Imagine, Innovate and Implement the Future of Land Recycling: CALRC 2026 in Review

The 7th Annual California Land Recycling Conference convened 375 land reuse professionals in Foster City/San Mateo for three days of inspiring sessions, networking opportunities and fun. The conference theme Imagine, Innovate and Implement encouraged attendees to visualize and put into action solutions and creative approaches to move their community’s brownfield sites to beneficial reuse.

“Great to learn how communities are working together to promote reuse and provide a benefit to members of their communities.” –CALRC Attendee

This year’s conference featured more than 100 exceptional speakers with varied experience and points of view. Antonio Lopéz, the former mayor of East Palo Alto and current San Mateo County Poet Laureate, and Tyrone Jue, the Director of San Francisco’s Environmental Program reflected on their shared experience as the children of immigrants and passion for ensuring disinvested communities have clean, safe places to live and play. The two leaders bridged the divide between their unique communities to focus on their common ground: a passion to improve places for the benefit of residents.

Antonio Lopez and Tyrone Jue

“Ironically, we were a Bay City without access to the Bay. Two feet of clean field, a cap, a trail, a parking lot, an education center built inside the old 1950s boat repair shop. It opened in 2012. Nine acres. And those nine acres changed the arithmetic of a childhood.” Lopez shared about Coley Landing, a former dump site that was transformed into a park with the help of DTSC and EPA brownfield funding. The new park provides outdoor recreational opportunities in a community with a park deficit. Watch Antonio and Tyrone’s Keynote

Left to right: Jean Hamerman, Noemi Meric-Ford, Xiomara Cisneros, Rabeya Sen, Rula Deeb, Carolina Romo and Maryam Tasnif-Abassi

Meanwhile, Women Visionaries brought together four female leaders from philanthropy, development, the sciences and environmental justice who inspired attendees to stay true to themselves and their values and to center the community in their work. Additionally, leadership from California Department of Toxic Substances Control, California EPA, U.S. EPA Region 9 and the Center for Creative Land Recycling discussed the future of funding and opportunities for land recycling during the Welcome and Closing plenaries.

“This was my first dip into Brownfields and was very helpful in providing a foundation for future work. Examples of successes and pitfalls were particularly helpful.” –CALRC Attendee

Breakout room at full capacity for session on CA brownfield regulation

CALRC2026 hit new heights, featuring 26 sessions and 11 topic talks on a number of timely and inspirational topics. Top sessions included imaginative case studies on parks development, landfill reuse, and the potential ‘showstoppers’ that can delay brownfield projects. Other sessions focused on innovative solutions around bioremediation, due diligence, and vapor intrusion. Additionally, State and Federal regulators held several sessions designed to help practitioners implement brownfield reuse: reducing confusion, answering questions, and helping projects get to the ‘no further action’ letter needed for a brownfield project to enter into the redevelopment phase.

“I found the storytelling session “The Dig” quite compelling” –CALRC Attendee

DIG speakers ready to take the stage

A stand out new session for 2026 was “The Dig: Stories from the Brownfield Trenches.” Inspired by The Moth Radio Hour, six speakers shared short stories about their own experiences in brownfield reuse. A notable story was Perry Hughs “Well from Hell” about an improperly abandoned oil well that went from an estimated $250,000 abatement cost to more than $40 million, when lost income from project delays were considered. In closing, Perry brought levity to his story, “Next time you have a brownfield project that is not going according to plan, maybe it is taking a little longer, or costing a little bit more… it could have been worse.”

New Venue, Returning Networking Favorites

Attendees and sponsors mingle in the Exhibitor area

2026 was the first year the California Land Recycling Conference was held in the Bay Area. The location increased participation from Northern California land reuse practitioners, including non profit developers, park departments, and city staff. Crowne Plaza Foster City, San Mateo provided space for the event. Attendees milled between the ballroom, breakout rooms and foyer which served as the registration and exhibitor space.

Robert Doty of Cox Castle and Jean Hamerman of CCLR welcomes attendees to the 2026 California Land Recycling Conference

In the evening of day one the foyer also hosted the Welcome Reception Happy Hour, sponsored by Cox Castle. People were able to reconnect with old friends and meet new contacts during this two-hour networking event. On Wednesday, Ignacio Dayrit led another exciting Brownfields Karaoke, which featured new songs such as “Round the Clock”, based on Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five” which celebrated brownfield practitioners and the long hours they dedicate to the beneficial reuse of contaminated land. Other favorites included “PFAS” based on “At Last” by Etta James and “Healing me Softly” based on “Killing me Softly” by Roberta Flack, that celebrated the heating properties of mycoremediation.

Brownfields Karaoke is a hit for all ages

The Center for Creative Land Recycling thanks everyone who helped make CALRC 2026 a success. To our co-organizers U.S. EPA Region 9 and California DTSC, our organizing committee that helped with session selection and outreach, all of our speakers who dedicated their time and expertise to their sessions, and our sponsors who provided the funding necessary to put on the event, and of course, to all the attendees who make CALRC a fun, engaging and enjoyable event year after year. We hope to see you all in 2027.