1. The BROWNFIElds Grants Program
Philip Clappin
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
Resources to Jump Start Brownfield Development Workshop
Syracuse, N.Y.
EPA offers a variety of grants and technical assistance to help communities both large and small realize their brownfield challenges. EPA can help from the very beginning in the redevelopment planning stages through site assessments, investigations and cleanups, to the end with site redevelopment and community revitalization. EPA Brownfield personnel are a committed bunch of people that will work with communities to realize their goals.
October 19, 2016

2. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION Overview of EPA Grants
Other EPA Brownfield Programs
EPA Region 2 Contacts
I will discuss the various types of EPA Brownfield Grants available including Assessment, Cleanup, RLF, Area-Wide Planning, Job Training Grants and some of the technical assistance available.

3. EPA’s Commitment to Making Meaningful Differences in Communities
Grant Types:
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning
Brownfields Assessment
Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund
Brownfields Cleanup
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training
State and Tribal Response Program – CERCLA 128(a)
Technical Assistance:
Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA)
Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB)
Land Revitalization Project Assistance
Overview:
We know the damage that abandoned and blighted properties can do to a community, and the opportunities these properties present when local, state, or federal partners can provide seed money to leverage other private or public sector funding.
Addressing Brownfield sites is a critical component of a community’s economic redevelopment process, especially in downtowns that have been subject to decline over time. Infill development is a key.
Besides important environmental cleanup, there is also an opportunity to attract jobs to these communities and contribute to broader economic development outcomes, while taking advantage of existing infrastructure and capacity.
Through Brownfields grants and technical assistance, EPA is contributing to the economic revitalization of communities while protecting public health and the environment.
Grant Types:
The Brownfields Law (2002) established three means by which site specific work can be funded:
Competitive grants-funded under 104(k) – Communities develop proposals based on the published guidelines which are evaluated and scored by personnel from EPA and other federal agencies. These are offered annually. Currently, the ARC grants have just been published and proposals are due December 20, They will be awarded October 1, 2017.
Targeted Brownfield assessments – These site assessments are offered to communities free of charge and are conducted by EPA contractors.
State and Tribal Response Program Grants - CERCLA 128(a) – mainly for the development and enhancement of a brownfield response program but up to 50% of the award can be used for site-specific assessments and cleanups.
Other Brownfield Grants established under the Brownfields Law include:
1. Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants for communities to provide training in environmental careers. The guidelines will be published shortly (Schenine???)
2. Area-Wide Planning Grants – modeled after the NYS BOA program and can be used in conjunction with the BOA to help communities develop plans for redevelopment and revitalization. The guidelines are usually published in the spring and the FY16 proposals are being evaluated currently.
Technical Assistance:
Besides our annual grant competitions, we also have direct technical assistance provided on a non-competitive basis.

4. Authorized Brownfield Funding
Assessment Grants
Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants
Up to $200 Million
Cleanup Grants
These are broad nationwide estimates. Next slide presents a breakdown of the amount of funding for each of the grant types for fiscal year It also presents the funding that was available in each of the grant types in New York State for FY 2016.
Area Wide Planning Grants
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants
$50 Million
States and Tribes
Targeted Brownfield Assessments
State and Tribal Response Program Grants

5. Brownfield ARC Funding FY 2016
In FY2016, EPA has awarded 218 ARC grants nationally for a total of $55.2 M:
145 Assessment Grants - $33.1 M
59 Cleanup Grants - $11 M
14 RLF Grants - $11.1 M
New York:
6 Assessments - $1.2M
1 Cleanup - $200K
1 RLF - $500K
ARC being Assessment, RLF and Cleanup Grants. Funding has decreased dramatically since (when it was over $100M with the Recovery Act) resulting in a very competitive competition. To indicate the extent of competition FY 16 assessment grant proposals scoring less than in the 97 percentile did not make the cut. In an effort to increase the number of assessment and slightly decrease the competition in Assessment and Cleanup Grants the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will not be offering Revolving Loan Funds this year. Don’t know how the ~$11M will be split between the assessment and cleanup grants. As a result, because the competition will be lessened, it might be a good year for first timers to develop a proposal. But don’t wait till the last minute to look at the guidelines as there are many criteria that need to be developed and documented.

6. Brownfields Assessment Grants
$200K Hazardous Substances
$200K Petroleum*
Coalition Assessment
Up to $600K
Community-Wide Assessment
Single Site **
Site Specific
Note 2 Distinct Pots of Money – Hazardous Substances and Petroleum
Depending on the complexity and size of the site the average phase 1 costs about $3.5K, the average Phase 2 costs about $30K to $35K so about 5 or 6 Phase 1s and 2s can be done using the $200K.
Inventory development should be limited to about 10% of the grant funding.
Cleanup planning and development of the ABCA should be limited to about 10% of the grant funding.
Recommend Community-Wide Assessment Grants – these allow you to assess any brownfield sites in your targeted area (say a downtown, main street, corridor, neighborhood) as long as they meet eligibility requirements.
A community can submit proposals for a community-wide hazardous substance, a community-wide petroleum and a site-specific in the same grant cycle.
Coalition Assessment Grants – one lead and at least two other community entities. 1 in NYS – Glens Falls with 6 adjacent municipalities.
Eligibility – a determination will be made by EPA. Prior to developing a site-specific assessment proposals you should reach out to EPA to make a determination as to a sites eligibility.
Sites do not have to be owned by the community (but for privately owned sites access agreements would be required).
Generally speaking – site must meet the definition of a brownfield. Must not have a PRP. Applicant must not be liable for the contamination on the site. Sites on or proposed to be on the NPL are not eligible. Sites subject to unilateral or consent administrative orders or judicial decrees under CERCLA are not eligible. Sites owned by the U.S Government are not eligible.
EPA Site-Specific Determination must be made for the following sites: Sites subject to or ongoing removal actions by CERCLA (sites that have had a removal action might be eligible); sites that have issued or consented to administrative or judicial orders under RCRA, SDWA, TSCA or Federal Water Pollution Control Act; sites subject to RCRA Corrective Action, sites that have land disposal units subject to closure requirements under RCRA; sites contaminated with PCBs and subject to TSCA remediation; sites receiving monies for remediation of the LUST trust fund.
*Petroleum sites are eligible IF
“Relatively low risk site” when compared with other petroleum contaminated site
No viable PRP
Site will be assessed or cleaned up by a person who is not potentially liable for cleaning up site
Not subject to RCRA 9003 (h) order
Inventory Brownfields
Phase I/II Environmental Assessments and Investigations
Cleanup/Reuse Plans
Community and Stakeholder Outreach
**EPA approved waiver to $350K

7. Brownfield CLEANUP Grants
$200K Hazardous and Petroleum Substances Combined
$200K Hazardous
$200K Petroleum
Cleanup Grants are meant to provide seed money. More often than not, leveraged funding needs to be available to cleanup a site. These are site specific grants. They need to be owned by the community, have a draft cleanup alternative plan, and the public has to have been notified of the cleanup. A community can submit up to three cleanup grant proposals in a given year.
Same eligibility requirements.
Single Site
20% cost share required as a match
Direct costs associated with the cleanup of the site
Direct costs associated with programmatic management
A portion of the grant may be used to purchase environmental insurance
A local government can use up to 10% of grant funds for health monitoring, monitoring and enforcement of institutional controls, and any related program development and implementation activities.

8. Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants
$1M Hazardous &Petroleum
$1M Hazardous
$1M Petroleum
These are not offered this year.
Revolving Loan Fund
20% cost share required as a match
*RLF Loan
*Cleanup Sub-Grant
At least 50% of the total award amount
Provide no-interest or low interest loans for Brownfields Cleanups
Maximum 50% of total award amount
Does not require repayment
*Eligible cleanup activities covered

9. ENVIRONMENTAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND JOB TRAINING Grants
Applicants may choose to deliver a variety of environmental training:
The Fortune Society, NY
Enhanced environmental health and safety training
Integrated pest management (IPM) training
Alternative energy technologies
Wastewater treatment training, such as wastewater treatment facility operations training
Hazardous waste training
Solid waste management or cleanup training
Superfund site cleanup and innovative and alternative treatment technologies training
Emergency planning, preparedness, and response training
FY 16 EPA awarded 18 job training grants nationally ~ $3.5M. Region 2 received 2 grants ~ $400K
$200K Funding

10. Types of Grants Assessment Revolving Loan Fund Cleanup Job Training
EWDJT
Area Wide Planning
Applicant Eligibility
Government, Quasi Government, Regional Councils, Tribes
Government, Quasi Government, Regional Councils, Tribes, Non Profits
Government, Quasi Government, Regional Councils, Tribes, Non Profits, Colleges
Amount of funding available
Up to $400K for community-wide
Up to $200,000 or up to $350,000 for Site Specific
Up to $600,000 for a coalition
Up to $1 million
Up to $200,000 per site
Up to 3 sites totaling $600,000
Up to $200,000
Cost share requirement
n/a
20% cost share
Period of performance
3 years
5 years
2 years
Eligible Entities for all grant types:
Local Government such as a Village, Town, City or County;
Quasi-Governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control or as an agent of a local government such as a department or an agency of a local government (eg. County Economic Development Agency, City Environmental Department);
Governmental Entity Created by a State (eg. NYSDEC);
Regional Council or Group of Local Governments (eg. Mohawk Valley Economic Development Agency representing numerous Counties)
Redevelopment Agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a State
State
Indian Tribe
Various Alaska Native Tribes
Cleanup Grants: In addition to the list above Non-Profit Agencies are eligible.
Assessment Grant Types:
2 distinct pots of money – Hazardous Substances and Petroleum
Community-Wide Hazardous Substances and/or Petroleum
Site Specific
Coalition – one lead community and at least two other municipalities. Or if it is a Regional Council it can enter with several counties or villages. If it’s a county it can partner with several villages/cities within the county. The one thing that should be stressed is that there should be some commonality. Up to $600K.
Combination of hazardous substances and petroleum sites – two separate task descriptions and budgets required.
Can apply for a community-wide hazardous substance grant and community-wide petroleum grant and a site-specific grant in the same year.
Cleanup Grants – an entity can apply for up to 3 grants in one year.
The site must be owned by the entity.
There must be a draft cleanup alternatives plan already developed.
There must be community notification.
Cost share for the RLF and Cleanup grants can come from a variety of sources including in-kind services, other funding resources (see guidelines), etc.
Leveraging of funds (other agencies, state agencies, private developers, private business, etc.) can be done throughout the process but is especially needed during cleanup and is necessary because cleanup costs very often exceed the $200K cleanup grants. The cleanup grant more so than the other types is seed money but in many instances it is necessary seed money.
Performance Period
Cost Share Requirements

11. Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (BF AWP)
2-year grant given to:
Assist with community involvement, research planning and implementation strategies related to brownfields cleanup and reuse
Focus on catalyst/high priority brownfields sites and surrounding area
Common grant-funded activities:
Identifying community priorities
Evaluating existing conditions
Brownfields site reuse planning
Developing a brownfields area-wide plan; and
Identifying resources or leveraging opportunities to implement plan
EPA’s newest grant program is the Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant, which has a strong land revitalization focus
This is a 2-year grant funded up to $200K
Modeled after New York State’s Department of State BOA Program
Simplified BF AWP approach
Community & stakeholders develop a realistic redevelopment vision
How can catalyst, high priority brownfield site(s) be cleaned up/reused to help meet vision
Develop clear short & long-term implementation actions, prepare community to move forward
BF AWP projects are community research and technical assistance grants, involving :
Community engagement, identifying community priorities
Research on brownfields and project area existing conditions
Feasible cleanup/reuse scenarios for brownfield site(s)
Plan implementation strategies to identify:
What are your short-term & long-term goals & actions?
What resources do you have or need to accomplish each goal/action?
Yonkers, NY
Camden, NJ

12. Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB)
Technical assistance provided through the TAB Program helps communities across the country increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields cleanup and revitalization and assists in moving brownfields sites forward in the process toward cleanup and reuse.
Offered free of charge for your convenience. They will even evaluate a proposal and off comments.
Areas of assistance include: Community and stakeholder involvement, Health impacts of brownfield sites, Science and technology relating to brownfield site assessment, remediation, and site preparation activities, Brownfield finance, Integrated approaches to brownfield cleanup and redevelopment, Sources of brownfields assessment and cleanup funding, State brownfields and voluntary cleanup program requirements, and Brownfields redevelopment activities
Tools
Workshops and Webinars
Resource Center
Special Projects
One-on-One Assistance
Web-based Tools
Newsletters and Case Studies
Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR)
Serves EPA Regions 2, 4, 9, & 10
Sarah Sieloff
(415)
Website:

13. Targeted brownfield Assessments (TBA)
The TBA program is not a grant program, but a service provided through an EPA contract in which EPA directs a contractor to conduct environmental assessment activities to address the requester’s needs. Unlike grants, EPA does not provide funding directly to the entity requesting the services. TBA assistance is
available through EPA’s Regional Brownfields offices.
Eligible entities include: state, local and tribal governments;
general purpose units of local government, land clearance
authorities or other quasi-governmental entities; regional council or redevelopment agencies; states or legislatures; or nonprofit
organizations.
Very often we use the TBAs as a sort of consolation for proposals that were not selected. TBAs are available through EPA. Phase 1s and 2s conducted by EPA contrators at no cost to the community.
TBAs may include:
An “all appropriate inquiries” assessment (Phase I), including a historical investigation and a preliminary site inspection;
A more in-depth environmental site assessment (Phase II), including sampling activities to identify the types and concentrations of contaminants and the areas to be cleaned; and
Evaluation of cleanup options and/or cost estimates based on future uses and redevelopment plans.

14. Questions? Region 2 Brownfields Contacts
Terry Wesley, Region 2, Brownfields Section Chief
(212)
Lya Theodoratos, Region 2 Brownfields Coordinator (212)
Alison Devine, Region 2 TBA Coordinator
  (212)
Schenine Mitchell, Brownfields Job Training Coordinator
(212)
Philip Clappin, Technical Coordinator
(212)

15. Proposal Guidelines
The FY17 ARC Guidelines & Supplemental Grant Funding Posted on:
grant-funding
FY17 Assessment Guidelines Posted on:
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FY17 Cleanup Guidelines Posted on:
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The Assessment and Cleanup Grant Guidelines were just published last week and proposals are due December 20, For those proposals that are successful, cooperative agreements and grant funding will be available October 1, 2017.

16. Brownfields Program Officer U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Thank You
Phil Clappin
Brownfields Program Officer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(212)
History teaches us that environmental protection can help be the catalyst for economic development and growth. Expanding the ability of communities of all sizes to recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses can build on the local economic advantages of our industrial legacy.
The resources needed to support site reuse efforts are often hard to come by, so it is important to remember that a variety of sources – all levels of government, non-profits including foundations, and the private sector have an important role to play in helping to move these projects forward.
This year, EPA will announce further investments in communities through the award of our Assessment, Cleanup, and Environmental Workforce and Development Job Training Grants.
By working together, with both public and private investments, we can continue revitalizing America’s communities.