State Signs Brownfield Cleanup Reform

ALBANY-Gov. David Paterson signed legislation that reforms the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program to better target incentives for cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites. According to Gov. Paterson, the goal should be for every former industrial site in New York State to be returned to “safe and productive use.”

This legislation is expected to greatly benefit the Upstate economy. “The purpose of the Brownfields law was to clean up the environment, not clean out the state treasury,” says Gov. Paterson, in a prepared statement. “Now this reformed program will serve as an important tool for revitalizing cities and towns across New York State. We will now be able to break down barriers to economic development in struggling neighborhoods across New York.

The Brownfield Cleanup Program was created in 2003 to encourage cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites across the State, using refundable tax credits as incentives for developers. A brownfield is a contaminated property where the presence of pollution has impeded redevelopment. Many such sites are abandoned throughout the state and contribute to urban blight.