For Immediate Release
November 30, 2011
News Release
Contact: Greg Leatherman, City of Fort Wayne
Executive Director, Redevelopment Commission – 260.427.2102
Aliza Tourkow, City of Fort Wayne
Grant Administrator/Redevelopment Specialist – 260.427.2792
Consultants Selected to Conduct Work on $400k EPA Grants
Fort Wayne, Ind. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected the City of Fort Wayne as a recipient of two Brownfield Assessment Grants. One grant addresses sites potentially impacted by petroleum and the other grant will evaluate sites that may be contaminated by hazardous substances. Each grant is in the amount of $200,000.
The City is pleased to announce the award of the environmental consulting contracts to two local firms, SES Environmental and the team of Lougheed/Mundell & Associates,” said Greg Leatherman, Executive Director of the Redevelopment Commission. “The most important aspect of these grants is that it allows the City to continue its efforts to redevelop and recycle underutilized sites that have been hampered by real or perceived environmental issues.”
SES Environmental, based in Fort Wayne, was chosen to conduct the inventory and site assessments for petroleum-related properties. This environmental consulting firm worked with the City on the 2007-2010 EPA Brownfields Petroleum Assessment Grant. The newly awarded 2011-2014 EPA Brownfields Petroleum Assessment Grant will allow SES Environmental to expand the brownfield investigations they started under the prior grant. Historically, SES Environmental has been instrumental in the assessment and clean-up of many brownfield sites around the City of Fort Wayne, including the Bowser Tire site.
The team of Lougheed/Mundell & Associates will evaluate sites with perceived hazardous substance issues. Lougheed & Associates are based in Fort Wayne, while Mundell & Associates are based in Indianapolis. This is the first time the City has been awarded the Hazardous Substances Assessment Grant.
According to Aliza Tourkow, Grants Administrator, Both consulting teams, SES Environmental and Lougheed/Mundell & Associates, have strong credentials concerning environmental studies and implementing EPA grants. Collaboratively, they provide a local presence with well-rounded environmental assessment abilities.”
A public meeting will be held in January 2012 to explain the details of the grant and to solicit feedback from community members about potential sites of interest. Community members may register for the City’s Brownfields E-Newsletter to receive details about the public meeting and other brownfields-related information. Please visit the City’s website at http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/redevelopment-home/133-brownfields-.html and select the “Subscribe” link to be included in this community dialogue.
Press release in PDF – click here
Fort Wayne, Ind. – The City of Fort Wayne’s Redevelopment Department invites you to a community forum to discuss new brownfield grant funding, and to celebrate 15 years of brownfield recycling.
