Environmental Progress - Winter 1996

Brownfields Conference Attracts Fifty Communities

Conference for Local Officials on Redeveloping Former Industrial Sites

A first of its kind conference designed to help local officials learn how to identify and remove impediments to redevelopment of abandoned former industrial properties, commonly called Brownfields, was held in December at the Brookfield Zoo.

Participants heard first hand what is happening in Illinois to encourage and promote Brownfields redevelopment, as well as network with other community leaders.

"I want to see the tools created for Brownfields redevelopment expanded to serve our local communities so they can help remove these eyesores and threats to our environment. With your help, we can start to revitalize our cities, create good jobs and preserve the richest and most fertile farmland in the world," said Illinois EPA Director Mary Gade, who gave the keynote address at the conference.

She noted the Brownfields problem extends from Chicago to the state's smallest communities, including Brownfields, Ill., which does have a Brownfields site.

Gade said Illinois has positioned itself to take a leadership role in creatively addressing technical, legal, financial and social issues raised by Brownfields. She described new initiatives by the agency to help identify the characteristics of Brownfields sites, as well as citing examples of successful redevelopment efforts around the state.

The Illinois EPA joins with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Illinois Municipal League, the West Central Municipal League and Northwest Municipal League, to co-sponsor the one-day conference. More than 50 communities and 110 local officials attended.

At the conclusion of the conference, the Agency pledged to work with each of the communities on a one-by-one basis to evaluate a local Brownfields site.

A variety of experts from municipal, state and federal agencies and the financial community will make presentations on Brownfields redevelopment, ranging from technical cleanup aspects to financing issues.

Those attending the conference also got a preview of the new Site Environmental Information Data System being jointly developed by the Illinois EPA and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. It will eventually be a clearinghouse on the Internet to allow the public to quickly access key environmental information about sites that may be candidates for redevelopment.