Louisiana
Ready for Reuse Program
The Ready for Reuse Program is a land revitalization measure from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 6 that the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has committed to use, together with its Brownfields and Voluntary Remediation Programs. LDEQ describes it as a certification process that recognizes when contamination has been evaluated and, if necessary, cleaned up so that a property is safe for its current use or planned future use. The page says this applies where reuse is slowed by concerns about RCRA requirements.
In a Phase I ESA
ASTM E1527-21 does not name Ready for Reuse determinations among its standard record sources. The page calls a determination an RfR. LDEQ gives four details.
- It is tied to a stated use. LDEQ says the determination verifies that environmental conditions are protective based on the property's current use and anticipated future use as a commercial or industrial operation. A change to a different land use is the point where, for many facilities, more investigation or cleanup may be required.
- It can cover part of a property. LDEQ says it can apply to an entire property or to specific parcels. Compare its boundaries with the property you are assessing.
- It documents conditions and work. LDEQ says its primary purpose is to document the current environmental conditions on a property (concentrations of contaminants present and their associated risks), the work performed to address risks, and which parts of the facility are ready for reuse.
- It can rely on institutional controls. LDEQ lists, among the eligibility criteria, that where contaminants of concern are above an unrestricted use level, institutional controls should be implemented and layered where possible to identify use restrictions. Documentation of land use consistent with cleanup objectives may include periodic land use monitoring and reporting. See Conveyance Notices and Use Restrictions.
LDEQ says a property does not have to be sold or transferred to receive one.
Where to look a site up
The page links a set of Ready for Reuse success stories, a document titled Ready for Reuse Review: Information Needed, and no list of determinations. The success stories were not read for this handbook. To find out whether a determination exists for a facility, ask LDEQ.
Getting the file
LDEQ's routes to a file are its Electronic Document Management System, an online public records request form, and visits to its Public Records Center or a regional office. They are described on the Public Records Requests page.
Sources
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 8, 2026, no modified date shown: