In addition to the regular educational program, Brownfields 2008 offers a variety of workshops.
The Fundamentals of Urban Real Estate Development: The Basics for Every Brownfield
Sunday May 4 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Cobo Center Room O3-46
Downtowns are often exceptional locations for development opportunities that are good for the environment and good for the local economy. So if you're someone that's interested in urban redevelopment, what do you need to know? What are the real estate risks and rewards? How do you identify opportunities and assemble parcels? How to obtain financing and what happens when there is a gap? What are the constraints (regulatory, environmental, economic, community) that could impact development? Who are the stakeholders and how do you balance their needs and desires? Is the project going to be profitable? This half-day workshop will teach you how to make a difference in urban redevelopment, while making money. Registration for this workshop is free, but to secure your spot you'll need to register by sending an e-mail to realestate@asti-env.com or call 800.395.2784.
Environmental Justice Forum
Sunday, May 4, 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Location: Asian Village, 521 Atwater, Detroit, MI (short walk directly east of COBO Center along the Riverwalk).
A popular event at every brownfields conference. The EJ Forum returns this year to cover environmental justice & health disparities, worker health, safety & training, institutional controls, community involvement, and EPA & ATSDR brownfields programs. The forum, sponsored by NIEHS, MSU, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, and City of Detroit, is targeted to community activists and hazardous materials workers, but all conference attendees are welcome to join in the discussions.
Brownfields 2008 Design Charrette
Tuesday, May 6 from 8:30am –12:30pm
Location: Cobo Center Room O2-33
"Envisioning Greener Cleanups and Sustainable Reuse"
At Brownfields 2008, our Design Charrette will unite federal, state and local public and private sector initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of site cleanups and promote sustainable reuse. This extended session will bring technical and visual information to focus on the following four areas:
Create new opportunities to protect the environmental and public health by examining efforts to make brownfields cleanup and revitalization processes more sustainable. Rather than merely focusing on redevelopment, this charrette will begin with the site investigation and cleanup, proceed through the construction and redevelopment, and end with the long-term site operation.
The goals of this Design Charrette are to:
- Learn and share ideas and site approaches that: minimize stormwater runoff; minimize contaminant exposure; minimize greenhouse gas emissions; minimize other air pollutants; maximize public health benefits; and, maximize ecological function at site.
- Develop integrated design approaches for local brownfield sites within Detroit which carefully consider the social, economic, environmental, and public health goals for the affected neighborhoods
- Create a community of practice to advance national efforts to green cleanups and further sustainable revitalization and reuse efforts.
Health Impact Assessments for Healthy Places: A Training Workshop
Wednesday, May 7 9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Location: Cobo Center Room D3-16
The origins of both community planning and public health are rooted in the goals of protecting the public from outbreaks of disease and improving the quality of life for all. Health impact assessment (HIA) is one of the ways that communities can begin to address these issues. HIA is broadly, “…a practical assessment of policies, programs and projects that may affect the public’s health, and which provides recommendations to maximize positive health effects and minimizing the negative health aspects of proposals, policies and projects.” HIA can be used to take a proactive approach to integrating health considerations into Brownfield redevelopment decisions.
This interactive workshop will combine planning tools with public health priorities for hands- on learning experience. We encourage all public Health staff, planning professionals, key community stakeholders and others interested in using health impact assessments (HIA) tools to design healthy communities to attend and learn about new development strategies. Registration is limited to 75 people, so sign up today!
Fee: $80; Pre-registration is required. Register now by clicking here.
Life After Phase I: US EPA Workshop on Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup
Wednesday, May 7 1:00-4:00pm
Location: Cobo Center Room O2-44
The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization is leading a half day training workshop that addresses the steps following the Phase I All Appropriated Inquiries activities in the brownfield redevelopment process. The purpose of the training is to provide brownfield grantees, lenders, and project developers with an overview of the Phase II environmental site assessment and cleanup process.
Environmental Law Symposium
Thursday, May 8
Location: University of Detroit-Mercy, School of Law
Brownfields Legal Liability—What’s Left After the Amendments to CERCLA.
The symposium will identify the remaining exposures for buyers when acquiring and using a brownfields site, focusing primarily on 3rd party private claims. This theme focuses on legal mechanisms, contained in CERCLA and in Michigan’s Part 201 Amendments (Cleanup Criteria) that are used to protect buyers from future liability. It would compare Michigan’s due care requirements to the all appropriate inquiry standard in CERCLA and the absence of a due care standard in the federal law. Sessions include:
Overview of Legal Liability under CERCLA and RCRA and their Interface with State Law Schemes; Remaining Exposures after CERCLA and Part 201; Legal Mechanisms to Protect Buyers; Due Care -- Its More Important than You Think