Fact Sheet EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. These pilot programs are intended to provide EPA, states, tribes, municipalities, and communities with useful information and strategies as they continue to seek new methods to promote a unified approach to site assessment, environmental cleanup, and redevelopment. The Pilot targets approximately 12 brownfields located within the boundaries of Saginaw's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and a 28-acre abandoned marsh area in the central city for greenspace activities. The city is situated at the north end of Michigan's industrial corridor and near the gateway to the state's recreational areas.
Principle employment is automotive manufacturing, medicine, education, and agriculture.
In the past, lumber, oil, and coal industries have been large employers for the region. Saginaw's 31.7 percent poverty level is among the highest in the nation, and the unemployment rate is 9.75 percent. The city has hundreds of idle and abandoned former industrial and manufacturing sites. During the last 30 years, more than 800 abandoned properties in the central business district have reverted to city or state ownership. Uncertainty about the existence of environmental contamination has hindered redevelopment.