02D39722

Description:
EPA's CERCLA Section 128(a) Grant Program funds activities that establish or enhance the capacity of state and tribal response programs. This action provides funding in the amount of $800,000 to Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide financial support for the elements of an effective state or tribal response program, as specified in CERCLA Section 128, and to ensure that states and tribes maintain a public record of sites included in their programs. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ('IIJA') provided additional funding to carry out the Section 128(a) Grant Program. The purpose of this award is to enhance the capacity of FDEP Brownfields Response Program to meet the Section 128(a) elements. FDEP will oversee and perform planning, assessment, and cleanup of brownfields sites throughout the state.

Activities:
FDEP will perform the following activities. Timely survey and inventory of brownfield sites, which are properties whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of hazardous substances. It also includes oversight and enforcement authorities to ensure that response actions protect human health and the environment. Resources to provide meaningful public involvement. Mechanisms for approval of cleanup plans, and verification of complete responses. The objective of this project is to assist in remediating and reusing brownfields sites throughout the state.

Subrecipient:
The FDEP plans to fund an Environmental Justice Initiative by partnering with the FBA and state universities to identify disadvantaged communities throughout the state and provide targeted outreach and technical assistance. In response to the Federal Justice40 Initiative, the FBA's Environmental Justice Committee has established an EJ40/67 Subcommittee with the goal of identifying a disadvantaged community in each of the 67 counties in Florida. The purpose of this project is to develop a suite of methods to identify these communities within each FDEP district and to identify formal or informal community-based organizations that might wish to receive technical support for brownfields redevelopment. Future phases of this project will seek to develop relationships with the community-based organizations, conduct needs-based assessments for brownfields redevelopment assistance for each community, and then develop strategies to provide technical assistance (such as through a website, in-person or virtual workshops, site visits, etc.) and to expand this effort to eventually identify and prioritize all environmental justice communities throughout the state. This effort will allow FDEP to identify and reach new communities that are not familiar with the program and prioritize assistance to the highest need communities in each county. FDEP intends to subaward funds for this initiative to one or more universities in Florida. FDEP and subaward recipients will comply with EPA's 'Establishing and Managing Subawards' general terms and conditions and EPA's subaward policy. FDEP considers this project an enhancement of the state's inventory of brownfield sites and has budgeted an estimate based on projections for FY22/23.

Outcomes:
FDEP intends to utilize Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant monies to focus efforts on program management and enhancement including contract support for eligibility reviews of Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit (VCTC) applications, collaborating with various universities on an Environmental Justice Initiative supporting the Federal Justice40 Initiative, and conducting assessments and cleanups at brownfield sites throughout the state. BIL funds will be used to identify disadvantaged communities throughout the state, work with the key organizations within those communities to build capacity for brownfields redevelopment through targeted outreach efforts, and prioritize TBA/SSA funding in the identified communities of highest need. This effort

Florida Department Of Environmental Protection

5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.2 - PROTECT AND RESTORE WATERBODIES AND WATERSHEDS 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 1 - A CLEANER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT 1.3 - REVITALIZE LAND AND PREVENT CONTAMINATION 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.2 - PROTECT AND RESTORE WATERBODIES AND WATERSHEDS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.2 - REDUCE EXPOSURE TO RADIATION AND IMPROVE INDOOR AIR 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE LOCALIZED POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIV

66.817 - State and Tribal Response Program Grants

EPA Region 4: Atlanta [EPA - RO]

Florida United States

State-Wide

EPA-CEP-02

Infrastructure $1,600,000 (51%) percent this Project Grant was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Act.
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 290% from $800,000 to $3,119,000.