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December 2025

Dear Friend,

As we look back on 2025, the brownfields community has a lot to celebrate.

During a time when many federal programs faced uncertainty, brownfields funding remained intact, brownfields redevelopment continued to deliver real results: safer neighborhoods, new jobs and housing, stronger local economies, and healthier environments for families.

This past year shows what’s possible when vision and community partnership come together. From small towns turning long-vacant sites into new opportunities to major cities advancing transformative redevelopment projects, 2025 reaffirmed that brownfields work is essential and catalytic.

As we enter the year ahead, the National Brownfields Coalition remains committed to strengthening federal support, elevating best practices, and championing the policies and resources that help every community unlock the potential of its land. The momentum is real, and together, we will keep moving it forward.

the big wins of 2025

• New and improved website: We launched a refreshed National Brownfields Coalition webpage with a streamlined layout and a new Resource hub for tools, publications, and initiatives. 

• ASTSWMO Annual Conference: In October, Kennedy O’Dell and CCLR Executive Director Jean Hamerman presented “Lean into the Present to Shape the Future of Brownfield Redevelopment,” highlighting federal policy updates and the Coalition’s top advocacy priorities.

• Partnerships for Brownfield Redevelopment Webinar: We relaunched the Education and Outreach Subcommittee with a webinar on innovative cross-sector partnerships in brownfield redevelopment.

• National Brownfields Conference in Chicago: At the National Brownfields Conference in August, we shared federal policy insights and connected with practitioners nationwide during our panel titled “Federal Insights with the National Brownfield Coalition.”

• Federal policy and funding landscape webinar: Our May webinar walked through key federal opportunities—tax deduction restoration, program reauthorization, and FY26 appropriations—and how practitioners can engage.

• Testifying to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee: In March, Steering Committee member Christa Stoneham testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the importance of EPA’s brownfields programs and the risks posed by potential funding or staffing cuts.

New Tool

Brownfields to brightfields

We launched a new interactive map that helps communities identify brownfield sites with strong potential for clean energy projects. By combining EPA’s RE-Powering data with site-level solar indicators, infrastructure proximity, and neighborhood economic metrics, the tool provides a fuller picture of where solar development can succeed—supporting planners, policymakers, and community partners advancing equitable clean energy projects.

Advocacy updates

EPA Brownfields Program

The past few months have brought both progress and shifting political winds. As Congress works on a brownfields reauthorization bill, the National Brownfields Coalition has met with House and Senate committee staff to assess whether a straightforward extension or a broader update has the best chance of advancing. Based on these conversations, we’re refining our advocacy strategy to emphasize program stability, bipartisan continuity, and the long-term need for sustained investment.

Brownfields Cleanup Tax Deduction

The Coalition is tracking two bills related to restoring the brownfields cleanup tax deduction (1997–2012):

• The Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive Reauthorization Act (H.R. 815) remains the Coalition’s preferred approach. Representative Mikie Sherrill’s recent resignation after her election as Governor of New Jersey adds uncertainty, and we’re engaging potential cosponsors to take the lead.
• The Brownfield Revitalization and Remediation Act (H.R. 5472) offers a broader expansion of eligible expenses. While aligned with restoring the deduction, the bill’s additional provisions raise questions about cost and implementation. The Coalition expects to support it while recommending refinements to keep the deduction focused and politically feasible.

Federal brownfields funding remains level through January 30, 2026 under the current continuing resolution.

Join us in 2026!

Becoming a member of the National Brownfields Coalition connects you to a powerful network of practitioners, advocates, and leaders driving equitable, sustainable land reuse nationwide.

As a member, you will join a diverse coalition that helps shape federal policy. 

In a time of policy uncertainty and rising redevelopment challenges, your membership matters more than ever. Together, we can unlock the full potential of underutilized land and drive transformative change.

For more information on membership, reach out to Sam Gordon at sgordon@smartgrowthameria.org .

Sincerely,

The National Brownfields Coalition is a non-partisan alliance of public, private, and non-profit practitioners who develop and advocate for federal policies and practices that promote the cleanup, remediation, and equitable redevelopment of underutilized and environmentally contaminated land (brownfields) throughout the United States. NBC educates, advocates, and convenes stakeholders nationally to advance brownfields redevelopment and thriving communities.

More information about the Coalition can be found here.

The National Brownfields Coalition works to ensure the responsible cleanup and reuse of underutilized, blighted, or environmentally impacted land. A program of Smart Growth America and the Center for Creative Land Recycling.