Everybody loves Brownfields. Local, State and Federal agencies provide an array of tax credits, grants, expert support, statutory liability protections and contractual liability protections to developers of contaminated land. Brownfield buyers generally are looking to avoid assuming liability for pre-existing conditions and for a few incentives to sweeten the pot. The public sector is eager to help.
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Less well known, and virtually ignored by the public sector, is a small but growing segment of the Brownfield ecosystem where buyers of contaminated land “run to the fire.” These buyers willingly take liability for pre-existing conditions, known and unknown, and provide the seller with a broad, collateralized indemnity. From the public sector’s perspective, these buyers are user–friendly, as they rarely seek government grants, incentives or liability protections. In recent years these “risk transfer” transactions have been particularly popular with owners of decommissioned power plants with ash ponds.
Indeed, these transactions have ingredients that EPA and the States typically love: tons of financial assurance for the benefit of the seller, an accelerated schedule for demo and cleanup with sanctions, engagement with the local community regarding future use, and job creation. Sometimes the risk transfer buyer turns the project over to a Brownfields buyer once the liability is managed.
Perhaps EPA, the States and NGOs can get to know the risk transfer portion of the Brownfield ecosystem a little better, add their expertise, and help get more sites cleaned up faster.
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