The Northeast-Midwest Institute today released a comprehensive report detailing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of brownfields and clean-up programs in the Great Lakes and northeast-midwest regions.
The report, written by NEMWI Environmental Policy Intern William Cohen, draws upon data from the EPA’s ACRES program and uses ArcGIS to map these sites and identify states and Congressional districts that are most impacted by the presence of these sites. The report reveals that 46% of all EPA-designated brownfield sites are located in the 18-state northeast-midwest region, many of which are concentrated in cities in the Great Lakes basin that are still facing the impacts of legacy pollution.
The findings identify Congressional districts in the region with high concentrations of brownfield sites and highlights success stories of once-abandoned brownfield properties being transformed into community assets such as parks, local businesses, community centers, and housing developments.
As Congress considers the reauthorization of the EPA brownfields program, this report serves to highlight the wide-reaching benefits of continued investment for brownfield remediation and redevelopment in protecting the Great Lakes, driving economic growth, and fostering bipartisanship.
Read the report here.
Reported by NEMWI Intern William Cohen, Binghamton University