FY 2017 RFP for Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants Announced
On October 13, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) announced the FY 2017 Request for Proposals (RFP) for Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants. These grants may be used to address sites impacted by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). The Proposal submission deadline is December 20, 2016. Specific grant funding opportunities for FY 2017 include:
- Assessment Grants (funded over three years)
Community-wide or Site-Specific Applicants: Applicants may apply for up to $200,000 in hazardous substances funding, $200,000 in petroleum funding, or a combined $300,000 for hazardous substances and petroleum funding. Assessment Coalition Applicants may apply for up to $600,000 in hazardous substances funding and/or petroleum funding. - Cleanup Grants (funded over three years)
Applicants may apply for up to $200,000 per brownfield site and can submit up to three separate, site-specific cleanup Proposals.
To assist applicants with their proposals, US EPA will host the EPA National Assessment and Cleanup Guideline Webinar; tentatively scheduled for the first week of November 2016. Additional information regarding the RFP and the upcoming webinar is available at:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-current-news-and-events
$10.7 Million in Supplemental Funds Awarded to Clean up Contaminated Brownfield Sites in Economically Disadvantaged Communities Across the Country
On July 12, 2016, US EPA announced that approximately $10.7 million in supplemental funding was awarded to 33 successful Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantees to help transform communities by cleaning up contaminated brownfield properties.
“These funds – going to communities who have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites – will help revitalize distressed communities, improve public health, encourage innovation, and boost local manufacturing opportunities,” said Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for US EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management. “RLF funding is often the key to addressing critical financing gaps to leverage private sector resources to make cleanups and reuse of properties happen.” RLFs supply funding for loans and sub-grants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites.
The supplemental funding to each grantee ranged from about $200,000 to $500,000. Among the successful applicants was the Redevelopment Authority of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (MCRDA), which received $450,000 in supplemental funding to address sites throughout the county. Environmental Standards, Inc. (Environmental Standards), has been assisting MCRDA with its Brownfields RLF and Assessment programs since 2012 and is excited for the opportunities this supplemental funding will bring to the RLF program for our client and the communities they serve.
Environmental Standards has experience helping clients identify and apply for various grant funding opportunities. We have prepared numerous successful grant applications on behalf of clients resulting in multiple funding awards to be used for environmental assessment, planning, remediation, and capitalization of RLF programs.
For more information, please contact: Joe Kraycik or Gerry Kirkpatrick at (610) 935-5577.