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EPA Selects North Hempstead for a $200,000 Brownfields Redevelopment Award

Release Date: 05/18/2000
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(#00105) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Jeanne M. Fox announced today the Town of North Hempstead has been selected to receive a $200,000 Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative award to advance the redevelopment of brownfields through the assessment of sites with the best potential for reuse. The new funds can also be used to develop public outreach for community involvement in the brownfields process. Syracuse, Troy and Glens Falls were the other New York State municipalities named today for the awards.   EPA supports communities across the country through its Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative  -a national effort to renew industrial and commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.  "EPA is continuing to focus on brownfields redevelopment because these efforts provide a variety of benefits that improve the environment and local economies," Regional Administrator Fox said.  "For previous brownfields grant recipients, the common denominator for success in this economic redevelopment initiative has been strong partnerships with all levels of government, the community and the private sector," Ms. Fox said. "We welcome our new brownfields community partner in Nassau County." North Hempstead plans to prioritize and conduct environmental assessments at up to eight brownfields sites in the Hamlet of New Cassel. Through this grant, New Cassel will establish its own brownfields program with the objectives of assessing, cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields into environmentally-friendly and sustainable businesses, creating new jobs, and increasing recreational and affordable housing opportunities for residents. The community will establish working groups to guide pilot activities. The town will also hold community meetings to keep local residents and businesses informed. Since 1995, EPA has funded more than 360 brownfields pilots nationwide, allowing communities to begin the process of redevelopment. In addition to the Town of North Hempstead, Syracuse, Troy and Glens Falls were named brownfields communities today.   There are 16 more municipalities and an Indian Nation in New York State already participating in EPA’s brownfields initiative, including: Glen Cove, Albany, Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Yonkers, New York City, Niagara Falls, Rome, Rochester, Schenectady, Elmira,   Johnstown, Watertown; Utica, Niagara and Ulster counties; and the Seneca Nation.