An Introduction...

Over the years industrial companies and communities have dumped wastes on lands, rivers and lakes unaware and/or neglectful to the resulting damages.  Individuals responsible for these damages are either unable to afford the remediation costs or the companies have closed.  The government has established numerous programs that were put into effect for these reasons.  Two of these include the Brownfields Assessment Program and Superfund Redevelopment Program which were established to protect "...human health and/or the environment."-EPA.

The Superfund and Brownfields programs allow the government, in collaboration with communities, local governments, and individuals responsible for the sites to cleanup and rebuild these severely contaminated sites.  Funding for these sites comes from responsible parties with the aid of either Superfund or Brownfields Grants.  There have been many sites added and removed from both programs leaving numerous success stories to prove the usefulness of programs such as these. 

So what is Superfund? Brownfields?

Both efforts seek productive uses for environmentally impaired properties. But they address different kinds of sites and use different methods to accomplish their objectives. The Superfund Redevelopment Program mostly focuses on sites on the NPL, the nation's worst hazardous waste sites. The sites vary widely in size and location, and in the type and severity of contamination. Under Superfund, EPA is actively engaged in the cleanup of these sites and can apply a variety of technical and financial resources related to the use of the properties during cleanup. Brownfields sites are generally abandoned or underutilized industrial or commercial facilities, and are often made up of small parcels with multiple owners. Generally, other than funding the Brownfields program, EPA is not involved in the cleanup of these properties.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/tools/faq.htm#q19