Political Quotes

“I rise in support of H.R. 2941, the Brownfields, Redevelopment Enhancement Act. This important legislation will assist in the redevelopment of abandoned contaminated industrial sites in our nation's communities. During debate on this legislation within the Financial Services Committee, however, the lack of a definition of what constituted brownfields concerned me. More specifically, I wanted to ensure that the Department of Housing and Urban Development would consider the cleanup of mine-scarred land eligible for funding within its brownfields program. Within my congressional district, we have significant amounts of abandoned mine land, some of it located in or near town or city centers, and therefore ripe for economic development opportunities. Some of this land is also contaminated or potentially contaminated, sometimes having become a dumping ground for other waste, and it often contributes to water pollution, particularly acid-mine drainage. The redevelopment of this under-used land through HUD's brownfields program could help to improve the economic climate of the region.”