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At the local government level, urban planning and community and rural development involve planning, administering, and researching the development of urban and rural areas. In general, land use management involves making decisions regarding how a particular site will be used. Once land is zoned or used for one purpose, it cannot be used for another purpose.
Along these lines, the U.S. EPA has launched a national effort (campaign) to restore "brownfields", i.e., abandoned or under-utilized industrial and commercial sites that, due to previous site use, are environmentally contaminated. In many situations, restoration or remediation of these areas would contribute to the economic revitalization of an area or community.
Effective and comprehensive land use planning requires coordination by federal, state, and local experts. Federal and state objectives that reflect the needs and conditions of county and municipal governments are appropriate, because land use management typically occurs at the local level. State and federal governments often grant local governments the necessary authority to implement national and state land use requirements, and review land use plans, in a manner appropriate to individual communities.
Land use planning and zoning activities do not themselves cause environmental effects. The results of these activities -- the actual land use -- pose environmental impacts. Land use determines whether natural resources are conserved or depleted. Land set aside for open space or parks obviously will conserve the resource and cause less severe environmental impacts than land zoned for industrial purposes. However, a risk remains that land set aside for open space at the present could later be developed. Land used for residential, commercial or industrial purposes can affect air, land, and water resources. On the other hand, abandoned sites that are restored can revitalize an area and reduce environmental risks as the site is remediated.
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