EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants:
Interested in Applying for Funding?
Here's what you need to know to get started...
What is the U.S. EPA Brownfields Program?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Brownfields Program is
designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic
redevelopment to work together in a
timely manner to prevent, assess,
safely clean up, and sustainably
reuse brownfields. EPA provides
technical and financial assistance for
brownfields activities through an
A brOWtlfield is real property, the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse of which may be
complicated by the presence or potential presence
of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or
contaminant.
approach based on four main goals: protecting human health and the environment,
sustaining reuse, promoting partnerships, and strengthening the marketplace.
Brownfields grants serve as the
foundation of the Brownfields
Program. These grants support
revitalization efforts by funding
environmental assessment, cleanup,
and job training activities.
Assessment Grants provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and
community outreach.
Revolving Loan Fund Grants provide funding to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide subgrants to
carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.
Job Training Grants provide environmental training for residents of brownfields communities.
Cleanup Grants provide direct funding for cleanup activities at specific sites.
Benefits of brownfields cleanup and reuse:
increases local tax base
facilitates job growth
utilizes existing infrastructure
conserves open land
improves and protects the environment
What are Brownfields Assessment
Grants?
Brownfields Assessment Grants provide funding for
a grant recipient to:
/ Inventory sites
/ Characterize sites
/ Assess sites
/ Conduct planning and community involvement
related to brownfields sites
For a more detailed discussion on the use of
brownfields grant funding, please refer to the EPA
Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment,
Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants (Proposal
Guidelines).
Who is Eligible to Apply for a
Brownfields Assessment Grant?
Entities eligible to apply for and receive Assessment
Grants include: state, local, and tribal governments,
with the exception of certain Indian tribes in Alaska;
general purpose units of local government, land
clearance authorities, or other quasi-governmental
entities; regional council or redevelopment agencies;
or state or government entities created by the state
legislature.
Some sites are excluded from the definition of a
brownfield site unless EPA makes a site-specific
funding determination that allows grant funds to be
used at that site. For a more detailed discussion of
eligible brownfield sites, refer to the Proposal
Guidelines.
How Much Brownfields Assessment
Grant Funding is Available?
CBrownfields Assessment Grants
provide up to $200,000
Assessment Grants provide:
/ Up to $200,000 to assess a site contaminated by
hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants
(including hazardous substances co-mingled with
petroleum).
-------
/ Up to $200,000 to address a site contaminated
by petroleum.
/ Applicants may seek a waiver of the $200,000
limit and request up to $350,000 for a site
contaminated by hazardous substances,
pollutants, or contaminants and up to $350,000
to assess a site contaminated by petroleum. Please
refer to the Proposal Guidelines for a full
explanation.
/ Please note, there are limits to the total amount
of funding grant applicants may apply for in fiscal
year (FY) 2005. Please refer to the Proposal
Guidelines for a full explanation.
How Long is the Brownfields
Assessment Grant Period?
The performance period for an Assessment Grant is
two years.
How Do I Apply for a Brownfields
Assessment Grant?
r
fat
VF
Current Proposal Guidelines are available
http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/
applicat.htm#pg
ile\
Applicants must refer to the Proposal Guidelines for
Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and
Cleanup Grants published by EPA. Applicants submit
a proposal for each grant type that they are applying
for (i.e., assessment, revolving loan fund, and/or
cleanup). Each proposal must address the selection
criteria outlined in the guidelines. Proposals must
include:
/ A cover letter describing the project
/ Applicant information
/ Applicable mandatory attachments (e.g., state letter)
/ Responses to evaluation criteria
Grant proposals should be concise and well organized,
and must provide the information requested in the
guidelines. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet
threshold eligibility requirements and must respond to
evaluation criteria. Factual information about your
proposed project and community must be provided.
Where Do I Find the Proposal
Guidelines?
/ Electronic copies of the Proposal Guidelines can
be obtained from the EPA brownfields Web site
at:
http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/applicat.htm#pg
/ Information on the Brownfields Grant programs
may be found at www.fedgrants.gov
Is Pre-Application Assistance
Available?
/ EPA posts Frequently Asked Questions on its Web
site at:
http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/pg/fy2005pgfaq.htm
/ If resources permit, EPA Regions may conduct
open meetings with potential applicants. Check
with your regional office for date and location
information. Regional Brownfields contacts can
be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/corcntct.htm
/ EPA will respond to questions from individual
applicants about threshold criteria, including site
eligibility and ownership. EPA staff will not meet
with individual applicants to discuss draft
proposals or provide assistance in responding
to ranking criteria.
What is the Evaluation/Selection
Process?
Brownfields Grants are awarded on a competitive
basis. Evaluation panels consisting of EPA staff and
other federal agency representatives assess how well
the proposals meet the threshold and ranking criteria
outlined in the Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup
Grants. Final selections are made by EPA senior
management after considering the ranking of
proposals by the evaluation panels.
Responses to threshold criteria are evaluated on a
pass/fail basis. If the proposal does not meet the
threshold criteria, the proposal will not be evaluated.
Please note, in some circumstances, EPA may seek
additional information.
What are the Application Due Dates
and Award Dates?
/ Assessment Grant proposals are due by
November 12, 2004.
/ EPA plans to announce Assessment Grants in
Spring 2005.
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA-560-F-04-254
September 2004
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
------- |