What Are Brownfields?
"Brownfields" is a term given to abandoned or contaminated industrial sites located in urban areas. Returning abandoned industrial properties to productive use:

• Stimulates economic growth
• Creates jobs
• Increases local revenues
• Encourages environmental cleanups
• Revitalizes urban areas

Emeryville is an urban area that was affected by brownfields. As large industries began to contract and relocate to other cities in the 1970s, they left behind properties with toxins that had to be cleaned up before other businesses could use them.

Accelerated Clean-Up
The city has accelerated this clean-up effort by obtaining state and federal grants to fund property remediation. The city uses grant funds to clean up land it owns and also makes environmental assessment and clean-up loans available to private property owners. Sites that have been or remain in need of remediation can be identified by address at the California Department of Toxic Substance Control’s EnviroStar.

Clean-Up of City Owned Property
The city has conducted an environmental assessment and is in the process of remediating the following properties:

• 5701 Hollis Street: future greenway parcel
• 3706 San Pablo Avenue: future affordable housing site

Assessment & Clean-Up Loans
The city also provides low-interest loans to property owners seeking to remediate sites prior to redevelopment.

• Assessment Loans (PDF): Site Assessment loans are available through a cooperative agreement with the California Pollution Control Financing Authority, under the Cal ReUSE (Recycling Underutilized Sites) Program.
• Clean-Up Loans (PDF): The city has received grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Revolving Loan Fund to provide low interest financing to property owners for site remediation. There is no minimum loan amount, and the maximum loan is subject to fund availability.