Ehrlich on Washington column, May 10, 1999

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Lutherville, Maryland 2 1 093 Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of May 1 0, 1 999 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT - STIMULATING ECONOMIC GROWTH (Part 3 in a 3-part series on the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative) Brownfields Legislation in the 106,h Congress As I discussed in my previous two columns, one of the more frustrating and disappointing sights to me is an abandoned industrial property. The untapped potential of these abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial sites - whether a deserted gas station, small industrial building, or an empty factory - is often ignored because of the low-level environmental or health risks that prevent or discourage economic redevelopment. The cleanup of these sites, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "Brownfields," is essential as we reinvest in our older (and often poorer) communities. Due to the infancy of the Brownfields cleanup program and the relatively small amount of federal funding, many folks are withholding final judgment on the Brownfields program until Congress decides the ultimate mission and scope of the program. While most are generally supportive of the Brownfields concept, many members of Congress have differing views regarding how best to improve upon this program. Reaching a consensus, therefore, will be critical to accomplishing my goal of passing legislation that encourages redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites.