Development Authority: Funds Available For Brownfield Assessments

The Rome Floyd Development Authority has funds available to assess private properties -- termed brownfield sites -- that have some form of hazardous material.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a brownfield is a property which contains the presence, or potential presence, of a hazardous substance. Those substances can range from used oil, to lead paint to asbestos in old buildings.

"There are buyers interested in brownfield sites," authority President Missy Kendrick said. "So if you think you may have a brownfield site, or just want to know either way, contact us because we have funds available to find out for sure."

The authority is compiling a list of brownfield sites across the county to market them for buyers as well as for grant requests for possible mediation.

"The Georgia brownfield program is excellent," GEI Consultants Senior Project Manager Jessica Turner said. "In fact, I'd say it's one of the best in the country."

However, if you've recently purchased a property and are concerned it might be a brownfield, you need to submit your samples to the state within 30 days.

"The state has a hard deadline of 30 days," Turner said. "So make sure you get your samples quickly."

Turner and BRS Director of Planning and Grant Manager Alisa Goren have been working with Kendrick and the authority to help identify, manage and apply for grants to address Floyd County's sites.

For example, a new brownfield site was identified on Rockmart Road when the property owner reached out to the authority.

"It's a 58-acre property in total, and 11 of those acres were formerly used as a junkyard," Kendrick said. "So we're gonna do an initial assessment on the site at no cost to the owner."

However, the authority has a limited amount of funds available, the majority have been spent on assessing the Battey Business Complex.

"Call us, and let us do phase one of the assessment," Kendrick said. "It really helps to remove any unknowns to redevelopment."

The authority can be contacted by phone at 706-413-4213 or via email at missykendrick@developromefloyd.com.