Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OLEM OBLR 20 07
The FY21 Guidelines for Brownfield Cleanup Grants is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discretionary funding opportunity that explains how to apply for federal support to clean up contaminated or potentially contaminated brownfield properties and move them toward safe reuse. The authority for the program comes from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as updated by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (Public Law 115-141). In practical terms, the EPA Brownfields Program uses these grants to help communities and other eligible entities address sites where redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination, with the broader goal of reducing risk, supporting neighborhood revitalization, and putting underused land back into productive use.
This particular opportunity is listed as Funding Opportunity Number EPA OLEM OBLR 20 07 and is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means recipients should expect an ongoing working relationship with EPA during the project period rather than a hands-off grant. The funding activity category is Environment, and it is also associated with Opportunity Zone Benefits, signaling that the program is aligned with place-based economic and community development priorities where applicable. The assistance listing (CFDA) number attached to this opportunity is 66.818, which corresponds to EPA brownfields-related assistance.
The guidelines focus specifically on Cleanup Grants, meaning the intent is to fund actual cleanup activities at eligible brownfield sites rather than preliminary site identification or assessment work. The program description emphasizes that EPA funds are meant to empower states, communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites, but this document is positioned as application guidance for the cleanup portion of that pipeline. In other words, it is aimed at helping applicants understand what EPA is looking for, how to structure a competitive cleanup proposal, and how to meet the statutory and program requirements tied to CERCLA and the BUILD Act framework.
In terms of award size and scale, the announcement lists an award ceiling of $500,000 per award and anticipates making about 26 awards under this competition. Because the instrument is discretionary, awards are competitive and based on how well an application meets the published criteria and program priorities rather than being allocated by formula. The opportunity was created on August 17, 2020, and the original closing date was October 28, 2020, with the notice indicating that applicants should consult Section IV of the announcement for detailed submission instructions and any additional requirements on how and where to submit.
Eligibility is described broadly in the posting as "Others," with a note directing readers to an additional eligibility section in the full announcement for clarification. That phrasing typically signals that the eligible applicant pool may include specific types of governmental entities, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations, but the definitive answer is in the full text of the notice rather than in the short summary fields. Anyone evaluating fit for this funding would need to verify eligibility precisely as stated in that dedicated section, since EPA brownfields grants often come with specific applicant-type limitations and site/control requirements depending on the grant category.
Overall, the FY21 Brownfield Cleanup Grant guidelines serve as EPA's formal roadmap for applicants seeking cleanup funding: it frames the legal basis for the program, states the purpose of the funds, identifies the funding mechanism and key administrative details, and points applicants to the sections of the full announcement that govern submission and eligibility. The headline numbers suggest moderate-sized cleanup awards intended to support a defined set of projects nationwide, with EPA actively involved through the cooperative agreement structure to ensure the cleanup work is carried out in a compliant and effective way.Apply for EPA OLEM OBLR 20 07
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY21 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD CLEANUP 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 Aug 17, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 28, 2020 Please see Section IV of the announcement for additional submission 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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 26 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FY21 EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grants (EPA OLEM OBLR 20 07)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is the FY21 Guidelines for Brownfield Cleanup Grants, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discretionary funding opportunity that provides federal support to clean up contaminated or potentially contaminated brownfield properties and move them toward safe reuse.
Which federal agency administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA OLEM OBLR 20 07.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The award is offered as a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates an ongoing working relationship with EPA during the project period, rather than a fully hands-off grant.
What is the main purpose of the Cleanup Grants described in these guidelines?
The guidelines focus on funding actual cleanup activities at eligible brownfield sites. The intent is to support cleanup work that helps move sites toward safe reuse, reduce risk, support neighborhood revitalization, and return underused land to productive use.
Are these funds meant for assessment or site identification work?
No. These guidelines are positioned as application guidance for the cleanup portion of the brownfields pipeline, meaning they are aimed at funding cleanup activities rather than preliminary site identification or assessment.
What legal authority supports the EPA Brownfields Program described here?
The authority comes from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as updated by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (Public Law 115-141).
What broader outcomes does EPA associate with these cleanup grants?
The program description highlights reducing risk, supporting neighborhood revitalization, and putting underused land back into productive use by addressing redevelopment challenges tied to real or perceived environmental contamination.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Environment.
Is this opportunity connected to Opportunity Zone Benefits?
Yes. The opportunity is associated with Opportunity Zone Benefits, signaling alignment with place-based economic and community development priorities where applicable.
What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this grant?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number is 66.818, which corresponds to EPA brownfields-related assistance.
How much funding can be awarded per project?
The announcement lists an award ceiling of $500,000 per award.
How many awards does EPA expect to make under this competition?
EPA anticipates making about 26 awards under this competition.
Is this a competitive grant or formula funding?
This is discretionary funding, meaning awards are competitive and based on how well an application meets the published criteria and program priorities rather than being allocated by formula.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on August 17, 2020.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was October 28, 2020.
Where can applicants find detailed submission instructions?
The notice indicates that applicants should consult Section IV of the announcement for detailed submission instructions and any additional requirements on how and where to submit.
Who is eligible to apply based on the posting summary?
Eligibility is described broadly in the posting as "Others," with a note directing readers to an additional eligibility section in the full announcement for clarification.
Does the summary definitively list all eligible applicant types?
No. The summary indicates that the definitive eligibility requirements are in the dedicated eligibility section of the full announcement, and applicants should verify eligibility exactly as stated there.
What types of organizations are implied as possible eligible applicants?
The description suggests the eligible pool may include certain governmental entities, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations, but it emphasizes that the final answer depends on the specific eligibility language in the full notice.
What do these guidelines help applicants do?
They serve as EPA's roadmap for applicants seeking cleanup funding, including what EPA is looking for, how to structure a competitive cleanup proposal, and how to meet statutory and program requirements tied to CERCLA and the BUILD Act framework.
What is the role of EPA during the project period under a cooperative agreement?
The cooperative agreement structure generally means recipients should expect ongoing involvement and coordination with EPA to help ensure cleanup work is carried out in a compliant and effective way.
What should a potential applicant verify before investing significant effort into an application?
Based on the summary, applicants should confirm eligibility in the full announcement's eligibility section and follow the submission requirements listed in Section IV, since those sections govern who can apply and how to submit.
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