Brownfields Redevelopment Advisory Group Update

A Message from Ryan Sadler, Project Manager at TRC Good morning Pulaski Friends! It was a bittersweet announcement this morning that EDB/Brownfields Redevelopment Advisory Group (BRAG) meetings will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. For those of you who were unable to attend, we have come to the end of the current EPA Brownfields grant cycle, and as you may be aware, Pulaski was not awarded a FY25 grant. Mr. Day participated in an application debrief last week in which EPA representatives were very complimentary of Pulaski's latest application, noting no room for improvement. However, Pulaski lost out due to the large number of applicants vs. available funding and EPA's current focus away from Assessment grants towards Cleanup and Multipurpose grants. A tough pill to swallow! TRC and Town staff will meet later to discuss next steps for a fall application and the direction we determine best fits the Town's goals and chances of a successful award. I believe some of you have been active on the BRAG since the original 2008 award and I want to personally thank all of you, new and old, for your time of voluntary service. The Pulaski Brownfields Program would never have been as successful without your guidance and support. Felicia Fred, your former EPA Project Manager (now retired), would frequently say that the most successful Brownfields Programs were communities that had someone, or some group, championing the program forward, and this group has been just that.
We discussed in this morning's meeting that TRC will present before the Council an update on accomplishments and highlight project success stories in the coming months. I will pass along that information and date once we have selected if you would like to attend and voice your support. A brief summary boasts 1 Million in EPA funding along with and another 1 Million in leveraged Virginia Brownfields and private investment funds over the four grant cycles resulting in over 120 completed projects/reports, spurring successful redevelopment and environmental cleanup throughout Pulaski. In addition, the Town's Brownfield Program has been recognized as a leader in the region, having been selected to present at two EPA National Brownfields Conferences, hosting a Virginia DEQ State Brownfields Conference, and recipient of a Virginia Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) from the Virginia Economic Development Association for its successful brownfields program - none of which would be possible without your participation! It's been a pleasure getting to know and working with you all. Hopefully we can reconvene sooner rather than later on another grant. Have a great summer! Regards, Ryan Sadler Project Manager I