Bloomberg making brownfields a priority.

The city recently has signed legislation developing a comprehensive program for the remediation and reuse of brownfields.

Brownfields are underutilized properties where redevelopment is stymied by contamination from past land uses. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said such sites have a long-lasting negative impact on neighborhoods.

"Although the state established a brownfield remediation program 15 years ago, we estimate that the vast majority of the remaining brownfields in the city would not be eligible for the state's program," he said.

"Recognizing this gap, we included eleven brownfield-related initiatives in PlaNYC. Introductory Number 21-A will give us the tools to realize these goals by codifying the Office of Environmental Remediation and establishing a local brownfields cleanup program to address the sites that the State program does not." Bloomberg said the legislation is the product of collaboration between the Council, the Administration, and advocates such as New Partners for Community Revitalization and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.