This action approves an award in the amount of $1,200,000 to the southeast tennessee development district

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 awarded $1.2 million to the Southeast Tennessee Development District (Chattanooga Area Regional Council of Governments) under the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.818). The award, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029, funds comprehensive brownfield assessment and remediation planning activities across 65 municipalities and 17 counties in rural Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia (Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Hamilton, Meigs, Polk, Marion, McMinn, Rhea, Sequatchie, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Gordon, Murray, Whitfield, and Walker Counties).

The recipient will deliver environmental site characterization and assessment services, including conducting 24 Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments; developing 10–12 site-specific cleanup plans and alternatives analyses; developing 12 planning documents to facilitate brownfield revitalization; and conducting 8–12 community engagement meetings. The Southeast Tennessee Development District will competitively procure qualified environmental professionals to perform site assessment activities and report progress through EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database via 16 quarterly reports. No subawards are included in this agreement. The initiative targets residents, business owners, and stakeholders throughout the designated region.

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. This agreement provides funding to the recipient to conduct eligible assessment-related activities as authorized by cerlca 104(K)(2). Activities:the activities to be performed include characterizing, assessing, conducting, and inventorying cleanup planning and community involvement related activities. Additionally, the recipient will competitively procure (as needed) and direct a qualified environmental professional to conduct environmental site activities. Also, the recipient will report on interim progress and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form using the environmental protection agency's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (ACRES) database. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:furthermore, the recipient anticipates conducting 24 phase I and phase II environmental site assessments; holding 8-12 community meetings; developing 10-12 site-specific cleanup plans and/or analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives; developing 12 planning documents to initiate brownfields revitalization; and submitting 16 quarterly reports. The intended beneficiaries are residents, business owners, and stakeholders in and near 65 municipal and 17 contiguous county governments (bledsoe, bradley, grundy, hamilton, meigs, polk, marion, mcminn, rhea, sequatchie, catoosa, chattooga, dade, gordon, murray, whitfield and walker counties) centered in rural southeast tennessee and northwest georgia.