Published October 26, 2016
MONROE, La. — University of Louisiana Monroe associate professor of political science,
John W. Sutherlin, is a leading proponent of brownfields redevelopment, having inspected
more than 300 brownfields sites across the U.S. and Europe since 2000.
Brownfields are polluted properties that are eligible for federal clean-up monies
that can be redeveloped and reused for projects ranging from green space to job training
facilities or even to large industrial or commercial facilities. Several sites in
Monroe and West Monroe were redeveloped through the brownfields redevelopment program,
as well as most of the river walk area in Shreveport.
“Brownfields provide a chance for ULM professors from different disciplines to work
together to reduce health impacts of pollution and return properties back to productive
use,” said Sutherlin.
Sutherlin, who is also the director of ULM’s Social Science Research Lab (SSRL), has
been working through the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to coordinate more federal
agency involvement.
After several months of coordination and conference calls, on October 12, 2016, Sutherlin
finally managed to meet with 22 federal departments and agencies in Washington, D.C.
to discuss how to move this network of interested parties forward.
Agencies as diverse as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Labor, and the Economic Development Administration
came together to find ways to help communities identify brownfields opportunities
and submit EPA grant applications or seek funding from other departments or agencies.
“In our discussions, it became clear that we were all working on different aspects
of the same issue,” said Sutherlin. “But, in many cases we were unaware of other funding
opportunities. This allowed us to collaborate across different fields of expertise.”
The collaboration will continue through the newly established brownfields network
that will meet quarterly to develop grant guidelines.
Grants for this cycle include applicants from Bastrop, Delhi, and Mansfield, but Sutherlin
urges that other communities take initiative as well.
“This will directly impact all communities that apply for annual funding through EPA
Brownfields,” said Sutherlin.
