Learn more about EDGE
In the Fall of 2017, the legislature enacted Act 70, directing the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish a pilot program to incentivize manufacturers who supported local economic development, while leveraging the unique benefits of redeveloping brownfields. The program was called the Economic Development and Green Environment (EDGE) pilot program, which concluded with a legislative report. While the pilot is no longer accepting new applicants, the individual components are still available to interested parties outside of the pilot program construct.
This page is a repository of information about the pilot program and each of the individual components. Learn about how the EDGE pilot program was implemented by viewing this presentation or this fact sheet.
Green Tier
Green Tier is the state's flagship program to support and recognize businesses who go beyond compliance. The voluntary program acknowledges and supports those who develop an environmental management system (EMS) to drive their decision making and environmental performance. In addition to developing an EMS, each participant must create annual reports to document their continual improvement and commit to having their system audited by a third party.
Information about the Green Tier program, including benefits, commitments, fact sheets and lists of participants are available on the Green Tier webpage.
Brownfields Redevelopment
Individuals, businesses or units of government that conduct an environmental investigation and cleanup of a contaminated property, while following specific state requirements with the oversight of the DNR, can receive an exemption from future environmental liability for historical contamination.
Information about the VPLE program, including forms, fact sheets and lists of properties that have participated in VPLE are available on the VPLE webpage
- Cleanup and Redevelopment Tools
- Overview
- Voluntary Party Liability Exemption (VPLE)
- Financial Assistance
Air Management
A registration permit is a type of general permit available to businesses that have low air pollution emissions. The permit caps facility-wide emissions and prescribes monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
The DNR developed the Green Tier Registration Permit, or ROP-G, which is the largest registration permit available and is only available to Green Tier participants who achieve Tier 2 status. This permit reduces regulatory oversight, making it easier to commit capital, make changes and get products to market quickly without going through the administrative process of filing and renewing permits.
Information about the Registration Operation Permits, including forms, applications and fact sheets are available on the Registration Permits webpage.
