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 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) a formula grant of $763,350 effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 under the State and Tribal Response Program Grants program (CFDA 66.817). This noncompetitive award, authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 128(a), provides financial support to enhance IEPA's brownfields response program capacity. Brownfield sites are properties whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

Under this grant, IEPA will conduct a comprehensive range of assessment and remediation activities throughout Illinois, including survey and inventory of brownfield sites, technical review of environmental reports, site-specific assessment activities, No Further Remediation (NFR) letter site inspections, petroleum eligibility determinations, and coordination with federal partners. IEPA will also establish or enhance the four statutory program elements required by CERCLA Section 128(a): timely survey and inventory of sites, oversight and enforcement authorities to protect human health and the environment, resources for meaningful public involvement, and mechanisms for approval of cleanup plans and verification of completed responses. Additionally, IEPA will maintain and annually update a public record documenting completed response actions and sites planned for future remediation.

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 purpose of this award is to enhance the capacity of illinois environmental protection agency (IEPA) brownfields response program to meet the section 128(a) elements. Illinois EPA will oversee and perform planning, assessment, and cleanup of brownfields sites throughout the state. They will also enhance their program, conduct technical review of reports, conduct site-specific assessment activities, no further remediation (NFR) letter site inspections, petroleum eligibility determinations, and technical coordination with usepa region 5 and cercla 104(K) grant awardees. Activities:illinois EPA (IEPA) 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 state. IEPA will continue to enhance the program, maintain the public record, assist and complete NFR letters, and conduct outreach. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:illinois EPA will expand public education and outreach of the illinois voluntary site remediation program to small and disadvantaged communities, assess 4-10 sites through the state targeted brownfield assessment program, oversee the cleanup of 4-10 sites.