Brownfields Forum -
Registration, Agenda, Sponsor Information
BROWNFIELDS FORUM
Urban Revitalization 2009:
Building the Smart Growth Link Between Redevelopment and Sustainable Communities
November 17th 3:00 – 7:00pm
Panel Discussions: 3:00 – 5:30pm
Networking Reception: 6:00 – 7:00pm
Host: HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
452 Fifth Avenue, 11th floor (entrance on 40th Street), NYC
Join New Partners for Community Revitalization for an exciting, educational Forum on Brownfields. This event features two afternoon working sessions, followed by an early evening meet-and-greet networking opportunity with state elected officials and senior agency staff.
Preliminary Agenda
Even as private capital is drying up and the amount of buildable land is shrinking, New York State’s brownfield programs are poised to energize the urban/downtown landscape and become an important economic development and smart growth driver. This Forum will focus on changes in the state’s Brownfield Programs resulting from reforms signed into law by Governor David Paterson in July. Learn what is on the horizon for funding, training, and regulations. Then, join us for informal networking with legislators, agency officials, economic development, community and municipal leaders, and practitioners, and hear from state leaders about the latest cutting edge smart growth/brownfield opportunities.
In these tight budget times it is important to make investments in New York’s neighborhoods that will maximize limited funds by creating jobs, leveraging private investment, increasing tax revenue and strengthening communities facing unprecedented stress. There is growing recognition of the economic benefits and environmental efficiencies of rebuilding in downtown areas. Through the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) program, over one hundred communities across the state are developing their own unique visions for growing their neighborhoods. From Buffalo to Long Island, municipalities, community groups, property owners, businesses and residents are actively designing community revitalization blueprints. Even as the credit markets tighten, BOA funds are fueling the planning, market studies, environmental analysis, infrastructure design and other activities needed to attract private investment, get projects built and enable neighborhoods to grow smart. These projects already encompass 90,000 acres and 8,000 brownfield sites.
We know that cleaning up downtown brownfields is a good investment. National studies show that every acre of redeveloped brownfield property saves 4.5 acres of greenfields. Every dollar of public investment spent on brownfields development leverages up to $8 in wages, job creation and taxes, and can lead to property value increases of up to 15%. Costly infrastructure projects are also reduced. And, thanks to urban/downtown access to public transportation, shorter commutes and concentrated development, urban communities use less energy, helping address climate change impacts.
Forum Topics include:
- A re-energized, more efficient BOA program, which includes new funding and expedited processing for municipalities and community groups for area-wide brownfields planning.
- Re-structured Brownfield Tax Credits, including increased BTCs for cleanup costs, and a 2% bonus for developers that build consistent with a BOA plan.
- The status of the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), including eligibility.
- Economic and environmental benefits of brownfields and smart growth.
- The release of NPCR’s report on Environmental Insurance
Panel Presenters and Keynote Speakers (Preliminary list of confirmed Speakers)
- Val Washington, Deputy Commissioner for Remediation and Materials Management, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
- George Stafford, Deputy Secretary of State, NYS Department of State
- Dan Walsh, Director, NYC Office of Environmental Remediation
- Lucille L. McEwen, President and CEO, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc.
- Alan Epstein, Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP (tax credit expert)
- Paul Beyer, Director of Smart Growth Planning, NYS Department of State
- Evans Paull, Senior Policy Analyst, Northeast-Midwest Institute
- Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director, UPROSE
- Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones, Director of Programs, Sustainable Long Island
- Alexie M. Torres-Fleming, Executive Director, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice
- Ernest Langhorne, Director, Downstate Development, NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal
- Senator Antoine M. Thompson, NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee
- Senator Carl L. Marcellino, Chair, NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee (invited)
- Special Keynote Address: NYS Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
Supporters & Co-Sponsors of the Brownfields Forum: AKRF, Inc.; AON Risk Services; ARCADIS; Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation; CA Rich Consultants, Inc.; Empire State Future; Environmental Advocates of New York; Environmental Defense Fund; Environmental Waste Management Associates, LLC; Environmental Resources Management; Fifth Avenue Committee; Gannett Fleming Engineers; Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center; Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc.; Hillman Group, LLC; Jonathan Rose Companies; Municipal Art Society Planning Center; New York League of Conservation Voters; NYC Environmental Justice Alliance; NYSAFAH; Regenesis; Supportive Housing Network of New York; Sustainable Long Island; The Doe Fund, Inc.; UPROSE; Women in Housing and Finance, Inc.; Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice.
NPCR appreciates the current and past philanthropic support of our policy, program and project activities received from the Booth Ferris Foundation, Citigroup Foundation, Deutsche Bank Foundation, Ford Foundation, Garfield Foundation, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Independence Community Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Surdna Foundation, and The New York Community Trust.
Registration is closed. Please email JodyKass@npcr.net to check on availability.
