Here is the first of what we hope will be a long series of glimmers coming from the Bush administration.

Glimmer #1:

In January, at a signing ceremony for the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, President Bush said: “One of the best ways to arrest urban sprawl is to develop brownfields and make them productive pieces of land, where people can find work and employment. By one estimate, for every acre of redeveloped brownfields, we save four and a half acres of open space.”

Later that month, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman reiterated that the Bush administration supports the concept of Smart Growth, which emphasizes the preservation of open space and farmland while promoting investment in existing communities. Whitman announced that the EPA intends to begin giving awards to communities and individuals who have been innovative in applying smart-growth principles. A second EPA initiative will provide grants and technical assistance to local planners seeking to integrate brownfields redevelopment and open-space preservation.