Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
On September 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $232 million in grant funding through its Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) program. This initiative represents the fourth wave of funding under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, aimed at assessing and cleaning up polluted brownfield sites nationwide. The new grants are intended to advance environmental justice and transform once-polluted, vacant properties into community assets while promoting economic revitalization in underserved areas.
The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) allocates $1.5 billion to EPA’s Brownfields Program. This significant funding boost is designed to support economic development across more communities in the country. The EPA plans to award approximately 200 grants this cycle, with amounts ranging from $500,000 to $4 million per award.
“The grants awarded through this Brownfields program help communities turn polluted and often abandoned properties into community assets,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are able to provide grants to more communities than ever before, helping make them cleaner, healthier and economically stronger.”
Notices of Funding Opportunities and application information are available on www.grants.gov. Applications must be submitted by November 14, 2024.
EPA’s Brownfields Program supports President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by directing 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to disadvantaged communities that have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.7 billion in grants for assessing and cleaning up contaminated properties for productive reuse.
Prior to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, approximately $60 million was made available annually through this program. With recent historic investments through BIL, annual funding has increased nearly fourfold.
Guidelines for FY25 Brownfields Grants and other application resources can be found on the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant Application Resources webpage.
The Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will host outreach webinars on September 19 and September 24 to explain Narrative/Ranking criteria for interested applicants and address common questions. Prior registration is not required.
For more information on joining these webinars or about EPA's Brownfields Program visit their website.
