r*
CPE
  inside
  A More Complete Package for
  Problem-Solving/2
  EPA Brownfields Pilots/4
  The Brownfield Showcase
  Communities/4
  How The Brownfields Process
  Works/6
  Brownfields as an Investment
  Opportunity/7
  Looking Ahead/7
  Brownfields as a Catalyst for
  Change/8
  REINVENTION
                                   United States
                                   Environmental Protection
                                   Agency
                            Office of
                            Reinvention
                            (1801)
                  November 1998
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                                            i  T
                                    A   REPORT
                                 U L A T O R Y  RE I N V E N f I 6 N
                                    The Brownfields Economic
                                    Redevelopment Initiative
                                    Laying the Framework for Sustainability
                                    The  Reality of Brownfieids
      i- rownfields are abandoned, idled,
      i or under-used industrial or com-
      . mercial properties whose redevel-
 opment is complicated by real or per-
 ceived environmental contamination.
 These sites exist in many American com-
 munities. In fact, the General Accounting
 Office, the U.S. Conference of Mayors,
 and others estimate that more than
 600,000 brownfield sites are located
 throughout the country, not only in urban
 settings, but in suburban and rural areas
 too. Given the large number of higher risk
 toxic waste sites under the federal
 Superfund cleanup program,  brownfields
 have been a lesser priority, often neglected
 or forgotten. Over time, these contami-
 nated sites sow the seeds of urban blight,
 creating a cycle of degradation that can be
 difficult to break. As community health
 and economic opportunity decline, new
 development moves elsewhere, leaving
 hopelessness and despair in its wake,
 destroying open space, and adding to
 urban sprawl.
   Breaking this cycle requires attention not
 just to environmental quality, but to
 equally important social and economic
 issues within the affected community. Such
 issues present a whole new challenge for
 EPA. Our commitment to cleaning up and
 preventing pollution remains strong. Yet,
 today we understand that environmental
 improvements alone cannot assure safe,
 clean, vibrant communities for our citizens.
We must strive for a higher goal — achiev-
                                     ) Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber.
ing broad-based sustainability. This state of
balance between environmental, economic,
and social goals will not be achieved
through a federally prescribed regimen
alone; rather, bottom-up solutions are
needed, crafted by all affected parties.
  This bottom-up, community empower-
ment approach is the foundation of EPA's
Brownfields Economic Redevelopment
Initiative (Brownfields Initiative). Fully
launched in 1995, this initiative supports
pilot projects to test innovative approaches
to solving brownfield problems. Designed
to provide national models for other com-
munities facing similar circumstances, the
Administration has pledged to support 300
Brownfields Initiative pilot projects by the
end of 1999. To date, 226 communities
have benefitted from the program's techni-
cal and financial assistance. As a sign of
how EPA is supporting a more complete
problem-solving approach, we have offered
some very nontraditional assistance, too.
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                   Comi)lete package for Problem-Solving
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         Agency's Brownfields initiative represents a 'breakthrough inJiow traditionalenvironmentalprograms are run. Rather thanfocus-
                   ^e'poftuti^nTisms^cK'as'ainland,"or "water "qualitythe comprehensive, multifaceted design encourages communi-
      ties to address many diverse and interrelated issues. It builds on the trials and errors of past community cleanup and redevelopment
       Time and time again, th'e lesson learned from these "experience's 'is "that revitalization requires attention not only to health and envi-
      ital ttttte*f but to social and economic concerns as well
      •don this leuon, EPA has taken several steps to foster a more comprehensive problem-solving approach.  These steps include developing
 ^technical toots needed to conduct assessments and cleanup activities, working to remove the liability obstacles inadvertently created
iiiiiiiiil	i ii null	 ili	111	i	i	inn	mini	ii	iiiiiiii iiiiipi PIIIII iipiii i ii  •»"*""  ""l ~"
      ' ",uperfi(nd regulation,  and supporting the job training required to ensure a ready workforce for the new jobs that result from revi-
          ^hrough these "and" "other actions", SPA "an^its'partnefs "are "laying Wejoundation that is needed to help communities break the
     ofdegradation and achieve long-lasting sustainability.
             i,	".-   'i	
 Providing Financial
 Assistance
   EPA awards assessment grants valued
 at up to $200,000 over a 2-year period
 to communities selected for pilot pro-
 jects. These funds do not pay the
 cleanup bills, but provide seed money
 for the environmental site assessment
 and planning that allows communities
 to attract investments for revitalization
 and sustainable growth. The $42 million
 awarded to date, has helped create more
 than 2,000 new jobs with tens of thou-
 sands more projected. It also has served
 as a powerful springboard for change,
 leveraging nearly $1 billion in funds
 from private and public sources. The
 city of Dallas, Texas, for example, started
 with a  $200,000 assessment grant and
 leveraged over $53 million in public and
 private development funds, redeveloping
 six sites and reclaiming more than 1,200
 acres of brownfields. Residents now ben-
 efit from a new city recreation facility, a
 housing and shopping development, an
 environmental training and technology
center, and hundreds of new jobs.
  The Brownfields Initiatives cleanup
revolving loan fund provides capital to
these pilots as they move beyond assess-
ment and planning to begin cleanup.
States, counties, cities, or tribes that have
previously received assessment grants
may apply for additional grants to set up
revolving loan funds. These funds pro-
vide capital for lending to public and pri-
vate entities such as local governments
and community development organiza-
tions. Loan repayments provide a contin-
uing source of-capital for new loans, dra-
matically increasing the number of
brownfield cleanups over time. Since
1997, EPA has awarded up to $350,000
each to 23 cities and states to set up
revolving loan funds. The 1999 fiscal
year congressional budget authorizes $35
million to support additional revolving
loan funds. In addition, starting this fis-
cal year, the grant amount for revolving
loan funds has been increased, allowing
support up to $500,000.


Offering  Special  Tools

and  Technical

Assistance

   Because each Brownfield pilot presents
its  own cleanup and  revitalization chal-
lenges, decisions related to cleanup  and
revitalization are best made at the state
and local levels. Years ofexperience
cleaning up Superfund sites, however,
provides the Agency with technical
resources and expertise that can be valu-
able to communities planning and man-
aging Brownfields Initiative projects.
EPA's Road Map to Understanding
Innovative Technology Options for
Brownfields Investigation and Cleanup and
the companion ToolKit-of Information
Resources for Brownfields Investigation and
Cleanup draw from this experience and
provide useful references. EPA also offers
guidance on related issues. A document
on soil screening, for example, helps local
decision-makers quickly determine which
portions of a site require further study
and which pose little risk to human
health and might be ready for develop-
ment without extensive cleanup. Other
materials discuss how to develop a cul-
tural profile to better understand com-
munity values and needs. EPA guidance
not specific to brownfields also can prove
useful. The Agency's cumulative risk
assessment guidance issued in July 1997,
for example, encourages consideration of
multiple pollution sources, pathways,
and effects in assessing environmental
risk. Using this guidance, environmental
managers in a variety of circumstances,
including brownfields, can assess risks in
a more consistent, scientifically complete
way. EPA's brownfields "Web site at
 provides a gate-
way to these and other technical tools as
well as information about cleanup and
redevelopment issues.


Supporting  Job

Training

   To create job opportunity for residents
living near brownfields sites and to
ensure well-trained workers for cleanup

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 A former crab picker at her new job,
 assembling solar panels in Maryland.
 and redevelopment activities, EPA has
 initiated a Brownfields Initiative job
 training and development demonstration
 pilot program. Public and private institu-
 tions can receive grants of up to
 $200,000 over 2 years for workforce
 development activities related to assess-
 ment, cleanup, and redevelopment of
 brownfields properties. The first 11
 pilots, which began in August 1998, are
 bringing together community groups,
 job training organizations, educators,
 investors, lenders, developers, and others.
 Their goal is to facilitate cleanup and
 prepare trainees for employment in the
 environmental field. Through its pilot
 project, East Palo Alto, California, for
 example, partnered with a nonprofit job
 training center to establish a hazardous
 materials training program. The first 34
 graduates have completed classroom and
 on-the-job training in contamination
 removal, and most have been hired with
 regional companies. These community
 members are discovering first hand how
 job training can help instill hope and
 rebuild lives.

 Increasing  Flexibility
   Rather than imposing one absolute
 cleanup standard, the Brownfields
 Initiative allows anticipated use of the
 property, as envisioned by the communi-
 ty, to dictate the cleanup level required.
A multistory parking lot, for example,
would require  less cleanup than a chil-
 dren's playground. Because the amount
and type of contamination at a brown-
fields site often vary from one section to
another, communities can use a range of
innovative cleanup  strategies to prepare
each area for its intended future use.
  Strong community involvement is piv-
 otal to EPA in allowing this type of flexi-
 bility. Early community involvement in
 discussions about desired future uses of
 brownfields properties, as well as related
 issues like acceptable risk and preferred
 cleanup methods, result in a more demo-
 cratic decision-making process; greater
 support for the remedies selected; and
 faster, more effective cleanups.
 Ultimately, these benefits are good for
 the environment, good for business, and
 good for neighborhoods and the people
 who live there.
 Pushed  Through Tax
 and  Financial
 Reforms
   Brownfields issues can't always be
 worked out within individual cities or
 communities; in some cases, they have
 to be addressed more broadly at a
 national policy level. In the past, for
 example, disincentives for cleaning up
 brownfields property were buried within
 the national tax code. Expenditures for
 cleanups had to be capitalized, or
 deducted from taxes, over time. The
 Administration's brownfields tax incen-
 tive in the August 1997 Taxpayer Relief
 Act removed this disincentive. Now,
 cleanup costs for properties in targeted
 areas can be fully deducted during the
 year that expenses were incurred. This
 new allowance provides  an additional
 financial incentive for communities and
 private interests to bring brownfields
 sites back into productive use.
 Nationally, the Treasury Department
 estimates this eco-
 nomic benefit may
 be worth up to $1.5
 billion.
   Lender liability
 concerns stemming
 from earlier
 Superfund experi-
 ence have been
 another disincentive
 for brownfield
 investment. Even
 though brownfields
 are less contaminated
than Superfund sites,
fears about the high
costs associated with
 Superfund liability have often led indus-
 trial developers to shun otherwise usable
 brownfields. Instead, they seek out
 undeveloped open space for new growth.
 Over time, such decisions have con-
 tributed to urban decay, the disappear-
 ance of green space, and urban sprawl.
 Recently, EPA addressed Superfund lia-
 bility concerns for prospective brown-
 fields lenders, purchasers, and property
 owners. A new Agency policy under the
 Asset Conservation, Lender Liability,
 and Deposit Insurance Protection Act of
 1996 outlines the circumstances under
 which lenders are protected against
 enforcement actions by the U.S. govern-
 ment and third party claims for
 Superfund liability. This clarification
 provides a basis for estimating project
 costs, essential information for an
 investor considering a brownfields
 investment.
   Based on better and more recent
 information, EPA also removed approxi-
 mately 30,000 sites from the national
 Superfund inventory. This action sends a
 signal that the federal government no
 longer believes that worst-case remedia-
 tion measures are warranted. With
 uncertainty about the extent of risk and
 liability reduced, the chances for cleanup
 and redevelopment at these brownfield
 sites improves significantly.
  Another way EPA is working to
 encourage lending for brownfields pro-
jects is through changes to the
 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
 regulations, administered by the
Treasury Department.  In 1977,
Congress enacted CRA requiring banks,
thrifts, and other lenders to make capital
           available in low- and moder-
           ate-income neighborhoods.
           Now due to new provisions
           for brownfields, lenders sub-
          ject to the CRA require-
           ments can claim community
          development loan  credits for
          lending money if it is being
          used for brownfields cleanup
          and redevelopment activi-
          ties. Again, the goal is to
          provide more incentive for
          investment that can help
          stabilize and turn around
          declining areas.

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                                                                                                                  I
                                                                             EPA  Brown
                                                                                             226  Awarded  as
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      Building  On Success
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$i<;j;	ijThe Brownfield
' I:; ""'ShowcasiB Communities
           For several years, communities with
           Brownfield Initiative pilot projects
           have asked for more cooperation
      and interaction among all levels of gov-
      ernment, particularly federal agencies. In
      1997, this request prompted Vice-
      President Gore to announce a
      Brownfields National Partnership to
      bring together the resources of more than
      20 federal agencies to deal strategically
      with local cleanup and reuse issues. This
      rnt|itiagency partnership builds on the
      wdrk already done in 16 localities by
      turning pilot projects into "Brownfields
      Showcase Communities." Considered the
      centerpiece of the federal partnership, the
      communities selected receive special tech-
      nical, financial, and other assistance as
      well as national visibility for their brown-
      fields efforts. Recognized for their innov-
      ative and successful approaches, these 16
      communities are serving as national role
      models for other communities facing
      similar redevelopment situations and
      challenges.
                           Baltimore, MD
                      Connecting the city's Economic
                    Empowerment Zone and brownfield
                    redevelopment activities.
                           Chicago, IL
                      Showing how a city can lead on
                    brownfield issues through the collabora-
                    tion and partnership of a community-
                    based Brownfields Forum.
                           Dallas, TX
  A national leader in leveraging federal
environmental cleanup and economic
development funds.
                           East Palo Alto, CA
   Showing how a bypassed, historically
agricultural community can successfully
clean up brownfield areas and broaden
its economic base.
                                                              Southeast Florida
                                     A five-county partnership to
                                    revitalize an urban core and alleviate
                                    development pressures around the
                                    imperiled Everglades.
                                                              Glen Cove, NY
                                                         A small Long Island community suc-
                                                        cessfully involving local citizens in unit-
                                                        ing redevelopment efforts along the
                                                        waterfront.
                                           Kansas City, KS and MO
                                                          Showing how cities, states, and federal
                                                        agencies can join together to solve
                                                        brownfields problems crossing State lines.

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ields  Pilots
 November 1998
                                                        Brownfields
                                                        Assessment
                                                        Pilot Project
       Demonstrating how a sprawling
     metropolis can revitalize brownfields
     through a concentrated transportation
     corridor project.
            Lowell, MA
       A classic northeastern manufacturing
     city focusing on revitalizing its former
     industrial sites.
       Portland, OR

  Using the transportation system to
spur brownflelds cleanup and maintain
controlled, sustainable growth.
       State of Rhode
       Island/Providence
  Working together to improve condi-
tions in the Woonasquatucket River
watershed, with a focus on greenway
development.
                                                St. Paul, MN
                                          Using its Port Authority to concen-
                                        trate economic revitalization and rede-
                                        velopment activities with support from a
                                        strong state cleanup program.
                                                                                  HI
                                         PR
                                                                                   Salt Lake City, UT
                                                                              Working to reconnect parts of the city
                                                                            now separated by a blighted industrial
                                                                            district.
                                                                                   Seattle/King County, WA
                                                                         Showing how a major city and rural
                                                                       county can work together in a regional
                                                                       approach to brownflelds development.
                                                                              Stamford, CT
                                                                         A small, northeastern industrial city
                                                                       planning to reclaim its harbor area
                                                                       through brownflelds redevelopment.
                                                                                   Trenton, NJ
                                      Successfully partnering with a neigh-
                                    borhood community development cor-
                                    poration to involve the community in
                                    brownflelds redevelopment activities.

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 How the Browriflelds  Process A/Viiilki
       ccause no two brownfields are the
         me, each project follows a
       uniquc course toward revitaliza-
 don. The pertinent questions in each sit-
 uation are different. Is a cleanup  needed?
 Is there a rnisperception in the communi-
 ty about the safety of an abandoned fac-
" tofy Site? What sort of redevelopment
;"^Ot|Id con?munity stakeholders prefer?
 Are potential redevelopers frightened off
 by liability concerns? The community-
 based problem-solving approach  of the
 Brownfields Initiative has proven effective
 at Jjelping communities find die  answers.
"!", Communities come to EPA with a
 vision, but need help getting from point
 A to point B. That's where EPA steps in
 w|th financial support through its assess-
 mefft grantsi Communities get die seed
; money they need to begin work. But they
 ajs,p benefit from having models and
 assistance on technical, legal, and
 stakeholder issues diat can further
 "jump start" the redevelopment
 process. With diis support, com-
 munities begin to build local part-
 nerships, involve dieir citizens in
 decision-making, and leverage
 resources to pursue goals far
 beyond what would be possible
 With a single federal grant.
 Because the Brownfields Initiative
 aims to empower, EPA's direct
 involvement in each assessment
 pilot ends after 2 years. By that
 time, the capacity building that
::-' r '•!* •!•.!- J	• .••'•   ,  " .,    I 	     . (
 occiirred during the pilot phase provides
 a framework for redevelopment to con-
 tinue. Financial support from revolving
i Ipag fiinds can strengthen this framework
                   ''"     '       ''
 !'!;:',:." 1."" ;:'.'Under die Brpwnfiekls .Initiative,,
 1; States and local governments have the
   responsibility for actually managing
   ;aSS8ssmeri|"pilot projects. The projects
   generally evolve dirough four phases,
   though activities in some phases can be
 '  Undertaken concurrently with activities in
•!  'others. Conimunity involvement is essen-
   tial at every stage, from beginning to end.
Site Assessment
  Similar to an audit, a site assessment is
conducted to determine the overall con-
dition of an area. The primary focus is
determining whether contamination is
likely. These assessments involve investi-
gating historical records, mostly through
paper or electronic searches, to learn
about past and current conditions and
uses of the property. During diis stage,
project managers also begin considering
odier issues such as anticipated future use
of die site, special community needs or
concerns, and applicability of innovative
cleanup technologies.


Site  Investigation

  This phase focuses on identifying,  locat-
ing, and characterizing the nature and
                  extent of contamina-
                  tion. A detailed  field
                  study is performed
                  diat might include
                  analyzing soil, ground
                  water, surface water,
                  and sediment samples
                  to assess  contamina-
                  tion and possible
                  threats to die envi-
                  ronment or any peo-
                  ple living or working
                  nearby. These results
                  are die basis for set-
                  ting cleanup and
redevelopment goals. They allow investiga-
tors to quantify risks and dien determine
acceptable and unacceptable risk levels.
This determination guides die develop-
ment of appropriate cleanup plans, which
help eliminate unnecessary delays in rede-
veloping and using die property later on.
                                        Assessing  Cleanup
                                        Options
                                          Once contamination levels are known,
                                        it is possible to choose technologies suit-
                                                                                able for meeting cleanup and redevelop-
                                                                                ment objectives. To ensure community
                                                                                support and confidence, project managers
                                                                                educate and actively involve local repre-
                                                                                sentatives in die cleanup selection
                                                                                process. They must consider budget
                                                                                requirements and maintain a work sched-
                                                                                ule so the project remains financially
                                                                                viable. Also, the role of institutional con-
                                                                                trols, like zoning and deed restrictions
                                                                                diat might apply during cleanup, must be
                                                                                considered.

                                                                                Clean  Up Design and

                                                                                Implementation
                                                                                   The final phase focuses on designing
                                                                                and implementing a cleanup plan to pre-
                                                                                pare the property for redevelopment and
                                                                                use. Key factors to consider include any
                                                                                federal, state, local, and tribal require-
                                                                                ments for conducting cleanup activities;
                                                                                monitoring cleanup so work stops when
                                                                                goals are reached; how to involve the
                                                                                community in designing and implement-
                                                                                ing the cleanup plan; and protecting
                                                                                community residents and property during
                                                                                actual cleanup. A tradeoff also must be
                                                                                considered between cost and meeting
                                                                                redevelopment project deadlines. Project
                                                                                managers, for example, might need  to
                                                                                consider whedier some redevelopment
                                                                                activities, such as renovating an existing
                                                                                building, could be conducted concurrent-
                                                                                ly with other cleanup actions.
  f&P&Pff

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Brownfields As An Investment
                        .                       •- :,>.
Opportunity
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         As a result of recent reforms,
         more developers"are" finding
         brownfields lucrative from ar,.,
business standpoint. The land often is _'^
desirable for the reasons businesses, pre?  •
ferred inner city locations in the first  :._
place — well developed infrastructure^  .
proximity to public transportation, and
easy access for customers and suppliers.
And yet State laws and local require-
ments still are barriers in some situa-
tions. For many development compa-
nies, however, EPA's liability limits and
increased flexibility (among other fac-
tors) make brownfields a sound business
choice. Consulting engineers George
Kanapel and Robert Moore have charac-
terized brownfields ventures as "...a
potential asset, a chance to turn a prop-
erty around, maybe make a profit," and
"more of an economic development pro-
gram than an environmental problem"
("Brownfield Cleanups Debug
Development," Engineering News-
Record, April 28, 1997).
"EPA's liability limits and  increased
flexibility...make brownfields a
sound business choice."
  Bruce S. Beattie, director of program
development for ITC Brownfields
Services Corporation, notes brownfields
projects can generate returns in the 20
to 30 percent range, compared to 5 per-
cent on straight environmental business
investments: (Engineering News-Record,;
April 28,  1997). "There's a lot of capital
out there iopking for .the,highest rate;of
return, and brownfields are a source :bf
tjiat," says Jennifer Johnson, ^opouriting*;;'"' bflth;"'
firm-divisiori mMagecf'Ebx Urban;  £* %J September 1998).
  ~.\ S i^/lJiJU?    -'~V .
   The New York Times, March 3, 1998).; "..-'-
      Some companies,'like Jacoby ;
   Development, Inc., see brownfields as a
   welcornerppportunity to apply their
  '-development expertise for the greater
  /societal good. After years of successfully
   developing shopping centers around  ."
   well-known national clients, James
   Jacoby has turned to nontraditional
   development projects. These include the
   largest brownfield project in Georgia to
   date — redeveloping the 138-acre
   Atlantic Steel heavy industrial site in
   downtown Atlanta into a mixed use
   commercial, retail, office, residential,
   and entertainment complex. Other
   undertakings in Florida include develop-
   ing an aquaculture farm in Plantation
   Key and creating a center for manatee
   and sea turtle rehabilitation, as well as
   dolphin therapy in Fort Myers, each
   requiring technological innovation.
   Jacoby was attracted to brownfields rede-
   velopment by the new environmental
   guidelines allowing more flexibility. The
           types of cleanup can match the
           specific types of contamina-
           tion, depending on the final
           intended uses of the property.
           In addition, the ability to
           negotiate and adjust the loca-
           tion of various components
   within a brownfields site can make cer-
   tain development economically feasible.
   The lessons learned from Atlantic Steel
   will be valuable to future brownfields
   projects. This also is significant to
   Jacobyr'T^fe're very good at what we've
^^•dpne^in the past.-.. :(and) Iwant to give
 „  something back," he says, "so we're now
-.'Allying tp go,.from success to sighi"
is,i(V, I'm fortunateth^at I can try tp dp
        (Atlanta Business" Chronicle,
          uring the coming year, EPA
          will continue working to
          address the nation's brpwn-
    :ld needs. In addition tp .supporting
    ic existing pilots, the Agency will
   Sffer.Assistance to more communities,;,,
    sjwe_w6ik toward the_ „'.„....	
^Administration's goal of 3QO brown-
jTBeldjprojects by the end of 1999.
^Hundreds of communities will have a
jp jifaance to compete for site assess-.
fcmentTIcIeanup revolving loan funds,
       job training support. For infor-
IgLmatipn about these grant programs,
    [about brpwnfields issues in gener-
    , visit the programs Web site at
  ?%epa.gov/brownfields>. Information
    ""' is available by calling 202 260-
         • by writing to l£S. EPA, MC
         01 M Street, SW.,;:'\.7",.....-..K,.
    feshmgton, DC 20460^ "       :
    —"* •-"i-'a^^ng   J          .  .-.-.  .<.'„.*,» ,..,„,, „,,,«
                                                                    :icance.:
Wastelands, Tomatoes and Other Life,'-':
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-------
   Brownfields as  a  Catalyst  for  Change
   B
      I- esides revitalizing neighborhoods
          creadng national models to
      'help more communities address
their brownfield problems, the compre-
hensive problem-solving approach of the
Brownfields Initiative Is driving change
within odiejr environmental programs.
Recognizing the problems that brown-
fields and other communities face in
controlling stormwater runoff, for exam-
ple* EPA is now working to modify eligi-
bility requirements under the clean water
state revolving loan fund so that
stormwater control projects are eligible
for funding. This action should provide
more capital to address a common prob-
lem associated with development activity.
   The Brownfields Initiative also is being
used to examine rne impacts of clean air
regulations on cleanup and redevelop-
ment. Under the Clean Air Act, commu-
nities not meeting federal clean air stan-
dards may be subject to development con-
straints. These requirements can slow
brownfield redevelopment. In some
instances, however, allowing a brownfields
redevelopment or other development pro-
ject may prove more beneficial than mov-
ing a project outside the nonattainment
area to undeveloped land. Results from
Brownfield Initiative pilots in Baltimore,
Dallas, and Chicago will show how we
can better achieve clean air goals and still
allow development to proceed.
  In an effort aimed at brownfields pre-
vention, EPA is working to identify flex-
ibility within the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) that could be
used to encourage safe and environmen-
tally protective cleanup of RCRA facili-
ties. This initiative aims to facilitate
reuse and redevelopment in order to pre-
vent thousands of corrective action
properties from becoming the brown-
fields of the future.
  Another effort focuses on die oppor-
tunities for brownfield cleanup and rede-
velopment during closure or alignment
of federal military bases. Contamination
on military bases is a common problem;
however, the levels of contamination on
any given site may range considerably.
Recognizing an opportunity to address
the less contaminated areas, EPA is sup-
porting a study on how they might be
cordoned off and targeted for more
immediate attention. The goal is to
expedite action for brownfield areas, and
avoid the delay that might overwise
result because of association with higher
risks on the base property.
  Proven success through the
Brownfields Initiative also is affecting
enforcement. Increasingly, communities
are requesting brownfields redevelop-
ments as part of legal settlements that
compensate residents for environmental
violations in their communities. In
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for example,
General Electric faces a $200 million set-
dement for releasing polychorinated
biphenyls and other hazardous sub-
stances into the Housatonic River. In
addition, the company has agreed to
clean up the injured river and to conduct
a brownfield redevelopment project on
part of the defunct plant. Working with
the Pittsfield Economic Redevelopment
Authority, General Electric will make a
multimillion dollar investment in
Pittsfield. This settlement and others like
it provide strong evidence about the
value stakeholders see in brownfields
cleanup and redevelopment projects.
&EPA
   United States
   Environmental Protection
   Agency (1801)
   Washington, DC 20460

   Official  Business
   Penalty  for Private Use
   $300
                                                                                                     FIRST CLASS
                                                                                                    POSTAGE & FEES
                                                                                                        PAID
                                                                                                         EPA
                                                                                                    Permit No. G-35

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