Greene & Columbia Counties Brownfield Assessment Initiative
What Is a Brownfield?
A brownfield is a property where environmental contamination—or the potential for contamination—may complicate redevelopment or reuse.
Many brownfields are former industrial, commercial, agricultural, or transportation properties that have been vacant or underutilized for years. Others may simply have an unknown environmental history that makes future investment more difficult.
Brownfields can include:
- Former gas stations
- Vacant manufacturing facilities
- Old warehouses or mills
- Former dry cleaners
- Underutilized commercial buildings
- Former municipal or institutional properties
With the right information and planning, many brownfields can become housing, businesses, parks, community facilities, or other productive uses.
Why Brownfield Assessments Matter
Properties with redevelopment potential can remain vacant because environmental conditions are unknown.
Brownfield assessments help answer those questions.
By identifying environmental conditions early, communities and property owners gain information that can reduce uncertainty, support redevelopment planning, and improve competitiveness for future funding opportunities.
Potential community benefits include:
- Revitalizing vacant and underutilized properties
- Supporting downtown redevelopment
- Encouraging private investment
- Expanding housing opportunities
- Improving environmental quality
- Creating jobs
- Increasing local tax base
- Strengthening neighborhoods
What Assistance Does the Initiative Provide?
Through the EPA Brownfield Coalition Assessment Grant, the initiative will provide a range of assessment and planning services, including:
- Inventory of potential brownfield sites
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
- Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (where appropriate)
- Cleanup planning for selected sites
- Area-wide planning
- Community engagement and outreach
Not every property will receive every level of assistance. Services are based on eligibility, project priorities, and available funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an environmental site assessment?
An environmental site assessment evaluates the current and historical conditions of a property to identify potential environmental concerns that may affect future redevelopment.
What is a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment?
A Phase I Assessment includes research into the property’s history, previous uses, available records, and a site visit. It helps determine whether there are potential environmental concerns that may warrant additional investigation.
What is a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment?
If a Phase I Assessment identifies potential concerns, a Phase II Assessment may involve collecting soil, groundwater, or building material samples to better understand environmental conditions.
Not every property requires a Phase II Assessment.
Does the grant pay for environmental cleanup?
No. This grant funds environmental assessments, planning activities, and the development of cleanup plans for selected sites.
The information gathered through these activities may help communities and property owners pursue future cleanup funding and redevelopment opportunities.
What happens after an assessment is completed?
Assessment results help communities and property owners better understand site conditions, evaluate redevelopment opportunities, and plan future projects.
For some sites, the initiative may also support cleanup planning or broader redevelopment strategies.
How are properties selected?
Properties are evaluated based on EPA eligibility requirements, redevelopment potential, community priorities, and the goals of the Brownfield Assessment Initiative.
Who can participate?
The Greene and Columbia County initiative works with municipalities, property owners, community organizations, and other partners to identify properties that may benefit from assessment. For more information about property eligibility or participation, reach out to the following contacts.
Project Contacts & Partners
James Hannahs
Director, Greene County Economic Development, Tourism, and Planning
jhannahs@GreeneCountyNY.gov
Jonathan Spampinato
Columbia Economic Development
jspampinato@columbiaedc.com
Sean Mahoney
The Hunter Foundation
sean@hunterfoundation.org
The Greene & Columbia Counties Brownfield Assessment Initiative is a partnership between:
- Greene County Legislature
- Columbia Economic Development Corporation
- The Hunter Foundation
Funding for this project provided through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Coalition Assessment Grant.