Transcript EPA’s Brownfields Program: New Opportunities for Change

EPA’s Brownfields Program
Megan Quinn
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
January 25, 2008
What are Brownfields?
 Once-productive areas have been abandoned; some are
contaminated.
 Statutory definition: “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”
 Lenders, investors, and developers fear environmental liability
and are more attracted to “greenfields.”
 The result has been blighted properties – brownfields.
 GAO estimates that there are more than 450,000 brownfields
across the country.
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Brownfield Program Outcomes and Benefits
 Reduces blight and
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Northern Liberties, Philadelphia
revitalizes urban areas
Removes stigma
Restores pride in
community
Creates tax revenue
Creates jobs
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Revitalizes neighborhoods
Reduces health risks
Protects/creates greenspace
Reduces sprawl
Promotes sustainability
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Environmental Justice and
Brownfields
 Environmental Justice is an integral part of its
Brownfields Program
 Many brownfields are located in economically
distressed and/or minority communities
 Grants process requires EPA to consider projects that
reduce threats to low-income and minority
communities
 EJ is considered in the development of all Office of
Brownfields’ guidance and policy
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Assessment Grants
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Provide funding for:
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Who is eligible?
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Inventory sites
Characterize sites
Assess sites
Plan for cleanup and redevelopment
Conduct community involvement
State, local, and tribal governments
General purpose units of local government
Land clearance authorities
Quasi-governmental entities
Regional Council or redevelopment agencies
Funding:
 Up to $200,000 to assess properties contaminated by hazardous substances,
pollutants, or contaminants
 Up to $200,000 to assess properties contaminated with petroleum
 For site-specific proposals, may seek waiver of $200,000 limit and request up 5to
$350,000
Revolving Loan Fund Grants
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Provide funding to capitalize a community-wide revolving loan fund that provides
loans and subgrants to carry out assessment and cleanup activities at brownfields.
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Who is eligible?
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State, local, and tribal governments
General purpose units of local government
Land clearance authorities
Quasi-governmental entities
Regional Council or redevelopment agencies
Funding:
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Up to $1,000,000 per eligible entity
Funds may be used to address properties contaminated by hazardous
substances, pollutants, or contaminants and properties contaminated
by petroleum
At least 60 percent of awarded funds must be used to provide nointerest or low- interest loans for brownfields cleanup
Award requires a 20 percent cost share, in the form of a contribution
of money, labor, materials, or services for eligible and allowable costs
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Cleanup Grants
 Provide funding for cleanup activities at brownfields.
 Who is eligible?
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State, local, and tribal governments
General purpose units of local government
Land clearance authorities
Quasi-governmental entities
Regional Council or redevelopment agencies
Non-profit organizations (to cleanup properties owned by nonprofit)
 Funding:
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Up to $200,000 per property
Each eligible entity can apply for funding for up to five properties
Require a 20 percent cost share, in the form of a contribution of
money, labor, materials, or services for eligible and allowable costs
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Job Training Grants
 Provide funding to train residents of communities affected by
brownfields to facilitate cleanup of brownfields properties and prepare
trainees for future employment in the environmental field. Job training
grants may be awarded to communities that received brownfields
assessment or cleanup grants.
 Who is eligible?
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States, counties, municipalities, Federally-recognized Indian Tribes,
and U.S. Territories
Colleges and universities
Community job training organizations
Non-profit training centers
 Funding:
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Up to $200,000 per eligible entity
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Abandoned Properties
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Underground Storage Tanks
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2007 Brownfields Grants
 In 2007 EPA announced: $70.7 million for 294 grants
to communities in 38 states, 2 territories and 5 tribal
nations.
 189 assessment grants totaling $36.8 million
 92 cleanup grants totaling $17.9 million
 13 revolving loan fund grants totaling $16 million
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Overall Accomplishments
 Leveraged $10.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment
 Leveraged more than 47,000 jobs
 Supported assessments at more than 9,100 properties
 Provided grants to all 50 States and 40 Tribes for their response
programs
 Every acre of brownfields redeveloped saves 4.5 acres of greenspace
(GWU, 2001)
 For every dollar the federal, state and local governments put into
revitalizing Brownfields, almost $2.50 in private investment was
attracted (Brownfields Redevelopment: Performance Evaluation)
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Increased Support for State and Tribal
Response Programs
 Authorized $50 million/year to establish and enhance
State Programs
 Includes support for capacity building, site assessment
and cleanup and related program support
 10 fold increase over the past 5 years in number of
properties enrolled in State Voluntary Cleanup Programs
(over 50,000)
 Grants awarded on an allocation basis- non competitive
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Emerging National Issues
 Measures and A.C.R.E.S.
 Increased reliance on Federal partnerships
 Land Revitalization/Reuse
 FY09 ARC Guidelines Revisions
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OBLR Grant Funding Opportunities
 2009 Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment
Grants Competition-$80M (Notice in Summer 2008,
Awards in Spring 2009)
 2009 Job Training Grants Competition- $2.0M (Notice
in Summer 2008, Award expected Winter 2009)
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On the Horizon:
Brownfields in 2008
 The FY09 Brownfields Grant Application Guidelines
will be released in late Summer 2008.
www.epa.gov/brownfields
 National Brownfields 2008 Conference:
May 5-7 in Detroit, MI
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Contact Information
Megan Quinn
U.S. EPA Office of Brownfields & Land Revitalization
[email protected]
202-566-2773
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