By Andy Dossett
The Department of Environmental Quality in Oklahoma has raised concerns about possible contamination, which is preventing ‘B the Light’ from transforming a former laboratory into a refuge for the homeless.
Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Hospital rehabilitated the building, which was once a facility for testing for the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research. DEQ, however, is refusing to change its position that the building must be retested before it can become a home for homeless people.
Amy Brittain, of DEQ, said: “In 2000 we filed an notice in the record deed that this property should only be used for commercial and industrial purposes.” The new owner must perform an assessment of the environment to demonstrate to DEQ that their proposed new use is safe.
Keith and Christy McPhail are the founders of the ‘B the Light Mission. They believe that the difference between residential and commercial use is minimal, and people can legally sleep in the same building. McPhails claim that the people who they are serving don’t stay in the building every single day.
Jane Phillips employed 120 people for 19 years. They worked from 8 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night. Christy McPhail. They’re living in a dormitory, but when they get up the next morning they are out.
Brownfield properties: a guide to avoiding them
Unknowingly, the mission was stuck with all of the complexities that come along with being a Brownfields and Land Revitalization program site. According to the EPA, these are properties where redevelopment and reuse can be hampered by hazardous substances, contaminants or pollutants.
These are typically places like old factories, storage facilities, docks and refineries. They can also be gas stations or other commercial buildings where pollutants or chemicals were stored or used.
Brittain stated that “DEQ did this work in 1998 and followed EPA process. However, they only looked at all data and cleaned up to the commercial, industrial standard.” They cleaned quite a lot of it but they did it to the industrial standard and not to standard child-occupation.
Brittain said that there may still be contaminants such as lead-based paints, and they will not know for sure until further testing is done.
DEQ is proposing to seek an EPA grant for the entire testing. This would not happen until next year. B the Light finds that this deadline is unacceptable, given the urgency of the situation and the temperature drop.
B the Light could fund the testing itself to complete the process. The mission lacks the funds to cover testing costs, which are estimated at $100,000.
Brittain stated that all of these measures are being taken to protect the public, and DEQ has reached out to its federal partners in order to come up with alternatives for ‘B the Light to fully occupy the Building.
Keith McPhail stated, “At the very end, you’d like me to send people out onto the streets in Bartlesville Oklahoma in dirt, underneath bridges, behind sheds or in empty homes. That is protecting the public.” The daycare will not be open for at least three more years.
Pressing forward despite obstacles and adversities
McPhails have been accustomed to facing adversity and they’ve already started renovating their donated building. The Lyon Foundation, Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center donated the property.
The Lighthouse needs help because it is overcrowded. Christy McPhail said that Bartlesville needed to find new ways of solving this problem. Lighthouse Outreach Center, a Christian homeless shelter founded in 1992 in Bartlesville.
McPhails appealed for the intervention of Governor Kevin Stitt. The McPhails believe that the Governor’s involvement could speed up the process, as they plan to offer shelter with the approaching winter.
Keith McPhail expressed his hope by saying, “I will take care of this.” I’m not putting anyone on the streets when it is -10 degrees. They can fine me or kick people out if they want.
McPhails aims to not only provide a roof but a way to recover for Bartlesville’s homeless. Plan includes meals, housing and other essential services. The immediate goal is to replace the roof that has a leak to stop further damage.
This community-driven project is seeking local support by asking for small monthly donations. The ‘B the Light Mission,’ which aims to be a lighthouse of hope in the lives of many people, may suffer if red tape is not addressed quickly.
In the months to come, the EE will monitor the progress of the McPhails’ mission as they and their community work together to turn the McPhails building into a haven where those who are in need can find safety.
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