Background

Section 1.0: Background

In March 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) undertook a study to assess the feasibility of establishing a national brownfields site exchange web site (exchange). Such a web site might enhance the exchange of information nationally between owners of brownfields properties and potential purchasers thereof. Owners or purchasers of brownfields properties could include local, state, and federal agencies; tribal governments; local businesses; national corporations; developers; realtors; and investors. EPA believed the exchange could help companies that offer site characterization and remediation services, innovative approaches and technologies for cleaning up sites, and other services supporting the cleanup of brownfields properties. The study revealed a number of hurdles that make it difficult for EPA to proceed with the establishment of the exchange, and EPA has determined that other organizations may be better suited to proceed with that effort.

EPA believes that the result of the study is the most comprehensive analysis that has been conducted of web sites and databases (both referred to as web sites in this report) that include information about current and planned brownfields properties. EPA is providing this report about the study and its findings to assist other organizations developing and operating web sites that include information about such properties. Appendix A to this report describes the approach to the study.

A number of cities, states, associations, non-profit organizations, and others have developed or are planning web sites related to brownfields properties. Because many of the web sites appear to be similar, there may be opportunities to share information and combine efforts. The various web sites exhibit similarities in the configuration and information reported for given properties. Because the development and operation of comprehensive web sites can require extensive resources, individuals who are designing and operating them are encouraged to review other web sites and communicate with others who have undertaken similar initiatives to determine opportunities to leverage individual efforts and thus save time and money.

In addition to including basic information about the properties listed, such as location, size, zoning, and ownership, many web sites include other information to assist potential buyers in making initial evaluations of properties. Such information includes: (1) tax and other incentives being offered, (2) the type(s) of contamination, (3) the extent to which contamination at the property has been characterized, and (4) links to other web sites that provide more detailed information about the properties listed. Drawing on the findings of the study, EPA prepared an optional web site design that presents one possible approach to designing a web site and a sample functional requirements document. This report discusses both tools in more detail.

Once a web site has been constructed, the operator of the system may have neither the capability nor the resources to collect and routinely update data on large numbers of brownfields properties, particularly in the case of national efforts that could involve thousands of properties. This report identifies potential relationships with state and federal agencies, associations, and private companies that may be willing to promote the collection of information and support the operation of web sites developed by other entities.