Separate and Unequal: A Comment on the Urban Development Aspect of Brownfields Programs

Several states and the federal government have proposed and enacted what are termed "Brownfields Programs." These initia- tives have two goals: 1) creation of employment in economically distressed areas surrounded by urban "brownfields" (contami- nated properties); and 2) preservation of "greenfields" (pristine land) from development. This Article discusses the efficacy of the urban development aspect of these initiatives. Specifically it argues that while cities (notably those in the northeast and northcentral United States) may have suffered the impact of deindustrialization disproportionately to their respective suburbs,these programs create a duality of environmental protection that will consign the cities to permanent second class environmental status. These programs provide a short term fix for a long term problem.

This Article proposes that what is needed is a reexamination of environmental standards as they apply to both city and suburbs.