EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant Implementation
The Rome Floyd County Development Authority (RFCDA) was awarded a FY22 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Grant to address long-standing environmental challenges at two priority sites in Rome, Georgia: the Battey Business Complex (formerly Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital) and the former O’Neill Manufacturing property. Both sites had remained vacant for more than a decade due to environmental concerns, including soil and groundwater contamination, asbestos-containing materials (ACM), and lead-based paint (LBP). These conditions posed barriers to redevelopment and economic revitalization in the area.
The RFCDA brought in GEI to lead the implementation of the grant. As the Qualified Environmental Professional, our team conducted Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and Phase I and II ESAs at other locations identified through community engagement.
We performed ACM and LBP assessments at the Battey Business Complex, covering 66 site structures. Prior to field work, GEI developed and received timely approval from the EPA for both Generic and Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs). GEI assisted with community engagement, including workshops and outreach events to gather input and identify further assessment opportunities. Our team also provided remediation planning services, including the preparation of Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs).
The environmental investigations GEI performed represented a significant step toward transforming environmentally impaired properties into assets for the community. The assessments provided critical data to inform cleanup strategies and redevelopment planning. Community engagement efforts successfully identified additional sites for evaluation, expanding the impact of the grant. These efforts laid the groundwork for the remediation and redevelopment of underutilized properties in Rome and Floyd County, Georgia and sets the stage for additional economic revitalization in the community.
