Brownfields 101

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Brownfields 101

• Land Recycling Program
• Pennsylvania DEP

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• What is a brownfield?

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Definition of Brownfield

• "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or
  reuse of which may be complicated by the presence
  or potential presence of a hazardous substance,
  pollutant, or contaminant
• Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields
  Revitalization Act,
• 42 USC 9601 (39), enacted January 11, 2002

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Is this a Brownfield?

• Do I have one brownfield in my community?

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What is brownfield redevelopment?

• Brownfields redevelopment seeks to
  environmentally assess existing brownfield
  properties, prevent further contamination, safely
  cleanup polluted properties, and design plans for
  reuse

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Where did the term brownfield originate?

• Traced to Comprehensive Environmental Response,
  Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA,
  or Superfund)
• Greenfields ? Brownfields
• Definition amended in 2002

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Why do we have brownfields?

• Energy Exploration (1800s to present)
• Steel production (1870s to 1980s)
• Manufacturing (1800s to present)

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Steel is King
The coming of mass-produced steel in the 1870s
created a modern industrial society in
Pennsylvania.
Credit Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
This mighty industry simply collapsed in the
1980s. The economic impact was catastrophic in
Pennsylvanias steel towns. In the years that
followed many steel workers struggled to find new
job and their communities struggled to reinvent
themselves.
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And were living here in Allentown
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Other types of brownfields

• Former gas stations
• Old dry cleaners
• Car repair facility
• Former military bases
• Power plants
• Manufacturing plants
• Aviation facilities
• Abandoned railroads or switching yards
• Foundries

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How many brownfields does PA have?
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Why do we care about brownfields?

• Perceived or real contamination
• Land has economic value
• Access to existing infrastructure (roads, sewer)
• Additional tax revenue
• Availability of existing buildings
• Removes stigma of blight
• Reduces sprawl

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Why are brownfields challenging?

• Cleanup costs can be uncertain
• Long term liability is a concern
• Perception of property can be a hurdle

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• Act 3 of 1995 - Economic Development Agency,
  Fiduciary and Lender Environmental Liability
  Protection Act
• preempts laws imposing environmental liability
  on lenders, fiduciaries and economic development
  agencies in order to promote economic
  development

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• Thank you!!
• PA Land Recycling Program
• landrecycling_at_pa.gov