[CPEO-BIF] "NY's Brownfield Cleanup Incentives Not Flowing to Minority or Struggling Communities"

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

NY's Brownfield Cleanup Incentives Not Flowing to Minority or Struggling 
Communities

Green Group's Investigation Reveals Tax Credits Going to Zero Dirty Site 
Clean Ups in Predominantly Minority Communities

Press Release
Environmental Advocates of New York
January 31, 2011


ALBANY, NY (readMedia) -- The state government watchdog group 
Environmental Advocates of New York today released an in-depth analysis 
of tax credits doled out to developers under the state's Brownfield 
Cleanup Program. Established in 2003 to encourage the cleanup of 
contaminated areas blighted by former industrial sites, the intent of 
the program was to stimulate economic development in low-income 
neighborhoods and communities of color, while making such communities 
healthier and safer. Click here for a list of sites and related tax credits.

Environmental Advocates' review of Department of Environmental 
Conservation (DEC) records of remediated brownfield sites, as well as 
records from the state Department of Taxation & Finance, revealed that 
developers have claimed nearly $365 million in tax credits to clean up 
brownfield sites during calendar years 2008 and 2009. But these tax 
credits are not encouraging cleanups in predominately African American 
or Latino neighborhoods, or in areas with high rates of unemployment or 
families living in poverty.

...

For the entire release, see
http://readme.readmedia.com/NYs-Brownfield-Cleanup-Incentives-Not-Flowing-to-Minority-or-Struggling-Communities/1980791

--


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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