​What is Planning’s mission for assisting with brownfield sites?

Planning’s mission for assisting with brownfield sites is fourfold. The first goal is to elevate Maryland into the nation’s regular grantee states for brownfields grants. Secondly, Planning aims to expand the EPA Brownfield Program funding to a larger portion of the State (to date, almost all of EPA’s brownfield funding in Maryland has been allocated to Baltimore City, which has been successful with brownfield redevelopment). The EPA funding is essential to incentivize the assessment of contaminated or presumed contaminated sites, which (according to MDE’s inventory) exist throughout Maryland, in both urban and rural areas. These brownfield sites have the potential to benefit our State’s communities when remediated and redeveloped as vibrant recreational, residential, and/or commercial/industrial places. The third goal is to better enable local jurisdictions and communities to shape their future in a way that reflects local planning goals for brownfield redevelopment, growth, and environmental health. Lastly, by focusing on brownfield redevelopment, this can reduce development pressure for greenfields, and prioritize reinvestment in developed areas/Priority Funding Areas. 

How can Planning help with brownfield remediation and redevelopment?

Planning offers assistance to local governments, nonprofits, and anyone interested in brownfield remediation and redevelopment by providing information and tools to inform the brownfield process, as well as assistance with accessing resources and preparing grant applications. Planning can provide a brownfields inventory (see below to contact Planning staff to request) to catalogue the brownfields located within a certain area and/or throughout the state. Planning will serve as a liaison with MDE, the Technical Assistance for Brownfields (TAB) program for Region III – New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) TAB, and EPA Region III (see below to contact Planning staff to request), as well as coordinate assistance among federal, State, and non-governmental organizations.

We can also identify and assist with developing grant applications; if awarded, we can also offer assistance with managing grant applications. If you're interested in enlisting Planning's assistance with your brownfield efforts, we encourage you to complete our online Request for Brownfield Assistance form. Planning will coordinate training through NJIT TAB or other available resources to educate our local communities about how to access brownfield opportunities and navigate the remediation and redevelopment process.

Finally, we are available to recommend comprehensive plan language or zoning/subdivision code modifications to facilitate brownfield redevelopment.