Energy and Environment MonitorOn June 22, 2010 EPA published proposed revisions on the 2011 Brownfields Grant Guidelines (75 Fed. Reg. 35,456). Comments on those guidelines were accepted through July 2, 2010. Highlights of the proposed revisions are provided below. The draft 2011 guidelines are available at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/.
The most significant proposed changes are the incorporation of area-wide planning as an eligible activity under the assessment grants.
FY 2011 proposed changes for Community-Wide Assessment Grants includes mine-scarred lands in the funding eligibility for sites with potential contamination of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants.
Guidance for Community-Wide Assessment Grants includes the following:
· Grant funds may be used for conducting area-wide planning activities with a specific brownfields-impacted area, such as a neighborhood, district, city block or brownfields corridor, that lead to the development of an area-wide plan. Area-wide planning activities may include:
- Planning to identify potential future uses for brownfields properties. Planning should be to the extent necessary to inform assessment and cleanup decisions, in order to stimulate economic development upon completion of the cleanup.
- Creating a set of area-wide strategies which will help ensure successful assessment, cleanup and use of the brownfield site(s) within the brownfield s-impacted area.
- Developing strategies for facilitating the reuse of existing infrastructure.
- Determining next steps and identifying resources needed to implement the area-wide plan.
- Applicants may conduct area-wide planning activities and develop an area-wide plan using assessment grant funds.
Ranking Criteria for Assessment Grants:
Scope of Project. For projects that include area-wide planning activities and development of an area-wide plan, at least one brownfields site must be assessed under this grant. For coalition projects that include area-wide planning activities and development of an area-wide plan, at least one site must be assessed with each area-wide plan developed.
Programming Capability. Describe the management system the applicant will have in place to direct activities under the grant. Discuss the means the applicant will use to retain project leadership or recruit qualified staff should employee turnover occur. Describe the system(s) the applicant will have in place to acquire additional expertise and resources required to perform the proposed project. If the applicant intends to contract for the necessary expertise, describe the system they will have in place to acquire that expertise.
Accomplishments. Describe the applicant’s success using EPA brownfields grant funds, including whether the applicant reported accomplishments to EPA in ACRES, or alternatively, via the Property Profile Form.
Community Engagement and Partnerships. If a related local job training program(s) (including brownfields job training grantees) exists in your target area, explain any specific efforts that have been made to collaborate and to what extent will these efforts encourage future employment in the local community to address brownfields sites (e.g. use of first source hiring ordinances or agreements, incorporating terms and conditions requiring contractors to hire locally).
Other Factors (for making selection recommendation). The FY2011 guidelines provide that EPA’s Selection Official may consider whether the applicant is currently participating in the EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Program.
EPA plans to release a Brownfields Request for Proposal based on these revised guidelines during the late summer of 2010. Proposals will be due in October 2010. For additional information you may contact the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, (202) 566-2777.
This article was authored by William Chambers, Acacia Environmental Group LLC. For more information on the author see here.
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