ALBANY — While the state's Brownfield Opportunity Area program offers "tremendous promise" in enabling the cleanup of tens of thousands of acres of polluted land across New York, an advocacy group is calling for reforms to allow the program to "function at its best."

In a Tuesday press conference at the Legislative Office Building, members of the New Partners for Community Revitalization called on Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to sign a memorandum of understanding to release $8 million in funds allocated in 2005 for brownfield remediation projects at 53 sites throughout the state.

They also lobbied for changes in the way tax credits are allocated to various cleanup projects and decried the fact that brownfield remediation efforts fall under the auspices of two state agencies, the departments of State and Environmental Conservation.

The group advocates for the redevelopment of New York State's brownfields, particularly those in or near low- and moderate-income communities.

"We are here at a time when the state budget negotiations are getting under way to remind lawmakers and state agency officials to get on with the job of cleaning up New York's contaminated urban lands," said Jody Kass, co-director of the group. "Money appropriated in previous years for the Brownfield Opportunity Area program should be released and state brownfield tax credits should go to the projects that need them."

Mathy Stanislaus, the group's other co-director, said the standoff grew out of deep distrust between the Pataki administration and the Legislature.

The group proposes the following:

■ Execution of the agreement that is delaying release of the 2005 BOA funds and full release of those funds.

■ Elimination of the memorandum of understanding requirement in future budgets.

■ Making the Department of State the sole state agency responsible for the brownfields program.

■ Linking brownfield tax credits with projects consistent with brownfield plans.

Ms. Kass said that progress is being made, albeit slowly. Gov. Spitzer's budget proposal includes legislation to cap lucrative tax credits, which in the past have gone to "a few downstate developers" and create a "needs determination" to redirect incentives to where they are most needed. The Senate's Upstate Now proposal would make the Department of State sole administrator of the brownfields program, she added.

North country brownfield remediation proposals being held up include:

■ $50,400 for a study of 2,300 acres in the city of Watertown along the Black River that contain 100 possible brownfield sites. The city hopes to leverage potential recreation and tourism opportunities along the river.

■ $52,830 for a study of 57 acres in the town of Canton with 10 brownfield sites along the Grasse River. This project is part of a proposed Local Waterfront Revitalization Program that would encourage economic development initiatives along the river.

■ $37,995 to study approximately 300 acres in the town and village of Malone that may contain 20 to 30 potential brownfield sites. The project seeks to identify potential sites for redevelopment, particularly along the Salmon River.