The primary objectives of EPA's cercla section 128(a) state and tribal response program grants are to provide financial support to states, US territories, and tribal nations to (1) establish or…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 awarded $235,000 to the Lower Sioux Indian Community through the State and Tribal Response Program Grants (CFDA 66.817) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This formula grant, authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a), supports the Lower Sioux Community Council in establishing and enhancing its brownfields response program across tribal lands in Morton, Minnesota. The award funds no sub-awards.

Under this grant, the Lower Sioux Indian Community will conduct a timely survey and inventory of brownfield sites—properties whose redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by hazardous substances—and implement oversight and enforcement authorities to protect human health and the environment. Key deliverables include establishing mechanisms for cleanup plan approval and response verification, providing resources for meaningful public involvement, and maintaining an annually updated public record documenting completed and planned remediation sites. Additionally, the grantee will expand public education and outreach initiatives to support community engagement throughout the brownfields remediation and reuse process on tribal land.

The primary objectives of EPA's cercla section 128(a) state and tribal response program grants are to provide financial support to states, US territories, and tribal nations to (1) establish or enhance the four statutory elements of an effective state or tribal response program, as specified in cercla section 128(a)(2), (2) maintain and update, at least annually, a public record of sites, pursuant to cercla 128(b), that includes the name and location of sites at which response actions have been completed during the previous year and the name and location of sites at which response actions are planned to be addressed in the next year, and (3) conduct a limited number of brownfield site assessments or cleanups that will help establish or enhance the state or tribal nation's response program. The infrastructure investment and jobs act ('IIJA') provided additional funding to carry out the section 128(a) grant program. The purpose of this award is to enhance the capacity of lower sioux indian community's brownfields response program to meet the section 128(a) elements. [car] will oversee and perform planning, assessment, and cleanup of brownfields sites throughout tribal land. Activities: lower sioux indian community will perform the following activities: timely survey and inventory of brownfield sites, which are properties whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of hazardous substances. IT also includes oversight and enforcement authorities to ensure that response actions protect human health and the environment; resources to provide meaningful public involvement; mechanisms for approval of cleanup plans, and verification of complete responses. The objective of this project is to assist in remediating and reusing brownfields sites throughout tribal land. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:lower sioux indian community will expand public education and outreach of the response program.