#brownfields

Brownfields—abandoned or underutilized properties with potential environmental contamination—exist in nearly every community. While these sites present challenges related to remediation, regulatory compliance, and financial feasibility, they also offer significant opportunities for economic growth, environmental restoration, and social revitalization.

Understanding the Brownfield Challenge

Brownfields range from former industrial zones and gas stations to abandoned manufacturing plants and contaminated commercial properties. While each site presents unique challenges, common barriers to redevelopment include:

Environmental Contamination Risks – Soil and groundwater contamination must be assessed and managed.

Regulatory Complexity – Federal, state, and local regulations dictate remediation requirements and land-use approvals.

Financial Uncertainty – Cleanup costs and perceived investment risks can deter developers.

Community Concerns – Public perception and community engagement are crucial to securing support and funding.

It’s the end of summer, and I’m in Steelworkers Park in far south Chicago, standing on ground owned, gerrymander-style, by U.S. Steel, the Chicago Parks District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It’s land that U.S. Steel “reclaimed”—that’s the preferred word—from Lake Michigan more than one hundred years ago. Which is to say that I’m standing not on dirt and stone, but on slag and other waste from steel production that the company dumped into the Lake, artificially expanding their industrial campus and evading property taxes for decades. The park is part of a huge swath of industrialized land, zoned for heavy industry, that stretches from Chicago to the south and east, across the border into the Calumet region of Indiana.

For U.S. Steel and its lawyers, arguing in 1900 courtrooms that the additional 327 acres had accreted out of the Lake naturally, “reclaimed land” sounded better than “manufactured land.” Reclaimed implies the righting of a wrong, a re-establishment of the natural order. But landscapes like these are decidedly created; there is little natural about them. Property, territory, real estate, brownfield, border…Dirt is never just “dirt.” And today, the landscape surrounding Steelworkers Park is as full of contention as it was one hundred years ago...

A vast industrial landscape exists in northwest Indiana, including the Gary Works of United States Steel.  This building is either part of the Gary Works or whatever is just west of it.  Photo taken from a passing train, May 9, 2017.

I was happy to read today that @gregador is planning a trip to Gary, Indiana and look forward very much to his photos.  Safe travels to him.

By MDBayNews Staff As Maryland continues its aggressive push toward renewable energy, a growing backlash has emerged from rural communities worried that clean-energy mandates are coming at the expense of productive farmland. A new bill introduced in Annapolis aims to answer that concern without abandoning the state’s solar goals. State Sen. Jason Gallion has introduced Senate Bill 683, the…

I am excited to share that Morgantown, West Virginia, has secured a significant grant from the EPA aimed at revitalizing brownfield sites within our community. This funding, totaling nearly $2 million, represents a pivotal moment for our city's environmental and economic future.

Why is this Funding Important for Morgantown?

Morgantown faces unique challenges with its industrial past. Many old industrial sites, like the former crude oil tank farm in White Park, have left behind more than memories—they've left behind environmental legacies that need our attention

Revitalizing these brownfield sites isn't just about cleaning up messes; it's about unlocking the economic potential behind what has been left. By turning blighted areas into usable spaces, we attract new businesses, create jobs, and increase property values—benefits that ripple through our entire community.

Brownfields are like time capsules from the industrial age—remnants of our past that deserve a second chance. These sites, once bustling with activity, now sit idle due to potential environmental contamination, waiting for a new lease on life.

As Morgantown embarks on this journey of brownfield cleanup and revitalization, we're not just fixing problems; we're building a better future. Together, we'll turn challenges into opportunities and make Morgantown a shining example of environmental stewardship and community resilience.

Harold J. Rafson; Ronald N. Rafson. Brownfields: Redeveloping Environmentally Distressed Properties. Introduction, Chapter (McGraw-Hill, 1999). https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9780070527683/front-matter/preface2

Reuse opportunity plus energy savings