213-223, Jan 2000 Communities desperately needing economic revitalization are often not benefiting from the nation's general prosperity and sustained growth. A culprit in this imbalance is perceived environmental contamination that deters public and private investments in redevelopment.
Delays stem from uncertainties with regard to the extent and nature of contamination.
Accelerated deployment of innovative technology could dramatically increase the quantity of brownfields cleaned up over the next 5 years by providing communities with critical scientific information. This strategy would require the national laboratories working in concert with land grant universities, nonprofits, and the private sector to deploy innovative technologies at the community level.