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 2 awarded $275,000 to the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) under the State and Tribal Response Program Grants (CFDA 66.817) on October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2026. This formula grant provides noncompetitive funding authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a) to enhance DPNR's brownfields response program capacity.

Under this award, DPNR will deliver services including timely survey and inventory of brownfield sites throughout the territory, establishment and enhancement of four statutory program elements (oversight and enforcement authorities, public involvement resources, cleanup plan approval mechanisms, and response verification procedures), program planning and management, site inspections and assessments, and public outreach activities. Additionally, DPNR will conduct limited brownfield site assessments and cleanups, maintain and annually update a public record documenting completed and planned response actions, and execute outreach events to educate stakeholders and promote the voluntary cleanup program. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement, with all activities managed directly by DPNR's Environmental Protection Division.

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 (VCP), 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 purpose of this award is to enhance the capacity of usvi's department of planning and natural resources (DPNR) brownfields response program to meet the section 128(a) elements. The grant funding will be used to support program planning, management, inspections/assessments, outreach, and other enhancement activities to meet the four elements of a VCP. Activities:DPNR 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 the territory. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:DPNR will conduct outreach events to educate and promote its voluntary cleanup program across the territory. Brownfields related events will be conducted in collaboration with EPA region 2 staff. In addition, IT plans to implement its territorial targeted brownfield assessment program by conducting at least three environmental site assessments phase I. Expected outcomes and benefits, include, but are not limited to: stakeholders awareness to avoid exposure to hazardous substances present at brownfields sites, updated inventory of brownfields properties in the territory, community engagement and revitalization strategies for blighted area. Beneficiaries include residents of the usvi virgin islands, specifically staff at governmental agencies, members of academia and community-based groups.