields Properties
EPA created the Land Revitalization Initiative to promote cross-program coordination on land reuse and revitalization projects to ensure that contaminated property is appropriately put back into productive use. Patricia Overmeyer, USEPA, will discuss USEPA’s program priorities including: building partnerships through collaboration with state, tribal and local governments as well as regional and federal partnerships to bolster land revitalization efforts; cleaning up communities through sustainable site reuse and community agriculture; environmental justice through meaningful citizen involvement; and fostering green cleanups that minimize the environmental footprints of cleanup activities and address legal, financial and information challenges to redevelopment.
Patricia Overmeyer, Land Revitalization Coordinator, USEPA Headquarters, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization [view]
ASARCO Redevelopment, Globeville, CO: Straddling Communities, Politics and Vision
The 78 acre former metal smelting operation redevelopment site in north Denver crosses the boundaries of the City & County of Denver and Adams County and promises beneficial reuse to the surrounding communities. The principals of this project negotiated politics, legislation, funding, site bankruptcy, and a myriad of environmental issues and the site is now propelling toward cleanup and redevelopment. Local government representatives and the site developers will each provide their perspectives on creating cooperation, bundling creative funding sources, and navigating the regulatory environment.
Tricia Allen, Senior Vice President, Adams County Economic Development
Doug Elenowitz, Executive Vice President & Director of Development, EFG Brownfield Partners [view]
John Lucero, Deputy Director, Denver Office of Economic Development
Kristin Sullivan, Senior Planner, Adams County
Jacqui Picket, Administrator, Community Development, Adams County
Redesign, Reinvest, & Redevelop Longmont!
This day-long series of three conference sessions puts Longmont’s Southeast Urban Renewal Area on center stage. The Southeast Urban Renewal Area, one of the City’s two urban renewal districts, is a 583-acre area located just south of downtown Longmont adjacent to Main Street and the Ken Pratt Boulevard bypass. The area includes an intriguing mix of uses with the western portion of the area located within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) boundaries and the planned transit hub for bus/commuter rail as part of the FasTracks transit station site. The eastern portion of the area encompasses a vacant sugar beet factory. Other uses within the redevelopment area include light industrial/storage, strip commercial along Main Street, open space and a number of public uses (e.g. wastewater treatment plant, recycling facility and electric utility). The area is located along the St. Vrain River Corridor and Greenway, one of Longmont’s most valuable community recreational and wildlife assets, whose future plans include a whitewater kayak course. Each session will be a roundtable discussion that progressively contributes to the process for redevelopment and reinvestment planning of this key area in the City of Longmont.
Envisioning a Renewed Longmont [view]
Successful redevelopment requires strong political leadership, support from city staff, and buy-in from the community. The panel will provide specific examples and lessons learned on working with citizens and maintaining relationships among city staff, elected officials, and advisory boards as vital components of redevelopment. The panelists will also discuss the implementation of redevelopment plans that entail addressing existing land uses, capital investment, and the creation of a new physical environment while integrating with existing long-range planning mechanisms.
Tim Baldwin, Associate, Steer Davies Gleave
Tony Chacon, Revitalization Coordinator, City of Westminster
Brad Power, Director, Economic Development, City of Longmont
Environmental Challenges and Liability Relief in Longmont
Former industrial users in SE Longmont operated long before our modern awareness of environmental hazards. At the Longmont site there is the potential for environmental impacts from former sugar beet processing operations, rail lines, various small industrial and service operations, and issues yet to be discovered. Panelists will discuss potential impacts of environmental conditions on site development, liability management, voluntary cleanup and no further action letters. Brownfields funding sources will be discussed.
Doug Jamison, Superfund and Brownfields Unit Leader, CDPHE [view]
Tim Kelley, Environmental Protection Specialist, CO Division of Oil & Public Safety [view]
Mark Selman, Senior Engineer, Sound Earth Strategies [view]
Development & Public-Private Financing in Longmont
Priming the redevelopment pump that results in successful reinvestment in these challenged areas will require a flexible regulatory environment, supportable market conditions, partnerships between the public and private sectors and the use of innovative financing and funding strategies. Panelists will discuss public/private partnership approaches, land assembly strategies, and use of various funding and financing sources within infill areas that are often challenged by environmental issues, fractured and multiple property ownership, untested markets, and poor aesthetics.
Chuck Perry, Managing Partner, Perry Rose, LLC [view]
Andy Knudtsen, Principal, EPS
Doug Elenowitz, Executive VP & Director of Development, EFG Brownfield Partners
Andrea Amonick, Urban Renewal Manager, Aurora Urban Renewal Authority
David Starnes, Redevelopment Program Manager, City of Longmont
What You Need to Know: Real Estate Due Diligence and Liability Protection
Federal legislation and state programs have established means to provide environmental liability protection for property transactions. Learn the right way to undertake due diligence, manage environmental issues inherent in redevelopment projects, and maintain legal defenses into the future. Topics include All Appropriate Inquiry, continuing obligations, potential revisions to ASTM Phase I standard, and CO Voluntary Cleanup Program.
Leonard Slosky, President, Slosky & Company [intro] [view]
Fonda Apostolopoulos, Brownfields Project Manager, CDPHE [view]
Alissa Schultz, Environmental Protection Specialist, CDPHE [view]
J. Michael Sowinski Jr., VP, Environmental Protection Services, Terradex, Inc. [view]
On the Horizon: A Discussion About Public Policies Impacting Redevelopment
A roundtable discussion regarding: Urban Renewal legislative reforms; and public utility environmental tariffs. The goals of this interactive session are to educate stakeholders, engage strategic discussion, and identify action items.
Erin Goff, General Council, Axiom Strategies
Polly Jessen, Esq., Partner, Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP [view]
Debra Kalish, Senior City Attorney, City of Boulder
Jon Steeler, Shareholder, Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite (Moderator)
Downloads:
Legislative Overview
HB1107
PUC Tariff 1576
PUC Tariff 030411
Environmental Matters
PUC Service Connection
Mining Reclamation and Good Samaritan Legislation
Across the western United States there are hundreds of historic hard-rock mines polluting rivers with toxic acid mine drainage that aren’t being addressed because certain provisions in the federal Clean Water Act create a major stumbling block. Good Samaritans have had to walk away from mine cleanup projects for fear that they may be sued by third-party citizen or environmental groups. This session will present short videos illustrating recently completed and ongoing reclamation projects and describes the background and intent of federal Good Samaritan legislation that is being sought to allow cleanup of acid mine drainage.
Loretta Pineda, Division Director, Colorado Division of Reclamation & Mining Safety
Bruce Stover, Director, Colorado Division of Reclamation & Mining Safety
Mountains of Success
Colorado’s mining legacy leaves opportunities in small and large towns. This session will highlight three distinct projects with very complimentary stories of cleaning up and repurposing mining related sites for housing, cultural preservation, and eco-tourism reuse. Join the communities of Colorado Springs, Park County, and Silverton and hear how they have achieved success.
Marcie Bidwell, Executive Director, Mountain Studies Institute, Fort Lewis College [view]
David Groy, VP/Manager, RMC Consultants, Inc. [view]
Robert Willard, President, Gold Hill Mesa [view]
Kelly Fredell PE, Project Manager, CH2MHill
Legal Update on Laws Related to Brownfields
A thorough update on statutes, regulations, case law, and agency policies will be presented. Issues to be discussed include: CERCLA cost recovery given recent lower court cases and Supreme Court implications; emerging Colorado regulatory policy regarding monitored natural attenuation; and brownfields developer defense under attack in federal court, the current status of bona fide prospective purchaser defense.
Maki Iatridis, Esq., Partner, Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti, LLP [view]
Jenny McClister, Esq., Hogan Lovells US LLP [view]
We’re From The Government And We’re Here To Help (Fund)
State and federal funding and technical assistance providers will provide an overview of their available resources.
Doug Jamison, Superfund and Brownfields Unit Leader, CDPHE [view]
Pattie Snidow, Northwest Area Director, Rural Development, US Department of Agriculture | Rural Development
Tim Dolan, Senior Commercial Loan Officer, LEED AP, Colorado Housing Finance Authority
Tim Kelley, Division Director, Colorado Division of Oil & Public Safety
Christy Culp, Community Development Specialist, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Christina Wilson, Brownfields Project Manager, US EPA [view]
Maximizing Limited Resources through Alternative Funding Sources and Best Practices for Efficient Remediation
This session will discuss how to identify and access alternative funding sources for the remediation of brownfield sites which can then be used to apply phased technologies to more cost effectively clean up sites. Bundling the right funding with the right characterization and remediation techniques will be demonstrated.
John Fontana, President, Vista GeoScience [view]
Michael Goodstein, VP Shareholder Attorney, Hunsucker Goodstein & Nelson PC [view]
Making Redevelopment Happen [view]
Integrating economic and community development through area-wide planning for the built environment. Presenters will review the process employed in Lamar, Colorado’s approach to dealing with asbestos, transportation issues as well as land use opportunities in their community. Come hear of some early successes that may have applicability in your community.
Shawna Hodge, Main Street Director, Lamar Colorado
Katherine Correll, Executive Director, Downtown Colorado, Inc.
Mark Walker, Project Director, Colorado Brownfields Foundation [view]
