Eligibility and Benefits

If eligible and approved, the UG Brownfields Program can provide brownfield assessments at no cost to the project or community. To be eligible, the owner cannot be responsible for the environmental conditions at the site and the proposed reuse of the site must provide a benefit to the community. A project with community benefits includes housing, grocery stores, medical facilities, recreational spaces, or other needs as defined by the community. Proposed projects that do not provide benefit include any use that could contribute to environmental or public health issues.

The program also results in:

• Increased Predictability. For those who are looking to invest in the area, the program provides increased predictability in terms of community acceptance by giving developers a clear indication of uses and businesses that the community wants and does not want.
• Increased Economic Growth. Brownfields assessments can induce public and private-sector investment leading to community revitalization.
• Improved Environmental Quality. Environmental quality improves by cleaning up contaminated properties, removing eyesores, and establishing a precedent for pre-development clean-ups.
• Remediation Strategies for Catalyst Sites. By conducting site assessments to determine the nature and extent of contamination on strategic brownfield sites expected to catalyze redevelopment, communities can better understand options and costs for remediation and redevelopment.
• KCK-Wide Inventory. Brownfield assessments provide an accurate and clear inventory of brownfield sites that can serve as a basis for identifying strategic redevelopment opportunities.
• Achieving Community Development Needs. Communities will be able to work more effectively with developers to transform brownfields from liabilities to assets by establishing new uses and businesses that are clearly desired by the community.
• Infrastructure & Transportation Improvements. The redevelopment potential of private properties may benefit from identified transportation, infrastructure and other community related improvements in brownfields areas.