Brownfields are found in every community, but which brownfield should be tackled first? This panel will provide attendees with “the basics” of brownfields redevelopment, shedding light on the steps to move a brownfield from identification, through assessment, to remediation. This panel will also provide attendees with an understanding on how areawide planning can maximize the impact of brownfields remediation. Participants hoping to expand their knowledge of brownfields redevelopment are encouraged to attend this panel, as it will provide a foundation for additional panels throughout the day.

The complex nature of brownfields redevelopment can often deter potential parties from acquiring properties and completing brownfields remediation. This panel will provide participants with an understanding of the financial and legal risks associated with brownfields redevelopment, and how to help potential brownfields owners manage and reduce their risk. This panel will explore risk mitigation through assessment, cleanup, and post-cleanup liability protections.

The Voluntary Action Program (VAP) has been an integral component to brownfields remediation in the State for over 25 years. The influx of brownfields cleanup projects through the Brownfield Remediation Fund (BRF) will likely increase the number of projects moving through VAP and seeking Covenants Not to Sue (CNS). This panel will provide participants with a brief overview of VAP and its future use in brownfields remediation and redevelopment. The Ohio EPA will provide an overview of VAP and share how the agency will address increased demand for the program.

Prior to the first act of cleanup, it is important to understand the necessary remediation work and any obligations it may have. Sites on which remediation will occur may have engineering and institutional controls, which requires stakeholder engagement, careful consideration, and future obligations to ensure the site remains safe. Panelists will discuss best-practices for ensuring site owners understand all restrictions and obligations a redevelopment project may entail, with topics such as cleanup requirements for varying end-uses and any post-cleanup obligations that may be required of state and federal agencies.

Brownfield remediation and cleanup is only part to the equation; remediated sites hold the potential to catalyze neighborhood-wide revitalization. From housing to greenspace, twenty-first century industrial sites to mixed-use spaces, former brownfields can invigorate redevelopment and reinvestment in communities. This panel will provide participants with examples of innovative and emerging new uses for redeveloped brownfields, and explore how public-private partnerships can play an integral role in brownfields redevelopment. This panel will provide participants with an understanding for the roles of different entities in brownfields projects, with case studies and examples.

Brownfields are often complex projects, each unique in its own way. This panel will provide attendees with an opportunity to “ask an expert” on current and future brownfields projects. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions ahead of this panel, with details on how to do so forthcoming. Panelists will provide answers to general and project-specific brownfields questions.

The Brownfield Remediation Fund (BRF) provided Ohio with the state’s first significant investment in brownfields since the sunset of the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF). 2023 is a budget year for Ohio, with advocacy efforts underway to re-fund the Brownfield Remediation Fund. This panel will provide attendees with an overview of current funding opportunities, advocacy efforts for additional funds, and how to capitalize on these investments. In addition to the BRF, significant state and federal investment has increased funding opportunities through programs at the Ohio and United States EPA, within the Ohio Department of Development, and other state agencies. This panel will also provide case study examples for attendees to learn about how to maximize programmatic funding opportunities with brownfields projects, such as historic preservation tax credits, low-income housing tax credits, available funding opportunities through JobsOhio, and the Transformational Mixed-Use Development Program.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted economic trends and shifted how public and private entities look at development. This panel will provide participants with an overview about what future trends in commercial and industrial development may look like. While the impacts of the pandemic are yet to be fully determined, shifts in economic and community development have taken hold. Panelists will share their insights with attendees about what trends may be temporary and permanent.