What Are Brownfields?The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definesbrownfields sites as abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion orredevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Brownfields can be located in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

What Is EPA’s Brownfields Initiative?EPA’s Brownfields Initiative is an organized commitment to help communities revitalize blighted properties—both environmentally and economically. What Is RCRA? The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act(RCRA) was enacted by Congress to require thesafe management of municipal and industrialwastes. Some of these wastes are defined as“hazardous wastes.” The requirements of the Act are generally carried out by authorized state RCRA programs,and EPA provides oversight and support. Theseprograms regulate hazardous waste from thepoint when it is first generated until is finallydisposed of.Sometimes, hazardous wastes are improperlymanaged and must be cleaned up. The RCRAprogram has a component called RCRACorrective Action, which is the part of the program that oversees the cleanup of hazardouswastes at RCRA sites.

What Does RCRA Have to Do With Brownfields?By making sure that wastes are properly managed, the RCRA program prevents futurebrownfields. RCRA also may be involved in the restoration ofexisting brownfields sites. For example, manybrownfields sites contain facilities that currentlyare—or were in the past—regulated hazardouswaste treatment, storage, or disposal facilitiesunder RCRA. Or, part of a brownfields site mightnot be currently regulated under RCRA, but thecleanup might involve managing RCRA hazardous wastes that were disposed of in the past. In these cases, the site and the RCRA programcan work together to find solutions to brownfields problems. Unlike the Superfund program(which primarily addresses sites that have beenabandoned), the RCRA program generally workswith current property owners and operators.
50,000 trailers per year, and already it appearsthat it will far exceed that target.In addition, plans call for the construction of anew Smithsonian Institution National Museumof Industrial History, two ice rinks, a swimmingpool, a 16-screen movie theater, a hotel/conference center, a discovery science center, restaurants, retail, and more.EPA’s Region 3 is now using this process as amodel for other sites. U.S. Steel has a site wherethe cleanup process was moving very slowlyunder a RCRA order. The company has askedRegion 3 to work together, using the BethlehemSteel model to create another brownfields success story. 

Allied Signal

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Allied Signal’s Baltimore Chromium Works Plantalong Baltimore’s Inner Harbor produced up to50,000 tons of chromium per year during its 140years of operation. Although the plant ceasedoperations in 1985, large quantities of chromium

were found to be migrating into the waters adjacent to and below the site. An estimated 50pounds of chromium were seeping into BaltimoreHarbor daily and an additional 12 pounds per daywere getting into the deep groundwater on site. The site was subject to RCRA Corrective Actioncleanup requirements because, while it was operating, it had been a RCRA-permitted facility. Thestate of Maryland wanted to be involved in selecting the remedy for the site, so EPA, the state, andthe facility worked together to craft a consentdecree in 1989.The cleanup included demolition of the oldindustrial plant and removal of numerous contaminants from the surface. A specially designedhydraulic barrier wall extends from the surface tobedrock, and a multi-layer cap keeps any remaining chromium in the soil from escaping. A computerized ground water monitoring and extractionsystem is operational. The cleanup demonstrated:

● A high degree of collaboration between industry and government agencies. ● Innovative technical approaches to addressing

complex and demanding site conditions.

● Most importantly, a significant environmental

benefit for the local community.

Today, surface water samples verified by EPA andthe state indicate no detectable levels of chromiumare getting into the harbor, and the location nowrepresents a redevelopment opportunity. Situatednext to Baltimore’s successful Inner Harbor neighborhood, the site is in a prime location.Redevelopment plans include office, residential,retail, and open space.

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