KBIC Brownfield Tribal Response Program


	KBIC Brownfield Tribal Response Program

BROWNFIELD: The term `brownfield site' is defined by the U.S. EPA as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”

INTRODUCTION

The L'Anse Reservation, located in Baraga County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, consists of 56,698 acres of land. KBIC also retains Reservation lands in Ontonagon County, and Trust lands in Marquette County. Due to the historical industrial and commercial activity and land use as well as activities such as illegal dumping, environmental impacts are present or suspected to be present on some of these KBIC lands. Properties where environmental impacts are known or suspected to be present are refered to as "brownfield sites", or simply "brownfields".

BROWNFIELDS TRIBAL RESPONSE PROGRAM: WHAT IS IT?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding to KBIC Natural Resources Department to help develop the Tribal Response Program. KBIC received initial funding in 2003. The goal of the program consists of discovery, assessment, cleanup, and reuse of properties with known or suspected contamination. Activities initiated with this grant and currently in progress include:

Completing an inventory of potential brownfield sites within and near the L’Anse Reservation.
Developing a formal KBIC process for identifying, assessing, cleaning up and redeveloping known or potential brownfield sites.
Developing protocol for responding to Community requests for site investigation.
Fostering public participation and education.
Developing and maintaining a public record.

For more information about KBIC Tribal Response Program contact us or see brochure.

For more information about the EPA Brownfields Program.

http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/R5Brownfields/