SMART GROWTH AMERICA APPLAUDS HOUSE ON BROWNFIELDS AGREEMENT

Smart Growth America today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives on reaching an agreement to move federal brownfields legislation as early as next week. In July, Smart Growth America sent a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee leadership urging members to take prompt action on brownfields legislation

“For ten years, while Congress has struggled to bring any brownfields legislation to fruition, our communities have waited. Every year Congress delays, these communities lose hundreds on millions of dollars from reinvestment,” said Don Chen, Director of Smart Growth America.

The redevelopment of brownfields sites, approximately 450,000 nationwide, is a critical smart growth tool that helps to revitalize communities an alleviate pressure to develop farmland and open space. The Senate-passed brownfields bill, S.350, which is anticipated to be merged unchanged with the House-passed small business superfund liability relief bill, H.R. 1831, will resolve funding and liability issues that have long stood in the way of this economic, environmental and social revitalization in many communities.

Smart Growth America thanks U.S EPA Administrator Whitman, House Speaker Hastert, Senator Chafee and other members of Congress for their leadership.

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