According to the Buffalo News [1], Mayor Byron W. Brown's [2] administration prevented Unshackle Upstate [3], an alliance of 70 businesses, from holding a press conference about brownfields redevelopment. The coalition claims they were barred because the administration disagrees with their tactics. While the mayor's office confirmed that the administration did block plans by the coalition to stage its event at Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park it said it would never have tried to ban the group from meeting in the city.Buffalo Mayor Byron A. Brown

Unshackle Upstate is pushing for reforms, including pressuring the State Legislature to lift a statewide moratorium on current brownfield redevelopment, before the lawmakers recess next month. The group also wants changes in brownfields laws to spur redevelopment, and says some of their proposed reforms have been embraced by Gov David Paterson [4]. Mayor Brown is distancing himself from the reform effort because his administration thinks it can spur change in Albany without being "confrontational."