National Brownfields Conference coming to OKC in August
The National Brownfields Conference is returning to the Oklahoma City Convention Center this month.
The conference starts Tuesday August 16.
“This year’s event highlights an unprecedented opportunity of funding available through (the)Environmental Protection Agency,” Oklahoma City Planning Department Senior Brownfields Planner Amanda Alewine said. “Creative people across the nation will convene here to discuss opportunities and brainstorm on how this funding can be best used to improve communities.”
Related: OKC CONVENTION CALENDAR UPDATE: LOOKING TOWARD IEDC AND MORE
She said a brownfield is a property wherein the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
An Environmental Justice Caucus is occurring before the conference Monday, Aug. 15 starting at 5 p.m.
The caucus is free to attend, but pre-registration is encouraged at National Brownfields Training Conference 2022 (brownfields2022.org)
Rates for people who register for the conference prior to Aug. 15 are $50 for students, $125 for nonprofit or community groups, $200 for local government and $325 for private sector. For onsite registration the rates are $50 for students, $150 for nonprofit or community groups, $250 for local government and $400 for private sector.
“This event is bringing in over 2,000 conference attendees that will be staying in Oklahoma City, shopping, eating and really experiencing all the things that Oklahoma City has to offer,” Alewine said.
She said 10 mobile tours will showcase the innovation of the developers and citizens of Oklahoma City.
She added that the conference will be highlighting projects including the First Americans Museum, the Scissortail Park, First National, The Douglas at Page Woodson, the Coop Ale Works Armory on NE 23rd, Eastpoint development, West Village and Capitol Hill.
“This year the bipartisan infrastructure law has made a historic investment in Brownfields, which includes $1.2 billion in project grants and $300 million to state and tribal response programs,” she said. “This funding will transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places, enhance climate resiliency, and more. Brownfield 2022 is the premier event to learn how communities across the nation access EPA Brownfields grants and maximize the economic, environmental, and social performance.”
Oklahoma has been selected to receive close to $10 million in Brownfields funds this October, Alewine said, adding that $3.9 million is specifically focused on a revolving loan fund for The City of Oklahoma City.
“We are very excited to invest these funds in Oklahoma City and across the state to assist difficult redevelopments to get past the environmental challenges that would otherwise leave them underutilized,” she said.
The National Brownfields Conference is held every 12-18 months.
SUBSCRIBE