COALITION PUSH TO AMEND BROWNFIELDS LAW FACES KEY FUNDING HURDLE

摘要

Efforts by developers, local governments and a House lawmaker to boost funding levels for EPA's brownfields program are unlikely to move until the existing EPA program is fully funded, says a key House source. Brownfields legislation is "just not going to happen," the source says, until EPA's program is fully funded. The source notes that EPA is only funding about one third of brownfields grant applications it currently receives, adding that this shortfall needs to be addressed before consideration is given to expanding the program, the source says. One industry source is also raising concerns over the coalition's proposals to ease liability requirements at brownfields sites, which the source says would likely increase cleanup costs for other parties. And the source faults the coalition's effort to limit EPA oversight of some brownfields cleanups.