REVITALIZATION RD SUSTAINABLE WAY ROADMAP FOR AUTO COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION A Toolkit for Local Officials Seeking to Clean Up Contamination, Revive Manufacturing, Improve Infrastructure & Build Sustainable Communities iii Roadmap for Auto Community Revitalization Acknowledgements This document is the result of the combined efforts of a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR), the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and the Manufacturing Alliance of Communities (formerly the Mayors Automotive Coalition (MAC)). DOL, EPA, and the Manufacturing Alliance of Communities acknowledge the assistance provided by OBLR’s contractor, Environmental Management Support (EMS), Inc. In addition, several organizations and individuals provided valuable assistance to the authors of this report. We acknowledge the cooperation of the mayors, city managers, economic development directors, and other officials from localities across the nation that are the drivers of automotive community revitalization. These leaders dedicate themselves to better communities and a better nation. Their struggles, stories and successes form the basis of this roadmap. DOL, EPA and the MAC also acknowledge the cooperation of The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth & Livable Communities, The Ford Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation in their collective efforts to support communities in the revitalization of brownfields. Please note that DOL and EPA do not endorse the views, products, or services of any non-federal organization mentioned in this report. Table of Contents iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ iii Index to Auto Communities in this Report ....................................................................... vi Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 Challenges Across America—Impact of the Auto Industry Restructuring on Auto Communities .............................................................................................................................3 Impacts in Several Communities .................................................................................... 3 Federal Leadership in the Response to the Restructuring of the Auto Industry ................. 5 EPA’s Leadership ...................................................................................................... 6 The RACER Trust ....................................................................................................... 6 A Roadmap to Auto Community Revitalization ...............................................................9 The Many Roads to Revitalization ..................................................................................... 9 1. Keeping the Auto Plant Open .......................................................................... 10 2. Saving the Supplier .......................................................................................... 12 3. Building the Next Generation of Vehicles ......................................................... 13 4. Diversifying into New Economies ..................................................................... 15 5. Turning Auto Sites into Community Spaces and Green Spaces ....................... 19 6. Reimagining the Future ................................................................................... 21 Roadmap for Auto Community Revitalization ................................................................ 22 1. Assess the community’s status, prioritize resources, and match the best strategies ......................................................................................................... 23 2. Provide leadership from the top, backed by the right team ............................ 24 3. Form a multi-stakeholder, intergovernmental team ......................................... 24 4. Connect to community and regional priorities, assets and economic clusters .... 25 5. Use and upgrade infrastructure assets............................................................. 25 6. Begin with the end in mind .............................................................................. 28 7. Involve citizens and workers from the start ....................................................... 29 8. Use local resources and build local capacity to leverage further investment .... 29 9. Partner with state and federal agencies .......................................................... 31 v Roadmap for Auto Community Revitalization 10. Attract private sector support .......................................................................... 32 11. Stay tough and persistent for the long road—and build on small successes .. 33 12. Reach out to other auto communities and partner organizations .................. 33 Resources Available to Auto Communities ....................................................................37 Federal Resources ......................................................................................................... 37 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ................................................................... 40 U.S. Economic Development Administration ......................................................... 44 U.S. Department of Labor ...................................................................................... 46 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development .......................................... 47 U.S. Department of Transportation ......................................................................... 48 U.S. Department of Energy .................................................................................... 50 U.S. Department of Agriculture .............................................................................. 50 Federal Housing Finance Agency ......................................................................... 51 Small Business Administration ................................................................................. 51 Leveraging Federal Tax Incentives into Auto Brownfields ................................................ 52 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives ............................................... 53 The RACER Trust .............................................................................................................. 53 Other Funding and Tools ................................................................................................ 54 Leveraging State Resources .................................................................................. 54 Harnessing Private Capital ..................................................................................... 56 Non-Governmental Organization Resources ......................................................... 57 Acronyms .......................................................................................................................59 Index to Auto Communities in this Report vi Index to Auto Communities in this Report Allen Park, Michigan ..................................................................................................... 29, 30 Anderson, Indiana .......................................................................................................... 4, 23 Baltimore, Maryland ........................................................................................................... 17 Bay City, Michigan.................................................................................................. 12, 31, 42 Bedford, Ohio ..................................................................................................................... 19 Buena Vista, Michigan.................................................................................................... 5, 32 Cleveland, Ohio ........................................................................................................... 21, 46 Columbus, Ohio ................................................................................................................. 17 Connersville, Indiana ...................................................................................................... 4, 15 Dayton, Ohio .....................................................................................................19, 22, 26-27 Detroit, Michigan ...............................................................................3, 10, 13-14, 21, 32, 58 Elkhart, Indiana ................................................................................................................... 41 Fenton, Michigan ..........................................................................................................12-13 Fitchburg, Massachusetts ................................................................................................... 20 Flint, Michigan ...............................................................................5, 9, 15-18, 21, 23, 48, 58 Fremont, California ............................................................................................................. 14 Grand Blanc Township, Michigan ....................................................................................... 13 Hamtramck, Michigan ..................................................................................................13-14 Hapeville,