Highlights
In 2014, BROWN created the “community partnerships” concept to provide free consultative assistance on land reuse. As of 2024, BROWN engaged in 10 community partnership projects, including a North American-European Brownfields Working Group partnership. BROWN continues to provide free redevelopment consultation to communities.
Community Partnerships
Driving through the outskirts of any urban area, you see vacant lots, old buildings, and industrial sites no longer in use. These locations are a blight on the community. But did you ever wonder whether the old structures could be torn down or repurposed, and the rubbish removed? Did you even consider whether a local business or civic organization could clean up and re-use the property?
These types of properties actually have a name: "brownfields." ATSDR includes brownfields as a type of "land reuse" site. These are sites that are slated for redevelopment but may have chemical contamination. These may also be sites exempted from the 2002 CERCLA amendment, such as Superfund sites.
The Brownfields & Reuse Opportunity Working Network (BROWN) is a group of ATSDR partners who are experts in community redevelopment. They help our National Brownfields/Land Reuse Health Program support communities who have a vision of revitalization that makes health a priority.
In 2014, BROWN created the "community partnerships" concept to offer free consultative assistance to communities with land reuse concerns. The ATSDR Land Reuse Team or individual BROWN members can focus on a community that needs help developing their vision. They can help identify projects that can move them towards their vision. Our goal is to implement the safe reuse of potentially contaminated land into community assets that improve overall community health. These assets could be children's playlots, health clinics, community centers, grocery stores with a wide range of produce, etc.
As of 2024, the ATSDR Land Reuse Team and BROWN facilitated 10 community partnership projects in the United States. They also formed one North American-European Brownfields Working Group partnership. With BROWN, we provided consultation and technical assistance to these communities. Some of the partnerships applied for and received funding or leveraged other assets. These include partnering with environmental professionals to create professional redevelopment plans and hosting community visioning sessions. Working together they are able to accomplish important steps in their process.
Here is the BROWN's assistance resource.