Brownfields Tribal Response Program
The Brownfields Tribal Response Program (TRP) started in 2008 as an environmental program within the Swinomish Office of Planning and Community Development. Swinomish receives a yearly grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain the program.
What is a brownfields site?
Brownfields sites are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial properties where development, redevelopment, or expansion is complicated by actual or suspected environmental contamination. By investigating and cleaning up brownfields sites, many of which are abandoned areas that may impose an environmental risk to the local community, development can take place with less concern about legal liabilities related to site contamination. This benefits the Swinomish Tribe by bringing jobs to the area, making abandoned property functional, and possibly preserving sites that have historic and cultural significance. For more information about brownfields sites, visit U.S. EPA, Brownfields
Photos of potential brownfields sites on the Swinomish Reservation:
|Timely survey and inventory||
Brownfields Public Record
Information currently contained in the Public Record includes an inventory of brownfields sites on the reservation, completed environmental assessments, and information related to ongoing cleanups. The Public Record is maintained online and updated routinely. For those with limited internet access, the Public Record is also available on an indexed CD in the Department of Environmental Protection office.
- Abandoned warehouses and industrial properties
- Old buildings, factories, gas stations
- Open/illegal dumping (particularly involving hazardous wastes such as gas, oil, pesticides, paints, etc).
- Drug labs: Materials found at these sites are extremely hazardous; don't investigate yourself. If you suspect a drug lab in operation or discover a location you suspect might be a former drug lab, call the police immediately.
- Above-ground or underground fuel storage tanks that are abandoned or suspected to be leaking
- A site that the owner is liable for contamination and that is being used as an open dump
- A site where a removal action or cleanup by another organization or agency has occurred or is occurring
Report a brownsfields site
The Swinomish Brownfields TRP can only investigate what it knows about. For this reason, input from the community is crucial. We encourage any information you can provide about potential brownfield sites on the reservation as well comments on sites we are currently working with. Contact the Swinomish Department of Environmental Protection with your questions, suggestions, or comments.