WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. John Katko announced that bipartisan legislation he introduced to preserve the EPA Brownfields Program has moved forward in the House, overwhelmingly passing out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2017 would reauthorize the Brownfields program at the Environmental Protection Agency, helping communities in Central New York and nationwide revitalize neighborhoods and spur economic development through Brownfields reassessment and remediation.
In the 24th Congressional District, Auburn, Wolcott, Fulton, Oswego, and Syracuse have benefited from this program.
“Communities across Central New York know all too well the impact of industrial pollution, and have benefited directly from the EPA Brownfields Program,” said Rep. Katko. “With the approval of this measure by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, we are one step closer to ensuring industrial sites in our community and across this country are preserved and revitalized.”
Brownfields are segments of land that were once used for industrial purposes or commercial use. Often, this land is contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution, and requires environmental remediation.
Originally authorized in 2002, the EPA’s Brownfield Program empowers states, communities, and stakeholders to assess, clean up, and redevelop these sites. However, the EPA’s Brownfield program expired in 2006, though it has continued to receive nominal funding.
This legislation would reauthorize the EPA Brownfields program through Fiscal Year 2022, at a rate of $200 million per year and the State Response Program at a rate of $50 million per year. It would also increase the cleanup grant amount from $200,000 to $600,000, as well as expand eligibility requirements to certain nonprofits, limited liability corporations, limited partnerships, and community development entities.
Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said, “Congressman Katko’s legislation will help create additional opportunities and provides more resources for Central New York communities like Oswego to revitalize their downtowns, convert vacant land into developable property and gives localities another tool at their disposal to rejuvenate and grow.”
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The EPA and Mr Katko new to look at removing the fly ash at Breightbeck Park in Oswego that was deposited there in the Sixties. It’s full of Vanadium then 6″ of topsoil put on top. Niagara Mohawk then gave it to the city. The city had no idea that it had Vanadium under the topsoil. Every year people walk on it creating dust during Harborfest and have no idea what it causes. Various cancers that the whole neighborhood has gotten and passed away from. Mr Katko this truly needs to be looked at. Being next to our harbor, I don’t think you would like to see it slide into it like the fly ash pile that slid into the Tennessee river a few years back and contaminated the river. Made a big mess that they are cleaning up yet today. I have written the EPA and got no answer. Talked to several mayors and have been ignored. Hope more people don’t die from cancer as they are going to dig up more fly ash to move the Marina to the west side of the park soon. Hope the sample what they are digging up. The remains of fly ash put there from the coal burning steam plant back in the sixties.