[CPEO-BIF] New York's standards criticized

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Environmentalists seek tougher state pollution standards

Groups cite brownfield chemical levels

By Cara Matthews
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (NY)
August 5, 2008

ALBANY -- The state's cleanup standards for chemicals commonly found at 
polluted sites known as brownfields are weaker than federal government 
laws and should be strengthened, environmental groups claimed Monday.

A survey released by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, the 
New York Public Research Interest Group and other organizations compared 
the state's standards to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's and 
other states. The federal lead standard, for example, allows only 800 
parts per million to be left at an industrial site, but New York permits 
3,900 parts per million.

Gov. David A. Paterson recently signed a law to revamp the brownfields 
program by putting emphasis on tax incentives for cleanup rather than 
redevelopment. Previously, some developers who spent the minimum on 
remediation were able to reap millions of dollars in tax credits for 
redevelopment.

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS01/808050342/1001

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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