August 29, 2024 |
Photo – Strand Theater in Rawlins – Bigfoot99 file photo
In Rawlins, officials are preparing to choose a contractor to test for hazardous materials in specific properties within the city.
In 1995, the United States Environmental Protection Agency created the Brownfields Program to provide financial assistance to municipalities with buildings that have known or suspected environmental contamination. Cleaning up a vacant site polluted with harmful chemicals or other materials is often very costly. Brownfields grants help landowners pay to safely demolish hazardous structures and clean up the surrounding land.
In April of 2023, Rawlins officials submitted four sites to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for Brownfields consideration: the Pink Motel, the Ferguson building, a property on Pine Street, and the old Strand Theater. The federal government awarded Rawlins $500,000 to determine if any of the properties are contaminated.
During the August 20th Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Tom Sarvey announced that a request for proposal, or RFP, has been submitted to hire contractors to assess the properties for hazardous materials.
Sarvey said two companies have expressed interest in the project so far. The city manager said all proposals must be submitted by the middle of September.
Sarvey said he’ll review the applications after the deadline has passed and recommend a contractor to the city council. If hazards are detected in any of the properties, the city can request additional funding from the EPA or Wyoming DEQ to clean up the sites. The remediated properties can then be redeveloped to bring additional tax revenue to the city.
