FY22 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANTS | EPA OLEM OBLR 21 04

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OLEM OBLR 21 04

The FY22 Guidelines for Brownfield Assessment Grants is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its Brownfields Program. It is issued under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as updated by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act. The purpose of the program is to help communities and other eligible entities take practical steps to address brownfield properties, which are generally sites where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of contamination. Through this guidance, EPA explains how to apply for Assessment Grants that support activities needed to identify, evaluate, and plan for the cleanup and future reuse of these properties.

The funding instrument for this opportunity is a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect an active partnership role from EPA during the project, rather than a hands-off pass-through of funds. The overall program focus falls under the environmental funding activity category, and it is associated with CFDA number 66.818. The EPA office issuing the opportunity is within the agency structure identified in the opportunity number EPA OLEM OBLR 21 04, reflecting the program administration through EPA's land and emergency management functions.

In terms of who can apply, the eligibility category is listed as "Others," with specific eligible applicant types clarified in the announcement's additional eligibility information section. In practice, EPA's Brownfields Assessment Grants are designed to empower a wide range of public and community-based entities, including states, local governments, tribes, and nonprofit organizations, to carry out the early-stage work required to move brownfield sites toward cleanup and productive reuse. The program is aimed at helping applicants prevent and manage brownfield challenges by supporting inventories of potential sites, environmental assessments, and related planning that reduces uncertainty for communities and future investors.

For FY22, the opportunity anticipates making about 78 awards. The maximum award amount listed is up to $2,000,000, which indicates the program can support sizable assessment portfolios when applicants propose broad community-wide strategies or multiple-site approaches. The original posting shows a creation date of September 21, 2021, with an original closing date of December 1, 2021, while also noting that applicants must rely on the close date and details provided in Section IV of the official funding opportunity announcement for definitive deadline instructions.

Overall, this grant guidance is essentially an application roadmap for organizations seeking EPA support to inventory brownfield sites, conduct environmental assessments, and take the preparatory steps that make eventual cleanup and redevelopment possible. The larger policy goal is to reduce the barriers that contamination concerns create for communities, enabling safer reuse of land, encouraging reinvestment in previously used properties, and supporting local revitalization efforts while protecting public health and the environment.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY22 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANTS" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.818.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 21, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 01, 2021 See Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for close date information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 78 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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