Inhofe, Markey, Rounds, Booker Praise Passage of Brownfields Reauthorization in Senate Energy Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in praising the passage of the Brownfields reauthorization as part of S.2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015, which passed by a vote of 85 to 12 today. This bipartisan amendment would reauthorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields program through 2018 and was first introduced as S.1479, the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2015 (BUILD Act).
“I’m proud to lead a bipartisan chorus of colleagues in achieving another step in reauthorizing the Brownsfield program,” Inhofe said. “The inclusion of this amendment in the Energy Policy Modernization Act shows how this Senate is working across the aisle for the betterment of hardworking Americans. The Brownfields program has already been largely successful, and the reauthorization of this program will continue to create jobs and promote economic development for many local communities throughout the country. I encourage our colleagues in the House of Representatives to take up this commonsense legislation so that it can get enacted into law.”
“It is great news that this bipartisan energy legislation includes our bipartisan provision to clean up and revitalize contaminated Brownfields sites,” Markey said. “Senator Inhofe and I may disagree on green jobs creation, but we’re both committed to improving Brownfields utilization. Our provision will help clean up the decades of abuse our lands have experienced at the hands of corporate polluters. This will help to create jobs and spur economic activity in Massachusetts and around the country, while revitalizing underutilized and polluted lands. I thank Senator Inhofe for his partnership on this important legislation that ensures Brownfields sites can be an economic solution.”
“A number of South Dakota communities have benefited from the Brownfields program,” Rounds said. “Reauthorization of the program will allow state and local governments to continue to clean up polluted areas so they are once again safe for use.”
“Today marks a promising step forward in our efforts to restore the estimated 450,000 brownfield sites nationwide to productive uses. Both during my time as mayor and as senator, I have seen firsthand how the Brownfields program helps revitalize communities across the state of New Jersey,” Booker said. “I am proud that our bipartisan amendment was included in the larger energy bill that has now passed in the Senate.”
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