Brownfield reform bill becomes law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 23, 2008

CONTACT:

Kate Torok, Travers Collins & Company

716-842-2222, ext. 320

Brownfield reform bill becomes law

Unshackle Upstate leaders attend bill signing; praise Governor and State Legislature

(BUFFALO, N.Y.) -- Governor David A. Paterson signed this session's brownfield reform bill into law today during a press event in downtown Buffalo's Niagara Square. Leaders of the Unshackle Upstate coalition participated in the event, and praised Governor Paterson and the state legislature for ending a moratorium which now allows dozens upon dozens of Upstate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects to proceed, and for creating a new program that is more fiscally responsible to state taxpayers.

Unshackle Upstate had reform of the ineffective 2003 brownfield cleanup program at the top of its priority list this year. As of August 2007, under the previous law, less than 92 acres had been remediated in all of Upstate, just a fraction of the properties that need attention.

"Up until now, low property values and depressed economic conditions Upstate have limited the number of brownfield projects undertaken by the private sector - even in prime locations like waterfronts," said Andrew J. Rudnick, Buffalo Niagara Partnership president and CEO, and Unshackle Upstate member. "With this improved tool in its hands, the private sector can and should now take a lead role in remediating these sites to make them new opportunities for people to find employment and contribute to the larger state economy."

The Unshackle Upstate coalition doubled in size during 2007, and now represents more than 45,000 employers and more than 1 million workers.

For more information, visit http://www.unshackleupstate.com/.

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