James M. Jeffords: “Today, we take a historic step toward bolstering economic development. The Small Business Liability Relief and…”

“Today, we take a historic step toward bolstering economic development. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, H.R. 2869, will protect our small businesses. This bill will revitalize once abandoned factory sites. This bill will give new life to our aging industrial sites. This bill will provide hope and prosperity to locations long ago forgotten. Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate declared a mandate in the form of a 99-0 vote endorsing the Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act, S. 350. Unanimously, the Senate pledged its commitment to the redevelopment of potentially contaminated industrial sites. As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I have taken that mandate seriously. I am pleased that, today, the House followed suit. The Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act authorizes $250 million a year over the next five years for assessment and cleanup grants, including petroleum sites, and State program enhancement. The bill would provide liability relief for three groups: contiguous property owners, prospective purchasers, and innocent landowners. Lastly, the bill outlines the parameters by which EPA may re-enter a site to protect human health and the environment.”