Brownfields

Compiled by Rose Arnold, February 2001

http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/tapthepower.htm

Publications by Wisconsin State Agencies

BEAP: Brownfields Environmental Assessment Program, Building for the Future. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, May 1999. (623.5/W7t1) Explanation of the Wisconsin brownfields program as administered by the Department of Natural Resources. Includes a survey of 1996-1998 sites.

[Brownfields and Land Recycling Briefs]. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 1997, 1999. BB-97-4 (623.5/W7j); BB-99-15 (623.5/W7j2) These two Budget Briefs describe brownfields provisions in the 1997 and 1999 biennial budgets.
www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/index.html#BB

Brownfields Initiatives in the 1999-2001 State Budget: Summary of Changes, Improvements and New Programs. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1999. (623.5/W7e9)

Brownfields Study Group Final Report. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1999-2000. (623.5/W7t2) 2pts. Comprehensive studies by representatives from WI state agencies, local governments, businesses, and other public and private entities.
pt.1 1999 www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/rr/archives/pubs/RR615.pdf
pt.2 2000 www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/rr/archives/pubs/RR655.pdf

Contaminated Land Cleanup Programs. Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 1999. Informational Paper 99-62. (623.5/W7L1/1999) Explanation of the various Wisconsin hazardous waste programs and the agencies that administer them.
www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Informationalpapers/lfbinfo.html

The Financial Resource Guide for Cleanup and Redevelopment. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Department of Commerce, March 2000. (623.5/W7t) Describes financial resources available to Wisconsin communities for hazardous waste cleanup, especially brownfields programs.

New Law Relating to Remediation of Contaminated Land (1993 Wisconsin Act 453). Wisconsin Legislative Council, Informational Memorandum 94-10, 1994. (623.1/W7i2) This law took effect on May 13, 1994. It was developed by the Legislative Council Special Committee on Tax Delinquent Contaminated Land. Committee minutes (LegisCl/1991-93/s/pt.3) (noncirculating).

Publications by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Remediation and Redevelopment Program

Recycling Contaminated Lands in Wisconsin. 1995-2000. (NatR/AW/r) (noncirculating) Series of fact sheets explaining various aspects of Wisconsin's brownfields program.

• Environmental Liability Exemption for Lenders and Representatives. (NatR/AW/e/1995)

• Fees For Assistance in the Purchaser Liability Exemption Program. (NatR/AW/f/1996)

• Guidance for Dealing with Properties Affected by Off-site Contamination. (NatR/AW/g/1998)

• Liability Protection for Local Governmental Units and Economic Development Corporations. (NatR/AW/l/2000)

• Limited Liability for Purchasers of Contaminated Property. (NatR/AW/l)

• Step One of Conducting a Thorough Environmental Investigation: Phase I Environmental Assessment and a Phase II Scope of Work. (NatR/ES/s)

• A Summary of Federal Environmental Liability Exemptions for Lenders. (NatR/AW/s/1997)

• WDNR's Superior Lien Authority: What it Means for Property Owners and Lenders. (NatR/AW/w/1995)

• Wisconsin's Land Recycling Law: Implementing the Brownfields Cleanup Initiative in Wisconsin. (NatR/AW/w/1995)

Remediation & Redevelopment Program Annual Report. 1998-99 (1999-2000 on order). (NatR/AW/r) (noncirculating) Reports on activities, including hazardous spills and conditions, Superfund projects, as well as brownfield sites.

RE News: Information From Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment. May 1998 to date. (NatR/AW/r) (noncirculating) Quarterly newsletter; usually includes updates from brownfields study groups.

Federal and Electronic Publications

Brownfield Liability and Resource Issues: Hearing. U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Control and Risk Assessment, March 4, 1997. (623.5/X42) Page 135 features a map of sites in Racine, WI.

Brownfields: Information on the Programs of EPA and Selected States. U.S. General Accounting Office, December 2000. (623.5/X22/pt.2) Report to Congress on the success of brownfield remediation in selected states (MA, MI, NJ, PA, and WI). Wisconsin officials estimate that there are 10,000 brownfield sites in the state, financed by grants or tax increment finance (TIF) districts. Wisconsin Department of Commerce estimates that 3,364 potential jobs have been created, 507 acres returned to productive use.

Forum on the Economic Future of American Cities: Jobs and Economic Prosperity [Through Redevelopment] Transcript of Proceedings. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, June 9, 1997. www.hud.gov/2020/0609trans.html

"IB10011: Superfund Reauthorization Issues in the 106th Congress". U.S. Congressional Research Service Issue Brief, Mark Reisch, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, October 30, 2000. Includes a press release dated December 21, 2000: "Community renewal . . . package signed into law today."-press release. www.cnie.org/nle/waste-28.html

Redeveloping Brownfields: How States and Localities Use CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] Funds. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, October 1998. (623.5/X43) Background of the federal brownfields program fund.  www.huduser.org/publications/econdev/redevelo.html

Superfund: EPA's Use of Funds for Brownfield Revitalization. U.S. General Accounting Office, March 1998. (623.5/X22/pt.1) Describes the brownfields projects supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Emphasis of this report is research activities and job creation.

Related Websites

www.brownfieldnews.com/pages/home.htm: Brownfield News.com. "Find properties, capital sources insurance, professional services and information that will help you complete a brownfield transaction." -Web site.

www.ce.cmu.edu/Brownfields: The Brownfields Center, Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Pittsburgh.

www.brownfieldsnet.org: The Brownfields Non-Profits Network, sponsored by the Center for Land Renewal. "[A] network of non-profit organizations helping to promote the redevelopment of Brownfield properties throughout the United States" -Web site.

www.nga.org: National Governor's Association. Click on "Profiles of State Brownfield Programs".

www.nemw.org/brownfields.htm: Northeast-Midwest Institute. Many links to federal, state, and private sources of information on brownfields programs, projects, and publications.

www.epa.gov/brownfields: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/rr: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program.

www.sierraclub.org/toxics/brownfields: The Sierra Club Brownfields Home page.

www.30thstreeticc.org/index.html: 30th Street Industrial Corridor Corporation. "Members, news, and links involved in the 30th Street Revitalization Project in Milwaukee." -Web site.

• "Brownfield Redevelopment Lending Is Catching On". Katie Kuehner-Hebert, American Banker, vol.165, no.229, 11/ 30/2000.
• "Counties Need Relief From `Brownfields'". Thomas Meaux, The Business Journal of Milwaukee, 1/5/1998.
• "Investment Fund Launched to Focus on Polluted Site". Motoko Rich, Wall Street Journal, 12/20/2000.
• "Plymouth Township [Michigan] Targets PCB-Tainted Lot; Brownfield Board OK's Cleanup; Owner Plans Business Park". Sheri Hall, Detroit News, 10/31/2000.
• "Rebuilding America's Cities". Professional Builder, vol.65, no.13, November 2000.
• "A Role for Local Governments; The Next Step in Superfund Cleanups: Redevelopment". Seth Schofield, Public Management (US), vol.82, no.11, November 2000.
• "Science: A Taste for Toxins - Some Little Creatures Will Eat Just About Anything. Which is Handy for the Genetic Engineers Who Want to Clean Up Polluted Land". Claire Cockcroft, The Guardian, (Manchester, UK), 10/19/2000.
• "Surveying the Land: Brownfields in Medium-Sized and Small Communities [in New Jersey]". Michael Greenberg, K. Tyler Miller, Karen Lowrie, and Henry Mayer, Public Management, January/February 2001.

Clippings: (Noncirculating; available for use in the library)

• Hazardous and toxic wastes - Problems of use and disposal; re-development of municipal brownfields: 623.5/W7z (Wisconsin); 623.5/Z (United States).