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delved into identifying the extent of contamination or found the source material for the groundwater contamination. In order to determine remedial actions and an associated cleanup amount, the City would first need to engage an environmental consultant to complete the necessary assessment activities. Privatelv Owned Properties: Seyond the land associated with public infrastructure and Langton Lake Park, the land within this area is privately owned. The City cannot require environmental assessment on private property and these properties have not been identified as an immediate threat by the federal and state regulatory agencies (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or MN Pollution Control Agency). To complete necessary environmental assessment and remedial planning activities, the City would either need to purchase the land or get access agreements from the property owners to allow for this activity. Private property owners may not be willing to grant access if the outcome will lead to the City going after them to recapture the costs for the cleanup. Number of Past Users: This area is contaminated by very general contaminates, such as gasoline- range organic compounds, diesel-range organic compounds, and cleaning solvents, that could have been generated by any number of users over time. Many of the parcels have had numerous users that could have contributed to the release of these materials. Attributing them to any one user may be challenging. If the City can attribute them to a specific business or group of businesses, the next step would be to determine if these businesses still exist or have any viable assets. Cost of Seeking Damages: At this point, the City has invested very little of its own funds in environmental assessment, planning, and cleanup activities within this area. Engaging an attorney and environmental consultant, estimated by Mr. Espel to costs between $35,000 and $70,000, to undertake the necessary work to initiate the cost-recovery process will be very expensive and, ultimately, may be fruitless as there is no guarantee that the City will ever recuperate its costs. REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION Discuss the potential of seeking environmental cost recovery for environmental assessment and cleanup costs within the Twin Lakes redevelopment area. Prepared by: Jamie Radel, Economic Development Associate Attachments: A: Espel Memorandum dated December 17, 2007 B: Extract of City Council Meeting Minutes from May 18, 2009 Page 2 of 2