An Analysis of the Brownfields Initiative In EPA Region 2

The re-development of Brownfields, which are abandoned, idled or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or development is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. This comes in the form of site assessment funding, voluntary clean-up program development funds, Quarterly Pilot meetings in NY and NJ, partnerships in innovative approaches, as well as Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot grants, Inter-Agency Work Group & Showcase Communities, Clean-up Revolving Loan Fund Pilot grants, and Job Training & Development Pilot grants. Students describe the amount and form of public participation that has taken place in a sample of pilot projects. In addition, they interview a sample of participants and decision makers at five of the older brownfield projects to identify the local community impact of brownfield development, as well as analyze a small sample of the new brownfield sites to identify lessons from the older sites that can be applied to these new sites.