What is a Brownfield?

Brownfields are generally defined as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.”

A brownfield site can range from abandoned or underused industrial or commercial properties where redevelopment is complicated by actual or perceived environmental contamination. Brownfields vary in size, location, age and past use. They can range from a small, abandoned corner gas station to a large, multi-acre former manufacturing plant that has been closed for years.

Photo courtesy of Illinois EPA

It is estimated that there are more than 450,000 brownfields in the U.S. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, utilizes existing infrastructure, takes development pressures off of undeveloped open land, and both improves and protects the environment.

What is the problem?

An unintended consequence of the Superfund Law was that properties with an industrial past (i.e. brownfields) were assumed to have insurmountable environmental liability associated with them. The result was that developers and bankers decided, in many instances without any supporting data, that the risk outweighed redevelopment potential and undeveloped properties (or greenfields) were more suitable. This stigma left many properties unproductive and underused, often creating tax liabilities for the community and encouraging industry to locate in more rural areas.