On Feb. 25, 2026, Congressman Brett Guthrie and Congressman Gary Palmer announced a legislative hearing to discuss the potential of America’s brownfields sites. The hearing, titled “Ready for Reuse: Legislative Proposals to Unleash the Potential of America’s Brownfields Sites,” is scheduled for March 4, 2026, at the Rayburn House Office Building.
The hearing aims to examine several bills focused on supporting the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites across the country. According to Guthrie and Palmer, “For years, the Brownfields Program has been a vital tool to support the cleanup of contaminated sites, putting many locations back into productive use and creating jobs to revitalize communities across the country. As demand grows to redevelop these sites for advanced manufacturing, and other critical infrastructure, it is essential that the program continues to serve the needs of our communities.” They said this hearing will provide an opportunity to discuss legislation that would strengthen and modernize the Brownfields Program.
Dr. Alan Tomson, Mayor of Davis, West Virginia, testified before the Subcommittee on behalf of the National Brownfields Coalition. Tomson said he supports federal investment in brownfield cleanup but raised concerns about proposed changes that could allow private companies greater access to EPA grant funds without sufficient safeguards or local input. He said three of the bills under consideration could negatively impact local communities by redirecting resources away from municipalities and states toward subsidizing heavy industrial uses.
Tomson highlighted successful examples in Davis and neighboring Thomas where EPA Brownfields funding helped transform contaminated properties into community assets. However, he warned against provisions that would define private limited liability corporations as eligible entities for grants or prioritize certain industries such as data centers or power plants without community consent. Tomson said these changes could drain already limited resources from local governments and potentially exempt large projects from environmental review requirements.
The National Brownfields Coalition supports a straightforward reauthorization of existing programs with increased funding levels up to $450 million annually and minor improvements such as raising grant caps and providing flexibility for small or disadvantaged communities. Tomson concluded by thanking lawmakers for their collaboration in building a better brownfields program.
More information about this hearing can be found at the House Committee on Energy & Commerce website.
