During its meeting today, Washington’s City Council will consider whether the city should apply for a grant for “brownfield” development.

A brownfield site is any land in the United States contaminated with hazardous waste and identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a threat to human health or the environment.

The EPA would provide the grant, if the city applies for the money and is awarded a grant. Mid-Atlantic Associates Inc. is scheduled to make a presentation about the grant to the council, according to a memorandum from City Manager Bobby Roberson to the mayor and council members.

“The EPA proposed guidelines are due out in mid to late September with proposals due in late November or early December,” Roberson wrote in the memorandum. “I believe this would be a great opportunity in helping the city and property owners, as well.” Roberson noted that if the council wants city staff, with assistance from Mid-Atlantic Associates, to apply for a grant, the City Council needs to authorize the city manager to begin the process to apply for such a grant.

Mid-Atlantic Associates has experience in seeking grants for brownfield development from state governments and the federal government, according to Roberson.

A brownfield is any property that is abandoned, idle or underutilized because of the threat (real or perceived) of environmental contamination. The brownfields program helps facilitate redevelopment of contaminated land by alleviating liability for prospective developers, thereby simplifying the process of obtaining loans for redevelopment projects, according to a city memorandum written in 2008.

The state’s brownfield program lists the idX/Impressions property (the former Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex site) on Springs Road as an active eligible brownfields project, along with the Beaufort Marine Park site in Belhaven. The state program lists the former Water’s Oil site, a petroleum bulk storage facility, in Washington and the Singer Co. site in Chocowinity as finalized brownfield projects.

Approximately 17 years ago, environmental contamination was discovered on the idX/Impressions property.

When the city sold the former Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex site to idX/Impressions there were some environmental matters addressed in the purchase agreement approved by the city and idX Impressions. The two parties acknowledged that each of them is aware of the presence of hazardous substances in the soil and groundwater on and around the property. The city agreed to take all actions and provide necessary documents needed to help idX/Impressions to apply for and obtain entry into the North Carolina “brownfields” program.

In 2008, the city wanted to participate in the program, administered by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, so it could proceed with its plans to sell the property to the Beaufort County Committee of 100. The Committee of 100, as a prospective developer, had submitted an application to participate in the brownfields program, according to a memorandum from then-City Manager James C. Smith to then-Mayor Judy Meier Jennette and the City Council.

That never happened.