The Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund, a state grant and loan program set up to help local governments investigate and remediate this land, is an important reason brownfields redevelopment is such a success in New Jersey.

As stewards of the program, the Department of Environmental Protection and Economic Development Authority are committed to the highest level of management and fiduciary oversight of this fund, which is supported by a portion of the proceeds from the corporate business tax.

Contrary to some recent media reports, we must stress that the DEP and EDA closely track exactly how much HDRSF money is being spent on each brownfields project through a rigorous process that includes thorough technical and financial reviews.

As suggested in those media reports, it would be helpful to have a database to track the progress of all properties that have received funds. However, we must emphatically stress the lack of a database has not hampered our fiduciary oversight, and has not impeded proper planning nor effective management of the fund.

Consistent with law, the DEP ensures and certifies that each application meets eligibility and technical requirements. The EDA then reviews each application to make sure it meets financial criteria before presenting a recommendation to its board of directors.

Prior to cleanup funds being released by the EDA, applicants also must submit invoices that are thoroughly reviewed by the DEP.

In addition to our commitment to fiduciary oversight, the DEP and EDA are equally steadfast in our commitment to the maximum level of transparency and accessibility. The DEP has a file on every site that has received HDSRF money, and the EDA publishes its funding activities though an annual HDSRF report that is posted online for the public and shared with the Legislature.

Often, the biggest hurdle to redevelopment is basic information on the extent of contamination at a property. HDSRF provides money to investigate and, if necessary, clean up the property, removing this uncertainty.

Numerous success stories — both large and small — can be readily found throughout New Jersey, real-world bricks-and-mortar projects that are reclaiming land, creating jobs and cleaning up the environment.

Projects such as an arts district rising from a former hat-making area of Orange and West Orange; luxury condominiums occupying the old RCA Victor Building in Camden; luxury townhomes constructed at a former gas station site in Manasquan; an industrial site turned into a supermarket in Lodi; old steel mills converted to office space and shops in Trenton; a major league soccer stadium constructed at the site of abandoned warehouses and industries in Harrison.

Over the years, the popularity of the program soared. At the same time, legislative changes expanded the scope of the program, increasing demand for funds even more. Over the course of the last year, the DEP and EDA have undertaken a thorough review of the program to capture non-expended funds and ensure that these dollars are returned to the fund so they can be redeployed to active projects. We will also look at the idea of developing a database.

As we move forward, we will continue to comply with the requirements of the law and remain transparent about the HDSRF. We will listen to good counsel that enhances these programs, and we will maintain our strong partnerships with local officials and developers who share our vision for a healthier environment and stronger economy through the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields.

Bob Martin is the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Caren Franzini is the chief executive officer of the state Economic Development Authority. This op-ed piece appeared in mid-August in the Star-Ledger and Newjersey.com regarding process accountability surrounding the New Jersey brownfield redevelopment program.