Frequently Asked Questions

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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

 Greenfields are undeveloped lands such as farmlands, woodlands, or fields located on the outskirts of urbanized areas. Businesses often prefer to develop new facilities on greenfield sites to avoid the real or perceived difficulties associated with brownfields redevelopment. 

Cleaning up and reinvesting in brownfield properties increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, utilizes existing infrastructure, takes development pressures off of undeveloped, open land, and both improves and protects the environment.

Assessment grants from the U.S. EPA are used to assess sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum), and/or petroleum. Assessments grant fund Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments and community planning and outreach activities.

Cleanup grants directly address one brownfield site or multiple brownfield sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum), and/or petroleum. 

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is a preliminary investigation into past and present uses of the property and potential environmental issues. The assessment helps identify if further investigation or remediation is necessary prior to or during purchase of the property. The Phase I ESA is generally considered the first step in the process of environmental due diligence.  

A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is an "intrusive" investigation which collects original samples of soil, groundwater or building materials to analyze for quantitative values of various contaminants. This investigation is normally undertaken when a Phase I ESA determines a likelihood of site contamination. The most frequent substances tested are petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, asbestos, lead-based paint, and mold.

 In certain circumstances, EPA brownfields grant funds can be used on privately-owned properties. Brownfield assessment grants can be used by eligible entities to pay for site assessment activities on privately-owned sites .

 Since environmentally contaminated properties are commonly found many areas, there may be several brownfields in Perry. These sites can include closed dry cleaners, auto-body shops, abandoned gas stations, industrial properties, and even residential areas.  

According to the Housing and Urban Development Department,  brownfields redevelopment can benefit both private investors and the communities in which they are located. For the private sector, brownfields redevelopment can mean new business opportunities, the potential for profit on unused or under-utilized properties, improved community and environmental stewardship, and access to untapped urban markets. The retail purchasing power of all central city residents is conservatively estimated at $665 billion. Even households in the most economically distressed urban neighborhoods possess $85 billion in annual retail purchasing power. Brownfields redevelopment is critical to untapping these consumer markets.

The public sector can benefit from an increased number of employment opportunities, increased local and state tax revenues, improvements in the community's quality of life, and a reduction in urban sprawl.

Commercial and residential developers may be hesitant to investing into brownfield sites over concerns of liability, the need for environmental assessments of the properties, uncertainty over cleanup standards, unfavorable neighborhood and market conditions, land assembly issues, and reluctance to invest in distressed communities due to concerns with urban socio-economic conditions. However, as noted in the previous FAQ, massive economic growth exists with infill redevelopment.