Cattaraugus Creek Task Force
Technical Outreach Assistance to Communities (TOSC)
Louis P. Zicari and Professor Alan J. Rabideau

Faculty and Staff associated with the Brownfield Action Project and Environmental Engineering program are currently providing assistance to a group of Western New York municipalities (the Cattaraugus Creek Task Force) on the scientific and planning issues related to three key contaminated areas in their communities. The contaminated properties are currently the focus of federal and state Superfund programs. The University is providing objective expertise in response to citizens' concerns about public health, environmental quality and community redevelopment. BAP personnel have been reviewing historical documents and technical reports for the sites; providing "plain language" summaries on the status of each site; and providing technical assistance related to future land use. This project is being funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through its Technical Outreach Service for Communities (TOSC) program, administered by the Northeast Hazardous Substance Research Center at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (HSCR - NJIT).

As part of this technical assistance project, University personnel identified an opportunity for federal assistance for one of the sites through the USEPA Superfund Redevelopment Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to support the efforts of impacted communities to move forward with the redevelopment of environmentally impaired properties. BAP members will provide legal and site reuse assistance on the project. The community plans to use of the federal support to develop a sustainable reuse plan that bits both the short-term and long-term community needs.

UB Center for Integrated Waste Management