Brownfields are real property, the expansion, development or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement to Headwaters Resource Conservation & Development Area Inc. under the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.818), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030. Funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this award will enable the recipient to recapitalize a revolving loan fund (RLF) to provide loans and subgrants for brownfield remediation across a seven-county region in southwestern Montana, including Beaverhead, Butte-Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Granite, Jefferson, Madison, and Powell Counties.

The primary deliverables include managing $500,000 in loans and $140,000 in subgrants to eligible municipalities and non-profit entities for brownfield site cleanup activities, with anticipated remediation of up to seven contaminated sites. The recipient will competitively procure qualified environmental professionals to oversee environmental site activities, develop community involvement plans and administrative records for each remediated site, conduct up to seven brownfield cleanup alternatives analyses, host approximately five community meetings, and submit quarterly progress reports through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES). These activities support the broader EPA objective of addressing blighted and underutilized properties complicated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

This agreement will provide funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) for headwaters resource conservation and development (RCANDD) to RE-capitalize a revolving loan fund as authorized by cercla 104(K)(5)(a)(II) in the seven-county region which includes beaverhead, butte-silver BOW, deer lodge, granite, jefferson, madison, and powell counties, montana. Activities:specifically, this agreement will provide funding for the recipient to RE-capitalize a revolving loan fund from which to make loans and subgrants to clean up brownfield site(S) and conduct other necessary activities to prudently manage the RLF. Additionally, the recipient will competitively procure (as needed) and direct a qualified environmental professional to oversee the environmental site activities, will create a community involvement plan and administrative record for each site that is remediated, and will report on program income, interim progress, and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form and brownfields RLF form using EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (ACRES). Subrecipient:$500,000 in loans and $140,000 in subgrants will provided to eligible entities (municipalities and non-profits) to procure the services of a qualified environmental professional to oversee and subcontract the remediation of contamination of sites throughout the headwaters RCANDD's 6-county service area.outcomes:further, the recipient will issue approximately loans and subgrants to remediate up to seven brownfield site(S); anticipates holding five community meetings in addition to meetings conducted for each brownfield remediation; finalizing up to seven analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives, and submitting 20 quarterly reports. Work conducted under this agreement will benefit the residents, business owners, and stakeholders in and near the seven-county region which includes beaverhead, butte-silver BOW, deer lodge, granite, jefferson, madison, and powell counties, montana.