[FONT=Verdana]A trip to Washington, DC, last November is paying big dividends for the city of Humboldt, IA.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]Iowa Congressman Tom Latham announced last week he has secured $1 million for demolition of the Brownfield site of the former FRIT Industries plant on the north edge of Humboldt on Highway 169.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]"These funds are a vital step in ensuring continued economic development for this region," Latham, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]The funds will be used to demolish and grade the former plant and allow the city to move into the second phase, which involves platting and initial infrastructure improvements.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]The funds are included in the House Transportation Appropriations funding bill for fiscal year 2007. The legislation was passed by the House Appropriations Committee and was expected to be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives sometime this week.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]Prior to the city starting the process of removing the buildings and grading the site, FRIT must complete the clean up of the soil at the site. The plan being approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allow FRIT to remove contaminated soil at the 55 acre site and place it in a containment cell on site, where it will be monitored for years to come. FRIT produced fertilizer at the site, which is now contaminated by high levels of lead, cadmium and other trace minerals.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]The city of Humboldt will soon be approving an agreement to treat water from a holding pond at the site in the city's wastewater treatment plant. The agreement stipulates that once FRIT has completed the clean up, the city has the option of taking deed to the remaining 45 acres, which would be developed into another industrial park.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]FRIT will decontaminate the buildings, but is not required to remove the buildings. That's where the $1 million earmark from the federal government is critical.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]The city's engineer estimated the total cost of demolition and hauling away the building to the Fort Dodge landfill at $2.5 million. Bennett said there has been interest from people wanting to salvage steel from the building. Concrete could also be crushed on-site and recycled, which would lessen the amount going to the landfill.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]The city would then apply for Brownfield funding from the state of Iowa and utilize TIF funding, if necessary.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]Phase I of the project would be demolition of the building and site grading.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]Phase II would be platting of lots for an industrial park and installation of infrastructure, estimated at $1.17 million. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana]Phase III would be final infrastructure improvements, estimated at $2.5 million.[/FONT]