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 City of Hastings, Nebraska received a $475,000 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 under the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA 66.818), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2029. Funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this award supports the remediation and cleanup of the former Hastings Middle School brownfield site located at 714 W 5th Street, Hastings, Nebraska. The remediation activities are authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 104(k)(3).

Under this cooperative agreement, the City of Hastings will conduct comprehensive site cleanup activities, competitively procure a qualified environmental professional to perform environmental site assessments and remediation work, develop a Community Involvement Plan and administrative record for the site, and submit progress reports and final accomplishments through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES). The City has engaged South Central Economic Development District, Inc. (SCEDD) as a consultant subrecipient to provide program management and administrative support, including preparation of special condition documentation, design of accounting and filing systems compliant with federal regulations, financial reporting, submission of mandated progress reports, and attendance at required brownfield training sessions.

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the city of hastings, nebraska. The recipient will conduct remediation activities as authorized by cerlca 104(k)(3) at the former hastings middle school at 714 w 5TH ST. Hastings, nebraska 68901. Activities:specifically, this agreement will provide funding to the recipient to clean up a brownfield site(s). Additionally, the recipient will competitively procure (as needed) and direct a qualified environmental professional to conduct environmental site activities, will create a community involvement plan and administrative record for the site(s), and will report on interim progress and final accomplishments by completing and submitting relevant portions of the property profile form using EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (acres). Subrecipient:the city of hastings is a small organization with limited resources. IT will be necessary to hire an experienced consultant to support program management duties, including completing, assisting, and/or submitting the necessary special conditions, as applicable, of the EPA contract to assist in obtaining the city's release of funds, assisting the city in designing the grant's accounting and master filing systems in accordance with federal regulations, providing for the accounting of funds, preparation of financial forms, and performance of other functions in the management of program financing as mandated by EPA to ensure consistency with program requirements, submitting mandated progress reports, and if necessary, program amendment and program extension documentation as applicable, and attending brownfield training(s) as needed/required. The consultant, south central economic development district, INC. (scedd), rate is estimated at $80 per hour up to 250 hours for a total budgeted cost of $20,000. A subaward will be utilized for the scedd since IT is a non-profit or local government. The economic development districts are legal districts created by nebraska law. Outcomes:further, the recipient will remove asbestos from the former hastings middle school and anticipates holding quarterly community meetings, finalizing an analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives, and submitting 16 quarterly reports. Work conducted under this agreement will benefit the residents, business owners, and stakeholders in the city of hastings, nebraska.