SALEM, Ohio --The city is asking the community to submit nominations of prospective industrial sites that could be targeted for environmental assessment, cleanup and eventual reuse.

The Sustainable Opportunity Development Center Inc. is hosting a community and stakeholder outreach program Dec. 11 that invites the public to select preferred brownfield properties that could one day be redeveloped.

Sites will be identified by the city through community nominations and ground surveys. The city would then use two grants awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Services to assess the selected sites.

The EPA awarded the city of Salem's Brownfields Assessment CA $200,000 to assess sites contaminated by hazardous substances and another $200,000 grant to assess sites contaminated by petroleum.

The city plans to use the funds to expand its inventory and investigate the historic use of the properties, determine the type and severity of the contamination, and develop remedial alternatives that will allow for safe and viable reuse of the properties.

Sites would be prioritized based on the property's characteristics and history, available environmental information, potential threats to public health and the environment, known or potential developer interest, and demand for specific property types and locations.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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