Photo Credit: Billy Pope
The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) is celebrating the recent passing of critical legislation developed to advance statewide site development. Signed into law by Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey, HB378 expands the current Alabama Land Recycling & Economic Development Act, also known as the Alabama Brownfield Voluntary Cleanup Program, to strengthen the state’s pipeline of development ready sites.
“The passage of the Brownfields legislation marks a milestone achievement for BBA and the communities we serve across the Greater Birmingham Region,” said Steve Ammons, President and CEO of Birmingham Business Alliance. “By redeveloping these former industrial sites, we are not only cleaning up our past but also setting the stage for a brighter future for our region’s residents.”
“ By redeveloping these former industrial sites, we are not only cleaning up our past but also setting the stage for a brighter future for our region’s residents.”
Brownfields are abandoned or underutilized properties that may be contaminated from past industrial activities. The existing Voluntary Cleanup Program primarily focused on sites owned by persons who did not contribute to the contamination. These new owners can now work with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to clean the property to certain standards, and afterward receive protection from future litigation.
Countless sites across the state are still owned by the persons who operated on these properties, but those sites remain idle because the post clean-up liability protections were almost impossible to obtain. However, the recently passed legislation brings a ray of hope, encouraging property owners to investigate, clean, reclaim and revitalize these once-abandoned sites, which will make communities safer while creating opportunities for future economic development and job creation.
As the leading economic development organization for central Alabama, BBA proactively advocates for and advances policies that help the region grow jobs and capital investment. HB378’s passing marks a historic moment for the organization, which has advocated for an update to the legislation for nearly a decade. The drafting of the new legislation as well as the achievement of getting it signed into law was led by BBA’s public policy committee.
“This critical legislation will make our communities safer while also creating jobs in disadvantaged areas, thus making them healthier in every respect,” said Jim Proctor, vice chair of public policy for BBA and general counsel at McWane, Inc. “We are grateful for the partnership of the BBA team and look forward to generating economic opportunities through the next phase of this milestone achievement.”
““This critical legislation will make our communities safer while also creating jobs in disadvantaged areas, thus making them healthier in every respect.””
Each year BBA publishes a legislative agenda produced in collaboration with governmental affairs professionals across their investor community. Advocating for pro-business policies advances the Greater Birmingham Region’s competitive position as a place where business and talent can thrive. BBA’s advocacy work in 2023’s legislative session featured many successes, including Governor Ivey’s “The Game Plan” package of bills focused on advancing economic development efforts.
The Alabama Legislature is set to reconvene for the 2024 regular session on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, where BBA will continue to collaborate with lawmakers to drive positive outcomes for the Greater Birmingham Region’s business community.