Brownfield Redevelopment Assistance Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate activities relating to the redevelopment of brownfield sites and the promotion of eco-industrial development under such Act with other Federal agencies, States, local governments, consortia of local governments, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public-private partnerships.
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for projects to alleviate or prevent conditions of excessive unemployment, underemployment, blight, and infrastructure deterioration associated with brownfield sites through projects involving: (1) the development of public facilities or services; (2) business development; (3) planning; (4) technical assistance; (5) training; and (6) the purchase of environmental insurance with respect to certain of these activities.
Sets forth grant criteria. Authorizes assistance under this Act for activities identified by a community, the economy of which is injured by one or more brownfield sites.
Authorizes appropriations for brownfield site redevelopment grants for FY 2006 through 2010.
Limits the Federal share of costs for activities funded by such grants to 75 percent of the total.
Defines "brownfield site" by reference to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) as real property the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant (subject to certain exclusions), and with respect to which an entity has received or is eligible to receive CERCLA funding for site characterization, assessment, or remediation.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1237 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1237
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to
provide assistance to communities for the redevelopment of brownfield
sites.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2005
Ms. Hart introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to
provide assistance to communities for the redevelopment of brownfield
sites.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Brownfield Redevelopment Assistance
Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
Consistent with section 2 of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121), the purposes of this Act
are--
(1) to provide targeted assistance, including planning
assistance, for projects that promote--
(A) the redevelopment, restoration, and economic
recovery of brownfield sites; and
(B) eco-industrial development; and
(2) through such assistance, to further the goals of
restoring the employment and tax bases of, and bringing new
income and private investment to, distressed communities that
have not participated fully in the economic growth of the
United States because of a lack of an adequate private sector
tax base to support essential public services and facilities.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 3 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965
(42 U.S.C. 3122) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) through
(12) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (5) through (14),
respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)
the following:
``(1) Brownfield site.--The term `brownfield site' means a
brownfield site (as defined in section 101 of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
(42 U.S.C. 9601)) with respect to which an entity has received,
or is eligible to receive, funding under section 104(k) of that
Act (42 U.S.C. 9604(k)) for site characterization, assessment,
or remediation.'';
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) (as redesignated by
paragraph (1)) the following:
``(4) Eco-industrial development.--The term `eco-industrial
development' means development conducted in a manner in which
businesses cooperate with each other and the local community to
efficiently share resources (such as information, materials,
water, energy infrastructure, and natural habitat) with the
goals of--
``(A) economic gains;
``(B) improved environmental quality; and
``(C) equitable enhancement of human resources in
businesses and local communities.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(15) Unused land.--The term `unused land' means any
publicly-owned or privately-owned unused, underused, or
abandoned land that is not contributing to the quality of life
or economic well-being of the community in which the land is
located.''.
SEC. 4. COORDINATION.
Section 103 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3132) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Brownfield Site Redevelopment.--The Secretary shall
coordinate activities relating to the redevelopment of brownfield sites
and the promotion of eco-industrial development under this Act with
other Federal agencies, States, local governments, consortia of local
governments, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public-private
partnerships.''.
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR BROWNFIELD SITE REDEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 219. GRANTS FOR BROWNFIELD SITE REDEVELOPMENT.
``(a) In General.--On the application of an eligible recipient, the
Secretary may make grants for projects to alleviate or prevent
conditions of excessive unemployment, underemployment, blight, and
infrastructure deterioration associated with brownfield sites,
including projects consisting of--
``(1) the development of public facilities;
``(2) the development of public services;
``(3) business development (including funding of a
revolving loan fund);
``(4) planning;
``(5) technical assistance;
``(6) training; and
``(7) the purchase of environmental insurance with respect
to an activity described in any of paragraphs (1) through (3).
``(b) Criteria for Grants.--The Secretary may provide a grant for a
project under this section only if--
``(1) the Secretary determines that the project will assist
the area where the project is or will be located to meet,
directly or indirectly, a special need arising from--
``(A) a high level of unemployment or
underemployment, or a high proportion of low-income
households;
``(B) the existence of blight and infrastructure
deterioration;
``(C) dislocations resulting from commercial or
industrial restructuring;
``(D) outmigration and population loss, as
indicated by--
``(i)(I) depletion of human capital
(including young, skilled, or educated
populations);
``(II) depletion of financial
capital (including firms and
investment); or
``(III) a shrinking tax base; and
``(ii) resulting--
``(I) fiscal pressure;
``(II) restricted access to
markets; and
``(III) constrained local
development potential; or
``(E) the closure or realignment of--
``(i) a military or Department of Energy
installation; or
``(ii) any other Federal facility; and
``(2) except in the case of a project consisting of
planning or technical assistance--
``(A) the Secretary has approved a comprehensive
economic development strategy for the area where the
project is or will be located; and
``(B) the project is consistent with the
comprehensive economic development strategy.
``(c) Particular Community Assistance.--Assistance under this
section may include assistance provided for activities identified by a
community, the economy of which is injured by the existence of 1 or
more brownfield sites, to assist the community in--
``(1) revitalizing affected areas by--
``(A) diversifying the economy of the community; or
``(B) carrying out industrial or commercial
(including mixed use) redevelopment, or eco-industrial
development, projects on brownfield sites;
``(2) carrying out development that conserves land by--
``(A) reusing existing facilities and
infrastructure;
``(B) reclaiming unused land and abandoned
buildings; or
``(C) promoting eco-industrial development, and
environmentally responsible development, of brownfield
sites; or
``(3) carrying out a collaborative economic development
planning process, developed with broad-based and diverse
community participation, that addresses the economic
repercussions and opportunities posed by the existence of
brownfield sites in an area.
``(d) Direct Expenditure or Redistribution by Eligible Recipient.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an eligible
recipient of a grant under this section may directly expend the
grant funds or may redistribute the funds to public and private
entities in the form of a grant, loan, loan guarantee, payment
to reduce interest on a loan guarantee, or other appropriate
assistance.
``(2) Limitation.--Under paragraph (1), an eligible
recipient may not provide any grant to a private for-profit
entity.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. prec.
3121) is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title II
the following:
``Sec. 219. Grants for Brownfield site redevelopment.''.
(c) Conforming Repeal of Obsolete Report.--Section 611 of such Act,
and the item relating to such section in the table of contents in
section 1(b) of such Act, are repealed.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Title VII of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3231 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``SEC. 705. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR BROWNFIELD SITE
REDEVELOPMENT.
``(a) In General.--In addition to amounts made available under
section 701, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
section 219 $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010, to
remain available until expended.
``(b) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding section 204, subject to
section 205, the Federal share of the cost of activities funded with
amounts made available under subsection (a) shall be not more than 75
percent.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. prec.
3121) is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title
VII the following:
``Sec. 704. Authorization of appropriations for brownfield site
redevelopment.''.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.
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