Brownfields - Sites For Clean Energy?

What are two of environmentalists' favoritedevelop a green economy, while promoting the
past-times? Well, that would be the clean-up ofpreservation of public landscapes. On January 8,
contaminated land and the development ofPresident Obama awarded $2.3 million in Advanced
renewable energy. In early January, the ArizonaEnergy Manufacturing Tax Credits for
State Office of the Bureau of Land Managementclean-energy manufacturing projects across the
initiated the second phase of a program itcountry. This funding comes as part of the
launched last summer called the RestorationAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and
Design Energy Project. This project is funded byillustrates the current administration's commitment
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Actto renewable energy, energy efficiency and other
and will attempt to transform brownfields intoclean-energy technologies. The companies
sites for renewable-energy development.receiving the tax credits will produce wind turbine
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency definesblades, double-reflective glass for solar panels,
brownfield sites as lands previously used forsmart meters and more.
industrial or commercial activity that may beBut back to the brownfields. Before these
contaminated by low concentrations of hazardousproperties can transform into fuel stations to feed
waste or pollution. Brownfields are typicallyAmerica's clean-energy future, hazardous
contaminated with hydrocarbon spillage, solvents,materials removal workers must remediate the
pesticides, and heavy metals, such as lead andcontaminants, following the Hazardous Waste
asbestos. The federal government and privateOperations and Emergency Response Standard.
developers clean up these sites to make themHAZWOPER, as it's called, refers to five types of
available for re-use. Conservation groups andhazardous-waste operations conducted under the
clean-energy developers agree that brownfieldsOccupational Safety and Health Administration.
on public and private lands offer ideal locations forThese workers currently hold more than 40,000
renewable-energy projects.jobs in the United States and can anticipate more
The Bureau of Land Management plans to analyzeworkforce growth with the Restoration Design
42 sites, totaling 26,000 acres, of landfills,Energy Project. HAZWOPER workers identify,
abandoned mines, gravel pits, hazardous materialremove, package, transport and dispose of
sites, former airfields, trash dumps and otherasbestos, radioactive waste, nuclear waste,
lands in urban areas to determine which sites mayarsenic, lead and other toxic materials. These
be conducive for the Restoration Design Energyworkers are critical to the success of the
Project. Because these brownfields typically haveRestoration Design Energy Project.
existing electrical and transmission capacity, andThe Wilderness Society supports this plan
are zoned for industrial activity, the sites arebecause it utilizes lands that have already been
especially suited for future clean-energy projects.impacted, instead of developing over ecologically
"Prioritizing renewable energy development onintact public lands. Cleaning up dozens of
disturbed lands helps keep our wildlands healthybrownfields across the country will pave the way
and can improve community well being by cleaningfor the development of renewable-energy
up brownfields, relieving local tax burdens andprojects, and soon, these once-contaminated sites
encouraging clean energy development," said Johnwill sprout wind turbines and solar panels.
Shepard of the Sonoran Institute, in a press"Developing energy on brownfields is a fantastic
release.way to utilize waste land by using our polluted
This program complements President Obama andpast to get to our clean future," said Alex Daue,
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's objective toof The Wilderness Society, in a press release.