The Town of Oyster Bay is taking the first step toward obtaining a grant for redevelopment of brownfields located in an area of Hicksville/Bethpage, according to Town Supervisor John Venditto.

"According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the definition of a brownfield is an 'abandoned, idled or under-used industrial and commercial site where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination that can add cost, time or uncertainty to a redevelopment project," Venditto stated. "The New York State Department of State, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, has made funding available under the Superfund/Brownfield Law of 2003 for the purpose of implementing area-wide planning approaches to brownfield redevelopment. Grants are funded on a 90 percent State and 10 percent local share.

"There are three categories of funding under the program," Venditto continued. "Step 1, Pre-Nomination Study, requires a preliminary description of a potential area, designated as a Brownfield Opportunity Area, and will be reviewed by the State Departments of State and Environmental Conservation to determine if a community should proceed in the grant process. Step 2, Nomination, requires an in-depth study and analysis of the subject area with an emphasis on the identification and reuse potential of priority brownfield sites in the proposed Brownfield Opportunity Area. Step 3, Site Assessments and/or Implementation Study, is equivalent to a remedial investigation and conceptual level remedy selection in the State's remedial program. The investigation will result in identification of the location, nature and extent of contamination on a priority brownfield site within a Brownfield Opportunity Area and provide information to allow for the identification and evaluation of remedial action alternatives and facilitate remedy selection.

"The Town has identified a potential project area that includes brownfields located in the vicinity of Rte. 107 between Old Country Road, Hicksville, and Central Avenue, Bethpage, as well as several properties on New South Road, Hicksville," Venditto stated. "If the town is successful in getting a grant, we will hire a consultant to prepare the Pre-Nomination Study. The estimated cost of the study is $8,000, of which the grant would cover $7,200.

"The Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program provides municipalities and community-based organizations with assistance to complete area-wide approaches to brownfields redevelopment planning," Venditto commented. "It helps communities return dormant areas back to productive use and simultaneously restores environmental quality. I am hopeful the State will approve the town moving on to Step 2 in the grant process."