Regulations Apply to Brownfield Engineering
Brownfield engineering activities may be subject to a variety of regulatory frameworks. Depending on the nature and extent of environmental contamination, the work performed on a brownfield site can be regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), and/or State occupational safety and health and hazardous waste regulations. Additional regulatory requirements can be imposed by local and state planning, zoning, and building codes.
The goal of brownfield engineering is to transform a brownfield into an economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible land use. Often, this goal is accomplished through the cleanup and redevelopment of a former industrial site that is abandoned or underutilized. The cleanup and redevelopment of a brownfield can increase property values, stimulate economic growth, improve living conditions, reduce environmental hazards, and provide safer communities.
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Redevelopment of a brownfield engineering can be challenging due to the complex and interrelated environmental issues. Often, the cost of addressing these issues can be prohibitive and slow down redevelopment. In addition, a lack of coordination and information-sharing between different levels of government and regulatory agencies can add to the time and expense of redevelopment.
What Regulations Apply to Brownfield Engineering Activities?
While the redevelopment of a brownfield can be beneficial for a community, it can also pose significant health and safety risks. To minimize these risks, workers at brownfield sites should be trained and prepared for the potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants. Work on a brownfield site may require compliance with paragraphs (b)-(o) of the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard. HAZWOPER training is required for any on-site employee who is expected to respond to a hazardous substance release. The training and preparation requirements for employees working at a brownfield site can be more stringent than those required by other workplaces.
To help mitigate these risks, the EPA encourages brownfield developers to develop soil clean-up measures based on the risk assessment of each individual site. This approach helps ensure that the most important sites are addressed first, and that resources are focused on redevelopment of sites with the greatest potential environmental impacts.
Several factors must be considered when developing a brownfield redevelopment plan, including the level of contaminants and their distribution on and in buildings and other structures, the extent of contamination within soil and groundwater aquifers, and the cost of remediation. A cost-benefit analysis should be conducted to determine whether redevelopment is feasible and to identify alternatives if it is not.
The redevelopment of brownfields can provide opportunities to attract new businesses, create jobs, and revitalize downtown areas of historically industrial cities that have seen a shift in economic development activity away from these locations. Moreover, redevelopment of brownfields can reduce demand for land that would otherwise be used for new commercial and residential development. This in turn can help alleviate pressure on existing landfills and reduce environmental degradation associated with such land use. In some cases, redevelopment can even be cost-effective, particularly when compared to the costs of buying and cleaning up greenfields.