Public participation in brownfield redevelopment: The role of public participation in state administered Voluntary Cleanup Programs

One of the key redevelopment tools for brownfield sites in the United States is the use of state administered Voluntary Cleanup Programs (VCP). These programs offer development entities the opportunity to cleanup and/or remediate the effected site in exchange for protection from liabilities. Public participation is a common component of such programs and each state has differing levels of policies and activities. This research investigates the different levels of public participation through state administered VCPs and seeks to understand how those different levels can affect cleanup and/or remediation plans for respective brownfield sites. The results show that there is a positive relationship between public participation and changes to the plans and that there are other factors such as relationships between the state administered VCP and local government that can also have a significant effect.