Brownfields Redevelopment Issues at the Federal, State, and Local Levels
Adjo A. Amekudzi
N. O. Attoh-Okine
Shonali Laha
DOI: 10.2190/B4WM-VGXE-7LV4-65DX
Abstract
The redevelopment of Brownfields has taken off in the 1990s, supported by federal and state incentives, and largely undertaken through local initiatives. Brownfields redevelopment has several associated benefits. These include the revitalization of inner-city neighborhoods, creation of jobs and tax revenues, greater protection of public health and natural resources, renewal and re-use of civil infrastructure, control of urban sprawl and Greenfields protection. While these benefits are numerous, there are also several obstacles associated with Brownfields redevelopment. Redevelopment issues typically embrace a host of legal liability concerns, financial, technical and socioeconomic constraints, uncertainties arising from inadequate site information, and competing redevelopment objectives. Collectively, local, state, and federal efforts seek to address these Brownfields issues and provide both the framework and mechanism for achieving the cleanup and productive re-use of Brownfields sites. While federal and state level programs tend to focus on providing broad incentives (liability, financial, and technical) for Brownfields redevelopment, local level initiatives tend to provide the actual techniques and strategies for Brownfields redevelopment. Local Brownfields programs are increasingly the practical engine for eradicating existing Brownfields and preventing the formation of future Brownfields. As human, technical and financial resources for Brownfields redevelopment are usually limited, local level programs are also responsible for providing creative solutions that maximize limited resources for Brownfields redevelopment. the purpose of this article is to provide an overview of Brownfields redevelopment activity in the United States, define the generic scopes of federal, state, and local level programs, and identify and discuss ways in which the existing Brownfields process could be enhanced.
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