Find out which sites in your neighborhood might be considered brownfields, and help turn that negative into a positive. You can help motivate your municipality and community-based organizations into starting a cleanup and redevelopment effort. You can make a difference! For hints on how to spot a brownfield, visit It Might Be A Brownfield If...
Keep in mind that a property owner, developer or municipality may already be planning to clean up a brownfield in your community. If so, you can request to be on the Site Contact List to receive information on the different stages leading up to cleanup.
To find out who owns a property, visit your county Real Property Tax office. |
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| Questions to Ask: |
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| Site Questions |
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Are there any properties in my community that are underutilized? |
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Could any of these properties be vacant because of contamination or perceived contamination? |
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| Citizen Involvement Questions |
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How can I get involved? |
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What information regarding a brownfield site is publicly accessible? What information am I legally entitled to obtain through the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)? |
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| Contamination and Health Risk Questions |
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Could the site pose any health risks with regard to water, air or soil pollution? |
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Are there any immediate risks to people who may be currently using the site (e.g. kids playing on an empty lot)? |
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Have any illegal activities, such as dumping, taken place on the site recently? |
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| Illustrations by Dan Baxter. |
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