An Anthropological, Scientific and Historical Exploration of Contaminated Sites Near or On the

Atlanta Beltline

Frances Brionne Roberts-Gregory

Environmental Science Major

Spelman College

Class of 2012

Brownfields along the Beltline

Sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant

Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs.

What is a Brownfield?

City’s involvement in the cleanup of brownfield sites can be traced to 1996 when it received funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a pilot project in select communities

Increase the tax base, create thousands of new jobs, bring new housing to the city, stimulate public and private investment, and make unproductive land useful for redevelopment purposes

Significance

“In early November, Forbes.com named Atlanta the most toxic city in the country, describing it as “the U.S. metro in the worst environmental shape.” But Atlanta has also made news in recent years for its commitment to sustainability and for Mayor Shirley Franklin’s ambitious plans to get the city on a “green” track.”- http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/2010/winter/mahoney.html

“Look at Atlantic Station,” Mahoney says of the vibrant live-work-shop district. “That’s the largest brownfield remediation in the country. It was formerly a steel mill and very polluted . . . now it has totally transformed that part of town.”

Significance

Encourages cleanup and redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 brownfields sites EPA has awarded 1449 assessment grants totaling

over $337.3 million, 242 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $233.4 million, and 534 cleanup grants totaling $93.3 million

Estimated 950 brownfield properties within Atlanta136 brownfields along the BeltLine

$400,000 grant from EPA clean up brownfields along BeltLine environmental site assessments, cleanup planning

and community outreach activities. 

Clean Up

City of Atlanta Brownfield Program

James E. Shelby, Commissioner –DPCD

Charletta Wilson Jacks, Director –Office of Planning

Garnett Brown, Assistant Director –Office of Planning

Charles Whatley, Director of Commerce and Entrepreneurship –Atlanta Development

Authority

City of Atlanta Contacts

“One of the largest efforts underway to remediate environmentally contaminated properties in the urban core.  The success of the 138-acre Atlantic Station project in Atlanta demonstrates the value and benefits of cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated properties within the City of Atlanta.”

Estimated 1,100 acres of brownfields within the 6,500 acre Atlanta BeltLine

Brownfields Along the Beltline

Attended APAB and Beltline 101 Meetings

Conducted Phone, Email and In Person Interviews with government officials and concerned community members

Analyzed Different Perspectives on Brownfields/Contaminated Sites along Beltline

Drew Conclusions

Methodology

Views on Beltline Varied Drastically

Lack of InputDefinition of a BrownfieldHistorical Importance of

Contamination Insufficient Health DisparitiesLivable Remediated Areas

Stanton Park, Historic 4th Ward Park, Old Exxon Battery Plant

Poor and Blacks High RiskEnvironmental JusticeUnregulated DumpsEthics of Government

Response

Interview Findings

MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I)

identified arsenic in shallow soil remediation may be required, depending on future land use Groundwater conditions Georgia Voluntary Brownfield Program removal of the railroad ties,

properly disposed in a permitted landfill or incinerated Limited testing 2004 and 2006 identified volatile and semivolatile organic

compounds in soil Former use of fuels, oils, hydraulic fluids and lubricants associated with historical

train traffic Metals were detected in soil below Notification Concentrations. Trichloroethene detected in deep groundwater near the southern end of the property

likely originated from an upgradient dry cleaning facility in operation since at least 1970.

Suspected regulated constituents in shallow soils include herbicides historically used for weed control along railroad tracts. Herbicides used in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendation are exempt

under HSRA

Case Study- Ansley North Beltline Tract

Geophysical survey conducted

Excavation of hazardous constituents and petroleum contaminants in compliance with Georgia's Type 1 Risk Reduction Standards (RRS), excavated and removed

approx.4879 tons (3750 cubic yards) of soil

redeveloped with residential lofts and the client received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV Brownfields Award

Case Study

Atlantic Station Redevelopment of the former Atlantic Steel site in Midtown

Atlanta 10 years ago no brownfield law in Georgia Removal 165,000 tons of soil, established ground water

monitoring in perpetuity, encapsulated the site in a belt-and-suspenders approach with a hard cap (roads, buildings, etc.) and soft cap (two feet of clean dirt); and used a conservation easement, LEED certification

Aerotropolis Atlanta Redevelopment of the former Ford plant adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson

Atlanta International Airport Ford selected Jacoby Development for the redevelopment of its Atlanta

site in February 2008 More than 95 percent of the existing structures were recycled including:

all concrete (more than 100,000 cubic yards) crushed and reused; and all steel (structural and stainless from the plant), tin (siding and roofing), copper and brass (more than 40,000 tons of recycled metals) recycled in Georgia and the Southeast via rail directly from the site for greatest fuel efficiency and least environmental and highway impact.

Case Study – Atlantic Station and Aerotropolis Atlanta (130 acres)

Disconnect between Beltline Perception and Community Reality

Importance of Transportation

Diversity of Players Involved

More Funding and Education NeededDissemination of Information

Analysis

Procrastination

Follow Up Interviews

Unfinished Research/Time Constraints

Questionnaire Methodology

Increased and Better Quality Participation

Challenges and Improvements

Brownfield Remediation key to Beltline Implementation

Increased Awareness

Economic and Health Benefits

Increased Community Input

Conclusion

Beltline ClassBeltline Professors

Jerry Weaver, Shirley Franklin, Tom Weyandt, Fatima Shafiei, Jewel Harper

Garnett BrownBen HowardCamilla WarrenConcerned Community

Members and Governmental Officials

Acknowledments