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 9 awarded the City of Fresno a $500,000 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements (CFDA 66.818) grant effective October 1, 2025, through October 31, 2029. Under this cooperative agreement, the City of Fresno will conduct eligible assessment-related activities authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 104(k)(2) to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct cleanup planning activities on brownfield properties in Fresno, Fresno County, California. The recipient will competitively procure and direct qualified environmental professionals to execute environmental site activities, with anticipated completion of up to 12 Phase I and up to 5 Phase II environmental site assessments. The City will submit progress and accomplishment reports through the EPA's Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES).

The City of Fresno plans to establish a subaward agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunity Commission (EOC) to support community engagement and outreach activities. Under the subaward, Fresno EOC will plan, organize, and facilitate up to six Brownfields Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings and up to eight community meetings, leveraging their established relationships with impacted community members. Both the subaward recipient and the City will collaborate on outreach efforts and complete required reporting and administration activities, ensuring comprehensive community involvement throughout the assessment and planning process.

This agreement will provide funding for city of fresno to conduct eligible assessment-related activities as authorized by cerlca 104(k)(2) in fresno, fresno county, california. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $500,000. See terms and conditions. Activities:specifically, this agreement will provide funding to the recipient to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct 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 EPA's assessment, cleanup and redevelopment exchange system (acres). Subrecipient:similar to previous EPA grants, the city will explore a subaward agreement with fresno EOC, as they have unique relationships with impacted community members and are intimately familiar with each target area. Under a subaward, fresno EOC would assist with a majority of the outreach by incorporating brownfields outreach with ongoing efforts in the project area, as well as conducting meetings and events specifically focused on brownfields objectives. The subaward recipient would collaborate on outreach efforts with the BAC and the city of fresno. Subaward recipient tasks will include: - planning, organization, and facilitation of up to (6) BAC meetings - planning, organization, and facilitation of up to (8) community meetings; and - required reporting and administration activities outcomes:further, the recipient anticipates conducting up to 12 phase i and up to 5 phase II environmental site assessments, holding up to 12 brownfields advisory committee meetings, and 8 public community meetings, developing up to 4 site-specific cleanup plans/analysis of brownfield cleanup alternatives, developing up to 3 planning documents to initiate brownfields revitalization, and submitting 16 quarterly reports. Work conducted under this agreement will benefit the residents, business owners, and stakeholders in and near fresno, california.