The National Brownfields Coalition and the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) hosted a webinar last week on understanding federal brownfields policy, advocacy, and funding in 2025. Attendees heard from Kennedy O’Dell, Senior Manager of Advocacy at Smart Growth America, and Jean Hamerman, Executive Director of CCLR, who explained the history of the brownfields program and provided an insider’s perspective on what’s happening with federal funding, EPA programs, and brownfield legislation pending in Congress. Here are some of our key takeaways from the conversation.
It’s a time of change and disruption in Washington, and in the midst of it all, Congress and the administration are actively considering the future of federal support for brownfields programs. Recognizing how difficult it is to track those changes in real time while still pursuing brownfields work, the National Brownfields Coalition convened a webinar to help brownfields practitioners build or expand their understanding of federal legislation and the work of the National Brownfields Coalition in advancing sustainable brownfield redevelopment. The webinar covered a wide range of issues, including brownfields tax deduction legislation, brownfields reauthorization legislation, FY26 appropriations, and other timely issues. Attendees learned about these major legislative opportunities, National Brownfield Coalition priorities for each opportunity, and how they can support legislative efforts.
Here are the top takeaways from our conversation on federal brownfields policy:
1. Despite a turbulent and uncertain funding environment broadly, bipartisan support remains for federal brownfields programs in Congress. Positive signs for the program’s wellbeing continue, including bipartisan hearings on the program, continued EPA activity, the recent announcement of a new round of grant recipients, and the fact the National Brownfields Conference is still on for Chicago in August of this year.
2. There are three primary federal policy issues for brownfields work specifically: reauthorization of the EPA’s brownfields program, the potential inclusion of a federal brownfields tax incentive in pending tax legislation, and the yearly appropriations process. Each issue is an opportunity to advance brownfields work, either by pursuing funds or incentives that can support projects or by seeking legislative adjustments to improve the program overall.
3. Legislation reauthorizing the brownfields redevelopment tax incentive has been introduced by a bipartisan pair of legislators and the provision is up for consideration in the comprehensive tax package. H.R. 815, recently reintroduced by Rep. Sherrill (D-NJ) and Rep. Turner (R-OH), would allow taxpayers to fully deduct the cleanup costs of contaminated property in the year the costs were incurred. By allowing for the expensing of remediation costs, the deduction makes contaminated sites far more competitive to develop. The introduction of a bipartisan piece of legislation reauthorizing the incentive after it expired in 2012 is a positive step forward.
4. The process of reauthorizing EPA’s brownfields program is moving forward in a largely positive and bipartisan manner. Senator Capito and Senator Blunt Rochester introduced a bill to reauthorize EPA’s brownfields program, the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 347), and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed it unanimously earlier this year. In the House, there have been multiple positive hearings on the program. While additional steps remain before passage, the coalition applauds the forward progress and the consideration of their reauthorization priorities.
Advocate for the brownfields redevelopment tax incentive
The National Brownfields Coalition needs your help to galvanize support for the brownfields redevelopment tax incentive (H.R. 815) and ensure Congress takes action in an upcoming tax package to restore this vital tool for spurring economic growth and improving community well-being. Whether you’re an individual, business, or organization, your advocacy is crucial.
You can take action today by contacting your representatives and urging them to support or cosponsor H.R. 815 and spreading the word by sharing this post and engaging your networks in this critical effort. For more information on the Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive and how you can help, check out our fact sheet here.