Catalyzing Investment in Urban Sustainability
U.S.-Brazil Joint Initiative on
Urban Sustainability

Policy

Brownfield Area-Wide Planning (BF AWP)



This policy approach seeks to maximize brownfield cleanup and revitalization efforts at multiple sites in a local area through community involvement, planning research, technical assistance, and public-private partnerships.

Policy Overview

This policy promotes an enhanced area-wide scope for brownfield assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse. It increases the capacity of communities to develop area-wide plans and specific implementation strategies that integrate site cleanup and reuse into larger, coordinated efforts to revitalize surrounding neighborhoods-particularly where multiple brownfield sites are connected by proximity, infrastructure, and the economic, environmental, and social nature of their surroundings. BF AWP is based on the concept that a more comprehensive area-wide approach to assist communities in addressing environmental contamination, community infrastructure needs, transportation improvements, and social connections will stimulate investments to benefit the environment, public health, and the local economy.

This policy integrates several components: strong, comprehensive community participation, essential for identifying community priorities and opportunities; research into conditions of the targeted brownfields area (i.e., market analysis, infrastructure studies, and evaluation of known environmental conditions), technical assistance devising a funding/investment strategy for assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse; coordination with other community plans; consideration of broader local health issues; environmental justice concerns; and small business and other local economic development opportunities.

How to Apply this Policy

City planners and community organizations can use the BF AWP approach to address blighted brownfield properties in underserved areas. The resulting BF AWP must include an implementation strategy that is economically is feasible, environmentally responsible, and contains near-term and long-term strategies to move the momentum from planning to on-the-ground brownfield assessment, cleanup, and revitalization. U.S. EPA resources enable communities to use the BF AWP approach to lay the foundation for community-driven improvements, by helping to identify priority brownfield sites and opportunities to integrate sustainable and equitable development approaches with site assessment and cleanup. These opportunities include leveraging U.S. EPA research and technical assistance funding with other resources for incorporating green infrastructure; improving air quality, access to transit, and affordable housing and recreation; and addressing public health concerns, while maintaining an open and community-led revitalization process.

Contact Information
Aimee Storm 
U.S. EPA, Office of Brownfield and Land Revitalization
Phone: +1 (202) 566-0633
Email: storm.aimee@epa.gov
Example

For additional information, please see: www.epa.gov/brownfields for numerous project examples, including those in Monaca, PA, USA and Newark, NJ, USA.