September 24, 2004—AIA members are being asked to contact their U.S. Senators and to ask them to support inclusion of Brownfields & Brightfields provisions into the Public Works and Economic Development Act (H.R. 2535) reauthorization.
“This issue provides AIA members a unique opportunity to advocate for good environmental policies and a balanced national energy policy,” said Ron Faucheux, AIA Vice President for Government Advocacy. “Advocating congressional support for Brownfield cleanup and redevelopment, using solar power technology as part of site renewal, is a chance to take meaningful action in support of vital sustainable public policies.”
H.R. 2535 includes language in Section 218 that authorizes the Secretary of the Economic Development Administration to make grants to qualified eligible recipients for projects to expand, redevelop, or reuse Brownfield sites. Additionally, in Section 219, the bill authorizes the appropriation of $5 million to create a “Brightfields Demonstration Project.” A “Brightfield” site is defined as a Brownfield site that is redeveloped through incorporation of solar energy technologies. Section 219 of the bill authorizes the Secretary of the Economic Development Administration to make a grant for the redevelopment of a “Brightfield” site if the Secretary determines the project will (1) utilize solar energy technologies to develop abandoned or contaminated sites for commercial use; and (2) improve the commercial and economic opportunities in the area where the project is located.
H.R. 2535 has six cosponsors (Rep. Anibal Acevedo-Vila (Del-PR), Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), Rep. John McHugh (R-NY), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN), and Representative Don Young (R-AK). Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) introduced the Senate version of the bill (S. 1134) on May 5, 2003, at the request of the Administration. While the bill as introduced did not contain Brownsfields or Brightfields language, a Brownfields provision was added during the committees markup in June.
