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05/24/1999BROWNFIELDS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER May 24, 1999 Present: Stephen Fowler Vice-Chair Thomas Noble Board Member Renu Khator Board Member Brian Flaherty Board Member Mary Miller Board Member Absent: Gary Gray Chair Willa Carson Board Member Amy Lovett Board Member William Sherman Board Member Also Present: Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney Miles Ballogg Brownfields Coordinator Brenda Moses Board Reporter To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEMS 1 - 3 The Vice-Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center, followed by meditation and the Pledge of Allegiance. ITEM 4 - Introductions William Sherman and Karen Fenton Brownfields Coordinator Miles Ballogg introduced Karen Fenton who anticipates appointment to the board. Member Sherman could not attend. ITEM 5 - Minutes of Previous Meetings Minutes of February and March, 1999 Member Khator moved to approve the minutes of February 1, 1999, and March 8, 1999, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM 6 - Staff Reports - Miles Ballogg Mr. Ballogg distributed an updated list of board members. New Member Fenton will be added. He requested members submit information they want included before the next meeting. a) Federal Brownfields Redevelopment Plan Brownfields Coordinator Miles Ballogg referred to a handout regarding the Brownfields Redevelopment Initiative Quarterly Report. Staff has informed the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Clearwater is moving from a Brownfields master planning initiative to a Brownfields strategy which includes the plan’s administration, strategies, environmental site assessments, risk-based approaches, Career Options of Pinellas County programs, community involvement, the Brownfields Building Block Fund, managing investor liability, program marketing, and community-based funding. b) Army Corps of Engineers work on Stevenson’s Creek In response to a question, Mr. Ballogg said the estimated cost for restoration dredging of Stevenson’s Creek is $6.5 million. The City may be successful at obtaining additional funds from the Army Corps of Engineers. He will provide information on funding for Stevenson’s Creek improvements at the Environmental Justice Planning Meeting on May 27, 1999. c) Status of Current Projects – Environmental Justice Action Plan Update Mr. Ballogg said a May 20, 1999, press release informed several newspapers of the next environmental justice forum on May 27, 1999, at 6:00 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center. The community forum will be held in conjunction with USF (University of South Florida), Dr. Khator, ICMA (International City/County Managers Association), Angele White, and Florida A&M University. The forum’s purpose is to improve communication with the public regarding environmental justice plans. He encouraged board attendance. EPA Region 4 has approved a $500,000 Brownfields revolving loan fund for Clearwater. Mr. Ballogg said Career Options had presented the Commission with information regarding the job-training program. Member Khator introduced USF students who are required to do a policy solution paper for their Brownfields course. They had toured the City’s Brownfields. All ideas will be forwarded to Mr. Ballogg. The first community meetings regarding environmental justice held in November and December yielded 42 issues which were categorized into 4 main areas: 1) awareness of Brownfields; 2) access to information now and in the future; 3) participation in the decision-making process and processes; and 4) resolution of educational and environmental issues, particularly Stevenson’s Creek. Job training also is important. The PAT (Planning Action Team), which will meet monthly and interact with the research project team, has invited residents to meet and/or participate with the team. At the next Environmental Justice Plan meeting, a project to develop an education module will be discussed. The Engineering Department also has been invited to define issues, discuss policy, funding, and planning. It is important to establish communication between the community and City to build trust and identify and resolve issues. Future meetings will discuss forms of communication and participation. A one-day community workshop is planned to discuss issues in greater detail. It was hoped the committee could present an environmental justice plan to the Commission by the end of the year. ITEM 7 – Other Business Presentation – “Environmental Health Risks in Brownfields” – Bob Safay, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry/EPA Waste Management Division Mr. Safay, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, reviewed the agency’s history. The agency, headquartered in Atlanta, is starting to be involved with Brownfields. With satellite offices in each EPA region, the agency is non-regulatory and only makes recommendations. The agency scrutinizes environmental data from State, Federal, and local agencies, reviews sampling plans, and makes recommendations regarding a site’s potential health risk to the community. The agency provides funds to State and local health departments to help communities, writes health consultation reports, works closely with the EPA, doctors, hydrologists, soil scientists, environmental toxicologists, and others to review data and make recommendations. The agency performs follow-up work on sites for epidemiological studies, performs limited biological monitoring on people to determine exposure, performs searches for cancer cluster analysis in conjunction with State and County health departments, and provides health education programs to local schools and doctors. Mr. Safay said he is present to listen, answer questions, and help scrutinize the environmental data. All agency reports are public information. In response to a question, Mr. Safay said residents could contact the County and State Departments to obtain cancer statistics and other area information. He said many components effect statistics. Health data comparisons depend upon age adjustments, populations, and many factors. His agency reviews environmental data surrounding sites to determine if contaminates in the soil, water, or air could threaten nearby residents. Recommendations are made regarding clean up methods. Presentation – “ICMA Role in Brownfields Redevelopment” – Angele White Mr. Ballogg said ICMA, which deals with environmental health and justice issues, is active in funding the environmental justice plan. Angele White, ICMA, reviewed ICMA’s role in Brownfields Redevelopment. She said community participation and consideration of environmental justice issues are important when developing environmental and/or public health strategic plans, particularly at the beginning of the risk assessment/management/communication process. She reviewed ICMA’s mission, primary goals and objectives. She said at first, many were uneducated or unaware of environmental issues and impacts affecting their community. Many residents feel the State and Federal government ignore their needs. It was previously felt it was too “risky” to involve residents in environmental decision-making due to the highly technical nature of the process, lack of understanding the “big picture,” etc. Career Options Donald Rutledge, Executive Director of Career Options of Pinellas County, reviewed his agency and the environmental technician job-training program. The agency is responsible for program recruitment and job training. Applicants must be City residents, have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, a clean driving record, a valid Florida driver’s license, and read at a ninth grade level. The agency has recruited at schools, churches and other organizations. The next training session is in August. Career Options is recruiting from Brownfields areas and has expanded the eligibility area to encourage participation. Wages for graduates generally start at $8.50 an hour. Of 11 clients in the pilot program, all completed the classes and 4 have full time jobs. Jobs are being sought for the others. It was stated the 2-day Brownfields conference in Jacksonville covered a massive amount of information. It was stated Clearwater’s progress with Brownfields programs compares favorably with other communities. A reference book from the conference is available for review. ITEM 8 – Public Comment Period In response to questions, Mr. Ballogg reviewed the Brownfields boundaries. He said job-training opportunities in both areas will include improving computer skills as companies move into the district. Tax incentives are available to companies that hire from the Enterprise Zone. If more than 20% of a company’s employees are from the Enterprise Zone, tax incentives double. A Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreement includes a pollution prevention requirement for developers interested in Brownfields. Social issues also are considered. Zoning changes for a childcare center next to a church is a social issue being considered. Many issues interrelate. Member Khator noted the LGEAN (Local Government Environmental Access Network) is a web site that provides basic information on regulatory statutes to assist State and local governments regarding issues related to Brownfields. In response to a question, Mr. Rutledge said the livable hourly wage for this area is from $9.96 and up. When projecting training needs, Career Options looks at jobs that will keep people employed while they improve their economic condition. He said under-employed individuals are willing to leave low paying jobs for a living wage job. Participation in the training program is difficult as students have little income during the 10 – 12 week course. The program pays for books, tuition, special licenses, and miscellaneous expenses and provides a $40/month gasoline allowance. Career Options helps participants locate evening jobs. ITEM 9 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.