In today’s world having accurate and current information is like having the key to unlock the door to economic opportunity. Understanding this concept, communities and tribes are developing brownfield site inventories to enhance their economic development potential and establish a core for healthy community revitalization and smart growth. In addition, some states and tribes are working with their communities to help develop statewide brownfield site inventories and ensure proper listing in public records, as required to maintain the state’s funding eligibility under the Small Business Liability and Brownfields Revitalization Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act [CERCLA 128(a)].

Statewide and Tribal Inventory Incentives Some states, like Pennsylvania, not only have developed voluntary cleanup program inventories but also tender incentives to communities, encouraging them to enter their brownfields sites into a statewide “Recycling Real Estate into Investment Opportunities” on-line listing. Pennsylvania’s department of environmental protection (DEP) is offering financial incentive through their brownfields inventory grants (BIG) program. The BIG program contracts with local entities to include their identified sites on the state inventory in exchange for $1,000 per inventoried site, or up to $50,000 per grantee, per cycle. The property listings are made accessible on a web site, www.PAsitefinder.state.pa.us. ...

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