United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Technical Assistance
Resources for
Communities Near
Contaminated Sites
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NOTICE
This booklet was prepared under contract 68-W-02-03 3, work assign-
ment 003, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more
information about this project, contact Freya Margand, Community
Involvement and Outreach Center (5204G), U.S. EPA Office of Emer-
gency and Remedial Response, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20460, phone: 703-603-8889, e-mail:
margand.freya@epa.gov.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Emergency and
Remedial Response/
Community Involvement
and Outreach Center
(5204G)
EPA 540-K-02-002
February 2003
www.epa.gov/
superfund
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Technical Assistance Qrant (TAQ) 2
Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC)/
Technical Assistance to Brownfields
Communities (TAB) 4
Hazardous Substance Research Centers for TOSC/TAB 7
Technical Outreach Services for Native American
Communities (TOSNAC) 8
Technical Assistance for Public Participation (TAPP) 10
Citizens' Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA) 12
Other Technical Assistance .14
Brownfields Program Qrants 14
Indian Environmental Qeneral Assistance Program (QAP)....15
U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Qrants 15
U.S. EPA Environmental Education Qrants 16
More Resources for Communities 18
EPA Regional Offices 19
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INTRODUCTION
Early and meaningful community participation in decisionmaking results in
better solutions for cleanup and revitalization of contaminated sites. Many of
the issues to be considered involve technical data and other complex informa-
tion. For this reason, EPA provides a variety of ways for communities to get
technical assistance to help them better understand technical issues, legal
requirements, and available options for cleanup and revitalization of contami-
nated sites.
This booklet provides information about the primary technical assistance
programs available from EPA and other federal agencies concerned with
environmental cleanup. Each section explains the kind of assistance available,
who can get it, and how to take the first step towards applying for assistance.
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TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANT
(TAG)
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Key features
Available to communities near
NPL sites or proposed NPL
sites where response actions
are underway.
Recipient group chooses its
own technical advisor.
Initial award of up to $50,000
per site is available.
The Technical Assistance Grant (TAG)
program provides funds to qualified
community groups to hire independent
technical advisors to explain technical information, plans, and documents related
to site cleanup and to help voice the community's concerns. This includes
redevelopment and reuse issues, public health concerns, and relocation issues. A
portion of TAG funds also can be used to publish newsletters, obtain relevant
supplies and equipment, or hire a grant administrator. Grants of up to $50,000 per
site are available. Additional funds are available for some complex sites, but there
can be only one TAG at a time for each Superfund site.
Who Is Eligible?
Your community group may qualify for a TAG if your community has been
affected by a site on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) or a site
proposed for the NPL where response actions have begun. The NPL is EPA's list
of the most serious hazardous waste sites nationwide.
Your group must incorporate as a nonprofit organization (be made into a legal,
nonprofit corporation in your state) before it can receive TAG funds.
Program Considerations
Some groups in the community are not eligible for TAGs. These include poten-
tially responsible parties (PRPs); universities and other academic institutions;
city, county, and local governments, tribes, or other political subdivisions; and
groups affiliated with a national organization. Community groups established or
sustained by these entities also are ineligible for TAGs.
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The application process and recordkeeping requirements for recipients are
time consuming.
:g= Recipients must share in the costs of the project by providing resources
equal to at least 20% of the total project costs (usually through volunteer
time and donated or in-kind services).
:g= TAG funds cannot be used for travel expenses for group members,
underwriting legal actions, political activity or lobbying, social activities or
fundraising, tuition or training for group members, or creating new informa-
tion, such as from well drilling, sampling, or medical testing.
How to Obtain Assistance
:g= Write a letter expressing interest in a TAG to your EPA Regional office (See
pages 19-20 for a list.) After that, a formal application to EPA is required.
Visit the TAG web site at www.epa.gov/superfund/tools/tag for an applica-
tion package.
For More Information
Contact Freya Margand, TAG Program Coordinator
55 U.S.EPA(5204G)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
703-603-8889,703-603-9095
margand.freya@epa.gov
www. epa. gov/superfund/tools/tag
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TECHNICAL
OUTREACH SERVICES
FOR COMMUNITIES
(TOSC) #
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO
BROWNFIELDS
COMMUNITIES (TAB)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Key features
Any community affected by a
hazardous waste site or
redeveloping brownfields is
eligible.
Recipient does not select a
technical advisor; HSRCs
provide one.
There is no application
process, so getting assistance
may be faster.
The TOSC program links community groups with professors and technical
assistance specialists from the Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRCs),
a group of university centers focused on hazardous substance management and
brownfields redevelopment. These specialists have experience with the cleanup
of contaminated sites and redevelopment of brownfields sites. With some
exceptions, brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused properties where
redevelopment is complicated by real orpercieved environmental contamination.
HSRCs' specialists can serve communities as a free, independent source of
information and assistance. A variety of technical assistance activities are
provided by TOSC/TAB:
:g= Reviewing and explaining technical reports
:g= Providing information about basic science and environmental policy and
technical assistance resources
:g= Providing training in leadership skills, risk assessment and communication,
facilitation, and conflict resolution
:g= Helping communities understand health risks associated with a site
:g= Facilitating brownfields redevelopment efforts, including community and
other stakeholder involvement
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The TOSC/TAB programs strive to help communities understand the underlying
technical issues associated with a contaminated site or brownfields site so that
they may substantively participate in the decisionmaking process.
Who Is Eligible?
In general, any community affected by a hazardous waste site or other environ-
mental contamination or pursuing brownfields redevelopment, is eligible for
TOSC/TAB assistance. This includes Superfund sites, RCRA cleanup sites, and
communities that want to redevelop brownfields. Communities should request
assistance directly from the appropriate HSRC serving their area.
Program Considerations
The TOSC program is intended primarily for communities that have not received
other sources of technical assistance. HSRCs are funded by grants from EPA,
academia, industry, and other state and federal programs, but the decision to
assist a particular site is made independently by the HSRCs.
How to Obtain Assistance
:g= Contact the HSRC in your area or visit the national web site at
www.toscprogram.org. A list of the HSRCs is on page 7.
For More Information
Contact Nancy M. Porter, TAB program (brownfields)
^ U.S.EPA(5105T)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
202-566-2751
E^] porter.nancy-m@epa.gov
Contact Jennifer Browne, TOSC program (Superfund)
\^\ U.S.EPA(5204G)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
@ 703-603-8922
[HE] browne.jennifer@epa.gov
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Contact Karen Randolph, TOSC program (RCRA)
55 U.S.EPA(5303W)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
703-308-8651
randolph.karen@epa.gov
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HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCE
RESEARCH CENTERS
FOR TOSC/TAB
Northeast Center (Regions 1, 2, & 3)
Hedy Alavi, Johns Hopkins University
410-516-709 lor hedy.alavi@jhu.edu
www.j hu. edu/hsrc/
South and Southwest Center (Regions 4 & 6)
Bob Schmitter, Georgia Institute of Technology
888-683-5963orbob.schmitter@gtri.gatech.edu
www.hsrc-ssw.org
Midwest Center (Regions 5 & 7)
Jordan Radin, Purdue University
800-213-2318 or mhsrc@ecn.purdue.edu
bridge.ecn.purdue.edu/~mhsrc
Rocky Mountain Center (Region 8)
Karl E. Burgher, Project Manager, TOSC/TAB
406-496-4410 orkburgher@mtech.edu
www.engr.colostate.edu/hsrc
Western Center (Regions 9 & 10)
Stephanie Sanford, Oregon State University
800-653-6110 or Stephanie. Sanford@orst.edu
www.tosc.orst.edu
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TECHNICAL
OUTREACH SERVICES
FOR NATIVE
AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES
(TOSNAC)
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Key features
Native American communities
affected by hazardous
substances are eligible.
Recipient and TOSNAC
Coordinator jointly select the
technical assistance team.
There is no application
process, so getting assistance
may be faster.
The Technical Outreach Services for Native American Communities (TOSNAC)
program provides technical assistance to tribal communities dealing with
hazardous substance issues on their lands. TOSNAC provides initial needs
assessment and on-site visits for tribal communities requesting assistance.
Through partnerships with regional TOSC and TAB programs, TOSNAC assists
in technical review and provision of comments concerning documents related to
hazardous substances and cleanup processes. Through these partnerships,
TOSNAC contributes to the development of training materials and delivery of
workshops to Native American communities from a standpoint that is culturally
harmonious with tribal needs and values.
TOSNAC is located at the Haskell Indian Nations University and housed in the
Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Center. TOSNAC is dedicated to
the development and application of technologies grounded on the holistic and
healing foundation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This approach provides
the philosophical basis for the HERS Center's efforts in environmental education,
technology transfer, research, and community service. HERS promotes activities
that reduce negative environmental impacts of economic development in Native
American communities, provide for environmental restoration, and promote
environmental health.
Who Is Eligible?
Native American and Alaskan Native communities, as well as tribal environmental
professionals who serve communities in need are eligible for TOSNAC assis-
tance.
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Program Considerations
TOSNAC focuses primarily on environmental justice and tribal cultural risk
concerns that revolve around cleanup processes for a wide range of tribal sites,
including: mine waste, federal facilities cleanup, andbrownfields; as well as
surface and groundwater protection. TOSNAC is a nationwide service. The
amount of assistance is based on need.
How to Obtain Assistance
:g= Contact Brenda Brandon at Haskell Indian Nations University or call the
TOSNAC hotline at 866-880-2296.
For More Information
Contact Brenda Brandon, TOSNAC Coordinator
E5 Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Center
Haskell Indian Nations University
155 IndianAvenue, Box 5001
Lawrence, KS 66046
785-749-8498
brendabrandon@msn. com
www.tosnac.org
9
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TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE FOR
PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
(TAPP)
U.S. Department of
Defense
Key features
Available for DoD environ-
mental restoration sites.
DoD makes the final decision
on who is hired as the
technical consultant.
Up to $100,000 per site is
available.
The Technical Assistance for Public Participation (TAPP) program provides
funds to small businesses to conduct independent technical analyses for
community members of Restoration Advisory Boards (RABs) on topics of
concern at U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) environmental restoration sites.
These analyses might address potential health implications of site conditions,
site investigations, and planned remedial activities. Installations are limited to
$25,000 in any givenyear and a total of $ 100,000.
Who is Eligible?
Community members of DoD RABs and Technical Review Committees (TRCs) are
eligible to receive TAPP assistance. RABs and TRCs provide a forum through
which communities review and comment on DoD environmental restoration
activities at military installations and formerly used defense sites.
Program Considerations
Those requesting technical assistance must be members of an established RAB
or TRC with at least three community members. The majority of the members of
the RAB or TRC must support the request for TAPP assistance. Funding will be
considered only if federal, state, and local agencies cannot provide the needed
assistance, and will be awarded on a competitive basis under federal contracting
rules. Funds cannot be used for underwriting legal actions, political activity, or
health studies.
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How to Obtain Assistance
:g= Submit a formal application to the installation through the DoD Co-Chair of
yourRABorTRC.
For More Information
Contact Patricia Ferrebee
E5 Department of Defense
Environmental Cleanup
3400 Defense Pentagon, 3E791
Washington, DC 20301-3400
@ 703-695-6107
[HE] patricia.ferrebee@osd.mil
0 www.dtic.mil/envirodod/
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CITIZENS'
MONITORING AND
TECHNICAL
ASSESSMENT FUND
(MTA FUND)
Key features
Recipients must be nonprofit
organizations working on
eligible DOE nuclear weapons
sites.
Recipient proposes a qualified
technical advisor of its own
choice.
Most grants fall in the range of
$35,000 to $50,000.
The Citizens' Monitoring and Techni-
cal Assessment Fund provides money
to eligible organizations to obtain
technical and scientific assistance to
review and analyze environmental management activities at U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) sites. Established as part of an out-of-court legal settlement, the
Fund is administered by RESOLVE, Inc. The amount of assistance depends on
specified need, but usually is no more than $50,000.
Who is Eligible?
Groups eligible to receive MTAFund money include nonprofit, non-governmen-
tal organizations and federally recognized tribal governments working on issues
related to the DOE nuclear weapons complex.
Program Considerations
An applicant's proposal must identify technical and scientific issues to be
reviewed or analyzed and the appropriately qualified experts who will conduct
the review or analysis. Applicants must issue any technical and scientific reviews
and analyses prepared with MTA Fund money in final written form. MTA Fund
money may be used to distribute the findings of the reviews or analyses, but
cannot be used to conduct or initiate litigation, lobbying, or fundraising.
How To Obtain Assistance
:g= Visit the MTA Fund web site for the application and guidelines at
www. resolv. org/mta/.
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For More Information
Contact Louise E. Gant, Citizens' Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund
H Citizens' Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund
c/o RESOLVE
Suite 275
1255 23rd St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
@ 202-965-6389
[§E] mta-fund@resolv.org
0 www.resolv.org/mta/
www.em.doe.gov/settlement/funding.html
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OTHER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCES
Technical assistance may be available from a variety of other sources depending
on your community and who is involved in the site cleanup. For example, in some
cases, members of Community Advisory Groups (CAGs), Restoration Advisory
Boards (RABs), or Site-Specific Advisory Boards (SSABs) themselves may have
technical knowledge they can offer. In other cases, potentially responsible
parties (PRPs) may offer resources to help provide community members with
technical assistance. Some states also have programs that offer technical
assistance resources to communities.
In addition, a variety of other programs may offer technical assistance or
financial resources your community can use to get the technical assistance it
needs.
Brownfields Program Qrants
Assessment Grants
Cleanup Grants
Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Grants
Job Training Grants
Brownfields grants support local efforts to assess, clean up, and reuse
brownfields properties. States, tribes, regional councils, local governments, and
redevelopment authorities may apply for assessment, cleanup, and cleanup
revolving loan fund grants. Nonprofit organizations also are eligible to apply for
cleanup grants. Nonprofit training centers, colleges, and public entities that
serve brownfields communities are eligible to apply for job training grants.
Proposals must demonstrate the environmental and community benefits of
brownfields revitalization activities. All grants are competitively awarded.
© For more information or to apply, contact the Brownfields Coordinator in
your EPA Region or visit the Brownfields website at www. epa.gov/
brownfields.
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Indian Environmental Qeneral Assistance
Program (QAP)
The General Assistance Program (GAP) provides assistance to federally recog-
nized Indian tribal governments and intertribal consortia to develop the
capability and capacity to establish their own environmental programs. EPA
provides technical assistance to assist tribes in developing environmental
protection programs that are tailored to individual tribal needs. The initial GAP
grant must be for a minimum of $75,000, but additional funds may be awarded in
lesser amounts. No matching share is required.
Activities are eligible for funding under the GAP program if they are for the
purpose of planning, developing, or establishing an environmental protection
program. The following are examples of eligible activities:
:g= Developing the technical capability to manage environmental programs
:g= Developing training for environmental management personnel for program
implementation and technical competency
:g= Developing the legal infrastructure to implement environmental protection
programs
:g= Generating materials, information, and plans for environmental education
or public outreach programs for community members
© For more information, contact the EPA American Indian Environmental
Office at 202-564-0303 or visit the website at www. epa.gov/indian/
tgrant.htm.
U.S. EPA Environmentaljustice Qrants
These grants provide financial assistance to eligible community groups and
federally recognized tribal governments that are working on or plan to carry out
projects to address environmental justice issues. Any affected community group,
nonprofit organization, university, or tribal government is eligible to receive
assistance. However, organizations must be nonprofit to receive funds. Up to
$20,000 is available, and no matching share is required.
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The Environmental Justice Grants program gives priority to projects that improve
the environmental quality of the community by:
:g= Having wide application or addressing a high priority issue
:g= Enhancing skills in addressing environmental justice issues and problems
:g= Establishing or expanding information systems for communities
:g= Facilitating communication, information exchange, and community
partnerships
:g= Motivating the public to be more conscious of environmental justice
issues, leading to action to address those issues
© For more information, contact the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ)
Hotline at 1-800-962-6215 orvisitthe OEJ web site atwww.epa.gov/
compliance/environmentaljustice/grants/index.html.
U.S. EPA Environmental Education Qrants
Environmental Education Grants provide financial support for projects that
design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, meth-
ods, or techniques. Any local or tribal education agency, state education or
environmental agency, college, university, nonprofit organization, or noncommer-
cial educational broadcasting entity is eligible to receive assistance. Up to
$25,000 may be granted by EPARegional Offices. Grants of between $25,001 and
$150,000 are granted by EPAHeadquarters. A25% non-federal matching share is
required.
All proposals must satisfy the definition of environmental education in the
current solicitation notice, and projects must focus on one of the following:
:g= Educating teachers, students, or the public about environmental health
threats, especially as they affect children
:g= Building state, local, or tribal government capacity to develop environmen-
tal education programs
:g= Using environmental education to advance education reform
:g= Educating the public about community environmental issues through
community-based organizations or the media
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:g= Improving educators' environmental education teaching skills
:g= Educating students about environmental careers
:g= Educating low-income and culturally diverse audiences about environmen-
tal issues
© The Environmental Education grants are effective through September 30,
2002 and are pending Congressional approval for fiscal year 2003. For more
information, contact the EPA Office of Environmental Education at 202-564-
0451, or visit their web site atwww.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html.
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MORE RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES
There are many other sources of assistance for a variety of environmental
projects. You may want to look at these web sites for additional information:
:g= The EPA grant writing tutorial helps communities identify financial
assistance opportunities and makes it easier for applicants to produce
more competitive grant applications.
www. epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/grant. htm
:g= EPA helps Indian tribes find funding and provides grant writing tips.
www. epa.gov/tribalmsw/finance. htm
®= The Summary of Federal Assistance to Communities for Environmental
Projects provides a brief description of federal funding sources available
for a wide variety of environmental proj ects.
www. epa.gov/ecocommunity/matrix. htm
®= The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a searchable database that
provides access to all federal programs available to state and local
governments, Native American communities, for profit and nonprofit
organizations, and individuals.
www. cfda.gov/default. htm
The Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection
provides a summary of the resources available from federal agencies for
the protection of watersheds.
www.epa.gov/owowwtrl/watershed/wacademy/fund/sources.html
:g= The State and Local Gateway web site describes available funding
resources organized by subject area or type of assistance.
www. statelocal.gov/funding. html
:g= The RCRA, Superfund & Emergency Planning and Community Right to
Know Act (EPCRA) Call Center provides up to date information on several
EPA programs, including the availability and distribution of publications
and other resources.
800424-9346
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EPA REGIONAL OFFICES
For more information about the EPA programs listed in this booklet, please call
the main number of your region listed below.
Region 1
888-372-7341
Region 2
212-637-5000
Region 3
800438-2474
Region 4
800-241-1754
Region 5
800-621-8431
Region 6
800-887-6063
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Region 7
800-223-0425
Region 8
800-227-8917
Region 9
866-EPA-WEST
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Region 10
8004244EPA
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