Brownfields are sites whose former use involved hazardous materials. These can range from discontinued manufacturing facilities to shut-down military bases and abandoned gasoline stations. Federal programs exist to transform these sites into safe areas for redevelopment.
Federal law, known as Superfund, enacted in 1980 and reauthorized by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) in 1986. The law imposes strict joint and several liability for cleaning up environmentally contaminated land.
Remediation refers to the process of cleaning up environmentally contaminated sites to mitigate or eliminate pollution and restore environmental quality.
