Green Remediation Focus

Related Green Initiatives

Green remediation strategies can benefit from concepts and tools established under other EPA initiatives that focus on energy conservation, renewable sources of energy, reduced air emissions, materials recycling/reuse, or sustainable redevelopment of remediated sites:

• Several programs within EPA's Clean Energy initiative provide technical assistance and policy information, foster creation of public/private networks, and formally recognize leading organizations that adopt clean energy policies and practices.
• EPA's RE-Powering America's Land initiative encourages renewable energy (RE) development on current and formerly contaminated land and mining sites; the initiative identifies RE potential of these sites and provides various resources for communities, developers, industry, state and local governments, or other parties interested in reusing these sites for RE development.
• The Green Power Partnership helps organizations buy "green power" designed to expand the market of environmentally preferable renewable energy sources.
• The Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership Program and Clean Energy-Environment Municipal Network support development and deployment of emerging technologies that achieve cost savings through energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings, municipal facilities, and transportation facilities.
• EPA's Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse ("ER3") Initiative uses enforcement incentives to encourage developers, property owners, and other parties to implement sustainable practices during redevelopment and reuse of contaminated sites. A developer, state, municipality, or other entity interested in incorporating sustainability concepts into the redevelopment of contaminated property may submit a sustainable development proposal to EPA's ER3 network.
• EPA's Brownfields Sustainability Pilots provide communities with technical assistance in achieving greener assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment at brownfields. Assistance applies to efforts such as reuse and recycling of construction and demolition materials, green building and infrastructure design, energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy development, and native landscaping.
• EPA Region 3's Sustainable Cleanup and Redevelopment initiative focuses on returning remediated properties to productive use while creating jobs and strengthening communities.
• EPA Region 5's Greener Cleanups initiative addresses greener techniques for site cleanup, greener approaches to land revitalization, and sustainable materials management.
• EPA Region 9's Cleanup-Clean Air Initiative facilitates practices that reduce diesel emissions and greenhouse gas releases at Superfund cleanup and redevelopment sites. The Smart Energy Resources Guide provides decisionmaking tools regarding cleaner diesel construction equipment (including retrofit technologies, repowers, and cleaner fuels) and information on alternative energy sources for long-term cleanup.
• EPA efforts in the area of sustainability practices and approaches include labeling green products and promoting green chemistry and engineering, managing materials rather than creating waste, using green infrastructure to manage storm water runoff, and supporting the sustainable design of urban communities.