ABSTRACT
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than 400,000 brownfield sites exist in the United States. Spartanburg, South Carolina is home to a unique case study involving land use, community planning, environmental justice, and environmental/brownfield remediation. This article focuses on a 500-acre parcel of land on the southern end of the Spartanburg city limits, commonly referred to as the ReGenesis Project Area. The City and County of Spartanburg united with Project Area community residents to form the ReGenesis Partnership for creation and oversight of its redevelopment strategy. The primary goal of the Partnership is to rid the Project Area of numerous environmental concerns. Several parcels inside the Project Area are classified as brownfields and have received funding from the EPA for site investigation and clean up. Other environmental concerns include a closed municipal landfill and the former International Mineral and Chemical plant. These sites are categorized as Superfund sites and are being remediated under Superfund law. The Partnership feels that another opportunity for improvement lies with the operating industrial facilities that exist within the Project Area and share boundaries with residential sites. The Partnership is working to create buffers and improve upon the existing infrastructure inside the Project Area.