HomeMy WebLinkAboutVI-12 - Authorize Signature - Letter of Participation and Support - EPA Grant
City Council Memorandum
To: Mayor Fasbender & City Councilmembers
From: John Hinzman, Community Development Director
Date: January 22, 2019
Item: Authorize Signature: Letter of Participation and Support – Dakota County CDA
EPA Grant
City Council Action Requested:
Authorize signature of the attached Letter of Participation and Support for the Dakota
County Community Development Agency (CDA) grant application for the U.S. EPA
Brownfield Community-Wide Coalition Assessment Grant. A simple majority is
necessary for action.
Background Information:
The $600,000 grant would provide funding for environmental assessment activities
throughout the county, specifically targeting the Cities of Hastings, South St. Paul, and
West St. Paul. Grant funds could assist in the assessment of key properties along the
Vermillion Street Corridor. The letter documents the need for funding and pledges City
Staff participation in the Brownfield Assessment Coalition (comprised of representatives
from Dakota County cities).
Financial Impact:
N\A
Advisory Commission Discussion:
N\A
Council Commission Discussion:
N\A
Attachments:
Letter of Participation and Support
VI-12
January 22, 2019
Lisa Alfson
Director of Community and Economic Development
Dakota County CDA
1228 Town Centre Drive
Eagan, Minnesota 55123
RE: Participation in the Dakota County CDA’s Brownfield Assessment Coalition and Support for
the FY2019 Application for a U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant for Petroleum and
Hazardous Substance Brownfields
Dear Ms. Alfson,
Please accept this letter as confirmation of the City of Hastings, Minnesota’s commitment to
participate as a member of a "brownfields assessment coalition" being organized by the Dakota
County Community Development Agency (CDA) for the communities that make up this County
in the southeast corner of the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. This letter also documents our strong
support for the application being submitted by the CDA for a United States Environmental
Protection Agency (U. S. EPA) Fiscal Year 2019 Brownfields Community-wide Coalition
Assessment Grant funding in the amount of $600,000 to be used for inventorying, assessing, and
performing remediation and reuse planning (as well as coordinate public outreach activities) for
select priority brownfield sites located throughout the County.
The grant, if awarded, will provide critical funding needed to support economic development
initiatives in our community. If awarded the grant, at least one City staff member will serve on
the Brownfields Advisory Committee that helps administer the grant, coordinate outreach efforts,
participate in the site prioritization process, and make decisions regarding allocation of funding
to individual sites. For sites within the City that are targeted for assessment, we will assist with
securing access and coordinating involvement by the Health and other departments as
appropriate.
We understand that the CDA will serve as the lead member of the Coalition and will have
primary responsibility for administering the grant and managing the project. We further
understand that prior to expenditure of any grant funds, a Memorandum of Agreement will be
executed between all coalition members documenting the coalition's site selection process,
identifying, and establishing relationships necessary to achieve project goals, detailing the
process for successful execution of the grant, the distribution of funds, and mechanisms for
implementing the assessment work. We understand that many of these details are described in
the grant application to be submitted with this letter.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (651) 480-2365 or
mayormary@hastingsmn.gov.
Sincerely,
CITY OF HASTINGS
Mary D. Fasbender, Mayor
VI-12