DEP Releases Brownfields Program Annual ReportTALLAHASSEE- The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently released the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program 2009 Annual Report. Submitted each year to the Governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, the report describes DEP’s progress and level of activity in implementing the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Act established in 1997. The report documents the Program’s continued success in revitalizing brownfield areas despite current economic challenges. “The Florida Brownfields Program empowers communities, local governments and other stakeholders to work together to assess, clean up and reuse brownfields,” said Mimi Drew, DEP Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs. “The program has created nearly 30,000 new direct and indirect jobs and resulted in almost $1.68 billion of capital investment over the last 11 years.” Brownfields are properties where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of environmental pollution. There are now 252 brownfield areas designated statewide. Highlights for the period from January 2009 through June 2010 include:
The Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program utilizes economic and regulatory incentives to encourage the use of private revenue to clean up and redevelop sites, create new jobs and enhance the local economy. To view the report, please visit:www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/brownfields/default.htm. |