Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) announced that an agreement has been reached between the Assembly, Senate and Gov. Pataki that will provide $155,000 in funding to help identify, investigate and clean up contaminated sites, known as brownfields, in Binghamton and Johnson City.

"These sites represent a part of our industrial past, a time when our economy prospered," Lupardo said. "Capitalizing on these properties by making them viable again, will help bolster our local economy – bringing much-needed jobs and business to our community."

Under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement, community-based organizations and municipalities would have access to financial assistance for neighborhood planning and brownfield site assessment, including up to $155,000 to help clean up seven brownfield sites along Route 17 known as the former EJ Industrial Spine.

The MOU was necessary to release state funding authorized by the historic Brownfield Clean-Up and Superfund Refinancing legislation enacted in 2003. The MOU allows for the release of $30 million covering the past two fiscal years. The agreement ensures a multi-year funding stream aimed at addressing thousands of contaminated properties.

Provisions of the agreement would authorize:

• $9 million for Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grants to municipalities and community-based organizations to plan for the redevelopment of brownfields within targeted urban areas, including funding for planning and site assessment;
• an additional $10 million for future BOA grants;
• $3 million for technical assistance grants for community-based organizations to increase public participation and assist communities in the evaluation of site data and the development of public areas;
• $2.75 million to set up a groundwater database to help identify contaminated groundwater and protect sensitive groundwater sources; and
• $4 million for staff support for BOA and technical assistance grant administration.

"These sites have posed serious environmental and health threats, as well as often being legal and financial burdens on our community for too long," Lupardo said. "Revitalizing these unused, contaminated sites is a major step toward rebuilding Southern Tier."