Four years after their implementation, the Brownfields Cleanup (BCP) and the Opportunity Area (Boa) Programs are considered disappointments to Long Island communities. State senator Carl L. Marcellino (R- Syosset), Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, held a joint legislative hearing on Monday, August 27th, at the Cold Spring Harbor Library, to review the efficiency of these programs with the State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck).
In 2003, New York took an innovative step in incorporating the BCP and BOA programs into the already existing Superfund bill. Yet four years later, while $75 million dollars have been appropriated toward the bill, only $7.6 million has been allocated toward it. Even more discouraging is that Long Island has awarded a mere $623,970 in Brownfield Opportunity Area grants toward the development of 5 areas, including that of Hicksville-Oyster Bay. Worse yet, to date no funds have been released from the state.
Brownfields are blighted areas on our community where redevelopment or reuse is hindered because of real or perceived contamination. There are 6,800 sites considered brownfields on Long Island. The contaminated areas range from abandoned gas stations to old industrial sites. The goal of the Brownfields Cleanup Program is to bring these parcels back to life, improve public health and turn an economic drain into a public gain.
The original intention of the bill was to use generous tax credits as well as the existing infrastructure to entice developers to invest in the redevelopment of brownfields rather than erode the number of greenfields that exist.
“Unfortunately,” admits Marcellino who wrote the bill, “The program has not lived up to my hopes.”
To date no projects have been completed on Long Island. Marcellino blames, “high administrative hurtles in the program” as the problem.
Critics suggest that the cost of the program is not worth the benefits of the program. State Senator contemplates that “The problem with the brownfields program is not that the credits program being too generous; it may just be that the incentives still are not sufficient to overcome all of the hurdles that the brownfields present. There are serious delays and uncertainties in the program, irrational restrictions on eligibility in terms of what constitutes sufficient contamination and limitations on polluters’ ability to enter the Brownfields Cleanup Program.”
It is these hinderances that have forced developers to withdraw from the projects before completion and accumulate massive legal and regulatory costs.
The state senate looks to revamp the bill to make it more efficient.
“By working together in a bipartisan way, we will make sure that we strengthen the law to reverse lost years that have doomed localities to unremediated contamination and the public to exposure to toxic pollutants. It is important that we work that we work to put urban eyesores back on the tax rolls and make them community assets rather than letting them eat away at the heart of our cities, towns and villages”, said Marcellino.
“Passage of the landmark Brownfields Cleanup Program law in 2003 was an important first step toward the elimination of contaminated sites across the state. Now four years later, we must take the time to review the implementation of the programs and the allocation of resources to ensure the smooth and efficient cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites,” said Assemblyman Sweeney, co-chair of the hearing.
Hearings are being held to listen to the recommendations and suggestions of experts in the fields. Specifically at Cold Spring Harbor hearing the tax credit structure and the regulations that are now in place for the program were reviewed.
Testifying at Long Island brownfields hearings were Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Peter Grannis and Director of Environmental Remediation for the New York State Department of Environment Conservation Dale Desnoyers. Others who contributed statements to the hearing included: Ann Marie Jones, Director of Downtown Revitalization from the Town of Babylon; Michael Posillico, President of Posillico Environmental; Sarah Lansdale, Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island; Michael Deering, Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Long Island Association; Marcia Bystryn, Executive Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters and Michael White, Executive Director of the Long Island Regional Planning Board.
A second hearing will be held in Albany on Tuesday, September 25th.
-Faith RackoffIn 2003, New York took an innovative step in incorporating the BCP and BOA programs into the already existing Superfund bill. Yet four years later, while $75 million dollars have been appropriated toward the bill, only $7.6 million has been allocated toward it. Even more discouraging is that Long Island has awarded a mere $623,970 in Brownfield Opportunity Area grants toward the development of 5 areas, including that of Hicksville-Oyster Bay. Worse yet, to date no funds have been released from the state.
Brownfields are blighted areas on our community where redevelopment or reuse is hindered because of real or perceived contamination. There are 6,800 sites considered brownfields on Long Island. The contaminated areas range from abandoned gas stations to old industrial sites. The goal of the Brownfields Cleanup Program is to bring these parcels back to life, improve public health and turn an economic drain into a public gain.
The original intention of the bill was to use generous tax credits as well as the existing infrastructure to entice developers to invest in the redevelopment of brownfields rather than erode the number of greenfields that exist.
“Unfortunately,” admits Marcellino who wrote the bill, “The program has not lived up to my hopes.”
To date no projects have been completed on Long Island. Marcellino blames, “high administrative hurtles in the program” as the problem.
Critics suggest that the cost of the program is not worth the benefits of the program. State Senator contemplates that “The problem with the brownfields program is not that the credits program being too generous; it may just be that the incentives still are not sufficient to overcome all of the hurdles that the brownfields present. There are serious delays and uncertainties in the program, irrational restrictions on eligibility in terms of what constitutes sufficient contamination and limitations on polluters’ ability to enter the Brownfields Cleanup Program.”
It is these hinderances that have forced developers to withdraw from the projects before completion and accumulate massive legal and regulatory costs.
The state senate looks to revamp the bill to make it more efficient.
“By working together in a bipartisan way, we will make sure that we strengthen the law to reverse lost years that have doomed localities to unremediated contamination and the public to exposure to toxic pollutants. It is important that we work that we work to put urban eyesores back on the tax rolls and make them community assets rather than letting them eat away at the heart of our cities, towns and villages”, said Marcellino.
“Passage of the landmark Brownfields Cleanup Program law in 2003 was an important first step toward the elimination of contaminated sites across the state. Now four years later, we must take the time to review the implementation of the programs and the allocation of resources to ensure the smooth and efficient cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites,” said Assemblyman Sweeney, co-chair of the hearing.
Hearings are being held to listen to the recommendations and suggestions of experts in the fields. Specifically at Cold Spring Harbor hearing the tax credit structure and the regulations that are now in place for the program were reviewed.
Testifying at Long Island brownfields hearings were Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Peter Grannis and Director of Environmental Remediation for the New York State Department of Environment Conservation Dale Desnoyers. Others who contributed statements to the hearing included: Ann Marie Jones, Director of Downtown Revitalization from the Town of Babylon; Michael Posillico, President of Posillico Environmental; Sarah Lansdale, Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island; Michael Deering, Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Long Island Association; Marcia Bystryn, Executive Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters and Michael White, Executive Director of the Long Island Regional Planning Board.
A second hearing will be held in Albany on Tuesday, September 25th.
reprinted from the 9/1/07 issue of the Oyster Bay Guardian
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