What is a "brownfield"?
A brownfield is property that is not being redeveloped because it is or might be contaminated. The possible presence of hazardous materials poses liability, cost, and time obstacles to investment in and redevelopment of these sites.

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Why is brownfields redevelopment important?
Brownfields are often a blight on urban neighborhoods. Most brownfields produce little tax revenue and few jobs, if any. When brownfields are investigated, cleaned up, and returned to productive use the City, its economy, and its neighborhoods benefit.

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What is OEC's involvement in brownfields?
OEC coordinates the City's official brownfields efforts and develops brownfields policy. We assist City agencies with brownfields issues generally, helping with community involvement, state/federal agency interactions, investigation, remediation, and end-use planning issues. OEC also facilitates the City's participation in state and federal grant programs, provides information and assistance to community and business groups working on brownfields redevelopment, and represents the public sector on the executive committee of the New York State Chapter of the National Brownfields Association.

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What NYC sites and initiatives are presently being funded by state or federal brownfield programs?
The City's three NYS Environmental Restoration Program projects are the Maspeth Railroad Place site in Maspeth, Queens; Bush Terminal Landfill Piers 1-4 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn; and Barretto Point in Hunts Point, the Bronx. EPA brownfield assessment grants have been awarded for Mariners Marsh in Port Ivory, Staten Island and the Broadway Triangle and Atlantic Terminal Urban Renewal Area sites in Brooklyn. The City also received a $750,000 Revolving Loan Fund grant from EPA to launch the NY Metro Brownfields Redevelopment Fund.

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How do the federal government and New York State define brownfields?
Public Law 107-118 (H.R. 2869) - the "Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act" was signed into law on 11 January 2002. It defines a brownfield site 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."

The NYS Brownfields Law (§27-1405 of the ECL) defines a brownfield site as "any real property, the redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a contaminant."

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What is the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP)?
The BCP is New York State's program that provides regulatory guidance, liability protection, and tax credits to volunteers who investigate, remediate, and redevelop brownfield sites. More info can be found at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/der/bcp/bcp.html. The BCP replaced and expanded upon the Department of Environmental Conservation's administrative Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP).

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What are Brownfield Opportunity Areas?
The Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant program was created by the October 2003 New York State Brownfields Law to promote neighborhood planning in areas with multiple brownfields.

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What is the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP)?
The ERP is a $200 million program allowing New York State to reimburse municipalities for 90% of eligible investigation and remediation costs at municipally-owned sites. It was created by the NYS Clean Water Clean Air Bond Act of 1996 and updated by the NYS Brownfields Law of October 2003.

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What is a Phase I?
A Phase I is an initial environmental site assessment. It encompasses a records search of ownership history, historical uses, and hazardous materials storage to identify potential for contamination. This generally includes a visit to the site, but no testing.

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What is a Phase II?
A Phase II is a second stage environmental site assessment. It includes intrusive testing of soil, groundwater, sediments, and surface water to identify the nature and extent of hazardous materials. The report often makes cleanup recommendations.

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