MPCA
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – This agency focuses on protecting and improving the environment and enhancing human health. The main areas of service are: monitoring environmental quality, providing technical and financial assistance, and enforcing environmental regulations.
PBP
Petroleum Brownfields Program – A program in the MPCA that handles petroleum contamination as listed under Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Act.
Phase 1 ESA
Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment – A report that is prepared for a real estate holding that identifies potential or existing environmental contamination. The report examines the history of the given site.
Phase 2 ESA
Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment – A report that is that is conducted when a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) is identified in a Phase 1 ESA. Soil, groundwater, and vapor samples are collected to determine the extent of contamination.
RAP
Response Action Plan – A detailed report that incorporates the stages of remediation of waste materials, soil, surface water, ground water, and/or contamination that is located at the property or has been moved from the property in question. The Response Action Plan includes: an introduction, a scope and remedial objectives, a summary of past investigations and determinations, and the proposed response action tasks and schedule. Also in included is the determined level of cleanup that is necessary for intended future purpose of the property: residential, industrial, recreational, etc.
REC
Recognized Environmental Condition – When hazardous materials or petroleum products are present or likely present on, or in a property. Secondly, these materials or products have already released into the environment or will release into the environment under the certain circumstances.
RP
Responsible Party – Those entities that are responsible for either all or some of the hazardous materials at a given property or site. These parties are then liable.
Superfund
Federal funding program created in CERCLA. This fund is utilized to provide essential funding for site cleanup when there is no responsible party that can be identified. Minnesota operates their own Superfund Program as well, as is listed under MERLA. The Minnesota Superfund Program’s funds are mainly used by entities that had been responsible for the disposal of hazardous waste.
Sustainability
Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.
Sustainable Development
A type of development that makes cities and society more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.
TAB
A program operated by the EPA in which Minnesota Brownfields is a designated state partner with Kansas State University. TAB is geared towards discovering what are the specific needs of communities and works with leaders within those communities. Minnesota Brownfields offers training throughout Greater Minnesota for communities that are interested in learning more about brownfields cleanup and funding strategies.
Transit-Oriented Development
A form of development that uses public transit lines to create corridors of high-density development around transit stations.
Urban Sprawl
A relatively unplanned and uncontrolled form of urban development beyond the compact urban core that results from ever-expanding development on greenfield sites.
Vapor Intrusion
This happens when vapor-forming chemicals that are below the ground move into buildings that are above ground.
VIC
Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup – A program under the MPCA that aides in the buying, selling, or developing of property by examining if a piece of property is contaminated. Minnesota was the first state to adopt such a program.