Environmental Progress - Summer 2001

Illinois EPA Sponsors National Brownfields Conference

Event will showcase national redevelopment efforts around the nation

In recent years, community and environmental leaders have turned their attention toward some long-ignored, abandoned or underutilized properties in U.S. cities and towns. Known as brownfields, these properties are being cleaned up and redeveloped, with financial and technical assistance from state and federal agencies.

Each year, states have an opportunity to showcase their brownfields programs at a national conference. This year's, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, is being sponsored by the Illinois EPA. From September 24 through 26 participants in Brownfields 2001 will share experiences with as many as 4,000 other stakeholders in brownfields redevelopment.

Both theoretical and "nuts and bolts" emphases are planned.

Brownfields 2001 is organized to provide information about brownfields redevelopment to all stakeholder groups, stressing the "nuts and bolts" of brownfields programs. They will also discuss leveraging resources through partnerships, with practical approaches and optimizing the value of redevelopment and how to bring the right parties to the table for the different stages of redevelopment.

A unique venue at Brownfields 2001 will be mobile workshops at selected brownfields sites in Chicago. The mobile workshops will examine both the projects in Chicago and the elements that assured their success. Major players, such as community members, property owners, government officials, developers and business leaders will participate in the workshops and be available to discuss the approaches they utilized to turn the properties into productive sites.

A "Marketplace of Ideas" will foster idea sharing and problem solving as well as poster presentations, which create stand-alone visual representations of successful brownfields projects.

At Brownfields 2001, the highlighted Tech Town area within the exhibit hall has expanded to offer booth space to vendors and communities that have successfully used technology to clean up and redevelop brownfields. Tech Town is an ideal platform for demonstrating what technologies are available for brownfields cleanup, and how these technologies can save time and money.

More information on Brownfields 2001 is available at http://brownfields2001.org/ or by contacting the Illinois EPA Office of Brownfields Assistance at 217-785-9407. Conference registration is free.