The City of Chico recently awarded two $200,000 EPA Brownfields assessment grants to assess properties of interest in “the triangle,” an aging commercial/industrial area bounded by two commercial corridors (Fair Street and Park Avenue) in the southern portion of the City. Initially, Geocon prepared an inventory of sites of potential concern, held a community meeting to explain the grant program to the community at large and local developers, prepared site eligibility checklists, performed Phase I ESAs on properties of interest to developers, and have worked with one developer to design a cleanup approach and costs for a site currently under investigation by DTSC.

Since that initial work, the City of Chico Redevelopment Agency has moved forward with plans to promote cleanup and reuse of Brownfield sites. The Redevelopment Agency acquired a “pioneer” site in the corridor gateway – an abandoned 2-acre commercial property and adjacent blighted residences. Geocon completed the last phase of the environmental assessment process for this project. Our scope of work included removal of known USTs and identification and removal of several other unknown USTs. Geocon also identified other potential contamination sources, provided structural assessments, completed asbestos and lead-based paint surveys and abatement, and provided air monitoring and building demolition services. We further assisted the City in obtaining state grant funding, and coordinated the environmental assessment with local and state regulatory and permitting agencies. We participated in City team meetings on budgeting/planning of future phases of site cleanup and redevelopment. Lastly, we worked with Redevelopment staff to identify other potential properties within the Park Avenue Corridor that could be eligible for state and federal Brownfields grant funding.

Client
City of Chico Redevelopment Agency

Owner / Agency
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9

Services
Environmental Services

Geocon Leaders
Jim Brake, PG