Recycling Brownfields: The legislative climate
Abstract
Recycling Brownfields: The Legislative Climate 9 Recycling Browefields: The Legislative Climate Clement Dinsmore STATE and local political leaders,and increasingly, members of Congress, are becoming familiar with new terms that define a familiar debate over urban development. These terms are "Greenfields" and "Brownfields." "Greenfields" refers to suburban or exurban land that has not yet been developed for non-agricultural uses. "Brownfields" refers to previously urbanized land where the economic use has ceased or become highly marginal relative to its original use. Brownfield sites typically were used for industrial or commercial pur- poses. They are normally assumed to have varying degrees of contamination attributable to waste generation, handling, and disposal practices that prevailed before these practices were regulated in recent decades. Brownfield sites are most highly concentrated in older indus- trial areas of large cities in the northeast and midwest United States. The transformation of the United States economy in recent de- cades has altered the economic geography of urban communities. Many industries have declined significantly and have either relocated to Greenfield sites here or abroad, or have ceased to operate altogether. Commercial enterprises, including offices, retail and wholesale stores, and warehouses, have also been relocated to Greenfield sites. The re- sulting