미국에는 전지역에 걸쳐 수많은 브라운필드 오염지역, 즉 재활용이 고려되는 비활성 산업지역이 많다. 7월17일, 환경보호협회(EPA)는 오염된 브라운필드 지역들을 정화하는 사업을 지원하기 위해 약 1500만 달러를 보완적으로 조달하겠다고 밝혔다.

 

더 나아가, 이 순환대출 금융조달(Revolving Loan Funding)은 41개 지역 사회의 정화와 재개발 사업을 지원함으로써 각 지역의 공공 건강 및 환경 보전과 일자리 창출을 촉진할 것으로 보인다.

"브라운필드 지역들을 재개발하고 정화하는 데 이미 성공한 지역들에게 수여되는 이 펀드들은 브라운필드 정화 프로젝트를 촉진하여 지역 경제를 활성화시키고 일자리를 창출하고 해로운 오염으로부터 주민들을 보호하는데 앞장서고 있다."라고 EPA 고형 폐기물 및 응급 대처 부장 매티 스태니슬러스(Mathy Stanislaus)는 말했다. "순환대출 금융조달 펀드의 수혜자들은 미국의 최고 성과를 낸 지역단체들이다.

 

전체를 통틀어서 이 지역 사회들은 이미 25억 달러를 정화와 재개발 투자에 차입한 상황이다. 우리의 이 금융조달이 본 과정을 지탱하는데 도움이 될 것이다."

WASHINGTON, DC, July 19, 2013 -- Across the nation, there are several brownfield sites, unused industrial land, that are being considered for reuse. On July 15, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced approximately $15 million in supplemental funding to help clean up contaminated brownfields properties. Further, the Revolving Loan Funding (RLF) will help 41 communities carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects that will help communities create jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

"These funds -- granted to communities who have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfields -- will help boost local economies, create local jobs and protect people from harmful pollution by expediting brownfield projects," said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "The RLF supplemental recipients are some of the nation's top performers. Collectively, these communities have already leveraged more than $2.5 billion in clean-up and redevelopment investment -- the RLF funding announced today will help sustain that incredible progress."

Revolving loan funds specifically supply funding for grant recipients to provide loans and sub-grants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. When these loans are repaid, the loan amount is then returned to the fund and subgranted or re-loaned to other borrowers, providing an ongoing source of capital within a community for additional cleanup of brownfield sites. The supplemental grants range in funding from about $200,000 to $400,000 with an average grant award of $300,000.

There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. EPA's brownfields program targets these sites to encourage redevelopment, and help to provide the opportunity for productive community use of contaminated properties. The investments overall have leveraged more than $20 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources and on average, $17.79 is leveraged for every EPA brownfields grant dollar spent. 

The funds have enabled the support of 90,000 jobs in cleanup, construction and redevelopment.

[출처: Waterworld / 2013년 7월 19일]