The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 defines a 'brownfields site' as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous waste substance, pollutant, or contaminant."

SWRPC Brownfields Advisory Committee

Southwest Region Brownfields Assessment Program

Since 2003, SWRPC has managed a Brownfields Program designed to help municipalities in southwestern New Hampshire understand real or perceived contamination of vacant or underutilized properties and to work towards the remediation and redevelopment of those properties.  The Commission started the Program after receiving a Mixed Hazardous Substances Brownfields Assessment grant from U.S. EPA  in 2003.  Since 2005, SWRPC has received two additional Mixed Hazardous Substances Assessment grants, as well as two Petroleum-Only Assessment grants.  The grant funding supports a program to inventory and assess Brownfields sites within 36 contiguous municipalities in southwestern New Hampshire, educate stakeholders about the benefits of Brownfields redevelopment, and work with the public and private sector to bring those properties back to their best use.  The program is implemented by SWRPC staff, a Brownfields Advisory Committee comprising community stakeholders, and consultants contracted by SWRPC.  The Advisory Committee assists SWRPC staff in selecting eligible, known or potential Brownfields sites for the use of the Assessment funds to conduct site assessments.  Contact us for more information.

Southwest Region Brownfields Assessment
Program Objectives

1. Promote awareness of Brownfields issues and opportunities among SWRPC's 36 member municipalities;
    
2. Inventory known and potential Brownfields sites within the Region;
    
3. Assist municipalities, private property owners and developers with decision-making regarding the applicability of the Brownfields Program to their interests;
    
4. Conduct Phase I site assessments on selected sites;
    
5. Conduct Phase II site assessments on subset of selected Phase I sites;
6. Prepare Phase III site assessments/Remedial Action Plans on selected Phase II sites; and
7. Institutionalize programming for the continuation of inventory, outreach, assessment, and re-use planning toward re-development of Brownfields as valued commercial land or green space.