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References
We've already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
Hazardous Waste
After Maui Fires, Human Health Risks Linger in the Air, Water, and Even Surviving Buildings (The Conversation, Aug. 14, 2023)
“When fires spread through communities, as we’ve seen more often in recent years, they burn structures that contain treated wood, plastics, paints and hazardous household wastes. They can burn vehicles and melt plastic water pipes. All of these items release toxic gases and particles. Many airborne pollutants fall to the ground, and when debris or dust is stirred up, hazardous particles can enter the air, where people can easily breathe them in.”
South S.F. Biotech Giant Fined $150K for Hazardous Waste Violations (San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 8, 2023)
“South San Francisco biotech giant Genentech will pay $158,208 in fines in a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over hazardous waste violation claims, according to a Tuesday news release. EPA inspectors found that the company stored waste without a permit in August 2021, according to the release. The agency also found that Genentech failed to meet requirements for monitoring hazardous waste emissions, marking equipment properly, performing inspections of emissions control equipment and maintaining protection controls for overfilling a hazardous waste tank.”
Ohio Train Derailment Highlights Waste Disposal Predicament (AP, Apr. 11, 2023)
Thirty-eight Norfolk Southern train cars derailed in the fiery Feb. 3 wreck. No one was injured but about half of East Palestine’s population was evacuated for days when authorities ignited vinyl chloride in five cars to prevent explosion. Many residents have complained of headaches, rashes and other health problems, although government officials say air and water testing hasn’t found dangerous pollution.
Long-term exposure to vinyl chloride, a colorless gas used to make products including plastic pipes, wire coatings and kitchenware, is associated with liver damage and cancer, EPA says.
More than 80% of US Waterways Contaminated by “Forever Chemicals” (The Guardian, Oct. 18, 2022)
“Most of America’s waterways are likely contaminated by toxic PFAS “forever chemicals”, a new study conducted by US water keepers finds. The Waterkeeper Alliance analysis found detectable PFAS levels in 95 out of 114, or 83%, of waterways tested across 34 states and the District of Columbia, and frequently at levels that exceed federal and state limits.”
Impact on Property Value & Other Issues
Does Your Trust Have an Environmental Indemnification Clause? Kiplinger Personal Finance, Jul. 19, 2023)
“The primary purpose of the clause is to encourage a trust company or individual trustee to accept a trust appointment wherein the trust owns or will own real property that has been used as farmland, industrial or commercial property. These uses are more likely to involve the presence of substances and chemicals that could escape into the air, soil or groundwater, thereby causing a health or environmental hazard, than residential properties.”
PFAS, Due Diligence, and What They Mean for Real Estate Development (Sea Coast Online, May 27, 2023)
“Only a handful of states have enacted legislation protecting or limiting consumers from PFAS-containing products. Thirteen states have enacted or have proposed legislation for “food PFAS” in food packaging. Others, like New Hampshire, have established guidelines and notification levels for PFAS in water supplies. Four bills filed in the current New Hampshire legislative session – including one that would have required a seller of real estate to notify the buyer if PFAS were found on the property – were either retained or tabled.”
Portsmouth Land Buyer Sues Sellers, REALTOR® City Claiming Contamination Info Hidden (InDepthNH, Jan. 2, 2023)
“This complaint seeks damages and other remedies from the defendants, arising out of, among other things, the misrepresentations and active concealment of the former owners and their Realtor, and contamination of the property by the former owners and operators of the property and by the city,” the lawsuit said. The lawsuit alleges the sellers knew an environmental consultant had analyzed soils at the property and “documented the presence of contamination including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and asbestos – facts that the buyer learned after acquiring the property,” the lawsuit said.”
Brownfields: The Basics & Appraisal Techniques
Walkable, Mixed-Use on a Former Suburban Brownfield (Congress for the New Urbanism, Aug. 22, 2023)
“The Proscenium contains 226 living spaces (all market rate), 85,000 square feet of corporate offices, and 25,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and small offices. The development is 7 acres, including six blocks and a grassy green—sitting at the top of a parking podium. Novo Development Group build the $60 million project in coordination with the Carmel Redevelopment Commission (CRC), on the site an underutilized brownfield. The project used tax-increment financing, a tool that helped to build Carmel’s downtown.”
It Happens on a Brownfield: Key Lessons and Successful Strategies in Brownfield revitalization, More than 25 Years in the Making (Public Management, Jul. 2023) E
“We could very well be in the golden age of brownfield resource availability, a short period that will be referenced as "the good old days." In the not-too-distant future, local governments and community-based organizations will reflect upon their successful transition of brownfield liabilities into essential community assets, jobs, tax revenue, cleaner environments, sense of place, and healthier communities. Or, conversely, they will ponder why they did not act sooner when the "getting was good."
Illitch, Ross Seek $616 Million in “Transformational Brownfield” Funding for District Detroit Projects (Crain’s Detroit Business, Jan. 10, 2023)
“The transformational brownfield program allows developers to capture various taxes — primarily state taxes but also those that would otherwise be captured by the DDA — to help offset the cost of major developments in Michigan, although the vast majority of the funding authorized during the program's five-year lifespan so far has gone to Gilbert developments downtown.”
Brownfields: A Look at Designations, Funding, and Usage (Environment, Health, and Safety, May 25, 2021)
“Brownfields’ designations come from local and state governments. Although specific procedures vary from state to state, there are basically two paths to receive a brownfield designation in order to receive federal and state aid to capitalize on the reuse of brownfield property.”
Web Resources
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Brownfields (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Superfund (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
NAR Talking Points: How to Talk About Environmental Issues (National Association of REALTORS®)
Smart Growth: A Toolkit for REALTORS® (National Association of REALTORS®)
Household Hazardous Waste (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Books, eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Mixed-Use Development: Nine Case Studies of Complex Projects (eBook)
Land Development (eBook)
Pollution and Property (eBook)
Sustainable Property Development (eBook)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.
Property Values and Environmental Factors Special Edition (San Diego, CA: American Real Estate Society, 2014) NAC1565 Am3
Environmental Hazards and Residential Property Values: Evidence from a Major Pipeline Event (Bellingham, WA: Western Washington University, 2006) NAC 1565 H19
Greenfields, Brownfields and Housing Development (Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, 2002) NAC 852 A1
Turning Bases into Great Places: New Life for Closed Military Facilities (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Jan. 2006)
Valuing Contaminated Properties: An Appraisal Institute Anthology (Chicago, IL: Appraisal Institute, 2002) HD1389.5.U6 V36 2002
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The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.