Senate Passes Brownfields Legislation

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Senate has voted unanimously to pass a bill (S.350) that would provide $200 million per year for brownfields cleanups and would encourage developers to build on once-contaminated sites by protecting developers from future lawsuits. Two similar brownfields bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, but no committee action has been taken on either. Nonetheless, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman says she looks forward to working with the House "to earn its bipartisan endorsement of brownfields legislation."