EPA calls Bethlehem Works
National Model for Redevelopment
For Immediate Release
Public Relations Division
Public Affairs Department
1170 Eighth Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18016-7699
(610) 694-3711 - Phone
(610) 694-1509 - Fax
Speaking to federal, state and Lehigh Valley government officials, environmental-management professionals, economic development officials and community leaders, Tim Fields, Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response, U.S. EPA in Washington, D.C., told the audience:
"This is the largest brownfields development site in the nation and an example of how urban industrial sites can be jointly investigated and remediated through public-private partnerships. The EPA, in concert with the Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, will be using the 163-acre tract known as Bethlehem Works, and owned by Bethlehem Steel, as the standard -- the national model -- against which other industrial redevelopment projects can be benchmarked."
Echoing the EPA's comments was James M. Seif, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, who said:
"Bethlehem Steel is to be commended not only for its contributions as a pioneer in forging the Commonwealth's industrial legacy, but today as a pioneer in industrial land cleanup and reuse. Rather than turning your back on the responsibilities to render your property safe, you confronted them. Instead of writing off your key holdings in Bethlehem, you have created new hope and a completely new vision for this city and this region.
"Over the past four years, Bethlehem Steel has worked proactively to plan for this major development project by involving all environmental partners, including the EPA and DEP. We have worked cooperatively with Bethlehem Steel and EPA on a plan that resulted in a thorough investigation and which expeditiously remediates the property, where needed, to advance the project in a timely manner. This is exactly what the Ridge Administration had in mind when we proposed our brownfields law."
Pennsylvania's brownfields law, also known as Act 2, the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act of 1995, provides for former industrial properties to be returned to productive use while ensuring the properties are environmentally suitable and safe for development. This legislation was enacted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Governor Tom Ridge to encourage property owners to responsibly and expeditiously return their properties to productive use.
As part of the largest brownfields property in the United States, the Bethlehem Works project has met the substantive requirements of both Act II and the RCRA corrective action program in preparation for development. "We have established a public/private partnership with federal, state and local governments to advance this project's potential to return jobs to the community. This designation as a national model of public/private partnership for environmental restoration of brownfields/RCRA sites will help move this project forward," said Curtis "Hank" Barnette, chairman and chief executive officer, Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
The Bethlehem Works project of Bethlehem Steel is located on 163 acres on the South Side of the City of Bethlehem. The project involves the development of cultural, entertainment and recreational venues including ice skating rinks, multi-plex movie theaters, a swimming/diving complex and supporting retail establishments. In addition, the National Museum of Industrial History, in affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution, will be the anchor of the site. A Preview Center for the museum is scheduled to open in early 2000.
As a result of the brownfields law being applied to the Bethlehem Works project, land was recently sold to a consortium of local economic development organizations for the construction of a second technology center to house growing firms engaged in high-technology businesses. Ground was broken for the second building of the John M. Cook Technology Center on April 30 on a four-acre tract of land sold by Bethlehem Steel adjacent to the Bethlehem Works project.
To the east of the Bethlehem Works project are 1,600 acres of Bethlehem Steel land being marketed as the Bethlehem Commerce Center. Bethlehem Steel is also working closely with the EPA and DEP as plans progress for the development of light industrial, distribution, transportation and warehousing initiatives. This summer, the first major new business at the Bethlehem Commerce Center will open as Norfolk Southern begins to operate an intermodal facility with BethIntermodal, a Bethlehem Steel subsidiary.
Bethlehem Steel has been working to create a public/private partnership to responsibly develop the 1,800-acre tract that had operated as the steelmaker's Bethlehem plant. "We have received solid cooperation from all government agencies and from the community-at-large. We hope to quickly move forward with the construction of key components, particularly the infrastructure required by developers before commitments are made," said Bethlehem's chairman Mr. Barnette.
Commitments have been made by the federal Department of Transportation, the county of Northampton, Pa., and the city of Bethlehem to fund improvements to the infrastructure, "which are essential to the continued progress of the Bethlehem Works project," said Mr. Barnette.
Remarks by James Seif, Secretary
Department of Environmental Protection
Thank you, Hank. I am very pleased to announce today the approval of the environmental cleanup work plan for the 163-acre Beth Works property. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation is to be commended not only for its contributions as a pioneer in forging the Commonwealth’s industrial legacy, but today as a pioneer in industrial land cleanup and reuse.
Rather than turning your back on the responsibilities to render the property safe – you confronted them. Instead of writing off your key holdings in Bethlehem, you have created new hope and a completely new vision for this city and this region. Bethlehem Steel Corporation is a strong symbol of the economic vitality of the past, and now the same holds true for the future.
We are pleased that the Ridge Administration’s Land Recycling Program stimulated your efforts. Your accomplishments to date, and your plans for cleaning up and reusing the additional 1,600 acres to the east is evidence that this program is achieving its intended results. Your site will be added to the more than 450 sites that have already been cleaned up under Pennsylvania’s nationally acclaimed Land Recycling Program.
State programs alone do not facilitate the realization of successful projects – they are the result of hard work, innovative thinking, public-private cooperation and a sincere commitment to get the job done.
DEP environmental cleanup professionals accepted the opportunity to work closely with Bethlehem Steel and its consultants. A team approach rather than a traditional confrontational approach was used to answer questions, interpret regulations and program guidance and address issues in a timely manner.
The use of an innovative risk-focused approach that was applied to characterizing this property was made possible only through open discussion, free information sharing and a common commitment to site reuse.
I also am pleased that the working relationship established between DEP and Bethlehem Steel was expanded during the course of the Beth Works cleanup to involve staff from EPA’s Philadelphia Office. Through this cooperate relationship, opportunities to satisfy federal cleanup obligations while following state Land Recycling procedures were explored. These discussions proved very fruitful and EPA is here today to provide further endorsement of this coordinated cleanup process.
We had hoped to establish the Beth Works property as an incubator to test this coordinated approach. We are so pleased with the results that work is already being coordinated between the federal and state programs to address issues in a similar fashion on the remaining 1,600 acres of Bethlehem Steel property.
We have invited all facilities in Pennsylvania with priority obligations under the federal program to satisfy those requirements by voluntarily initiating cleanup work under the Commonwealth’s Land Recycling Program. Open minds focused on issue resolution will allow this approach to be applied to brownfields throughout the Commonwealth and the country.
Gov. Ridge is committed to a "greener" Commonwealth, where uncontrolled land development can be reduced by redirecting growth to our old industrial sites, such as the one here at Bethlehem Steel. The land development vision for Beth Works and the proposed Bethlehem Commerce Center represents a model for brownfield reuse. Projects like this help us sustain our economic vitality while protecting the unspoiled character of our natural environment.
We hope that the rebirth of this property will enable Bethlehem Steel and the community to spark a second industrial revolution in Bethlehem and build a foundation for the economic future of the city.
Remarks by Timothy Fields, Jr.
Assistant Administrator, EPA, Washington, D.C.
I am proud to join you today at the site of one of the nation’s most exciting redevelopment projects. I offer my congratulations to Mr. Hank Barnette of Bethlehem Steel, Secretary Seif and his staff at Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, and the many others who are working hard to transform this property into an exciting and productive center for commerce and recreation.
We are here today to celebrate completion of a critical step in the redevelopment of the Bethlehem Works site: a cleanup agreement that concludes an environmental assessment for the site and ensures that any contamination from historical industrial activities is removed and remediated.
This cleanup agreement, forged by outstanding collaboration among Bethlehem Steel, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3, ensures that the diverse activities planned for this property can go forward while guaranteeing full protection of human health and the environment.
My national EPA office and the Region 3 office in Philadelphia are enthusiastic about what is underway here at Bethlehem Steel, for a number of reasons. Among these reasons is that the site remediation work and redevelopment efforts for the Bethlehem facility showcase in an outstanding way two top priorities of EPA’s national site cleanup program.
The first of these EPA priorities is to facilitate the environmental assessment and redevelopment of the nations’ Brownfields, those abandoned or underutilized industrial sites that may be shunned by developers because of real or perceived environmental contamination. What we have here at Bethlehem Steel is an outstanding redevelopment effort that promises to turn a huge and strategically located former industrial site into a vital, productive center for commerce and recreation.
The other top priority for EPA’s site cleanup program is to reinvent how the cleanup process works for facilities regulated under the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act’s Corrective Action program, so that RCRA cleanups happen faster and more efficiently.
For some years now, RCRA cleanups have been known for their emphasis on long process and excruciating detail, which in too many cases meant that actual cleanups were delayed. Now EPA is making changes to the program: providing more flexible cleanup requirements, backing off of procedural requirements when they don’t add value, and giving companies more leeway to try innovative approaches to remediation, as long as the end result meets national cleanup standards.
I’m proud to say that the cleanup agreement reached by Bethlehem Steel, Pennsylvania DEP, and EPA is a model for the RCRA corrective action program that we’d like to see duplicated across the country. The agreement was reached quickly through concerted collaboration by all parties, with a minimum of red tape and procedural requirements and a focus on what matters most: cleanup standards that ensure the full protection of public health and the environment as the Bethlehem Works facility evolves to support a diverse set of new uses.
As the head of EPA’s national cleanup programs, I am committed to ensuring that many more RCRA cleanups across the country mirror both the spirit and the sound environmental results of the Bethlehem Steel cleanup agreement. EPA will continue to work actively with the states, industry, and local communities to achieve this.
Once again, it’s a pleasure to join you here today to celebrate this victory of commitment and collaboration. It is a victory for all the parties involved -- and once again I offer my congratulations to Mr. Barnette, Secretary Seif, and to Mike McCabe of our EPA Region 3 -- but most importantly, it is a victory for the environment and for the people of Bethlehem.
Thank you.
Remarks by Mike McCabe
Administrator, EPA Region III
Good afternoon. I am pleased to be here today along with EPA Assistant Administrator Tim Fields, DEP Secretary Jim Seif, Mayor Donald Cunningham, Jr., and Hank Barnette of Bethlehem Steel Corporation to applaud the environmental and redevelopment progress achieved at Bethlehem Steel’s 2,000 acre facility, which represents one of -- if not the largest -- brownfields developments in America.
Today’s celebration is the end product of cooperation and teamwork among Federal, State, and local agencies, the Bethlehem Steel Corporation and the community of Bethlehem. I hope that what we all accomplished here is a model that others in the mid-Atlantic region and the country will imitate. I congratulate Secretary Seif and his staff for this impressive example of their Land Recycling program in action. I congratulate Bethlehem Steel for their commitment to this community. We in Region III are proud to be a member of the Bethlehem Works team.
By recycling this former industrial site, we are extending the life of greenfields and open space that otherwise would have been paved over and developed to make way for this project. This is noteworthy because uncontrolled growth is a top concern of people living in Lehigh and Northampton Counties according to a recent survey by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
Consider these facts: In southeastern Pennsylvania it has been estimated that development is consuming an acre of open space every hour, twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year. In the Lehigh and Northampton counties, more than 6,300 acres of farmland and open space were developed from 1995 to 1997. More than 84% of people polled by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission think that Lehigh and Northampton counties should do more to preserve farmland. These same respondents think that the Lehigh Valley’s biggest shortcomings are traffic congestion, crime and too much development and urban sprawl. The issue of taxes ranked fourth.
Last fall, 240 "green" ballot initiatives were considered in communities across the country. More than 150 of these measures enhancing local livability were adopted. The voters sent a simple message: They want older neighborhoods revitalized; they want their waterways and wetlands protected from pollution, and that they want to see farmland and open space preserved. The redevelopment of the Bethlehem Steel site meets these criteria.
The cleanup work done here was in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This Act has been in existence since the mid-80's and back in those days, cleanup projects required intense negotiations between the parties and countless hours of review time to complete.
As late as five years ago, a project as large and as complex as the environmental cleanup done here at Bethlehem Steel would have required us to shift the priorities and resources within our cleanup programs. And to be perfectly honest, as a result, some worthy projects would have been put on hold, others delayed, and some not started at all while we redirected our efforts to support the redevelopment/cleanup efforts for Bethlehem Works.
Today, we’re here in Bethlehem to recognize the value of partnering in building a success story like the Bethlehem Works Project -- the first major phase in what promises to be an environmental and redevelopment partnership that will continue into the next decade as we address the environmental conditions at the rest of this facility so that redevelopment can follow closely behind.
EPA Region III joined this project as a partner with the Pennsylvania DEP and Bethlehem Steel - with all of us sharing a similar vision -- to successfully redevelop this huge tract of land while at the same time protecting human health and the environment.
Common goals and common sense...CAN make for amazing results!
I should also emphasize that we have learned something else from this venture. That is, this ambitious project has provided us with valuable insights that will guide us when we move forward in future partnerships on other cleanup projects.
Lessons learned include - the knowledge that environmental goals of both federal and state cleanup programs CAN be met by using one administrative process rather than two; that federal and State regulators and the facility, working together, CAN avoid duplication of effort; and, most importantly, that cleanups CAN be done faster and more efficiently by focusing on results.
EPA is applying these lessons learned at other facilities, as is evidenced at the PECO/Chemclear site in Chester, Pennsylvania, where we are working with the State to clean up and redevelop 90 acres of Delaware River waterfront. Or, the cleanup at the BP Oil/Tosco refinery in Marcus Hook, where we are working with DEP to allow that facility to address its environmental responsibilities while maintaining its economic importance as an operational oil refinery. We are also working with the State to meet the challenge in front of us -- to protect human health and the environment at 95% of the industrial facilities covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act by the year 2005.
The Bethlehem Works project illustrates that federal - state - local and business interests can partner together in meeting mutual redevelopment goals, while satisfying our environmental responsibilities. This is exactly what we need to do more of if we are to meet the challenges we face in redeveloping our older communities.
What were once considered stumbling blocks to redevelopment are now building blocks...and here, in Region III, we are proving that environmental protection and sustainable economic development can go hand in hand.
Remarks by Curtis H. "Hank" Barnette
Chairman & CEO, Bethlehem Steel Corporation
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
Thank you, Steve.
We are very proud to welcome you here on behalf of Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Our government partners from the federal government, in Washington and Philadelphia, and from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are here to share some very good and exciting news with us today.
You often hear me talk about the public-private partnership that must come together to help revitalize the South Side through the development of Bethlehem Works and the Bethlehem Commerce Center. It is an absolute necessity that the public and private sectors be contributing partners and collaborate on the same objectives if we are going to see the potential that exists here become reality and provide the greatest opportunity for the people of Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley region.
Today’s announcement clears the way for the next steps in the development of Bethlehem Works. It is also an indicator of the positive attitude that we as partners will take into the Bethlehem Commerce Center development.
It’s a special occasion when senior officials from EPA Washington and EPA Region Three and a state environmental cabinet secretary gather with a major industrial corporation to report on cooperation and teamwork; environmental stewardship and sustainable growth; commitment to success and protection of the environment; flexibility versus rigid regulations; and Victory for the environment and the community.
And, today is one of those special occasions in Bethlehem.
We are privileged to have with us our partners from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Secretary Jim Seif, and his key staff from Harrisburg and Wilkes Barre; from Washington, DC, EPA Assistant Administrator, Tim Fields, and his staff; from Philadelphia, EPA Region III Administrator, Mike McCabe, and his key staff members.
They are going to share with us the success that is evolving from an experiment in partnering to protect the environment and to enhance and revitalize our community. Six years ago, before Pennsylvania’s brownfields law C Act 2 C this would not have been possible. Nor would it have been possible without the enlightened leadership that EPA is providing.
Today is, indeed, a very special day for Bethlehem because, as you will hear from the speakers who follow, the very best example of a public-private partnership is working to the advantage of this City, its residents and the environment we all share.
When Bethlehem Steel set out to plan for the revitalization of the South Side, we knew that to be successful we would need a partnership effort of the private and public sectors to address and resolve many different issues -- planning, zoning, site preparation, infrastructure, transportation, financing and actual construction.
But, one of the critical issues we faced was environmental assessment and remediation to allow adaptive reuse of this former steel plant. In the past, that would have been a major, indeed perhaps, impossible challenge to overcome in a timely and comprehensive manner.
However, times, ideas and leaders have changed. Instead of having inflexible approaches to addressing environmental concerns, and often not really finding solutions, we were encouraged by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection to work with them, and take some bold steps for a comprehensive solution.
Early in the process, we consulted with DEP and were encouraged to proceed with creative approaches under the brownfields law - Act 2. With the confidence that a beneficial partnership would develop, we created the Bethlehem Works plan. We conducted the required testing and analysis, and presented a remediation plan for the Webster Street area, just west of here, as a test project. The process worked, the plan was approved by the state, we learned a lot from that experience, and we gained the confidence necessary to proceed with the overall development.
The first major benefit on the site became a reality about six weeks ago when we broke ground at Webster Street on land sold by Bethlehem Steel for the John M. Cook Technology Center. You can see the earth being prepared right now to the west of us. It will be a 35,000-square foot complex that will bring more hi-tech jobs to this site. It is part of the state’s success story on the Ben Franklin Partnership. And so, we’ re delighted that Bethlehem Works is on the move and we look forward to the opening of the second Tech Center later this year.
In announcing the concept of Bethlehem Works, we signed an agreement, the first of its kind, with the Smithsonian Institution that led to the establishment of the National Museum of Industrial History, an affiliate of the Smithsonian. We are in the midst of organizational, staffing and planning activities for a leadership fund raising campaign that will move us toward an opening of the NMIH Preview Center about a year from now. It will exhibit industrial artifacts from the Smithsonian’s 1876 Centennial Exhibition collection, and provide an educational resource on the industrial development of our country.
Behind us is the Baldwin locomotive, one of the artifacts that is on loan from the Smithsonian Institution and was recently shipped to the Lehigh Valley from Washington, DC. Over the years, a few million people have seen this on the Mall in DC and we expect that over time several million people will examine it here when the NMIH opens. It gives us a glimpse of the quality that will be represented in the new museum, and also represents one of the industries that has been so vital to our nation.
We are very proud of our partnership with the Smithsonian. Dr. Steven Lubar, chairman of the technology and engineering division of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, and the person who has been so instrumental in our relationship, is here with us today. He is an outstanding and dedicated individual. Steve, please stand to be recognized.
And to the north of us at river’s edge, work is underway for a new interchange yard that will serve the BethIntermodal Terminal at the Bethlehem Commerce Center. It is where our PB&NE railroad will service Norfolk Southern trains before pulling them into the terminal.
What is evident is that revitalization does not occur all at once. It is a series of events and plans that properly assembled over time can yield great benefits to our community.
We have been working diligently with the staff at DEP for several years to learn as much as we could about this site from an environmental perspective and to develop a remediation plan under the brownfields law that would allow adaptive reuse development of this historic site. We worked with the Mayor of Bethlehem, Don Cunningham; conducted a public hearing; and made available to the public at our local library all the environmental findings on the site. This review has been a very open, public process. And, we were pleased with what we learned.
We’re especially proud that the partnership that started with DEP was joined by EPA. These two organizations are to be commended for the foresight they have had in recognizing the value of working together, and in working with and guiding us to meet their objective of full environmental compliance, while providing a growth opportunity for this urban site.
Mr. Fields and Mr. McCabe, your presence here today with Secretary Seif is a clear message to others that, by developing early partnerships, former industrial sites -- brownfields C can become productive, dynamic destination attractions that provide opportunities for cities that might otherwise have faced bleak futures.
As we have marketed Bethlehem Works, investors, financial institutions, economic development agencies and end-users always asked about environmental conditions and obligations. We were able to tell them the status of DEP’s review and the benefits of Pennsylvania’s brownfields law. That was reassuring, but, the follow-on question was always >does EPA agree’?
We have the experts here with us today to answer that question, so let’s ask them to share with us their views on the progress to date and what we might expect going forward.
First, I would like to introduce Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Environmental Protection, Jim Seif. Jim has been the guiding hand for Governor Ridge in the promotion of the brownfields remediation program and he has assembled a highly competent and professional staff to seek solutions and create new opportunities on former industrial sites. Jim.
We are pleased to have join us in Bethlehem the Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the person in charge of the federal clean-up program that affects this as well as similar facilities, Mr. Timothy Fields. This program has its origins in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA, and is sometimes referred to as RCRA corrective actions.
Under Tim’s leadership, the changes that are occurring in this area at EPA allow creative thinking, new flexible approaches that encourage problem-solving over the traditional rigidity that often hampered solutions in the past, while at the same time protecting human health and the environment. Tim.
As you know, Pennsylvania is in EPA’s Region Three. We have been working closely with the Philadelphia headquarters’ office to demonstrate our own objectives and environmental commitment for this site. This important partner is a key part of the remediation solution. Administrator Mike McCabe has provided the critical linkage in this partnership to help make sure that EPA would be an important part of the successful outcome of Bethlehem Works. Mike, welcome.
Another important member of this public-private partnership is our city -- the Administration led by Mayor Don Cunningham and City Council. We have worked closely with many officials in city hall on a weekly and even daily basis to keep the process moving.
Mayor Cunningham is an avid supporter of Bethlehem Works and Bethlehem Commerce Center. We and he are anxious to advance these projects, and I know that he is pleased with this important development.
Don.
In Pennsylvania, it is well known that the Ridge Administration had as one of its highest priorities a brownfields program. That’s why it was among the first pieces of legislation passed after the Governor took office C and was designated Act 2.
Who may not be as well known is the prime sponsor of the legislation which became Act 2 in Pennsylvania. State Senator Chip Brightbill, part of whose district is Lehigh County, was gracious enough to cancel some other plans today to join us. Chip is the Majority Whip in the Senate and serves on the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Senator Brightbill was a pioneer in the development of brownfields legislation and had the tenacity to see it through when it was innovative thinking.
Chip, we are happy to have you with us and look forward to your remarks.
Don Ritter, our former congressman, is chairman of the National Environmental Policy Institute in Washington, whose purpose is to provide direction for improving the environmental policy. Of the many issues Don and his group focus on, one is brownfields development.
Many of you will remember that Don was the co-sponsor of the National Canal Heritage Corridor law and the founder of the Lehigh River Foundation.
Don.
This has been an important couple days for Bethlehem Works and Bethlehem Commerce Center. In the early hours of Thursday morning, one more essential step was taken. The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the capital budget bill which, through the efforts of the entire Lehigh Valley delegation and many individuals, contains key funding provisions for Bethlehem Works, the Bethlehem Commerce Center and Intermodal terminal, and the National Museum of Industrial History.
We will continue to work with the Ridge Administration to authorize the spending for these capital budget items. The infrastructure funding and capital items are critical components of the comprehensive, and absolutely essential, funding of these projects.
We would like to acknowledge the extraordinary effort of our legislators in seeing to it that our proposals passed the legislative process. In particular, Senators Lisa Boscola and Charlie Dent, and Representatives T. J. Rooney, Craig Dally and Steve Samuelson.
Senator Boscola has worked hard for these projects and continues to push for funds for Bethlehem Works. Lisa, would you like to say a few words?
Senator Charlie Dent, we want to thank you for being at the forefront of the effort to bring support to this undertaking. You, too, have been a true partner with your colleagues in obtaining support.
Charlie.
Representative T. J. Rooney, whose district encompasses the Bethlehem Works, has been tireless in his work on behalf of these projects. T. J. has supported this plan for the South Side from its beginning, and we are grateful to him for his dedication and tenacity.
T. J.
CLOSING REMARKS
What we have heard today is the story of how committed leaders at the federal and state levels with a corporate partner have created a national model of a public-private partnership for environmental restoration of brownfields sites.
This is a significant event that merits attention throughout our Commonwealth and the nation. Commitment and teamwork will lead to success for our communities and our residents. The learnings from Bethlehem Works are, and will be, applied to the Bethlehem Commerce Center while we continue to build confidence and expand the flexible approach to the remediation process.
We hope you share our enthusiasm for the possibilities this creates for this property, and beyond. We now have the answer the developers and investors have been seeking --both DEP and EPA have approved the remediation plan for the Bethlehem Works site. We can now complete the work and further advance the project.
While, in its entirety, this 1,800-acre site is the largest industrial brownfields development project in the country, there are many other locations that can model redevelopment plans after this one and return unproductive areas to beneficial use.
We do want to recognize and commend some of the key staff members at EPA and DEP for their understanding, professionalism, and commitment and without whom we would not be here celebrating today:
From DEP: Denise Chamberlain; Jim Snyder; Tom Fidler; and Jodi Brogna;
From EPA: Maria Vickers, Paul Gothold and Marcos Aquino.
And there are others.
And from Bethlehem Steel, Ed Wilson, Bill Riley, Joe Koch and Dave Tomlinson. And our environmental consultants, SAIC, led by Brett Cox and Chuck Campbell.
All of these professional people have spent countless long days and nights building understanding, testing ideas, analyzing conditions, seeking solutions and, most importantly, being partners for environmental success in the overall public interest.
And, before I close, this is an appropriate time to recognize the very critical role that our Bethlehem City Council has played from the very beginning as another partner for success. From the prior Council, then-Council president, Jim Delgrosso and Councilman Jim Gregory have been steadfast supporters. They are also on the present Council, headed by Bob Donchez as president, with Mike Schweder, Maggie Szabo, John Callahan and Jean Belinski, all lending important understanding and support to this partnership.
Each of you should know that we are mindful of the many issues that you must handle as councilmen and women. We are especially grateful for the time and support you provide for Bethlehem Works and the Bethlehem Commerce Center. These developments will succeed because of the team effort you make as a Council and with Mayor Cunningham to provide the support necessary for such a large and complex economic development project. Thank you.
I saw several of you earlier and I would ask that you stand to be acknowledged.
One of Bethlehem Steel’s corporate objectives is to Be A Good Citizen. It has been a guide for us throughout this process, and with a renewed sense of partnership, pride and opportunity we look forward to working with EPA, DEP, and the City and County and many others in seeing Bethlehem Works and the Bethlehem Commerce Center become a thriving cultural, recreational, entertainment, industrial and commercial centers.
We want to thank everyone for being here with us today to celebrate such an important milestone in brownfields/RCRA development for our country, the Commonwealth and for America.