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Smart growth is an approach to community design that connects housing, transportation, and land use to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient neighborhoods.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.

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Land that's haunted by its past

When factories close and their buildings are shuttered, they often leave behind a sinister secret.

By Alex Dodds, October 31, 2013

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When factories close and their buildings are shuttered, they often leave behind a sinister secret.
 Toxic chemicals and pollutants left behind from their industrial past can haunt these places. Until the contaminants can be safely cleaned up or disposed of, no one can use these buildings or the land they sit on. 
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<p>When factories close and their buildings are shuttered, they often leave behind a sinister secret.</p>
<p> Toxic chemicals and pollutants left behind from their industrial past can haunt these places. Until the contaminants can be safely cleaned up or disposed of, no one can use these buildings or the land they sit on. </p>
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Help land that’s haunted by its past: Send a letter to your Senators today.

Contaminated land doesn’t have to be scary, though. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program helps towns and cities across the country assess and clean up brownfield sites, and put this land back into productive use.

Now, a bill in Congress would help even more towns clean up brownfields. The BUILD Act of 2013 would renew the federal brownfields program and improve its ability to help towns clean up contaminated land.

Help clean up contaminated land: Speak out for the BUILD Act today.

This Halloween, help towns and cities clean up land haunted by its past: speak out for the BUILD Act today.