Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 awarded the City of Topeka a $500,000 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreement (CFDA 66.818) on July 1, 2025, to support environmental remediation and redevelopment activities in Topeka, Kansas through September 30, 2029. Under this agreement, the City of Topeka will conduct eligible assessment-related activities authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 104(k)(2), including inventory, characterization, and assessment of brownfield sites, as well as cleanup planning and community involvement activities.

The City of Topeka will deliver specific quantifiable products over the performance period, including Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments for up to 12 brownfield properties, seven community meetings to engage stakeholders and residents, two planning documents to initiate brownfields revitalization efforts, and 16 quarterly progress reports submitted through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES). The City will competitively procure and direct qualified environmental professionals to conduct environmental site activities as needed. No subawards are included in this cooperative agreement, and the funding will directly benefit residents, business owners, and stakeholders in Topeka by addressing blighted and underutilized properties complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances or contaminants.