Department of
Environmental Quality

DEQ's Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) was created in 1996 by the Idaho Land Remediation Act to encourage innovation and cooperation between the state, local communities and private parties to revitalize properties with hazardous substance or petroleum contamination. The Idaho Land Remediation Rules, adopted in 1997, detail implementation procedures for the program.

The Idaho Lake Remediation Act was modified in 2005 to incorporate the Community Reinvestment Pilot Initiative, a state-funded program to assist with cleanup costs of up to 10 properties whose development is complicated by contamination issues. Currently, all 10 slots in the pilot program are filled.

How the VCP Works

Eligibility

Any legal entity recognized by law is eligible to apply to participate in the program, including individuals, associations, local, state and federal governments, and public or private corporations.

Process

The applicant submits an application form providing information about the site ownership, location, and history, and a $250 application fee to DEQ.

• Application Form
• Application Guidance

In addition, a Phase I Environmental Assessment report identifying recognized environmental conditions must be submitted with the application.

If DEQ determines the site and applicant are eligible, the applicant then enters into a VCP Agreement with DEQ, pays an initial $2,500 deposit for DEQ's oversight costs, and develops a cleanup plan, called a Voluntary Remediation Work Plan. This Work Plan is reviewed by DEQ and made available for public comment. After any comments are satisfactorily resolved, the Work Plan is approved for implementation. DEQ provides oversight and assistance throughout the cleanup process.

After the cleanup is completed, the participant submits a Cleanup Completion Report to DEQ, and DEQ issues a Certificate of Completion upon approval. At that point, the participant may request from DEQ a Covenant Not to Sue.

Benefits of Participating in the VCP

• an expedited remediation process
• avoiding an adversarial enforcement action
• a seven-year partial property tax exemption
• a "Covenant Not to Sue" from DEQ
• use of site-specific risk-based cleanup standards
• use of institutional controls in cleanup plans
• "lender liability" protection

Persons considering or working on a project where environmental concerns complicate reuse and revitalization of a property or properties are encouraged to  contact DEQ to discuss the project and the benefits of participating in the VCP. Cleanup funding options are described more fully on the Brownfields page.

Participants to Date

• Albion Normal School, Albion
• Alpine Lumber, Sandpoint
• AmeriPride Properties, Pocatello and Twin Falls
• Bayhorse Mining District (Townsite, Beardsley, Pacific, Skylark, Ramshorn), Custer County
• Boise Cascade, Cascade and Emmett
• Denovo Independence, Blaine County
• D.L. Evans (former Lodge Brothers and Bullet Pawn Shop properties), Caldwell
• Dock-N-Shop site, Priest River
• Jackson Street Silos site, Moscow
• Lakeshore Market, Nampa
• L.D. McFarland, Sandpoint
• Mr. A’s Dry Cleaners, Twin Falls
• Priest River Landfill, Priest River
• River City Auto (former), Salmon
• Stimson Lumber, Coeur d'Alene
• Super Quik Gas Station (former), Twin Falls
• TRICA (former Hyde Park Methodist Church), Boise
• Timber Treatment Products, Santa