Any real property for which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. This can mean a vacant textile mill or a former furniture factory with suspected or confirmed hazardous material on the site.

Part of the larger EPA Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant program, assessment grants are designed to help communities, states, tribes, and other stakeholders assess and plan for the cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites.

Typical activities under a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant include:

• Site Assessment: Conducting environmental site assessments to identify the presence of contaminants.

• Inventory and Prioritization: Creating inventories of brownfield sites and prioritizing which ones to address first.

• Planning: Developing plans for cleanup and redevelopment.

• Community Outreach: Engaging with the community to gather input and keep them informed about the assessment and planning process.

The Alamance Brownfields coalition is a group of stakeholders led by the Alamance County Government. The non-lead members of the coalition are the City of Burlington and the Alamance County Economic Development Foundation. The Coalition has a number of community partners, including: Impact Alamance, Preservation Burlington, Elon University: Elon Center for Environmental Science, and the Piedmont Conservation Council. Consultation support is provided by Hart & Hickman, Terracon, and the Piedmont Triad Regional Council.

A Brownfields Agreement is an agreement between a prospective developer and the Department of Environmental Quality that identifies measures that the redeveloper must conduct to make the property safe for the ruse proposed. In turn, the redeveloper receives liability protection from DEQ cleanup programs for the existing contamination. The liability protection helps to create loans for project construction.

• Liability Protection - Property owners are protected from future environmental liability once the site has been assessed and cleaned up according to the agreement.
• Increased Property Value - Cleaning up and redeveloping a brownfield site can significantly increase the property's market value.
• Access to Funding - Property owners can access grants, low interest loans, and other financial incentives to support the cleanup and redevelopment process.
• Tax incentives - Federal, state, and local tax incentives may be available for property owners who invest in brownfield cleanup and redevelopment.
• Tailored Cleanup Plans - The cleanup process can be customized to meet the specific needs of the site and the intended redevelopment project
• Guidance and Support - NC DEQ and the Alamance Brownfields Coalition provide guidance and support throughout the cleanup and redevelopment process, helping property owners navigate the necessary steps.

The geographic boundary of this work is Alamance County with a target area focus of Census Tracts 212.01, 202, and 218.01. The Alamance Brownfields Coalition has already identified more than 20 potential brownfield sites, including areas in or around the Former Copland Mill, Former Windsor Mill and Former Bellemont Mill properties. Other manufacturing and industrial sites, such as filling stations and other former mills, also present opportunities to assess hazardous conditions and plan to transform them.