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Superfund Redevelopment Program Webinar Series - Equitable Redevelopment and Environmental Justice

Sponsored by: U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), Superfund Redevelopment Initiative

Archived: Tuesday, April 20, 2021
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Superfund Redevelopment Program Webinar Series - Equitable Redevelopment and Environmental Justice

Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM EDT (17:00-19:00 GMT)

One of EPA's key objectives is to make sure everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards. Given that Superfund sites disproportionately impact communities of color and low-income communities, the Superfund redevelopment process provides an opportunity to facilitate equitable redevelopment by involving impacted communities in the planning process and identifying how to reduce burdens and increase benefits through the redevelopment process. This webinar will discuss strategies for incorporating equitable redevelopment and environmental justice into Superfund site cleanup and redevelopment. The webinar will cover the key components of equitable redevelopment, the role EPA, local government and developers can play in equitable redevelopment, examples of equitable redevelopment and EPA tools and resources available to address environmental justice at Superfund sites.

Accessibility, Recording, and Content Disclaimer

Rehabilitation Act Notice for Reasonable Accommodation

It is EPA's policy to make reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities wishing to participate in the agency's programs and activities, pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 791. Any request for accommodation should be made to Lynette Vanderpool at 434-975-6700 or lvanderpool@skeo.com, preferably one week or more in advance of the webinar, so that EPA will have sufficient time to process the request. EPA would welcome specific recommendations from requestors specifying the nature or type of accommodation needed. Please note that CLU-IN provides both alternate phone call-in options and closed captioning for all webinars, and requests for these specific accommodations are not necessary.

Webinar Recording

By participating in this CLU-IN webinar, you automatically agree to authorize recording of audio and visual content presented during this live event and consent to subsequent use of this recording in the public domain by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This recording may include questions, comments and poll responses provided by you during the live event in addition to your name, voice, image or likeness. This recording will be made available after the conclusion of the live event as part of the CLU-IN webinar archives, and will remain available indefinitely. If you do not wish to consent to the recording, please do not join the live event, and contact Jean Balent at 202-566-0832 or balent.jean@epa.gov to discuss your concerns.

Content Disclaimer

This webinar is intended solely to provide information to the public. The views and opinions expressed as part of this webinar do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is not intended, nor can it be relied upon, to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States, or to endorse the use of products or services provided by specific vendors. With respect to this webinar, neither the United States Government nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.

Presenters:

A photograph of Frank AvvisatoFrank Avvisato, EPA Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (avvisato.frank@epa.gov or 703-603-8949)


A photograph of William C. Denman, P.E.William C. Denman, P.E., EPA Region 4 Redevelopment and Chemicals Branch (Denman.bill@Epa.gov or 404-562-8939)

Bill Denman is chief of the Site Assessment and Remedy Decisions Branch in the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.

Bill has a long career in managing the cleanup and redevelopment of land. He has led multiple cleanup programs under Superfund and RCRA, working in EPA's Superfund program for nearly 20 years as a site cleanup project manager, land redevelopment coordinator and section chief. He helped facilitate the sale and redevelopment of many Superfund sites throughout the southeast and has had major influence in the development of national EPA policy related to the redevelopment of contaminated land. Prior to working in the Superfund program, Bill worked in EPA's Air Program and for the U.S. Navy, designing and testing diving systems for U.S. Navy divers.

Bill has a master's degree in Sustainability from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University. He is a frequent guest lecturer on the topic of redeveloping contaminated properties for graduate classes at Harvard, Emory, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Georgia.


A photograph of Lavar ThomasLavar Thomas, OSRTI Community Involvement & Program Initiatives Branch (thomas.lavar@epa.gov or 703-603-0105)

Lavar Thomas is one of EPA's communication's expert within the Community Involvement and Redevelopment Program; his specialties include Environmental Justice, Superfund Redevelopment training and Stakeholder Engagement. Lavar joined the agency in 2017 as a Community Involvement Coordinator in Region 3. As a CIC, Lavar developed strategic communications for Superfund Sites throughout the Mid-Atlantic States, supported hurricane Maria emergency response, facilitated public meetings and advised EPA management on addressing regional public affairs challenges.
Prior to joining EPA, Lavar served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda, East Africa where he worked to empower communities around personal leadership, financial literacy and food security.


A photograph of L'Tonya Spencer-HarveyL'Tonya Spencer-Harvey, EPA Region 4 (spencer.latonya@epa.gov or 404-562-8463)

Over the last 30 years, L'Tonya has been employed with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 4, bringing a broad base of knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience to her work. In her current role as a Community Involvement Coordinator, L'Tonya has been effective and efficient in administrative duties, and creative and innovative in collaboration with a variety of internal and external stakeholders related to work at Superfund Sites. In 2010, L'Tonya was the recipient of the National Notable Achievement Award for Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) of the Year for her work with communities in Jacksonville, Florida.


A photograph of Kyle Bryant, MPA, SSGBKyle Bryant, MPA, SSGB, EPA Region 4

Kyle Bryant, a Public Affairs Specialist working in the EPA's Office of Outreach and External Engagement (OOEE), is assigned to the Superfund Community Engagement Section (SCES). Kyle has over 30 years of experience in the environmental field. Kyle earned his MPA in Governmental Affairs in 2017 and is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Emergency Management & Critical Infrastructure. His B.S. Degree is in Zoology with a minor in Chemistry from Fort Valley State University (FVSU), in Fort Valley, GA. During his undergraduate years, he had intern and CO-OP experiences with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Nevada Operations Office in Las Vegas, NV. His stint with DOE provided him with numerous certifications in environmental safety & health. As a student at FVSU, he helped to organize the first Environmental Justice Summit for the Woolfolk Citizens Response Group (WCRG), a local grassroots organization created to address citizens' concerns involving a nearby Superfund Site. He has also volunteered as a technical resource for several other grassroots EJ organizations in the southeast. Having witnessed and being grounded in the struggles of communities like Fort Valley, Kyle views each community he serves through the lens of social, political and economic equity. Prior to working for the Agency, Kyle served as a former Member of the EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) as well as on the ATSDR's Community-Tribal Subcommittee to the Board of Scientific Counselors (CTS-BSC). He has worked on various types of projects, professionally and through volunteer efforts, including the presentation and publishing of technical research at national and international scientific conferences. As a Project Manager for an Atlanta-based, engineering firm, he managed both the Cities of Atlanta and Fort Valley's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiatives. He also has served as a Grants Management Specialist at FVSU, where he created the entire Proposal Development Training Curriculum and led several, multi-institution, collaboratives in the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Currently, Kyle conducts environmental outreach and engages stakeholders in Superfund communities – empowering and equipping them with tools and resource information so they can make more informed decisions about their futures. Kyle's desire to support environmental issues and build partnerships with traditionally under-served communities, combined with his technical acumen and research capabilities, are reflected in his personal branding statement: "A vision-minded, creative and technically progressive resource that catalyzes innovative thinking as I strive to exist between the worlds of Education, Public Health, the Environment, and the Common Good."


A photograph of Fran CostanziFran Costanzi, EPA Region 8 (costanzi.frances@epa.gov or 303-312-6571)

Fran Costanzi is a Superfund Remedial Project Manager (RPM) Advisor in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 Office in Denver, Colorado. Fran is also the Region 8 Superfund Redevelopment Coordinator and the Region 8 Superfund Training Coordinator.

Fran has been an EPA RPM since 1989. Beginning in September 2018, she became the RPM Advisor for the Superfund Program. The new position involves, among other things, advising the Superfund Program management and staff on cross-cutting initiatives, complex site situations, contractual work efforts, community relations activities and representing the agency to the public and news media on complex and controversial issues. She also serves as the principal liaison from Region 8 to the national Superfund Program office on matters related to development of new policy and guidance.

From 1989 to 1998, she worked in the Region 3 (Philadelphia) office of EPA. Since 1998, she has been working in the Region 8 (Denver) office. During this time she has been or is currently the RPM for many types of sites, including several mining and mineral processing sites. These sites include the Libby Asbestos, Summitville Mine, Midvale Slag, Lincoln Park, and Uravan Uranium. She is currently on the site team for the Colorado Smelter site, assisting with reuse/redevelopment issues. Before joining EPA, Fran was the lead Superfund engineer and ARAR Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality from 1986 to 1989.

Prior to her Superfund experience, Fran worked for the City of Poughkeepsie, New York in the municipal engineering office, and for the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a wastewater treatment plant operator and shift supervisor.

Fran has a Bachelor of Science degree in Water Resources Engineering Technology from the Pennsylvania State University, and an Associate in Applied Science in Water Quality Monitoring from Ulster County Community College in New York. Fran is a Registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania in Environmental Engineering.


Moderators:

A photograph of Jean BalentJean Balent, U.S. EPA Technology Innovation and Field Services Division (balent.jean@epa.gov or 202-566-0832)

Ms Balent is on the staff of the EPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division where she has worked to collect and disseminate hazardous waste remediation and characterization information since 2003. Ms Balent manages the Clean Up Information Network website and actively supports online communication and collaboration resources available to EPA. She formerly worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Engineering Division in the Buffalo District. Ms Balent was also a member of the SUNY-Buffalo Groundwater Research Group where she constructed and tested large scale models of groundwater flow. Ms Balent has also conducted research relating to the Great Lakes, environmental remediation, and brownfields re-development. She holds a Bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from SUNY-Buffalo and a Master's degree in Information Technology from AIU.


A photograph of William C. Denman, P.E.William C. Denman, P.E., EPA Region 4 Redevelopment and Chemicals Branch (Denman.bill@Epa.gov or 404-562-8939)

Bill Denman is chief of the Site Assessment and Remedy Decisions Branch in the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.

Bill has a long career in managing the cleanup and redevelopment of land. He has led multiple cleanup programs under Superfund and RCRA, working in EPA's Superfund program for nearly 20 years as a site cleanup project manager, land redevelopment coordinator and section chief. He helped facilitate the sale and redevelopment of many Superfund sites throughout the southeast and has had major influence in the development of national EPA policy related to the redevelopment of contaminated land. Prior to working in the Superfund program, Bill worked in EPA's Air Program and for the U.S. Navy, designing and testing diving systems for U.S. Navy divers.

Bill has a master's degree in Sustainability from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University. He is a frequent guest lecturer on the topic of redeveloping contaminated properties for graduate classes at Harvard, Emory, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Georgia.


Webinar Slides and References:

Additional Resources:


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If you have a suggested topic or idea for a future CLU-IN internet seminar, please contact:

Jean Balent
Technology Integration and Information Branch

PH: 202-566-0832 | Email: balent.jean@epa.gov
Michael Adam
Technology Integration and Information Branch

PH: 202-566-0875 | Email: adam.michael@epa.gov