9.4 Myth Busting: Can I Really Reuse an Old, Abandoned Gas Station? (Roundtable 2)
Moderators: Saralyn Stafford, UGA Carl Vinson Institute and Camilla Warren, US EPA Region 4. Speakers: Mallory Miller, EPA Region 4 Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program; Jay Kemberling, Georgia EPD UST Program; David Hayes, US EPA Brownfields ProgramRoom 1/2
Numerous abandoned gas stations dot the landscape along US Highway 17, which runs the length of the Atlantic Coastline. While millions of travelers and tourists take Interstate Highways, locals prefer the “old” Hwy 17. However, what is missing is the commercial and other services needed by small and remote communities. Many continue to solve this problem by using former gas stations, also known in the environmental world as Underground Storage Tanks or UST sites. Two Roundtable Sessions will address first, what is most needed by a rural community: Quality Health Care, Jobs, Shopping and Services, Ways to address Environmental and Health Concerns, and second defining the specific steps to determine if a site such as a UST/abandoned gas station or other “Brownfield” qualifies for no-cost technical assistance to begin a reuse scenario to address community needs.
