United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5101)
EPA 500-F-97-090
May 1997
Brownfields National
Partnership Action Agenda
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.
"We should restore contaminated urban land and
buildings to productive use "
President Bill Clinton
State of the Union Address
February 5, 1997
BACKGROUND
The Clinton Administration has launched a landmark
effort to improve communities by building partner-
ships between public and private organizations to
link environmental protection with economic devel-
opment and community revitalization. The
Brownfields National Partnership seeks to protect
public health and the environment, clean up contami-
nated properties, build economic viability, and create
job opportunities.
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 Interagency
Working Group is developing a brownfields strategy,
the Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda,
that will link more effectively environmental protec-
tion with economic development and community
revitalization programs, and guide the Brownfields
Initiative into the future.
BROWNFIELDS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ACTION AGENDA
The Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda
includes more than 100 commitments from more
than 25 organizations including more than 15 Federal
agencies. These commitments represent a $300
million investment in brownfields communities by
the Federal government and an additional $ 165 million
in loan guarantees. The resulting action will help
cleanup and redevelopment at up to 5,000 properties,
leveraging from $5 billion up to $28 billion in private
investment, supporting 196,000 jobs, protecting up
to 34,000 acres of "greenfields" and improving the
quality of life for as many as 18 million Americans
living near brownfields.
Action Agenda highlights include:
The Administration choosing 10 Brownfields Show-
case Communities, each with a Federal coordinator
and 5 or more Federal agencies, serving as models
demonstrating successful collaboration on
brownfields-related activities;
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
funding $ 125 million for assessment, cleanup, state
cleanup programs and job training;
The Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) providing $155 million in
community development and housing support and
an additional $165 million in loan guarantees;
The Economic Development Administration (EDA)
granting $17 million for brownfields redevelop-
ment in distressed areas;
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The Department of Transportation (DOT) funding
$4.2 million for sustainable transportation address-
ing brownfields issues;
The General Services Administration (GSA) con-
ducting $ 1 million of environmental surveys on
Federal properties to expedite brownfields devel-
opment;
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) providing $900,000 for
waterfront and coastal revitalization;
The Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) committing $500,000to support brownfields
economic development and job creation and work-
ing with the Departments of Labor (DOL) and
Education to link job training initiatives;
The Department of Energy (DOE) providing
$315,000 to link DOE cleanups with brownfields
communities;
HHS leading an Administration-wide effort to de-
velop a public health policy for brownfields to
protect community residents;
Treasury working with Congress to pass the
President's proposed $2 billion brownfields tax
incentive; and
EPA, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the
States collaborating to establish national guidelines
for State voluntary cleanup programs.
BROWNFIELDS SHOWCASE COMMUNITIES
Purpose
The Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda
calls for the selection of 10 Showcase Communities
across the country to demonstrate that through coop-
eration, Federal, State, local and private efforts can
be concentrated around brownfields to produce envi-
ronmental cleanup, stimulate economic development
and revitalize communities. This proposal will result
in cleaning up contaminated properties, creating jobs,
expanding local economies, and improving commu-
nities' quality of life. The Brownfields Showcase
Communities approach provides sustainable local
solutions to local problems, solutions that can be
replicated throughout the nation.
Background
Communities involved in the Brownfields Initiative
have asked for more interaction among all levels of
government, the private sector and non-governmen-
tal organizations. To that end, EPA and other Federal
agencies have joined together to strengthen and im-
prove their collaborative efforts to clean up and reuse
contaminated property. The Brownfields Showcase
Communities proposal is the centerpiece of that plan
and a pattern for future efforts. The Communities
selected will serve as models for broad-based coop-
erative efforts to support locally-based initiatives.
Implementation Steps
Screening and selecting 10 communities as
Brownfields Showcase Communities (EPA, the
Departments of Commerce and the Interior, DOT,
GSA, HHS, and HUD have been involved in the
planning process). Selection criteria include
community need, current brownfields activity and
other related Federal activity, local commitment
and State involvement, and community size and
location.
Providing resources and technical assistance to
each Showcase Community to coordinate Federal
brownfields activities and support State and local
brownfields activities.
Working with local Brownfields task forces and
advisory boards to link Federal, State, local, and
non-governmental activities with community
members.
Reporting annually and evaluating progress.
CONTACT
Linda Garczynski
U.S. EPA - OSPS
Phone: 202-260-4039
Facsimile: 202-260-6606
Or, visit the EPA Brownfields Website at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields
Brownfields Fact Sheet
May 1997
Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda
EPA 500-F-97-090
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