Oregon Brownfields & Infrastructure Summit

October 23-25, 2022

Riverhouse on the Deschutes, Bend OR

The State’s Largest and Most Comprehensive Brownfields & Infrastructure event

Uniting two chief economic drivers in the state, the Oregon Brownfields & Infrastructure Summit brings together those working to make contaminated properties economically viable for reuse and demonstrate the interconnectedness of basic infrastructure with community and economic development.

Presented jointly by Business Oregon and the Northwest Environmental Business Council, this unique educational event connects property owners, developers, community leaders, regulators, financiers and service providers to share the latest knowledge and best practices, develop business, and foster partnerships.

Pre-Conference Workshops: Sunday, October 23rd

12:00 – 3:00pm: Brownfields FUNdamentals & Beyond

Recycling abandoned and under-utilized properties requires knowledge and skills to manage a variety of issues. Brownfields FUNdamentals & Beyond is a practical and interactive workshop that provides brownfield practitioners with the tools, techniques, and resources required to move projects forward. Why brownfields? Where do I start? How do I develop a vision for reuse and engage the community? Where can I get funding or financing? What roles do developers, consultants and attorneys play and how do I find the right ones? What are the environmental rules and how do these work with the development process?

12:00 – 3:00pm: Navigating the Fundamentals and Differences of ARPA and BIL

Two major federal funding opportunities are now available to Oregon communities: The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Whether your community is currently working on an APRA project, or planning to apply for BIL funds, this workshop is here to help you better navigate through both funding opportunities and walk away with an understanding of where and who to turn to with questions and concerns.

3:30 – 5:30pm: Brownfield Site Tours

Site #1: Oregon State University-Cascades: This 128-acre campus is taking shape on a remediated construction waste landfill and pumice mine. The first phase of campus expansion is now underway, involving large-scale waste excavation and processing, site grading, and slope stabilization. This site offers an excellent opportunity to understand how remediation requirements and design have influenced infrastructure planning and vice versa.

Site #2: Stevens Ranch, SE Bend: A 380-acre master-planned private development will bring affordable housing, community assets, and commercial/industrial uses to the rapidly growing SE side of Bend. The current development will provide the necessary infrastructure to manage development needs and the reclamation of decades-old former landfill that minimized waste generation and maximize reusable material for future development potential.

2022 Agenda Highlights

Financing All Things Wastewater

State Infrastructure Strategies: Addressing Critical Infrastructure Gaps

Looking Ahead: Portland Harbor Site Redevelopment – Opportunities & Challenges!

Future Proofing Our Communities: Resiliency to Disaster

Take It to the Bank: Land Banking for Brownfields Redevelopment

Financing Critical Infrastructure: The Unsung Heroes With Limited Funding Resources

2022 Keynote Sessions

Where do we go from here? Opportunities and Strengths

Over the past 24 months, Business Oregon and the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement have partnered to hear directly from leaders across Oregon about how we can better advance critical infrastructure needs. The roundtable discussions focused on developing tangible activities the state can be implementing now. This session will summarize key ideas and opportunities generated by roundtable participants. In addition, you will have an opportunity to hear directly from some of the roundtable participants about where they see the state needing to go from here. If you are looking for hope and inspiration, don’t skip this session!

Moderator:

Josh Bruce, Associate Director of Applied Research, Institute for Policy Research and Engagement’s Economic Development Administration University Center at the University of Oregon

Panelists

Michele Bradley, General Manager, Port of Tillamook Bay
Mark Gharst, Lobbyist, League of Oregon Cities
Nick Green, President, Catalyst Public Policy Advisors, LLC
Margi Hoffmann, State Director for Oregon, USDA

Land and Infrastructure Development: (Re)Considering Equity, Ecology, and Economy

Summary: Brownfield revitalization and infrastructure development are fundamentally about decision making processes, but who is impacted by those decisions, and how? What is their relationship to the social fabric, and how will that relationship influence the impacts they experience from land use and infrastructure investment decisions? These questions of equity are central to planning of all kinds, and increasingly, laws, policies and expectations are forcing brownfield redevelopment and infrastructure investment to account for equity within the decision-making process. In practical terms, what does this mean for redevelopment practitioners? What questions should we be asking ourselves at all stages of project planning and execution, and what resources exist to help us learn?

Speakers

Brenda Bateman, Director, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development

Speakers

Ben Duncan, Senior Director, Kearns and West

Speakers

Moderator: Sarah Sieloff, Senior Planner, Maul Foster & Alongi

Private-Public Development: The Current Calculus for Investment in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest

Nick Green, the city manager of John Day for six years, will describe the partnerships with the state, federal agencies, business leaders, and citizens that led to the rapid transformation and revitalization of John Day. His experiences provide the formula for building the team and momentum to repair, improve, and innovate a community.

Speaker

Nick Green, President, Catalyst Public Policy Advisors, LLC

Infrastructure & Economic Development: Industry Trends, Opportunities and Barriers to Growth

Economic conditions and federal investment are creating a generational opportunity for Oregon’s manufacturing and industrial sectors, but inventories of buildable industrial land remain a challenge. This panel will look at the nexus between infrastructure investment, site readiness, and equitable economic development, exploring opportunities to improve site readiness and economic development across the state.