Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements

66.818

Related Federal Assistance
66.817 , 66.815 , 66.814

Overview
Objectives
Brownfield sites are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The objectives of the Brownfield Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup cooperative agreements (project grants) are to provide funding to: (1) inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement related to brownfield sites; (2) capitalize a revolving loan fund (RLF) which provide loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites; (3) carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are owned by the grant recipient; and (4) inventory, characterize, assess, plan or remediate one or more brownfield sites in an area proposed for Multipurpose cooperative agreements. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2026: Funding will support at least 39 Assessment cooperative agreements (estimated $58.7 million) that recipients may use to inventory, assess, engage the community, and plan reuse at brownfield sites, as authorized under CERCLA Section 104(k)(2). Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds will be used for approximately 88 Assessment cooperative agreements (estimated $70 million). IIJA funds will support at least 36 direct Cleanup cooperative agreements (estimated $107 million) to enable eligible entities to clean up properties that the recipient owns, as authorized under CERCLA Section 104(k)(3). IIJA funds will support at least 20 Multipurpose cooperative agreements (estimated at $20 million) to assess and cleanup properties the recipient owns in a defined target area, as authorized under CERCLA Section (104)(k)(4). Funding will not be available for competitive RLF cooperative agreements, but approximately 25 RLF supplemental awards (estimated at $14 million) will be made non-competitively to current RLF cooperative agreement recipients who meet supplemental funding criteria, in order to re-capitalize their RLF for additional loans and subgrants. IIJA funds will be used for FY26 RLF supplemental funding awards. Consistent with the direction on cost sharing in IIJA, cost sharing and matching funds are not required for Cleanup cooperative agreements. Recipients will be required to report site-specific accomplishments for IIJA-funded activities in the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment, Exchange System (ACRES) and collected data will be used to demonstrate successful implementation of the program. Certain projects (i.e., primarily cleanup projects) are subject to the Buy America Sourcing requirements under the Build America, Buy America (BABA) provisions IIJA (P.L. 117-58, §§ 70911-70917) when using funds for the purchase of goods, products, and materials on any form of construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of infrastructure in the United States. The Buy America preference requirement applies to all of the iron and steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used for an infrastructure project under an award identified in EPA’s financial assistance funding programs subject to BABA report.

Eligibility for Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants: a general purpose unit of local government; a land clearance authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general purpose unit of local government; a government entity created by a State legislature; a regional council or group of general purpose units of local government; a redevelopment agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a State; a State; a Federally recognized Indian Tribe other than in Alaska; an Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation and the Metlakatla Indian Community. Intertribal consortia, except consortia comprised of ineligible Alaskan tribes; an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code; a limited liability corporation in which all managing members are organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are organizations described in subparagraph organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code; a limited partnership in which all general partners are organizations described in subparagraph (I) or limited liability corporations whose sole members are organizations described in subparagraph organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code; or a qualified community development entity (as defined in section 45D(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Other nonprofit organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) tax exempt status are also eligible for Cleanup Grants. For the purposes of the Brownfields Grant Program, the term “other nonprofit organization” consistent with 2 CFR 200.70 means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. The term includes nonprofit institutions of higher education. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. For profit organizations are not eligible to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

Generally, those eligible entities identified above will benefit from the Brownfields Grant actions. Specifically, individuals and commercial organizations in communities will benefit from brownfields assessment, cleanup, and revitalization funding. New strategies for promoting environmental cleanup lessons from these grants will provide a growing base of information and knowledge for other communities across the country seeking partnerships with stakeholders to coordinate issues related to brownfields and leverage additional opportunities for redevelopment.

RLF Grant recipients seeking supplemental funding: Generally, in February, the Brownfields Office issues an annual Funding Guidance that provides the due date and information that should be submitted to request supplemental RLF funds. Eligible recipients must submit their supplemental funding requests, with all necessary documentation, to the appropriate EPA regional office. Once initial requests are received, EPA headquarters consolidates requests and provides a funding based on factors provided in the Funding Guidance. When final funding decisions are made, regions will negotiate final workplans with the RLF Grant recipient and the recipient will submit the application through Grants.gov.

Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final workplan will then be negotiated with the applicant.

Final approval of applications is made by EPA. Award of grant funds are generally made by EPA Regional Award Officials. Final approval of applications is made by EPA. Award of grant funds are generally made by EPA Regional Award Officials.