Brownfields

In Michigan, brownfields are considered properties that are contaminated, blighted, or functionally obsolete.  Brownfield sites can be found in cities with long histories of heavy industry and large-scale manufacturing activity and also in small towns and rural areas in Michigan.  Revitalization of brownfields is critically important to communities throughout Michigan.

The purpose of the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (WCBRA) is to facilitate the redevelopment of previously developed sites, consistent with the community's commitment to sustainability and its vision for the future.  Established by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, the WCBRA can provide a mechanism for cleanup of contaminated sites, even if only slightly contaminated or perceived to be contaminated, such that current re-development is not occurring.  Redeveloping brownfields helps to ease urban sprawl by encouraging the reuse of established commercial and industrial districts where public services are already in place.

Please click the following link for more information about Washtenaw County's Brownfield Redevelopment Program:
http://brownfields.ewashtenaw.org

The following links also provide helpful information about brownfield redevelopment: 

• State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
  Overview of brownfield redevelopment in Michigan and information about the environmental aspects of brownfield redevelopment.
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation
  Information on tax incentives and non-environmental aspects of brownfield redevelopment in Michigan.
• Environmental Protection Agency
  General information on brownfield redevelopment, including federal financing opportunities.

For more information, please contact Brett Lenart.