Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va., Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) have reintroduced S. 347 as The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025. According to an article by Jenny Black with PPM Consultants, the “legislation aims to reauthorize and expand funding for brownfields revitalization, addressing environmental contamination and fostering economic development in communities of all sizes.”
Key changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program under the legislation would include:
- Expanding Eligibility for Funding
- Strengthening Community Engagement Requirements
- Reducing Financial Barriers
- Increasing Funding for Site Cleanup and Remediation
- Reauthorizing and Expanding State Response Programs
- Comprehensive Review of the Grant Application Process
- Inclusion of Alaska Native Corporations
As part of this, maximum site cleanup grants would be doubled from $500,000 to $1 million, and state program funding would be increased to $75 million annually by 2030. “This legislation will help communities turn contaminated, abandoned properties into new businesses, housing, and green spaces,” said Senator Capito. “By expanding eligibility and increasing funding, we’re giving local governments and organizations the tools they need to clean up their communities and attract new investment.”
Burr & Forman will continue to monitor congressional action to understand how this proposal may impact client initiatives.
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