October 2005
Turner Unveils Federal Brownfield Tax Credit
The House Government Reform Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census conducted an oversight hearing entitled "The Challenge of Brownfields: What are the Problems and Solutions in Redeveloping Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley Communities" on Tuesday, October 24 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Read more.

August 2005
EPA Brownfields Job Training Grants
The EPA is accepting proposals for brownfields job training grants until September 16, 2005. Grants are available to governments, non-profits and public colleges to prepare trainees for future employment in brownfield cleanup. Find out more at the EPA's Web site.

GAO Report on Brownfield Spending
The GAO recently released a report that shows that while total spending on Superfund, brownfields and related programs remained relatively constant between 1993 and 2005, once you factor in inflation adjustments, funding has actually decreased. Click here to read the report

Permanent Fix for Brownfields Bill
A provision in the recently-passed transportation bill permanently amends a portion of the 2002 brownfields law that prohibited entities from receiving grants if they had taken title to the property prior to enactment of the law. Going forward, entities that are eligible for US EPA brownfield grants can apply for and obtain the grants even if the property that is subject to the grant was held in title by the grantee prior to Jan. 2002. .

July 2005
BEDI Grant Competition Reopened
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has reopened the competition for Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grants. The new application submission date is August 25, 2005. Approximately $24.5 million in HUD assistance is available under this round of BEDI grants, according to the July 26 Federal Register. Applications can be submitted at Grants.gov or on paper. Details on submitting applications and when resubmissions are appropriate appear in the Federal Register.

BEDI Funding Restored
The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment restoring millions of dollars to HUD's BEDI program. Read more. Link to newly created page – text below

Kelo v. New London Eminent Domain Decision
What does it mean for the future of brownfield redevelopment? Attorney Kristina Dalman offers her analysis and gives some background on this important Supreme Court decision.

July 2005
JOHNSON AMENDMENT TO RESTORE BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP FUNDING PASSES HOUSE
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed an amendment offered by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson to H.R. 3058 - the 2006 Transportation, Treasury, HUD, Judiciary, District of Columbia Appropriations Act, which restores millions of dollars for the continued cleanup of brownfield sites nationwide.

Without the amendment, HR 3058 would have eliminated funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Program (BEDI). The goal of the program is to return contaminated sites to productive uses with an emphasis on creating substantial numbers of jobs for lower-income people in physically and economically distressed neighborhoods.

The brownfields amendment offered by Congresswoman Johnson increases grants available under HUD’ s Community Development fund by $24 million. The money would be directed toward brownfield redevelopment activities. BEDI grant funds are primarily targeted for use with a particular emphasis upon the redevelopment of Brownfields sites in economic development projects and the increase of economic opportunities for low-and moderate-income persons as part of the creation or retention of businesses, jobs and increases in the local tax base.

Congresswoman Johnson also authored an amendment to the 2006 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill that boosts funding for the EPA's brownfield program. That amendment passed the House last month. The bill is currently being debated in the Senate.

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