SITE SELECTION PROCESS FOR BROWNFIELDS RE-DEVELOPMENT

摘要

Throughout the United States, abandoned industrial properties exist in both small and large cities and are difficult to revitalize due to the contamination. These abandoned urban facilities are commonly referred to as "Brownfields." The problem in many communities, especially older industrial cities, is so severe that the U.S. Conference of mayors identified the issue of Brown-fields as their top environmental issue for 1995. Cities, states, and the federal government collectively geared up to try to solve this problem. In 1997, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission developed a task force to assess Brown-fields sites for potential redevelopment in the Northampton and Lehigh Counties in Pennsylvania. The task force developed a site selection criteria based on the following items: location, zoning, site size, public sewer service, community water service, highway access, rail service, bus service, natural gas service, benefit to municipality, and previous studies on reuse. Each of these items received a maximum rating from 2 to 4, and the maximum potential score that a site could receive was thirty-two. A computer program was developed to evaluate sites for redevelopment using the criteria specified by the Brownfields Task Force. This study evaluated 71 potential sites for redevelopment. Two sites were viewed to be ideal for redevelopment. Most of the sites were located in rural settings that lacked the infrastructure for industrial development. This paper will also discuss the Bethlehem Steel site, which is considered a "National Model for Brownfields Development." The geo-environmental considerations and concerns in the re-development of Bethlehem Steel are emphasized.