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Brownfield Sites

Program Overview

Guiding Principles

  • Prioritize use of grant funds on property that will attract investors and become a catalyst for new employment opportunities and a sustainable job base.

  • Promote infill development that maximizes use of existing space, infrastructure and utilities.

  • Remove redevelopment barriers by addressing unknown site conditions and creating shovel ready sites.

  • Invest in sites that will generate public and private revenue. 

  • Transform blighted areas into thriving neighborhoods.

  • Protect public health and the environment. 

  • Promote public participation and input on priority redevelopment areas and sites.

Brownfield Site Examples

Brownfield Assessment Grant

In 2019, Cochise County won a $600,000 Brownfield Assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to transform underutilized properties from liabilities into assets that revitalize our communities and bring our neighborhoods back to life. In 2022, the county received an additional $500,000, and the program was extended to 2026.

Cochise County manages the grant with assistance from environmental consulting teams Terracon and Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec).

  • WHO: Community members and property owners are needed to nominate properties with redevelopment potential.

  • WHAT: Revitalize vacant and underutilized (“brownfield”) properties to benefit the community, including job creation, increased property values, environmental restoration, and reduced health risks.

  • HOW: Funding will be used to inventory and prioritize brownfield sites for redevelopment, assess existing site conditions, and plan to clean up and reuse priority sites throughout our communities. 

  • WHEN: October 2019 through September 2026

WHERE: The grant will be used to assess selected properties located initially in Bisbee, Douglas, and Sierra Vista, but if funding is available, other locations in Cochise County as well, including unincorporated areas. 

Click here for information about the communities and brownfield sites that have benefited from the EPA Brownfield Grants.

Community Member Fact Sheet

Property Owner Fact Sheet

Assessment Process

Nominate a Site for Assessment

Site Assessment Guide for Owners & Stakeholders

Frequently Asked Questions

In general, the property must be potentially impacted by petroleum or hazardous substances, underutilized or undergoing transition, and meet the following criteria:

  • Exhibits high potential for redevelopment and/or other opportunities to benefit the community.

  • Is not included on the EPA National Priority “Superfund” List, under a Consent Order with the State, or targeted for federal or State enforcement action.

Grant funding is committed through Summer 2026 and is available for approved sites on a first-come, first-served basis.

No. Under this program, grants funds can be used to conduct assessments and develop cleanup plans but cannot be used to implement a cleanup plan.

No. Grant funds are not retroactive and cannot reimburse you for past assessment or related activities.

No. The grant is administered by Cochise County, who will pay the consultant directly for approved assessment and/or related activities on your property.

No. If your property is approved for grant funding, you will be required to sign a Property Access Agreement that permits the consultant (Stantec) access to the site to perform the requested activities.

It depends. An assessment itself does not directly affect property value. Property values are often negatively affected by uncertainty regarding site history and the financial and legal risks of potential environmental impacts. ESAs allow property owners to quantify the amount of contamination (or lack thereof) on a property. For properties with little to no contamination, this knowledge may increase marketability. For sites with significant contamination, having an assessment completed using EPA funding removes this as a potential cost to be paid for by the property owner or an interested buyer as part of their due diligence process. Having assessments completed can help to better position properties for grants or tax incentives that can be used to pay for cleanup and support redevelopment.

In general, all sites that are nominated will be given consideration for funding. Upon receipt of a nomination form, an initial review will be conducted to determine whether the site is a good fit for the program (based on its potential to support economic, environmental, or community goals), as well as whether it likely to meet the EPA site eligibility requirements. Sites/projects will also be evaluated on the likelihood that they will be deemed eligible for use of funding, the certainty of securing site access to perform assessment activities, and other factors.