Brownfields Assessment Grants
Federal Agency
Sub-Department
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR)
Purpose
To evaluate potentially contaminated sites that may need cleanup from prior use. The program offers community-wide assessments for multiple community sites, site-specific grants for an already identified single-site project focus, and assessment coalition grants to increase the capacity of multijurisdictional entities to assess sites in multiple communities.
Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements
All applicants must meet the "threshold criteria" as outlined in the updated notice of funding opportunity.
Decarbonization Considerations
Transforming underutilized or abandoned sites in your community into revitalized energy hubs can also spur economic revitalization. These funds can help determine which brownfields and closed landfill sites may be good fits for hosting solar or other renewable energy. The EPA offers explicit guidance for considering such "brightfields" projects: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/are-you-considering-renewable-energy-or-energy-efficient-approaches-your-brownfields
Equity Considerations
A critical part of the program is to ensure that residents living in communities historically affected by economic disinvestment, health disparities, and environmental contamination have an opportunity to reap the benefits from brownfields redevelopment. For example, large brownfield sites can be future hubs for new manufacturing and clean energy jobs and offer opportunities to improve distributional equity where communities were previously neglected.
Helpful Tips
There are 3 different types of assessment grants. Review each type to determine which is most relevant to your community or project: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343486 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343466 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343484
Other Notes
The IIJA authorized $1.5 billion in Additional funding over 5 years to scale up EPA's brownfields revitalization program.