SME | Press Release - MONTCALM COUNTY RECEIVES $400,000 U.S. EPA GRANT FUNDS

Grant funds available for helping making redevelopment happen; Soil and Materials Engineers to assist with environmental assessments, grant administration and education on grant process

The Montcalm Alliance and the Montcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority have received a $400,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant from theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to assist businesses and communities looking to redevelop brownfield properties in the area. The funds will be available to qualifying communities and businesses through an application process. As well, free educational outreach will be made available to inform interested parties in the community on how the grant process works, and how to apply for available funds.

The funds will be used for environmental assessment and environmental due diligence, Phase I and Phase II and Baseline Environmental Assessments (BEAs) and clean up plans for the redevelopment or reuse of brownfield properties, specifically those sites contaminated with petroleum and other hazardous substances. The Lansing office of Soil and Materials Engineers (SME) has been retained to help inventory and prioritize brownfield sites for assessment; conduct environmental site assessments; administer the grant funds; preparation of technical documents; and to help conduct the brownfield grant educational outreach.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for those who are planning or evaluating a real estate transaction in Montcalm County to find out how they can get some financial assistance with due diligence costs, and to learn how the grant application processes work” said Franz Mogdis, Executive Director of the Montcalm Alliance andAdministrator of theMontcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. “Our goal is to make sure that the people who want to make redevelopment happen in the County have the best information and access to the resources available to move their projects forward.”

The Montcalm Alliance is the economic development function for Montcalm County. The Alliance’s role in grant administration is to provide assistance with grant implementation and create outreach programs aimed at communicating the benefits of brownfield redevelopment and grants to County residents.

Over the next few weeks, the Montcalm Alliance, Montcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and SME will be offering free community educational events upon request to provide information on how the grants funds can be used and applied for. Grant funds will be available to those proposing redevelopment of sites with imminent redevelopment potential; for support of parks, greenspace and trail development/expansion; and for sites designated as a priority based on threats to human health or the environment and/or or have long-term redevelopment potential consistent with the County’s master plan .

George Bosanic, Chair of the Montcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and City Manager for Greenville, said, “The grants will help make projects happen on brownfield sites that have true redevelopment potential, along with providing support for parks, trails and greenspace, and for cleaning up sites that pose risks even without cleanup. Our hope is that through education and awareness, applicants will walk away better informed and more knowledgeable about the available funds and the range of activities the monies can be used for. ”

Applications for the grants will be accepted through June 15, 2012. Grant application forms, as well as more information on grant application deadlines and on scheduling an educational session, are available by visiting www.montcalmalliance.com, or by calling the Montcalm Alliance at(989) 831-5261.

About the Montcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority: The Montcalm County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority provides a mechanism to support the cleanup and redevelopment of Brownfield properties that are, or perceived to be, environmentally contaminated, The Authority administers cleanup programs, sets priorities for funding and assists in obtaining funding.

About the Montcalm Alliance: The mission of the Montcalm Alliance is to facilitate economic and community development by providing a centralized and focused effort aimed at supporting the needs of existing Montcalm County businesses, as well as facilitating the development of new, job creating businesses. The Alliance’s functions include but are not limited to providing economic and community development coordination/facilitation for both public and private county entities; acting as clearinghouse for information needs related to economic and community development; coordinating business attraction and development efforts; coordinating business retention/expansion activities; providing grant writing and grant writing assistance; facilitating the expansion of countywide tourism; and acting as a facilitator for countywide strategic planning and land use planning/zoning. Visit www.montcalmalliance.com for more information.

About SME: Soil and Materials Engineers is a nationally recognized geoscience, materials, environmental and brownfield redevelopment consulting firm, recognized for its pioneering work in transforming contaminated sites into healthy, productive and sustainable new uses. SME also is a national leader in helping communities secure financing for brownfields redevelopment; to date, the firm has helped secure and manage more than $125 million in Federal, state and local incentives to support more than $1 billion in brownfield redevelopment projects, for communities and development groups across the Midwest.

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