Cameron-Cole and Envirosite, both ADEC Innovations, are bringing their extensive brownfield experience and proprietary Property Risk Map (PRM) software to the City of Barstow, California, to develop a brownfield inventory and identify sites for further assessment.

In 2021, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) announced more than $250 million in grants through its Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) to encourage brownfield cleanup and redevelopment. Barstow was approved for two community-wide assessment grants in 2024 at $350,000 each, but the development sites still required approval. Additionally, the clock was ticking, as the $700,000 in funding must be spent by the grant’s expiration date of March 28, 2026. 

To identify as many potential sites as possible in their limited amount of time, Barstow has partnered with Cameron-Cole to use Envirosite’s PRM to develop a brownfields inventory and identify sites for further assessment through preparation of Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs).

The PRM is an intuitive, interactive mapping tool providing real-time visualizations of environmental and property-related risks across locations in a specific area. Equipped with comprehensive data integration, the PRM enables users to search through vast databases to identify, analyze, and understand potential hazards, liabilities, and opportunities related to a particular property. By understanding these risks early in the process, stakeholders can make more informed decisions, mitigate potential issues, and strategize for sustainable and resilient development.

In Barstow, the PRM application allows sites to be more efficiently identified and screened. In conjunction with more conventional outreach methods, these efforts are accelerating the overall site selection process and focused these efforts on those sites with release histories that are eligible for grant funding.   
To date, the site selection process has focused on the areas targeted for redevelopment (a section of the historic Route 66 highway) by combing a database and applying an outward-looking screening tool. PRM identifies the specific ASTM database listings associated with each property, allowing properties ineligible for grant funding, such as those with only asbestos and lead concerns to readily identified.

The city requested its ECRG funding to perform the assessments at the identified sites. Once approved, Cameron-Cole performed the necessary assessments and further affirmed that the sites meet both the city’s needs and funding requirements. Cameron-Cole also assisted in facilitating the expenditure of the grants in its intended direct manner.

The first grant was approved to target an old golf course site, encompassing several parcels located off Barstow’s Main Street, which the city plans to convert into recreational, park, and open-use spaces.

The second grant was approved for use at two sites — a business park and a former hospital site. The business park included three parcels with residential uses to the south of the BNSF Railway Yard, while the hospital site comprised five parcels and is bordered by residences, a senior citizens center, healthcare facilities, and medical offices. The city proposed revitalizing these areas with affordable and indispensable developments including grocery stores, pharmacies, and community centers.