Brownfield Sites
A brownfield site is defined as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”
This definition also identifies which types of sites are included or excluded from coverage.
There are over 450,000 brownfield sites in the United States. A key characteristic of these sites is that they are targeted for redevelopment. Cleaning up and reinvesting in brownfields:
- Increases local tax bases
- Facilitates job growth
- Utilizes existing infrastructure
- Reduces development pressure on undeveloped land
- Improves and protects the environment
Brownfields are not necessarily contaminated, but due to their prior commercial or industrial use, they are not assumed to be “clean.”
In recent years, many federal agencies and most states have initiated brownfield programs to encourage economic revitalization. Examples include:
- Federal level: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Program
- State level: Programs that often provide liability relief to site owners when a property is determined to be clean