Brownfields Coalition Joining Forces with Smart Growth America      

Look for an announcement tomorrow - the National Brownfields Coalition and Smart Growth America have established a new alliance, with the Brownfields Coalition joining Smart Growth America.  Both organizations will be strengthened by combining expertise and public policy involvement, while making the connection between brownfields and related community reinvestment and sustainable growth issues.

This Newsletter will be transferred over to Smart Growth America.  All existing recipients will be automatically included in the new-look SGA-Brownfields Coalition newsletter.     

Bill to Establish "Brownfield Renewal Authorities" Proposed in Washington State

SB 6211 "Accelerating Cleanup of Hazardous Waste Sites" was introduced in the Washington state legislature. Following up on the recommendations of the "Washington State: Brownfields Policy Recommendations" report, the bill makes wide-ranging changes to the Washington brownfields program.  

One key proposal would grant a series of powers and enhanced incentives to newly authorized Brownfield Renewal Authorities (BRAs). BRAs would have the power to acquire land and issue bonds, but would additionally benefit from:

• The ability to access privately held brownfields for the purpose of performing an environmental site investigation;
• Priority for funding for areawide groundwater grants and for adaptive reuse planning grants;
• The Prospective Purchasers of sites located in BRAs may be granted limited liability protection under an administrative order (a less cumbersome process, relative to consent orders or Prospective Purchaser Agreements);
• Prospective Purchasers of sites in BRAs are eligible for financial assistance if the project involves expanded public access, new recreational facilities, environmental restoration, or historic preservation.

Redevelopment Economics partnered with Maul-Foster in producing the Washington State Brownfields Policy Report, summary; and  Full Report (appendix).

Ohio Launches New Brownfields Action Plan Pilot Program

From the Smart Growth America newsletter: "The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) announced last week six communities that will participate in the state's innovative Brownfields Action Plan Pilot Program, a new initiative designed to help communities with multiple brownfield sites create area-wide plans to address them. ODOD launched the program in August of last year and selected the pilot communities after a four-month application and review process. The chosen communities will each receive technical assistance and a $50,000 grant to develop and implement their area-wide plans." The innovative program uses income from Ohio's Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (funded by EPA) with federal Community Development Block Grant funds. Read more here.

• National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals report on "Cultivating Green Energy on Brownfields, A Nuts and Bolts Primer for Local Governments."
• National Trust for Historic Preservation issues report, "The Environmental Value of Building Reuse," finding that, from a life-cycle point of view, retro-fitted existing buildings take less energy and have lower environmental impacts than building new green buildings. 
• What Smart Growth Advocates Get Wrong about Density. 
• Regulations that promote sprawl are ebbing. 
• Revitalizing communities by sharing the load: Toledo's Jeep Parkway brownfield renovation.
• EPA Announces New Brownfields Multipurpose Grants, combining cleanup and site assessments.