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Eastern Market Report
Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance Launches Brownfield Campaign
Massachusetts Legislature passed the Brownfields Act in 1998 to spur cleanup
and development of the commonwealth’s thousands of vacant, contaminated
properties. The act provides state funding for assessment and generous tax benefits
for remediation while ensuring compliance with environmental standards.
Overall, the legislation has resulted in making many formerly overlooked sites
competitive with greenfield sites.
The funding provided in the act is now running out and has dwindled down to
$4 million from the initial $30 million. A new injection of funding is needed
to continue to attract private investment to repair these missing pieces of
the community fabric.
The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance, in partnership with a team of stakeholders,
has launched a campaign to infuse the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund with an
additional $30 million and to amend the act so that tax credits for cleanup
are permanent and can be transferred to benefit non-profit housing organizations
that may wish to sell the credit to a for-profit developer.
Redeveloping land in areas already served by transportation and sewer systems
and located near housing and retail centers is a vital piece of the smart growth
puzzle.
The alliance is looking to the brownfield community to help promote this legislation
with colleagues, clients and government representatives.
If you are interested in receiving campaign alerts or you are willing lend a
hand to the effort, please contact Kristina Egan, Director of the Alliance.