Federal Compound in Kansas City, Missouri Under Scrutiny

Federal Compound in Kansas City, Missouri Under Scrutiny

The Bannister Federal Complex, located at 2000 E. 95th St., Kansas City, Mo., is undergoing a significant transformation. The complex, spanning approximately 300 acres and bordered by Legacy Park, the Blue River and Blue River Parkway, Indian Creek, Bannister Road, and Troost Ave., has been the major tenants of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the General Services Administration (GSA).

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has proposed a permit modification for the transfer of approximately 227 acres of the Bannister Federal Complex to a private real estate developer, marking a significant step towards its redevelopment. The permit modification and proposed remedy at the complex will be subject to public review and comment, ensuring transparency and regulatory oversight throughout the process.

Over the past few years, the Bannister Technologies & Development (BT&D) property has undergone a phased cleanup. By fall 2020, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources staff had submitted finalized Cleanup and Ready for Anticipated Use (RAU) forms for three separate phases on the BT&D property, covering over 86% of the BT&D portion. By January 2021, 194.3 acres out of 225 acres had met these requirements, demonstrating the site's readiness for redevelopment.

Three permit modifications were approved to facilitate land transfers, changing operational control and ownership of approximately 188 acres of the permitted property to NP Bannister Industrial LLC and NP Bannister Land Holdings LLC. These properties remain subject to an Environmental Covenant intended to ensure ongoing environmental protection.

The redevelopment concept plans a modern industrial site featuring seven buildings ranging from about 244,000 to 433,000 square feet. Construction of the first new building started in fall 2020, and the redevelopment is anticipated to be complete by 2023, generating more than 1,500 permanent jobs and stimulating economic growth in the surrounding community.

All new buildings will be constructed with engineered foundation systems specifically designed to mitigate vapor intrusion, supporting long-term environmental safety. The site will continue to have long-term operation, monitoring, and maintenance programs in place.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides oversight of the state permitting process and has been involved with environmental actions taken at the complex. The DOE/NNSA will be submitting a request to the Missouri Governor's office to transfer the property to a private redeveloper, which will also be subject to public review and comment.

The public can find more information about the Bannister Federal Complex regarding permit modification and redevelopment on the MDNR website, MDNR Federal Facilities website, GSA website, CenterPoint Properties and Bannister Transformation & Development website, Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo) Data System. However, specific public comment periods or meetings have yet to be announced.

This work is being conducted under a Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Facility (MHWMF) Part I and EPA Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) Part II Permits. The Draft MHWMF Part 1 Permit Modification and Statement of Basis are available for public review at the EPA Region 7 Records Center in Lenexa, KS.

CenterPoint Properties, a private redeveloper, has been selected by the DOE/NNSA as the preferred partner for redevelopment of the DOE/NNSA portion of the complex. The GSA is conducting investigative activities on their portion of the complex. The DOE/NNSA is currently implementing the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination on their portion of the Bannister Federal Complex, further emphasizing the complex's environmental significance.

The Bannister Federal Complex redevelopment and permit modification public review details highlight significant progress and regulatory oversight involving the site's cleanup and redevelopment phases. The project is both a major industrial revitalization effort and a carefully monitored environmental remediation project.

1. The environmental remediation process at the Bannister Federal Complex includes the mitigation of vapor intrusion in the new buildings, ensuring long-term environmental safety.
2. As part of the Bannister Federal Complex redevelopment, a majority of the property has undergone phased cleanup and met Cleanup and Ready for Anticipated Use (RAU) requirements, signifying the site's readiness for redevelopment.
3. To facilitate land transfers, a permit modification was approved for the transfer of approximately 188 acres of the complex to NP Bannister Industrial LLC and NP Bannister Land Holdings LLC, with an Environmental Covenant ensuring ongoing environmental protection.
4. The Bannister Federal Complex redevelopment project encompasses the transformation into a modern industrial site, addressing medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, skin-conditions, and environmental-science concerns through long-term operation, monitoring, and maintenance programs.
5. The redevelopment of the Bannister Federal Complex, involving several agencies like the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private entities, is a significant step towards addressing the waste issues and environmental cleanup of the site.

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