FEBRUARY 13, 2002

The Downtowner LLC will perform a voluntary environmental assessment and cleanup of the former Jaffe Wholesale Iron Co. located at 3rd Avenue and 29th Street in Birmingham, according to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).

A signed agreement with ADEM requires The Downtowner to investigate potential environmental problems at the site, create a plan to clean up or lessen the impact of those problems, carry out and complete the plan and thereby allow for commercial development of the property.
The ADEM program was created by the Alabama Land Recycling and Economic Redevelopment Act, passed by the state legislature last year. The act encourages redevelopment of former industrial sites by limiting liability to property owners who voluntarily address conditions that may present a threat to human health and the environment. “The interest that this program has generated indicates that Alabama businesses are willing to reinvest in industrial sites that are abandoned or underutilized,” said ADEM Director Jim Warr. “These sites represent opportunities for companies to have a positive impact on the environment while creating profit potential and jobs in areas of communities that need reinvestment.”
The act also charges ADEM with the responsibility of reviewing all cleanup plans and activities to ensure they meet or exceed requirements of environmental regulations and guidelines.

A coalition of interests supported passage of the legislation, including the Governor?s office, the Business Council of Alabama, ADEM and several environmental groups. Alabama?s state law complements the federal Brownfields program, which has similar goals. Some properties that are not eligible for the federal program may be addressed through the state effort.

The Alabama Land Recycling and Economic Redevelopment Commission will perform a national survey of incentives and make recommendations for enhancing Alabama?s program to the Legislature during the 2002 regular session and each regular session thereafter. The commission will consider tax credits and incentives, revolving loan funds for municipalities and private developers and technical assistance for redevelopment projects.

Draft regulations to implement the program have been proposed and are currently available for public review and comment. The draft regulations will be the subject of a public hearing at 1 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2002, at ADEM?s main office, 1400 Coliseum Blvd. in Montgomery. The regulations are available at ADEM?s website: Alabama Department of Evnironmental Management and the deadline for public comment is March 20, 2002.
In the interim, ADEM is using legal agreements such as the ones with The Downtowner to proceed with assessment and cleanup projects.

A Stakeholders? Advisory Committee was formed to assist with the development of the program, and will continue to meet as needed during that development and at least once per year afterward.
For more information on the Alabama Land Recycling and Economic Redevelopment Act, contact Larry Norris at ADEM, (334) 271-7994 or e-mail: Larry Norris