The Brownfields Revitalization Incentive Program was established in February 1997 as part of Maryland's Smart Growth policy. The program has helped encourage the redevelopment and reuse of urban and suburban contaminated and potentially contaminated properties, at no cost to the property owner.
Voluntary Cleanup Program
The Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) is administered by the Waste Management Administration’s Department of Environmental Restoration and Redevelopment Program (WAS ERRP) to provide State oversight for voluntary cleanups of properties contaminated with hazardous substances. The goal of the program is to increase the number of sites cleaned by streamlining the cleanup process while ensuring compliance with existing environmental regulations. Projects range from simple sites with a limited amount of contaminated soil to complex sites with multiple contaminants in soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and/or air.
Success Stories
The former American Can Company building sat abandoned for more than a decade despite its location on Baltimore's waterfront. Once a developer expressed interest, this brownfield became the first property in Maryland to complete the state's Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP). Partnerships emerged between the developer and the state to finance redevelopment, resulting in $24 million in funding from the developer and $1.5 million from Maryland. The site is now a retail and office center that brought nearly 700 new jobs to the city.
A former Proctor & Gamble manufacturing complex was in a similar situation to the former American Can site, sitting abandoned on the waterfront at the Inner Harbor. Following purchase by a developer and completion of the state's VCP, Baltimore Brownfields Assessment Pilot staff assisted the developer in applying for and receiving $10 million in city- and state-funded infrastructure improvements, as well as brownfields tax credits. Having preserved the historic facades of the original complex, this site is now home to an office complex that houses 1,525 workers, with the capacity for 175 more.
The EPA documents many other successful brownfield developments around Baltimore. To read more about these, click here.