Mary Ellen Barnes, Lincoln County economic and community development director, informed county commissioners at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that her office is working with the EPA and local towns to explore remediation of certain brownfield properties.

The county received a $400,000 grant from the EPA and Barnes’ office has been meeting with town managers and planners to create an inventory of Lincoln County properties that might benefit from the grant. According to the EPA website, a brownfield is “a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”  

As Barnes stated in an interview with the Boothbay Register/Wiscasset Newspaper, brownfield properties that may be eligible for grant monies are those which have contamination issues that are preventing the property’s future use. 

The regional planning commission is working with the Portland office of Ransom Consulting to help with the inventory.

Barnes explained that funding for a phase one site assessment might be offered to a property owner if they are about to “create an opportunity for new jobs or additional jobs in the county and the past uses of the property might have led to contamination.”

A phase one site assessment typically costs between $3,000 and $4,000 and may show that no further steps are needed. On the other hand, if the initial review shows contamination, a second phase of assessment (costing between $20,000 and $30,000) will provide a better understanding of the work that needs to be done.

The program is strictly voluntary and offers liability protection to property owners as a project moves forward. Among the Lincoln County properties that have requested site assessments are the Damariscotta public parking area, Fieldcrest and Best Felts in Waldoboro.

Property owners who would like more information about the program may contact the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission at 207-882-5188.