Southeast Tennessee Development District Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant

S&ME was selected by the Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD) to manage a Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant for a Coalition consisting of ten counties and three cities located in southeast Tennessee under the US EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant Program.

As part of this effort, S&ME worked with the SETDD to identify and prioritize sites from an inventory assembled by the SETDD and coalition partners. S&ME supported the SETDD with experiential knowledge related to facilitating interactions between owners, regulators, and other stakeholders to present the objectives and advantages of using these funds and gain property access authorization for assessment implementation.

Project activities included 14 Phase I ESAs, Quality Assurance Project Plan Preparation, extensive asbestos, and lead-based paint surveys, five Phase II ESAs, including assessment of several former textile mills and manufacturing facilities that covered multiple city blocks, and general project management and client support which includes Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) reporting, preliminary remedial planning, and as-needed assistance with the grantee’s ongoing community outreach efforts. Project requirements also include coordination with federal EPA and state regulatory personnel involved in oversight of the grant.