With a lack of incentives for developers to invest in cleaning up Long Island's polluted post-industrial sites and rising real estate costs throughout the two counties, efforts to reform local brownfield sites have all but halted.  However, local legislators know the benefits that can come from re-developing these areas and have taken action to make it happen before the current legislative session ends.

According to Newsday [1], Assemblyman Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst) [2] has submitted a bill that clarifies what constitutes a brownfield, reworks the tax incentives and places the Brownfields Opportunity Area [3] program under a single state agency.  The holdup for what is a seemingly simple policy is the disagreement on the amount of allowable tax credits - Governor Paterson wants them lowered and Senator Carl Marcellino (R- Syosset) [4] wants them higher.  

Advocates have taken to Albany to push for an agreement before the legislative session ends in June.