Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce

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Contact GACofC:
	Patricia F. Nelson, Executive Director 110 W. Superior Street P.O. Box 516 Alma, MI 48801 PH: +1 (989) 463-5525 FX: +1 (989) 463-6588 Email: chamber@gratiot.org

Brownfield News

By Chelsey Foster, Project Manager, Greater Gratiot Development, Inc.

Gratiot County is dealing with the corporate legacies of pollution. There are several larger, well known sites, but also many small sites. It is astounding to think that companies had no problem dumping toxic chemicals into rivers, dumping harmful (and even radioactive) waste into the ground, or releasing billowing clouds of noxious gases and particulates into the air. Whatever their intent at the time, many of these companies are now long gone. With no individuals to hold liable in many cases, our community is left to deal with the burden of cleaning up these contaminated properties.

However, there is good news!! The State of Michigan and the federal government are willing to help us tackle environmental issues through Brownfield Site Assessment and Cleanup Grants. By definition, Brownfields are “abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.” This is no news to the City St. Louis, which has already completed a city-wide inventory of Brownfields, and seen the cleanup and redevelopment of several of those properties.

So, why would someone want to build on a Brownfield property? Incentives! In many cases, a developer can purchase a Brownfield site at a below-market price, and then be reimbursed for certain costs of redeveloping the property. This is accomplished through Tax Increment Financing (TIF). TIF allows a business or individual to pay property taxes and be reimbursed by the local taxing agency for the amount of taxes paid above the base tax currently paid. Eventually, the business will pay property taxes just like any other business, and the local government will benefit from collecting more taxes for the improved property. In the meantime, a problem is fixed and the surrounding neighborhood is no longer negatively affected. Another option is to use federal or state grant monies to pay for a portion or all of the costs associated with cleaning up a Brownfield site. Brownfield projects require the cooperation of Brownfield Redevelopment Authorities, local governments, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and interested developers.

The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority of the County of Gratiot (BRACG) has been awarded two Site Assessment Grants from the EPA, allowing for environmental site assessments across the county. A prioritized list of eligible sites is currently being compiled, including those sites that pose health hazards, and potential or perceived environmental problems. Those with the greatest redevelopment potential will top the list. Brownfield redevelopment projects can be very economical for developers, and at the same time can benefit communities by eliminating unsightly, blighted properties, and by strengthening the tax base. Over the next several years, we expect to see more Brownfield project activity in Gratiot County than ever before. If you would like more information about Brownfield projects in Gratiot County, please visit the “News” section of the Greater Gratiot Development, Inc. website at www.gratiot.org/ggdi, or call our office at (989) 875-2083.