EPA Contradicts Mayor About Asbestos Grants

By Gordon HopkinsMayor Spencer Brown and the EPA have given conflicting explanations as to why the City of Fairbury did not apply for funds in 2023 to clean up asbestos from inside the now-defunct municipal power plant building.In February of 2023, an Asbestos Management Inspector conducted an asbestos inspection survey of the power plant. A report was sent to the city on February 23. FJN has obtained a copy of this report, which states a lab identified asbestos in all 23 samples the inspector took. Asbestos insulation was found on numerous pipes and in loose debris throughout the building.Brownfields ProgramOn June 29, 2023, Mayor Brown told FJN the city was looking into a grant from the EPA’s Brownfields program, which provides grants and technical assistance to communities to safely clean up sites. The mayor said, “It is an old building with old equipment, and with old buildings come asbestos. Grant funds would be used to remediate the asbestos.”The mayor said at that time, “Nothing is happening with the power plant right now. Does it need to be cleaned up? Absolutely, but there is no urgency. The city staff, NDEE (Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy) and the EPA are aware of our situation and will forward us any opportunities to take advantage of grant money.”On April 5 of this year, FJN asked if the city had applied for a Brownfields grant. Mayor Brown said he was told no grant was available to the city, “we cannot apply for a grant that’s not currently available.”The mayor added, “If there is money out there in the form of a grant, we would go for it. Right now, we just have to wait for something specifically for the power plant.”What the EPA SaidMadelyn Bremer, EPA Region 7 Public and Government Affairs Branch, informed FJN on September 9, 2024, “Each year, EPA releases a Notification of Funding Opportunity for the Brownfields program. In Sept. 2023, EPA announced the availability of over $235 million for Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup grant funding nationwide for FY (Fiscal year) 2024.”When asked if someone from the EPA told the city no funds were available for the power plant building, Bremer said, “The EPA Region 7 Brownfields team has not communicated with the City of Fairbury regarding this property. We recommend reaching out to the mayor for more information on the city’s actions related to the 2023 Brownfields Grant application period.”On Friday, September 6 of this year, the EPA announced the availability of $232 million in grant funding for 2025. Applications are due by November 14, 2024. FJN asked the Mayor if the city will be able to apply for the grant by that date. As of press time, the mayor did not respond.What the Mayor SaidWhen asked who it was that told the city no grant funds were available and when, the mayor said he did not know, “I believe Laura (Bedlan, Development Services Director), was the one who called them, It has been a long while, I do not have an exact date.”Bedlan denied this, “I do not know what the Mayor was told, by who, when or how.”After multiple attempts to find out who had told the mayor no grants were available, the mayor said, via email, “(T)here was not anything available so the topic got dropped. I don’t remember every single conversation that I have ever had, especially when it holds no value. This is my last email on this.”“No Urgency”While the mayor said there was “no urgency” in addressing asbestos in the power plant building, a number of holes and cracks are visible in the building’s windows. On Monday, September 30, the mayor said, “We will figure out something to seal up the windows.”There are occupied houses across the street from the building. A representative with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said they would be looking into the matter.

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