Status of state Brownfield programs -- A comparison of enabling legislation

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:354285

Rogoff, M J ^[1]

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1. HDR Engineering, Inc., Tampa, FL (United States)

Though a definitive count is impossible, the US General Accounting Office has estimated that there are between 130,000 and 400,000 Brownfield sites in the country. What accounts for this discrepancy is that many of these sites may not be contaminated at all, but merely perceived to require a prohibitively expensive cleanup before redeveloping. Many developers and lending institutions have been increasingly unwilling to take on the stringent municipal, state, and federal regulations required for remediation at these sites. As a result, development often times has taken place on greenfield sites which are located outside the confines of the inner city. This has frustrated the comprehensive plan goals of most communities which mandate urban infilling and use of existing public infrastructure. Over the past decade, however, there has been a movement in nearly half of the states away from stringent cleanup requirements. There are currently variations in what each state requires. Some states, which maintain strict State Superfund programs while some states provide a form of voluntary remediation actions by the property owner or developer. Other states are developing more flexible approaches for their Brownfield programs based on numeric or risk based standards. The degree of stringency may vary from state to state dependent on the degree of legislative emphasis placed on economic redevelopment of Brownfield properties. This paper will compare and contrast the major trends in enabling legislation of states which currently allow some form of brownfield program. A case study from Florida will highlight how one state is attempting to draft enabling legislation to initiate a comprehensive Brownfield program to respond to current state needs.

• OSTI ID: 354285
• Report Number(s): CONF-970677--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
ABANDONED SITES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
LEGISLATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
STATE GOVERNMENT
US SUPERFUND