Senate approves brownfields bill

LANSING (AP) - Legislation expanding a state program to provide tax credits for cleaning up contaminated industrial sites to permit their redevelopment by business and industry cleared the state Senate yesterday.

''The effort is to rebuild our cities and develop our brownfields so we don't plow up our greenfields,'' said Sen. Bill Schuette (R-Midland), manager of the four-bill package. ''It sends a huge message for the new economy.''

Schuette has said rehabilitating polluted industrial sites would permit further development there and reduce the pressure to develop farmland and open space.

The ''brownfield'' bills passed on votes of 36-1, 37-0, 36-0 and 35-1, and were returned to the House, which has approved a similar package. The lone vote against two was Sen. David Jaye (R-Washington Township), who generally opposes state fiscal incentives for private business.

Under the legislation, developers of dilapidated buildings and obsolete property would qualify for the same redevelopment tax credits as contaminated areas.

After receiving approval from local officials, a developer now could receive tax credits for improving blighted land or abandoned buildings in urban areas under the package.

The legislation permits 30 Single Business Tax credits of up to $1 million each and another 15 credits of $1 million-$30 million each, Schuette said.