Voluntary and Brownfields Remediation Programs: An Overview of the Environmental Law Institute's 1998 Research
Editors' Summary: One of the most important legal tools in the effort to remediate the nation's contaminated sites is state law that applies to such cleanups. In 1989, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) conducted a study of this law, and last year, it completed its most recent update of that study. In this Article, two ELI Senior Attorneys discuss the results of that update as it concerns two key aspects of site remediation—voluntary and brownfield cleanup programs. The Article begins with a description of state voluntary cleanup programs, summarizing their legal structure, eligibility requirements, cleanup standards, cleanup activities, and incentives. It then examines state brownfield programs, discussing their inclusion criteria, cleanup activities, cleanup standards, and incentives.