In 1998, the City of Stamford became one of 16 Brownfields Showcase Communities nationwide. These Communities were intended to demonstrate innovative, cooperative efforts between federal, state, local, and private partners to assess, cleanup, and redevelop brownfields into high quality communities. As Mayor Malloy will describe in greater detail, the City of Stamford has since begun two major revitalization initiatives with the assistance of the Corps of Engineers. The first involves the clean-up of long-abandoned brownfields along Stamford's waterfront to create new economic and recreational opportunities for a largely poor and minority community. The second project will transform brownfields along the Mill River into a linear park through the city center lined by mixed income housing and new commercial development. The Corps of Engineers has greatly enhanced both of these projects by bringing technical expertise to bear on complex hydrologic and ecological challenges, such as remedying recurring siltation and identifying and remediating any environmental contamination.
Currently, the Corps of Engineers is able to assist on brownfields projects under a miriad of existing authorities such as various flood control programs and the Section 206 ecosystem restoration program. The Corps also operates through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The involvement of the Corps has generated a number of successes. In response to these successes, we now have the opportunity to provide the Corps with clearer authority to undertake brownfields revitalization projects, with clearer guidance on what environmental cleanup standards will apply to Corps cleanup projects, and with additional resources to provide their unique technical expertise to the many communities ready to step forward with their own commitment to revitalizing waterfront brownfields.
Because of their essential role in the country's industrial development, city riverfronts, harborfronts and lakefronts throughout the United States bear not only the glory of industrial successes, but also, in many cases, the contamination left behind by these activities. At the same time, revitalizing waterfront brownfields into viable parks, residences, and commercial property can hold the key to reinvigorating city cores. Through existing and ongoing interactions with the Corps, Connecticut communities have begun to benefit from such revitalization With a clear authority, and additional resources, the Corps of Engineers could bring even more to the many American communities ready and willing to step up to the plate with a matching commitment of their own resources.
Mr. Chairman, unfortunately I will be unable to stay for the full hearing today, but I will depart with confidence in Mayor Malloy's ability to convey the importance of this program to Connecticut communities and, I am sure, to cities and towns in many other states across the country.