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EPA Joins Representative Robert Menendez and Mayor Bollwage in Elizabeth for Brownfields Award

Release Date: 01/15/1998
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(#98004) EW YORK, N.Y.-- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials, including Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen and Deputy Regional Administrator William J. Muszynski, joined Representative Robert Menendez and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Shinn today to present Mayor Chris Bollwage and the City of Elizabeth a $200,000 check under EPA's national Brownfields Pilot Program. The goal of the Brownfields Pilot Program is the renewal of industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. The money is being used for site assessments and assessment related activities.

Mr. Fred Hansen presented the grant check at Elizabeth City Hall "The Brownfields program represents an opportunity to return dormant lands to productivity," said Mr. Hansen. "The program helps communities participate in making the properties become clean, job-creating, profit-producing, neighborhood assets once more."

Control of these projects rests at the community level. Local officials, bankers, developers and community representatives define the problems and design the solutions. EPA's role is to support and facilitate this process and to act as a catalyst for change.

Mr. Muszynski said, "Elizabeth has been and continues to be a leader in Brownfields development under the stewardship of Mayor Bollwage. This pilot project will help keep EPA's Brownfields program in the mainstream of the city's strong redevelopment efforts."

EPA has approximately $85 million in this year's budget which will include expanding the program by 100 new Brownfields site assessment pilot projects between now and September 30. Several hundred municipalities applied for Brownfields grants in 1996 and 1997. There are more than 125 municipalities now participating in the National Brownfields Pilot Program, including five cities, in addition to Elizabeth, in New Jersey, -- Camden, Newark, Perth Amboy, Trenton and Jersey City.

The findings and experience from the Eizabeth project and other pilots will help guide EPA's future efforts to stimulate economic redevelopment through environmental cleanup.

For more information contact:
Rich Cahill, Press Office
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
NY, NY 10007-1866
Voice: 212-637-3666 FAX: 212-637-5046 E-Mail: cahill.richard@epamail.epa.gov