Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants - Summary of Brownfields Grant Programs

2. Summary of Brownfields Grant Programs 5
2.1. Applicant Eligibility 5
2.2. Assessment Grant Program 6
2.3. Revolving Loan Fund Grant Program 6
2.4. Cleanup Grant Program 7

2. Summary of Brownfields Grant Programs

Three competitive brownfields grant programs are discussed in these guidelines: assessment grants, revolving loan fund (RLF) grants, and cleanup grants. Eligible applicants, including those with existing brownfields grants, may apply for one, or all, of the grant programs. Contact your EPA Regional representative for assistance.

2.1. Applicant Eligibility

The following table indicates, by grant program, what types of entities are eligible to receive EPA funds for brownfields assessment, RLF, and cleanup grants:

¹ To be eligible for a cleanup grant or an RLF subgrant, the applicant must own the site for which they seek funding by the time the award is made.

² For purposes of the brownfields grant program, EPA defines general purpose unit of local government as a "local government" as that term is defined under 40 CFR Part 31.

³ Intertribal Consortia are eligible for funding in accordance with EPA's policy for funding intertribal consortia in the brownfields program to be published in the Federal Register. This policy also may be obtained from your Regional Brownfields Contact.

⁴ Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations are defined in the Alaskan Native Claim Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 and following).

⁵ For the purposes of the brownfields grant program, EPA will use the definition of nonprofit organizations contained in Section 4(6) of the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999, Public Law 106-107. The term "nonprofit organization" means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest; is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization.

2.2. Assessment Grant Program

Assessment grants provide funding for a grant recipient to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement related to brownfield sites.

• An eligible entity may apply for up to $200,000 to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and up to $200,000 to address sites contaminated by petroleum. Grant funds may not exceed $400,000 per applicant unless a waiver is requested, which must be based on the anticipated level of contamination, size, or ownership status of the site. Applicants may request a waiver of the $200,000 limits up to $350,000 for sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and up to $350,000 to address sites contaminated by petroleum. Due to budget limitations, no entity may apply for funding assessment activities in excess of the $700,000 as described above.
• The performance period for these grants generally will be two years.
• Refer to Appendix 2, Prohibitions on Use of Funds, for more information on activities that may not be funded using brownfields grant funds.

2.3. Revolving Loan Fund Grant Program

Revolving Loan Fund grants provide funding for a grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields sites.

• An eligible entity may apply for up to $1,000,000 for an initial RLF grant. Coalitions of eligible entities may apply together under one recipient for up to $1,000,000 per eligible entity. These funds may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum).
• Proposals may be submitted by "coalitions," or groups of eligible entities, to pool their revolving loan capitalization grant funds. A coalition is a grouping of two or more eligible entities joined together under one grant recipient. The grant recipient must administer the grant, be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds, and be the point of contact for the other coalition members. Members of the coalition other than the grant recipient must submit letters agreeing to be part of the coalition.
• An RLF grant recipient must use at least 60 percent of the awarded funds to capitalize a revolving loan fund. Revolving loan funds generally are used to provide no-interest or low-interest loans for brownfields cleanups. An RLF grant recipient also may use its funds to award subgrants to other eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, for brownfields cleanups on sites owned by the subgrantee; however, an RLF grant recipient may use no more than 40 percent of the awarded funds for cleanup subgrants and may not subgrant to itself. Unlike loans, cleanup subgrants do not require repayment.
• An RLF award requires a 20 percent cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services, and must be for eligible and allowable costs (the match must equal 20 percent of the amount of funding provided by EPA and cannot include administrative costs, as described in Appendix 2). An RLF grant applicant may request a waiver of the 20 percent cost share requirement based on hardship. Applicants must contact their Regional representative (listed in Appendix 1) to discuss applying for a waiver prior to submitting Initial Proposals.
• Existing Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (BCRLF) recipients, may choose to "transition" their grants to the requirements of the new law. BCRLF recipients who choose to transition must comply with all requirements of the new law. BCRLF recipients who do not choose to transition will continue to operate pursuant to the terms and conditions of their existing cooperative agreements. EPA will be providing information about this transition option to existing BCRLF grant recipients.
• The performance period for these grants generally will be five years.
• Refer to Appendix 2, Prohibitions on Use of Funds, for more information on activities that may not be funded using brownfields grant funds.

2.4. Cleanup Grant Program

Cleanup grants provide funding for a grant recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.

• An eligible entity may apply for up to $200,000 per site. Due to budget limitations, no entity should apply for funding cleanup activities at more than five sites. These funds may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum).
• Cleanup grants require a 20 percent cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services, and must be for eligible and allowable costs (the match must equal 20 percent of the amount of funding provided by EPA and cannot include administrative costs). A cleanup grant applicant may request a waiver of the 20 percent cost share requirement based on hardship. Applicants must contact their Regional representative (listed in Appendix 1) to discuss applying for a waiver prior to submitting Initial Proposals.
• An eligible entity must own the site for which it is requesting funding in order to qualify.
• The performance period for these grants generally will be two years.
• Refer to Appendix 2, Prohibitions on Use of Funds, for more information on activities that may not be funded using brownfields grant funds.

Go to Part 3. Proposal Submission and Selection Process Overview

Table of Contents

1. The National Brownfields Program and the New Brownfields Law 3
1.1. Background 3
1.2. The New Brownfields Law 3

2. Summary of Brownfields Grant Programs 5
2.1. Applicant Eligibility 5
2.2. Assessment Grant Program 6
2.3. Revolving Loan Fund Grant Program 6
2.4. Cleanup Grant Program 7

3. Proposal Submission and Selection Process Overview 9
3.1. Step 1–Initial Proposals 10
3.2. Step 2–Final Proposals 11
3.3. Final Selection and Funding Award 11
3.4. Proposal Submission Schedule 12
3.5. General Proposal Requirements 12

4. Initial Proposal Guidelines 15
4.1. Preliminary Information 16
4.2. Assessment Grants 18
4.3. Revolving Loan Fund Grants 20
4.4. Cleanup Grants 24

5. Final Proposal Guidelines 29
5.1. Assessment Grants 29
5.2. Revolving Loan Fund Grants 32
5.3. Cleanup Grants 35

Appendix 1. EPA Regional and Headquarters Contacts 39

Appendix 2. Prohibitions on Use of Funds 41

Appendix 3. Guidance on Sites Eligible for Brownfields Funding Under CERCLA §104(k) 43

Appendix 4. Guidance for Requests for Property-Specific Determinations for Funding 55