New Partners for Community Reviatilization

Thank you for visiting New Partners for Community Revitalization's (NPCR) new website.

December 2, 2009: Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez announced today a new initiative, the Place-Based Regional Collaboration Pilot, which strengthens the partnership between New York State and the federal government to advance community revitalization. The Secretary was joined today by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Transportation in making the announcement at the New Partners for Community Revitalization 2nd Annual Brownfields Forum. Today’s announcement marks a new avenue of state-federal collaboration. Read more.

October 7, 2009: Governor David Paterson announced the award of more than $10 million in Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Program grants for 24 projects across NYS; the award included almost $3 million for New York City BOAs. NYS BOA grants support an innovative area wide planning approach to manage the often intractable problems associated with brownfield redevelopment. NPCR’s Executive Director, Jody Kass was quoted in the press release: “The Brownfield Opportunity Area Program is a strong community renewal tool that is beginning to reverse the cycle of disinvestment in urban communities by creating new value and economic opportunity. The Governor's announcement that another 25 grant awards have been made is a significant step forward for the state's economy and the creation of healthy neighborhoods.” (NPCR had been advocating since April for the State to make these awards.) A copy of the press release can be found on the state's website.

June 10, 2009: Co-Director Mathy Stanislaus has left NPCR to assume his new position in Washington, D.C. as Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), a position that among other responsibilities includes EPA's Brownfields Program. NPCR wishes Mathy the best of luck in his new position and looks forward to the new focus at EPA on low income areas burdened by environmental injustices and community engagement in environmental issues and programs.

May 22, 2009: New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver recommended to Governor Paterson that NPCR Co-Director Jody Kass be appointed to the New York Brownfields Advisory Board created by the June 2008 amendments to the NYS Brownfields Law. The purpose of the Board is to serve as a working forum for the exchange of views, concerns, ideas and recommendations relating to the State’s brownfield programs.

May 11, 2009: Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation developing a comprehensive program for the remediation and reuse of brownfields. Watch the video which also features NPCR's Co-Director Jody Kass. Read the Mayor's press release.State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.

Save the Date!
NPCR's 3rd Annual Brownfields Forum, December 1st in NYC.

Other Events
April 3-5, 2011: 2011 National Brownfield Conference, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA. Learn more.

• November 2009 Update to Addressing the Risk: Making Environmental Insurance Available for Brownfield Sotes in New York City, December 2009 (PDF)

• Using Public Dollars for Brownfield Site Assessment, June 2009 (MS Word)

• Analysis on the Use of Brownfield Tax Credits by Not-for-Profit Organizations, February 2009 (MS Word)

• Addressing the Risk: Making Environmental Insurance Available for Brownfield Sites in New York City, November 2008 (PDF)

• Missing the Target: Making Brownfields Tax Credits work for Communities, May 2007 (PDF)

• Brownfields Breakthrough: A Report on New York’s Revitalization Tool for the Future, January 2007 (PDF)

Email NPCR Staff

NPCR Comments in Support of the Memorandum of Agreement between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York City Office of Environmental Remediation, June 18, 2010

On June 9th, a 30-day public comment period began on the draft Memorandum of Agreement between NYSDEC and the NYCOER. This MOA is crucially important to getting brownfield sites moving in low- and moderate-income NYC neighborhoods. [Read NPCR’s comments.] A copy of the MOA can be downloaded here and written comments should be submitted to Dale A. Desnoyers, Division of Environmental Remediation Remediation Director, by Friday, July 9, 2010 at NYSDEC, Division of Environmental Remediation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7011 or e-mailed to DEC.

NPCR UPDATES ITS BROWNFIELDS TAX CREDIT PROPOSAL- PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK, MARCH 2010

Over the last year, NPCR has continued its work on the NYS Brownfields Tax Credits and, in concert with others, has developed a new proposal for administering the tax credits. We are now seeking ideas and comments from brownfield stakeholders on our proposal. Please download the memo, make your suggestions, and send them to Jody Kass at jodykass@npcr.net.

NPCR HOSTS ITS SECOND ANNUAL BROWNFIELDS FORUM

On December 2, 2009, NPCR hosted its Second Annual Brownfields Forum entitled New Directions in Brownfields: Building Sustainable Communities through Stronger City, State and Federal Partnerships. The Forum, hosted by National Grid, was attended by over 250 brownfield stakeholders who heard from community development, environmental justice and government leaders involved in sustainability and neighborhood renewal. The event achieved national recognition when Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes Vazquez announced the Place-Based Regional Collaboration Pilot, a new NYS partnership with federal agencies to advance community revitalization. Forum Panel #1 focused on ways in which the EPA-HUD-DOT Partnership for Sustainable Communities could be connected to the NYS DOS Brownfield Opportunity Area Program. Panel #2 discussed the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program and shortcomings in the NYS law that affects eligibility and limits the ability to use brownfield tax credits to advance the construction of affordable housing projects on brownfields. The last panel focused on the NYC Brownfields and Community Revitalization Act signed by Mayor Bloomberg on May 11th, with a particular focus on the significant support it offers to NYC BOA grantees. Statements on the importance of brownfields revitalization, efforts to revitalize brownfields in low- and moderate-income communities and legislative proposals, were received from several invited speakers including State Senator Antoine M. Thompson, Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

NPCR AND FEDERAL POLICY INITIATIVES AT BROWNFIELDS 2009 IN NEW ORLEANS

NPCR is a member of the National Brownfield Nonprofit Network Initiative (NBNNI) which is a coalition of nonprofit organizations involved in hands-on brownfields redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization in communities across the country. NBNNI is developing a national agenda that reflects the needs of nonprofits who are interested in fostering a stronger partnership with EPA and in strengthening EPA's efforts to advance the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites. NBNNI has developed several initiatives about which we are now seeking input. Please download the straw summaries and complete a short Feedback Form and email the form to Laura Truettner.

SIGN-ON LETTER TO EXPAND NON-PROFIT ELIGIBILITY FOR EPA BROWNFIELDS GRANTS

Please consider adding your organization's name to the linked letter that calls for changes to the 2002 Brownfields Law to expand nonprofit eligibility for EPA site assessment and revolving loan fund grants. The letter was written to address questions raised by congressional staff relating to accountability and legitimacy of nonprofits and to underscore the tremendous capacity that nonprofits deliver on projects in low income communities. The goal is to get over 100 nonprofits to sign on and to deliver the letter to the US House of Representatives and the US Senate late this year or in 2010. (To add your organization's name to the sign-on list, please send an email to Jody Kass with the exact spelling of your organization and its location.)

NPCR HELD ITS BROWNFIELD SUMMMIT III IN ALBANY ON APRIL 27 & 28, 2009

Over 100 brownfields stakeholders participated in the two-day event which included a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Roundtable discussion and reception on the afternoon of the 27th, presentations by two Spotlight BOA Communities on the morning of the 28th, an intensive workshop on resources for site assessment and remediation, and a panel presentation by state agency officials on significant brownfield projects they have undertaken. The Summit also included presentations from several keynote speakers, including senior elected and government officials. Learn more about the Summit.

Visit the NPCR Showcase archive.