FY24 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD CLEANUP GRANTS

Background
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was amended by the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act in 2002 to include Section 104(k), which provides federal financial assistance authorities for brownfields revitalization, including grants for assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan funds. The Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (Public Law 115-141) enacted in 2018 reauthorized EPA’s Brownfields Program and made additional amendments to CERCLA that affect EPA’s brownfield grant authorities, and ownership and liability provisions.

EPA’s Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, Tribal Nations, communities, and nonprofit organizations to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites. This guidance provides information on applying for Cleanup Grants. This program is being funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”).

Grant Details
Cleanup Grants provide funding to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by the applicant. An applicant may only submit ONE Cleanup Grant application in the FY24 competition cycle.

Applicants may request funding to address hazardous substances and/or petroleum contamination at one or more brownfield sites. An applicant must be the sole owner of the site(s) that is the subject of its Cleanup Grant application and must own the site(s) by NOVEMBER 13, 2023, to be eligible to receive a Cleanup Grant.

Cost sharing and matching funds are not required under this competition. The project period for Cleanup Grants is up to four years.

Eligibility Requirements
Entities eligible to apply for a Cleanup Grant include General Purpose Unit of Local Government, Land Clearance Authority or another quasi-governmental entity operating under the supervision of a General Purpose Unit of Local Government, Government Entity Created by State Legislature,

Regional Council established under governmental authority or group of General Purpose Units of Local Government established under Federal, state or local law,

Redevelopment Agency chartered or sanctioned by a state,

State,

Federally recognized Indian Tribe other than in Alaska (excluding Tribes from Alaska except Metlakatla Indian Community),

Alaska Native Regional Corporation,

Alaska Native Village Corporation,

Nonprofit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code,

Limited liability corporation in which all managing members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

Period of Performance
The project period for Cleanup Grants is up to four years.

Grant Value
EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 65 Cleanup Grants for an estimated total of $95 million.