EPA Funding Available to Address Petroleum Brownfields/Contamination Associated with Oil and Gas Exploration


EPA Funding  Available  to Address
Petroleum  Brownfields
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
 Whatisa Brownfield?
 Under the Brownfields Law (Public Law 107-118, "Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act")*, brownfields
 are defined (with certain exclusions) as real properties, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the
 presence or potential  presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
 What are Petroleum Brownfields?
 The Brownfields Law has a specific eligibility provision related to petroleum brownfields properties. To be eligible for Petroleum
 Brownfields funding:
 • The property must be of "relatively low risk" compared with other "petroleum-only" properties in the state;
 • There is no viable responsible party and the property will be assessed, investigated, or cleaned up by a person that is not potentially
   liable for cleaning up the property; and
 • The property is not subject to any order issued under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 9003(h)
 "Signed in January 2002, for more information on Public Law 107-118 go to http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bt/sblrbra.htm.
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants (ARC)
ARC funding is available through a competitive grant process to inventory, assess, and clean up properties contaminated by petroleum
and/or hazardous substances, controlled substances or mine scarred lands.
• Assessment for site-specific work - are up to $200,000 per property with an option for a waiver request to increase the amount
  to $350,000.
• Community-wide Assessment - up to $200,000 to address brownfields with hazardous substance contamination and $200,000
  for brownfields with petroleum contamination.
• Assessment Coalitions - up to $1,000,000 to address brownfields with hazardous substances and/or petroleum contamination.
• Cleanup Grants -$200,000 for site-specific work which can include any combination of petroleum and hazardous substances not
  to exceed $200,000; a 20% cost share is required.
• Revolving Loan Funds(RLF) - up to $1,000,000 to loan and/or sub-grant funding to cleanup brownfields with hazardous substances
  and/or petroleum contamination which can include any combination of petroleum and hazardous substances not to exceed $1,000,000;
  a 20% cost share is required.

Targeted Brownfield Assessments (TBA)
The TBA program is a service provided through an EPA contract in which EPA directs a contractor to conduct environmental assessment
activities to address the requestor's needs. These assessments can address petroleum contamination.

State and Tribal Response Programs (Section 128(a) programs)
Section 128(a) funding is available to all states, US territories and federally recognized tribes through a non-competitive grant process
to establish and enhance a response program. These funds can include site-specific work (including oversight) to inventory, assess, and
cleanup properties contaminated by petroleum and/or hazardous substances, controlled substances or mine scarred lands.


Funding may be available through a state implemented LUST Trust fund to address "high priority releases" from leaking USTs. The funding
provides money for overseeing and enforcing corrective action taken by a responsible party, who is the owner or operator of the leaking
UST and provides money for the assessment and cleanups at UST sites where the owner or operator is unknown, unwilling, or unable to
respond, or which requires emergency action (e.g., to mitigate fires, vapors and/or other immediate hazards).
          For more information about EPA Petroleum Funding, please visit www.epa.gov/brownfields/grantjnfo and http://epa.gov/OUST

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EPA Funding Available to Address
Contamination  Associated  with Oil
and  Gas  Exploration
 WhatisaBrownfield?
 Under the Brownfields Law (Public Law 107-118, "Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act")*, brownfields
 are defined (with certain exclusions) as real properties, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the
 presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
 What are Petroleum Brownfields?
 The Brownfields Law has a specific eligibility provision related to petroleum brownfields properties. To be eligible for Petroleum
 Brownfields funding:
 •  The property must be of "relatively low risk" compared with other "petroleum-only" properties in the state;
 •  There is no viable responsible party and the property will be assessed, investigated, or cleaned up by a person that is not potentially
   liable for cleaning up the property; and
 •  The property is not subject to any order issued under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 9003(h)
 "Signed in January 2002, for more information on Public Law 107-118 go to http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bt/sblrbra.htm.



Produced Water (aka oilfield brine) is the predominant contaminant/pollutant byproduct or waste produced from the exploration and
production of oil and gas. Produced Water is usually co-produced with crude oil or natural gas from oil and wells. It often has a high
concentration of calcium and sodium salts and can contain high levels of other dissolved solids. Spilled oilfield brine can pollute soil and
water resulting in a range of direct and indirect environmental impacts.

Produced water as a pollutant/contaminant under CERCLA 101(33)	
Produced water may be considered a pollutant or contaminant under CERCLA. Therefore, land contaminated with produced water (oilfield)
can be eligible for brownfields funding. Properties contaminated with produced water would not be considered petroleum brownfields.
Brownfields Funding Opportunities to Address Produced Water Contamination
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants (ARC)
ARC hazardous substance funding is available through a competitive grant process to inventory, assess, and cleanup properties
contaminated with produced water.


The TBA program is a service provided through an EPA contract in which EPA directs a contractor to conduct environmental assessment
activities to address the requestor's needs. These assessments can address produced water contamination.

State and Tribal Response Programs (Section 128(a) programs)
Section 128(a) funding is available to all states,  US territories and federally recognized tribes through a non-competitive grant process
to establish and enhance a response program. These funds can include site-specific work (including oversight) to inventory, assess, and
cleanup properties contaminated by produced water.
          For more information about EPA Petroleum Funding, please visit www.epa.gov/brownfields/grantjnfo and http://epa.gov/OUST
              United States
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
Petroleum Brownfields/
Contamination Associated with Oil
and Gas Exploration Fact Sheet
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
560-F-12-015
Spring 2012
www. epa.go v/bro wnfields

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