Bipartisan Katko Measure To Preserve EPA Brownfield Program Advances

by Contributor | July 28, 2017 3:34 pm

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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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/bipartisan-katko-measure-to-preserve-epa-brownfield-program-advances/

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