The following are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding Brownfields and redevelopment of these sites. These FAQs were compiled from the following sources: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Homes and Communities - Brownfields FAQs Brownfields Center at the Environmental Law Institute - Brownfields FAQs

What is a Brownfield?

A Brownfields is an abandoned, idled, or underused property where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived contamination. Brownfields sites include abandoned factories and other industrial facilities, gasoline stations, oil storage facilities, dry cleaning stores and other business that dealt with polluting substances. While these sites may once have thrived, the availability of undeveloped land, concerns with liability and the time and cost of cleanup, and reluctance to invest in older urban areas make these sites difficult to redevelop.

How many Brownfields currently exist in the United States?

It is difficult to estimate the total number of Brownfields in the U.S. The US General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates that there are as many as 425,000 Brownfields throughout the U.S. Some estimates show that there are 5 million acres of abandoned industrial sites in our nation's cities - roughly the same amount of land occupied by 60 of our largest cities.

Why invest in Brownfields?

Brownfields redevelopment can benefit both private investors and the communities in which they are located. For the private sector, Brownfields redevelopment can mean new business opportunities, the potential for profit on unused or under-utilized properties, improved community and environmental stewardship, and access to untapped urban markets.

The public sector can benefit from an increased number of employment opportunities, increased local and state tax revenues, improvements in the community's quality of life, and a reduction in urban sprawl.

What are some major impediments to Brownfields redevelopment?

Cities and private entities encounter many impediments to redeveloping Brownfields.

• Lack of necessary funding for cleanup
• Concerns over liability and uncertainty over cleanup standards
• The need for environmental assessments of the properties
• Unfavorable neighborhood and market conditions

• Reluctance to invest in distressed communities due to concerns with urban socio-economic conditions

What are the benefits of Brownfields redevelopment to property owners?

In addition to providing benefits to surrounding communities, property owners that cleanup and reuse their Brownfields properties may benefit directly by:

• Avoiding potential environmental enforcement actions by federal, state and local regulatory agencies
• Receiving tax benefits for cleaning up and reusing the property
• Reducing the likelihood that contamination from the property will migrate off site or into the groundwater under the site, thereby limiting liability for, and long term costs of, cleaning up the property
• Creating good will within the community
• Reducing the potential need to address liabilities associated with the property in financial statements and Securities and Exchange Commission filings

• Realizing an enhanced return from the property by making it more valuable and marketable.

What are state and local agencies doing to aid Brownfields redevelopment?

Many state economic development agencies have incentive programs that focus funding on assessment, cleanup, basic construction, and infrastructure development for Brownfields sites. In some instances, these programs are designed exclusively for Brownfields applicants; in other instances, more broadly defined redevelopment funding programs give special preference or priority to Brownfields site applicants. Larger cities, such as Tucson, are also beginning to have their own Brownfields programs, including tax incentives for cleaning up Brownfields. In addition, Tucson uses tax increment financing, or TIFs, to dedicate taxes to secure financing for development activities.

Are there tax incentives for Brownfields redevelopment?

In addition to direct financial assistance, federal, state and local tax incentives are available to property owners and developers to help reduce the costs of Brownfields projects. The federal tax incentives include the Taxpayers Relief Act, which allows eligible taxpayers to deduct qualified cleanup expenses at eligible Brownfields in the year they are incurred, and rehabilitation income tax credits for 10% of the expenses of rehabilitating structures built before 1936. Many state and local governments also provide tax breaks for Brownfields projects.

How much will cleanup cost and how long will it take to complete?

The cost and time to cleanup a site will vary considerably depending on the type, amount and area of contamination, and the cleanup standards used by the specific regulatory programs that governs the cleanup. For example, if the groundwater under the site is contaminated, the cost of cleanup is likely to be much higher than if just the soil is contaminated. If the contaminated materials need to be transported off site for treatment that will also affect the cost.

Another key factor in determining the level of cleanup is whether the use of the property is taken into account in setting cleanup standards. For example, if a property is slated for industrial use, the cleanup standards may be less stringent than if the property were to be used for residential purposes, because the level of exposure to the contaminants will be less.

The cost to the property owner of the cleanup will also be affected by whether there are other parties, such as previous owners of the property, that are also responsible for the contamination and can contribute to the costs.

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