Oct. 11--The New Albany Redevelopment Commission could act soon on a request by Mayor Doug England to apply for federal grants associated with brownfield cleanups.

In a news release Friday, England stated there are two Environmental Protection Agency grants worth a total of $600,000 the city should pursue.

One grant, worth $400,000, would have to be used within the city's Urban Enterprise Zone boundary if New Albany is awarded the sum.

England said the sites for that grant would be chosen by the commission based on a brownfield inventory study from last year.

The other grant, worth $200,000, would be used for testing and monitoring groundwater at the CCE, Inc. site at 2045 Silver Street. The city has offered $600,000 for the property, which used to house Hoosier Panel.

That amount is half of what the property is valued at, but city funded environmental tests earlier this year showed metal contamination at the site. The city figured the cost of cleanup into its offer based on the findings, but CCE attorneys stated last week they feel the tests were wrong.

During a Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, lawyers representing CCE owner Jeff Eastridge said the environmental tests were not administered properly and skewed the results.

They said the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is reviewing the studies and could rule the property is not contaminated. Eastridge appeared before the BZA to request a land use variance to move his tire shredding and recycling business to Ind. 111.

That request was denied, and Eastridge has yet to decide on the city's offer to purchase his property.

In the news release, England said the EPA grants could help clean brownfield properties such as the CCE site, which he referred to as a "neighborhood eyesore."

"We can accomplish these challenging tasks when we work together in partnership with the federal, state and local governments and the private sector," England said.

A public information meeting regarding the proposals is slated for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Fairmont Neighborhood Center, located at 2525 Charlestown Road.

Residents are invited to attend and make comments and ask questions during the meeting. Comments can also be e-mailed to John Rosenbarger, director of public facilities, at jrosenbarger@city

ofnewalbany.com.

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