A brownfield, a previously developed industrial or commercial site with complicated potential for redevelopment due to real or perceived environmental contamination (EPA), is more common than you might think. According to the EPA, there are over 45,000 brownfields in the US today — most of which are found in urban, industrialized areas. These brownfields are former gas stations, dry cleaners, landfills, factories, abandoned railroads, and airstrips which may or may not contain soil contamination and hazardous waste. 

In 1995, the EPA established the Brownfield and Land Revitalization program to aid communities in managing and improving brownfields in the area. According to the EPA, the revitalization program is designed to empower states, tribes, and communities through grants and loans for development, cleanup, environmental training, and research. Investment in brownfields has proven to increase the local tax base, improve job opportunities, and protect and repair the environment through the utilization of existing infrastructure.