Under Construction

A Model Proving Ground for Sustainable Redevelopment

The CREST (Community Resilience & Energy Security Testbed) is the next phase in transforming the Halaco Superfund Site into a nationally significant model of environmental restoration, advanced energy technology development, and economic revitalization. What began as an effort focused on remediation and critical mineral recovery has evolved into a comprehensive vision for a proving ground where advanced battery systems, microgrids, and other resilient energy technologies can be developed, tested, demonstrated, and commercialized while supporting workforce development and environmental stewardship.

Today, a unique convergence of technological, environmental, economic, and policy developments has created unprecedented opportunity. Building on this convergence, CREST has developed a vision for transforming the Halaco Superfund Site into a national proving ground for sustainable redevelopment and is engaging with organizations whose interests and expertise can help shape and advance that vision. Possibilities abound as:

• The U.S. Navy focuses on advancing next-generation battery and microgrid technologies to provide energy security and resilience,
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks to accelerate remediation and redevelopment of 1340 Superfund Sites nationwide through the Superfund Solutions Initiative,
• Ventura County and regional organizations continue to promote and invest in innovation, economic and workforce development, and community resilience, and
• The Ormond Beach Wetlands Restoration Project revitalizes adjacent coastal habitat while enhancing climate resilience, public access, education, and workforce development opportunities.

CREST provides a collaborative platform for engaging government agencies, industry leaders, academic and research institutions, investors, environmental organizations, and community stakeholders to explore how the CREST vision can be refined, strengthened, and implemented. These ongoing discussions seek to identify opportunities where individual organizational objectives align with the broader goal of transforming a former industrial site into a model of environmental restoration, clean energy innovation, economic opportunity, and community resilience.

More than a technology demonstration site, CREST is envisioned as a proving ground for next-generation sustainability and resilience solutions—a place where technologies, partnerships, financing models, governance approaches, and redevelopment strategies can be conceived, tested, validated, and brought to scale. By integrating environmental restoration with energy innovation, workforce development, and public-private collaboration, CREST seeks to establish a replicable model for communities across the nation facing similar environmental and economic challenges.

As the initiative moves forward, CREST is expanding relationships across the energy innovation ecosystem, including technology developers, universities, national laboratories, investment partners, regional innovation networks such as The Hive, and other organizations with complementary interests. These conversations are intended to strengthen collaboration, accelerate technology validation and commercialization, attract future public and private investment, and advance CREST’s vision as a nationally recognized model of beneficial systems change.