On Feb. 25, 2026, Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a legislative hearing titled “Ready for Reuse: Legislative Proposals to Unleash the Potential of America’s Brownfields Sites.” The hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building and will be open to the public and press.
The hearing aims to examine legislative proposals supporting the remediation and redevelopment of America’s brownfields sites. 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. This hearing will provide the opportunity to discuss legislation that would strengthen and modernize the Brownfields Program to cut red tape, protect our environment, and support the innovative use of these sites.”
The session will focus on several bills including: Brownfields Revitalization for a Better Tomorrow Act; Brownfields Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act; Brownfields Inventory and Permitting Efficiency Act; and Brownfields Reauthorization for an Affordable and Revitalized America Act.
Chris Wells, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and President of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), is scheduled to testify before the subcommittee. Wells’ testimony highlights strong support for reauthorizing federal brownfield programs such as CERCLA Sections 128(a) and 104(k), emphasizing their role in delivering environmental, economic, and community benefits nationwide over two decades.
Wells said that state response programs supported by federal funding provide technical assistance, liability protection, assessments, cleanups, and redevelopment guidance—particularly benefiting small or rural communities lacking capacity for complex grants. He cited examples from Mississippi where EPA grants have leveraged significant private investment and job creation through brownfield redevelopment projects.
The hearing will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov. For more information about this announcement or details regarding participation or press inquiries,visit here.
