The EPA Brownfields Program Produces
Widespread Environmental and Economic Benefits
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities and other stakeholders to work
together to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse brownfields. Revitalizing brownfield
sites creates benefits throughout the community.
Farm,
Urban Oaks Organic Farm, New Britain, CT
Brownfields Program Accomplishments
as of July 2015, Including State and
Tribal Program:
•	Properties Assessed: 24,348
•	Acres Made Ready for Reuse: 55,762
•	Dollars Leveraged: $23.3B
•	Jobs Leveraged: 109,787
Accomplishment Report by State and
Tribal Response Program Using CERCLA
Section 128(a) Funding, Since FY 2006:
•	Enrolled over 38,700 properties annually
(on average)
•	Completed more than 117000 cleanups
•	Made over 1,000,000 acres ready for reuse
Through fiscal year 2014, on average, $17.54 was leveraged for each EPA Brownfields dollar
and 8.2 jobs leveraged per $100,000 of EPA Brownfields funds expended on Assessment,
Cleanup, and Revolving Loan Fund cooperative agreements.
Brownfields sites tend to have greater location efficiency than alternative development
scenarios. Results of five pilot studies show a 32 percent to 57 percent reduction in vehicle
miles traveled when development occurred at a brownfield site rather than a greenfield.
Fewer vehicle miles traveled means a reduction in pollution emissions including greenhouse
gases.These same site comparisons show an estimated 47 percent to 62 percent reduction
of stormwater runoff for brownfield site development.
Another EPA study found that residential property values increased by 5.1 percent to
12.8 percent once a nearby brownfield was assessed or cleaned up.The study determined
that brownfield clean up can increase overall property values within a one-mile radius by
$0.5 to $1.5 million. Initial anecdotal surveys indicate a reduction in crime in recently
revitalized brownfield areas.
Opportunity to expand the assessment program and leverage funds and jobs has
increased. Policy clarification allows the use of site assessment dollars for environmental
assessments in conjunction with efforts to promote area-wide planning around brownfield
sites.The use of funds for these purposes is particularly important in economically
distressed areas. In certain instances where assessments reveal immediate threats
to the environment or human health, EPA could implement a more programmatic
use of removal funds.
United States
Environmental Protection
Vs ij •—11 i rl Ag e n cy

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