ICSC holds EPA Region 9 meeting

In March, ICSC members met with Mike Stoker, administrator of EPA Region 9, which includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Pacific Islands, and 148 tribes. This marks the fourth such meeting between ICSC and EPA Regional Administrators – prior meetings took place in Region I (Boston), Region IV (Atlanta) and Region V (Chicago).  

Discussions at this introductory meeting centered on ICSC’s environmental policy priorities, including reforms to the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, and streamlining of the brownfields program, including redevelopment opportunities for sites in Region 9. 

ICSC members advocated for the expedited delisting of sites from the National Priorities List (NPL) and urged consideration of partial delisting as a best practice, with a focus on risk-based cleanups. ICSC members also support the shifting of oversight of non-NPL federal sites to state brownfield of voluntary cleanup programs. ICSC believes EPA should prioritize its resources to focus on sites with the highest impact and best future public benefit and accelerate its decision-making process in an effort to contain oversight costs. Additionally, many ICSC members have taken advantage of brownfields grants through their municipalities and have found these grants to be a valuable tool in property tax relief and liability protections.

If you are interested in participating in future meetings with EPA Region Administrators or would like to learn more, please contact gpp@icsc.com.