In this section, information needed to provide a picture of the
brownfields in an area will be explained. An excerpt from a
University of Michigan report of brownfield redevelopment in
Flint, Michigan helps to paint the picture of beginning
research. “Since no organization or agency tracks all brownfield
parcels, compiling an inventory depends on piecing together
information from a variety of local, state, and federal sources.
Each data source provides one piece of the larger puzzle…[the
research] is only as good as the sum of its sources. Although
the sources listed below give a good overview of brownfield
parcels, the information they provide is incomplete.” Given that
the research done will only be “as good as the sum of its
sources” it is critical that no stone be left unturned when
researching brownfields. To produce the most complete results
possible, both official and unofficial sources of information
should be pursued. Some information may seem benign or even
irrelevant, but when coupled with addition