The goals of the Missoula County Brownfields Program are to address environmental uncertainty, facilitate redevelopment of brownfield sites and promote economic development.

A brownfield site is defined as real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, controlled substances, petroleum or petroleum products or is mine-scarred land.

Impacts from environmental contaminants could be known, or simply a potential concern for the owner, buyer, or other stakeholders.

Characteristics:

• Abandoned property
• Active but underutilized property (e.g., salvage yard next to a greenway)
• Real estate turnover complicated by real or perceived contamination
• Blighted property

Common contaminants

• Lead-based paint
• Asbestos
• Other hazardous building materials (e.g., mercury in old thermostats or fluorescent light tubes, PCBs in light ballasts, etc.)
• Industrial chemicals
• Petroleum or petroleum products
• Controlled substances

Any property located in Missoula County where revitalization/redevelopment is complicated by known or suspected environmental contamination may be eligible to participate in the Missoula County Brownfields Program. The county seeks to use these funds widely and prioritize projects outside the City of Missoula limits.

Examples of potential brownfield sites include, but are not limited to:

• Former gas stations
• Auto repair shops
• Pesticide/herbicide/chemical handling facilities
• Landfills
• Illegal dump sites
• Industrial manufacturers
• Warehouses
• Dry cleaners
• Wood treatment facilities
• Gravel pits
• Buildings containing asbestos, lead-based paint or other hazardous building materials
• Properties that may have been used to produce methamphetamine

The initial eligibility criteria include:

• Does the site meet the Real Property definition?
• Is the site abandoned or underutilized?
• Is there potential for environmental contamination?
• Is there a potential for reuse or redevelopment?
• Is there a public benefit?
• Is there a willing stakeholder? Each site that receives these services must first be deemed eligible by the EPA.

To apply for Brownfields assistance, click HERE.

Sites owned by the U.S. Government and sites subject to enforcement under CERCLA (federal Superfund) are not eligible for brownfields funding. 

Yes. Click here to learn more about the city’s program or contact Tyler Walls at 406-552-6108. Importantly, Missoula County can provide brownfields assistance to sites within the city limits; however, priority is given to sites outside city limits.

The program provides environmental due diligence and cleanup and reuse planning services with assistance from the EPA Brownfields Program.

Types of services offered include:

• Completing Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs)
• Identifying risks (if any) from contaminants, including location, type, and magnitude
• Developing cleanup plans based on the nature and extent of contamination, including the preparation and publishing of an Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) • Developing conceptual redevelopment plans
• Providing cost estimates for cleanup

Local governments, nonprofit organizations, or private investors reluctant to invest in a property out of fear of contamination can utilize this program to determine the nature and extent of an environmental problem.

Environmental Site Assessments are completed by a contractor hired by Missoula County at no (or minimal) cost to the property owner. Assessment reports can be used to satisfy purchaser or lender concerns or regulatory agency requirements. Some assessments show less environmental impacts than suspected or feared, leading to immediate property reuse. In the event abatement of hazardous substances is necessary, completing formal environmental due diligence and cleanup planning can help a property qualify for federal or state cleanup resources.

Environmental Site Assessments allow individuals to satisfy All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) requirements pursuant to obtaining innocent landowner, contiguous property owner, or bona fide prospective purchaser limitations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) guidelines. These protections help minimize risk for current or potential landowners and allow for the redevelopment of a brownfield property.

Outcomes may include:

• Protecting human health and the environment
• Increasing inventory of properties suitable for housing, commercial or industrial development
• Reducing development pressure on agricultural lands or minimizing urban spraw
• Stimulating additional redevelopment activities at nearby properties
• Job growth
• Economic development and community investment
• Increasing the local tax base
• Eliminating eye sores and safety hazards
• Removing barriers to property redevelopment
• Developing community partnerships
• Revitalizing towns and neighborhoods

No. Missoula County’s Brownfields Program is unable to support environmental cleanup currently; however, other options for cleanup support exist. Contact us to inquire about brownfield cleanup options.

Brownfield sites present challenges for investment, and often stay unaddressed for long periods of time, impacting economic development, potentially threatening human health or environmental quality, and sometimes falling into disrepair. Nearly every community in Montana has brownfield sites.

Reclamation of these sites present opportunities for:

• Removal of environmental hazards and pollutants
• Use of existing infrastructure
• Preservation of green space
• Growth in jobs and commerce
• Leveraging investments in neighborhoods or nearby communities
• Protecting agricultural lands by minimizing urban sprawl
• Utilizing tax credits for eligible activities on brownfields

No. The Brownfields Assessment Program is voluntary. The program does not have any enforcement authority. In the event a regulatory agency is involved, an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) could partially satisfy a regulatory agency’s requirements. An ESA could also be needed to finalize a property sale and to satisfy lenders.