Real Estate Tip – Make Your Brownfield Green: Access Federal $ for Assessments

Sites near public transportation, shops and services are often located in environmentally challenged areas called brownfields. You can reap significant rewards developing these sites. Your projects can earn recognition under green rating systems (including USGBC’s LEED), improve the community and even show a profit. The trick is to get started in a way that’s “under budget.”

Many municipalities have federal brownfields program funds available for performing Environmental Site Assessments. Often costing tens of thousands of dollars, ESAs are critical to developing a brownfields site. Asking the city or town if it has these funds can dramatically reduce your projects’ early soft costs.

EPA help doesn’t stop there, though. Once you have determined the scope of an environmental problem, how will you fix it? The technological landscape is changing rapidly. To keep up with the latest available remediation techniques, visit the EPA’s www.clu-in.org for more information and project assistance.

Today’s real estate tip is brought to you by Rick Smith, a member of Bernstein Shur’s Real Estate Practice Group. Stay tuned for more useful tips for real estate professionals.

For more information on how you may qualify for funds for site assessment and clean up assistance, contact Rick at rsmith@bernsteinshur.com or 603 623-8700 ext. 8829 or 207 774-1200.