mr. speaker , i support h.r. 4297 , the tax relief extension reconciliation act , which provides extensions for incentives for brownfields remediation , a vital tool for national economic growth and for our nation 's cities . 
i want to echo the comments of my colleague , jerry weller , and applaud his efforts for supporting the remediation of brownfields . 
brownfields are found in every state and in every congressional district . 
estimates range from 500 , 000 to 1 million brownfields sites across the nation , covering roughly 400 , 000 acres . 
private investment is essential for urban growth . 
the expensing extension is a tool businesses can use to invest in urban redevelopment . 
in fact , it is estimated that brownfields redevelopment could generate as much as $ 1.2 billion annually in new tax revenue for american cities . 
brownfields are a major concern to america 's cities , and we must provide as many incentives as necessary to clean up these contaminated sites , bring businesses back into our cities , and continue strong economic growth . 
this extension is an important first step toward redeveloping our nation 's brownfields , but much work is yet to be done . 
i urge my colleagues to support this important issue and vote in favor of h.r. 4297 . 
