Sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment

SUSTAINABLE BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT by MICHELLE VlSlC B.Sc., University of Toronto. 1995 A thesis submitted in partial fuWillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF SCIENCE in ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT We accept this thesis as confoming to the required standard - - -- Harold Kenny - Canada Lands Company Steve Grundy - Royal Roads University ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY May 2000 O Michelle Visic, 2000 National Library Bibliothèque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wdlingtm Stieet 395. rue Welliigtm OîîawaON KlAW OnawaON KlAW Canada canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence ailowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seli reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/füm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. 1 thesis nor substantid extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This study outlines and describes the best process to use in Brownfïelds Redevelopment, particularly fiom the perspective of stakeholder engagement. The purpose of the process is to guide companies, govemment, and communities in the planning and implementation of sustainable Brownfields Etedevelopment. Browdïelds are defined as abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Statistics show there are over 2,900 brownfield sites across Canada, of these 2,900 an estimated 1,000 are high-risk sites. Brownf5eld sites oRen contain contaminants, which cause damage to human health and the environment. The three basic approaches for remediating a contaminated site are: Clean-up to background standards Clean-up to generic standards Clean-up to risk-based standards The focus of this study is on the risk based approach since, it not only protects human health and the environment, but in most cases it is more economicaily feasible then the background or generic approaches for larger sites. Tu achieve effective and efficient brownfields redevelopment, there are three critical elements that need to be addressed: Site Identification and Characterization Remediation Plan Public Involvement Program Based on these three elements, the best contemporary practices, and curent standards and guidelines available, a sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment process is presented. The process is an optimum process that describes the numerous decisions and activities that have to occur for each step of a Brownfields Redevelopment. In order to vedy this process and ensure its accuracy and practicality it is assessed against one of Canada's largest Brownfields Redevelopment, the Moncton Shops Project. There are many strengths to CLCs efforts at the Moncton Shops Project, and many lessons leamed. A public survey was conducted, confVming the overall project is a success when viewed fiom the perspective of stakeholder "buy-in". The Moncton Shops Project is a mode1 for New Brunswick and Canada of sustainable Brownfields Redeveloprnent that provides enduring environmental, social and economic benefits*to a community. These abandoned and contaminated lands must be recycled, since redevelopment provides economic, social, and envixonmentd benefits; the cost of inaction is enormous. The optimum process presented in this study can be used by, companies, government, and communities as a guide to the planning and implementation of sustainable Browdïelds Redevelopment. I would like to express my gratitude to those who helped me complete this thesis. Great thanks to the employees and representatives of Canada Lands Company, especially Harold Kenny and Julia Chadwick for sponsoring and providing me with the necessary resources. Thanks to Tony Hodge, my thesis advisor, for his assistance and guidance and special thanks to my family and fiiends for their constant support. CONTENTS TABLES AND FIGURES iii INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 PURPOSE 1 1.2 RESEARCH METODOLOGY 1 WATARE BROWNFIELDS? 3 2.1 WHAT ARE BROWM'IELD SITES? 3 2.2 BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT 5 2.2.1 Definition 5 2.2.2 Benefits &4chievedby Brownfïelds Redevelopment 5 2.2.3 Challenges to Brownfïelds Redevelopment 7 ALTERNA!lTW APPROACHES TO ESTABLISHING CLEANüP CRITERIA 8 3.1 INTRODUCTION 8 3.2 BACKGROUND APPROACH 9 3.3. GENERIC APPROACH 9 3.4 RISK BASED APPROACH 10 3.5 COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS 13 PAST PRACTICES IN PUBLIC INVOLVMENET ACTMTIES 16 4.1 WHAT IS PUBLXC INVOLVEMEiVT? 16 4.1.1 Public Consultation 17 4.1.2 Pubhc Participation 1'7 4.1.3 Consensus 17 ACHIEViNG EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BRO\NNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT 18 5. INTRODUCTION 18 2 SITE IDENTIFICATION & CHARACTERIZATION 18 3 REWDIATI:ON PLAN 19 4 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROGRrLV 20 SUGGESTED GENERIC DESIGN OF THE PROCESS TO GUIDE BROUrNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT 23 6.1 INTRODUCTION 23 6.2 SYNTHESIZED SUSTAINABLE BR0WNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS 23 6.3 STEP 1 29 6.3.1 Initial Site Assessrnent - Phase 1 ESA 29 6.3.2 Identifymg Future Land Use 29 6.3.3 S uggested Public Involvement Activities 30 STEP 2 6.4.1 Site Characterization - Phase II ESA 6.4.2 Suggested Public Involvement Activities STEP 3 6.5.1 Evaluation of RemediaI Alternatives 6.5.2 Suggested Public Involvement Activities STEP 4 6.6.1 Develop a Remediation Plan 6.6.2 Suggested Public Involvement Activities STEP 5 6.7.1 Execute Cleanup Plan 6.7.2 Suggested Public Involvement Activities STEP 6 6.8.1 Closure 6.8.2 Suggested Public Involvement Activities PUBLIC INVOLVXMENT 6.9.1 Developing a Public Involvement Plan 6.9.2 Ident-g the Stakeholders 6.9.3 Choosing a Public Involvement Method & Activity(s) 7.0 MONCTON SHOPS CASE STnYANALYSIS 7.1 INTRODUCTION 7.2 APPROACH 7.3 ADEQUACY OF SITE IDENTIFTCATION & CHARACTERIZATION 7.3.1 Summary 7.4 ADEQUACY OF COMPREHENISIVE REMEDIATION PW 7.4.1 Summary P 1.3- ADEQUACY OF THE PUBIJC INVOLVEMENT -4CTMTIES 7.1 Summary 7.6 CONCLUSION 8.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 59 Appendix A Estimated Number of Brownfield Sites Appendix B Industries Identified as Potential Sources of Contamination Appendix C Phase 1 Checklist Appendix D Risk Assessrnent Appendiv E Public Involvement Activities Appendix F Critique of CLC's Activities in PDU- 1 Appendix G Public Perception Survey - Moncton Shops Project ,4ppendix H List of Acronyms Appendix 1 Glossary of Terms LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Number of Brownfield Sites in the US, Canada and European 3 Communities 2. Potential Benefits of Brownfields Redevelopment 6 3. Strengths and Weaknesses of Three Cleanup Approaches 13 4. Key Guidelines and Approaches to Brownfields Redevelopment 23 a.- Dennitions of Five Land Use Categories 30 6. C CME Parameters for Non-carcinogenic Contaminants (threshold) 35 7. CCkE Parameters for Carcinogenic Contaminants (non-threshold) 36 8. Receptor & Exposure Pathways considered in the Derivation of 36 Human Health Soil Quality Guidelines 9. CC- Parameters Used to Derive Soil Quality Guidelines for Copper 37 1o. Modined CCME Values to Develop Site-Specifîc Target Level for 38 Copper II. Public Involvement Methods 43 13. Public Involvement Approaches 44 13. Brownfields Redevelopment Elements, Characteristics, and Activities 60 14. Negative Findings and Recommendations for the Moncton Shops 61 Project LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Components of Public Involvement 16 2. Sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment Process 26 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the best process to use in Brodelds Redevelopment, particularly fkom the perspective of stakeholder engagement. The result is a process to guide companies, government, and communities in the planning and implementation of sustainable Browfields Redevelopment. The p rocess will integrate scientific, economic, environmental and social factors, thus guiding Brownfïelds Redevelopment in a way that achieves the following goals: To use contemporary scientific information and practices in risk analysis; To design clean-up objectives that are protective of the environment and human health (environmental factor); To provide remediation that is cost efficient (economic factor); and To gain acceptance by all stakeholders (social factor). To achieve sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment the needs, visions, priorities, and interests of diverse people and cultures within a comrnunity needs to be addressed. It is not simply a technical or scientific challenge. (Cormick et al, L996). This study began with the review of existing literature, past practices, knowledge and opinions of decision-makers and authorities, to establish an optimum process to be used in future Brownfïeld Redevelopments. In order to integrate the practical application of sustainable development into Brownfields Redevelopment projects, much focus was on cleanup approaches and stakeholder engagement. Chapter 1 provides the background information relevant to the research methodology. Chapter 2 dehes Browdields Redevelopment. Chapter 3 describes the alternate approaches to establishing criteria to govern BrownGelds Redevelopment. Chapter

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