Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

Award Overview

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 awarded a $1.0 million Cooperative Agreement to Flint Hills Regional Council, Inc. under the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.818), effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. Funding was provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to capitalize a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) as authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 104(k)(3) serving five Kansas municipalities—Clay Center, Herington, Hillsboro, and Wakefield—and seven counties: Chapman, Chase, Geary, Lyon, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, and Wabaunsee.

Deliverables and Activities

Under this agreement, Flint Hills Regional Council will establish and manage an RLF from which loans and subgrants will be provided to eligible entities for brownfield site remediation and redevelopment. Key activities include procuring qualified environmental professionals to oversee environmental site activities, creating community involvement plans and administrative records for each remediated site, and competitive procurement of cleanup services. The recipient will report program income, interim progress, and final accomplishments through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) using required Property Profile Forms and Brownfields RLF Forms. Expected outcomes include environmental remediation through hazardous substance removal or containment, public health protection through contaminant exposure mitigation, economic revitalization of previously contaminated properties, and enhanced community stakeholder engagement.