United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA500-F-97-102
April 1997
Federal Interagency Working
Group on Brownfields
Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101)
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower States, communities, and other
stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived
contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA's Brownfields Initiative strategies include
funding pilot programs and other research efforts, clarifying liability issues, entering into partnerships, conducting
outreach activities, developing job training programs, and addressing environmental justice concerns.
INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP SUPPORTS BROWNFIELDS
The Interagency Working Group on Brownfields
was established in July 1996 as a forum for Federal
agencies to exchange information on brownfields-re-
lated activities and to develop a coordinated national
agenda for addressing brownfields.
THE NEED FOR A FEDERAL INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP
Communities with brownfields sites often face other
concerns such as unemployment, substandard hous-
ing, outdated or faulty public infrastructure, crime,
and a poorly-skilled local workforce. Although
Federal and State programs may be in place to ad-
dress these local issues, too often the programs oper-
ate in isolation. The Brownfields Initiative provides
an opportunity for Federal agencies to work together
in a more integrated fashion toward sustainable rede-
velopment. The Interagency Working Group makes the
Brownfields Initiative more effective through the coor-
dination of agency efforts and resources. Representing
a wide range of Brownfields stakeholders, the col-
laboration of diverse backgrounds, expertise, and
experience of each agency helps make the initiative
a success.
COORDINATION PROMOTES MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT
Through the Brownfields Initiative, communities can
leverage a myriad of public and private sources of
capital andtechnical support that can ensure success-
ful redevelopment. Brownfields assessment and
cleanup activities canbe linkedto health and workforce
development programs through the creation of tem-
porary andpermanentjobs. Brownfields projects can
be coordinated with transportation planning, ensur-
ing access to transportation for new workers in rede-
veloped areas. Reuse options can include not only
new economic and industrial opportunity, but devel-
opment of urban agriculture and green spaces. Close
cooperation from the beginning of a Brownfields
pilot may also decrease the likelihood that agencies
will duplicate efforts, work at cross purposes to each
other, or confuse community leaders and civic groups.
WHO'S INVOLVED?
Currently, the following Federal agencies are partici-
pating in the Interagency Working Group:
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Department of Defense (DOD)
Department of Education (ED)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of the Treasury (Treasury)
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
General Services Administration (GSA)
Small Business Administration (SBA)
BROWNFIELDS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ACTION AGENDA
The Interagency Working Group has developed a
brownfields strategy that will link more effectively
environmental protection with economic development
and community revitalization programs, and guide
the Brownfields Initiative into the future. The Action
Agenda includes more than 100 commitments from
the members of the Interagency Working Group.
SHOWCASE COMMUNITIES
The members of the Interagency Working Group are
collaborating on the selection of ten Brownfields
Showcase Communities. The Showcase Communi-
ties provide an opportunity to concentrate Federal,
state, and local efforts around brownfields to produce
environmental cleanup, stimulate economic devel-
opment, and revitalize communities. The Showcase
Communities serve as models for cooperative efforts
to support local brownfields initiatives.
MOUs
Agencies use Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
to establish policies and procedures between agen-
cies and support projects of mutual interest. EPA
currently has five MOUs with: the Department of
Interior's Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assis-
tance Program (RTCA); the Department of Housing
and Urban Development; the Department of Labor's
Employment Training Administration (ETA); the
Department of Commerce's Economic Development
Administration (EDA); and, the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
TAPPING REDEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
HUD, EDA, NOAA, and DOT are integrating
brownfields into their planning processes, ensuring
that brownfields cleanup and redevelopment are
eligible expenses for their project funds. They are
removing internal barriers and encouraging their
fields offices to work with communities on
brownfields projects.
LINKING GREEN SPACES AND BROWNFIELDS
DOI and USDA support citizen groups and local and
state governments to help ensure that redevelopment
includes green spaces in areas that suffered from urban
blight.
CREATING JOBS AROUND BROWNFIELDS THROUGH JOINT
PARTNERSHIPS
DOL, ED, HHS, and VA are connecting their mis-
sions with brownfields activities to ensure sustain-
able communities. They help create and maintain job
opportunities and provide the link between environ-
mental cleanup and workforce development.
COORDINATING FEDERAL LANDS WITH BROWNFIELDS
GSA, DOD, DOE, USDA, and DOI are responsible
for managing vast tracts of property in this country.
These agencies are taking actions to use brownfields
principles to ease the reuse of Federal properties
benefiting the communities, the environment, and
furthering the mission of the responsible agencies.
FINANCING BROWNFIELDS
Financial agencies such as Treasury, FDIC, and SBA
play a key role in the brownfields arena. Building on
the President's tax incentive proposal, agencies that
deal with financial policy are at the forefront of
coming up with innovative ways to provide incentives
and support for investing in the cleanup and reuse of
brownfields.
PROVIDING CERTAINTY TO BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT
EPA and DOJ work closely with the states to clarify
regulatory oversight roles and offer a variety of tools
to assist brownfields redevelopment. This work
helps to provide buyers, sellers, investors, and
communities with the certainty they need to redevelop
brownfields properties.
OFFERING TECHNICALSUPPORT TO LOCAL CLEANUP EFFORTS
EPA, GSA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
offertheirtechnical services to communitiesto assess
and clean up property. Their specialized skills further
support brownfields redevelopment.
Brownfields Fact Sheet
April 1997
Federal Interagency Working Group on Brownfields
EPA 500-F-97-102
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CONTACTS
For more information about EPA and other Federal
agency brownfields activities, contact:
Gayle Rice
U.S. EPA
202-260-8431
rice.gayle@epamail.epa.gov
Sven-Erik Kaiser
U.S. EPA
202-260-5138
kaiser.sven-erik@epamail.epa.gov
Brownfields Fact Sheet Federal Interagency Working Group on Brownfields
April 1997 EPA 500-F-97-102
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