PKG00263038-instructions.pdf

OVERVIEW

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: FY21 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD MULTIPURPOSE (MP) GRANTS

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NO.: EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-05

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO.: 66.818

DATE: The closing date and time for receipt of applications is October 28, 2020, 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time (ET). Applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov. Applications received after 11:59 p.m. ET on October 28, 2020 will not be considered. Please refer to the Due Date and Submission Instructions in Section IV.B. and Appendix 1 for further instructions.

SUMMARY: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (P.L. 115-141), requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance for grants to assess and clean up brownfield sites. EPA’s Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites. This guidance provides information on applying for Multipurpose Grants.

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses and the instructions outlined in Section IV.B. of this announcement.

Entities applying for a Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Multipurpose Grant may not apply for an FY21 Assessment Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-06) or FY21 Cleanup Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-

07) that are posted separately on www.grants.gov.

Entities that were awarded an FY19 Multipurpose Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-18-08) may not apply for an FY21 Multipurpose Grant under this solicitation.

For the purposes of these guidelines, the term “grant” refers to the cooperative agreement that EPA will award to a successful applicant. Please refer to Section II.C. for a description of EPA’s anticipated substantial involvement in the cooperative agreements awarded under these guidelines.

EPA urges applicants to review the FY21 Brownfields Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), which can be found at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants.

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants

In addition, prior to naming a contractor (including a consultant) or subrecipient in your application, please carefully review Section IV.H. of these guidelines.

FUNDING/AWARDS: EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 10 Multipurpose Grants for an estimated $800,000 per grant, subject to the quality of applications received, availability of funds, and other applicable considerations.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

SECTION I. – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION 4

I.A. Description of Grant 4 I.B. Uses of Grant Funds 5 I.C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage 6 I.D. Measuring Environmental Results: Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes 7 I.E. Supporting Environmental Justice 8

SECTION II. – AWARD INFORMATION 8

II.A. What is the Amount of Available Funding? 8 II.B. What is the Project Period for Awards Resulting from this Solicitation? 9 II.C. Substantial Involvement 9

SECTION III. – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION AND THRESHOLD CRITERIA 9

III.A. Who Can Apply? 9 III.B. Threshold Criteria for Multipurpose Grants 10

SECTION IV. – APPLICATION SUBMISSION INFORMATION 14

IV.A. How to Obtain an Application Package 14 IV.B. Due Date and Submission Instructions 14 IV.C. Content and Form of Application Submission 15 IV.D. Narrative Information Sheet 16 IV.E. Narrative/Ranking Criteria 17

1. PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION AND PLANS FOR REVITALIZATION 18

2. COMMUNITY NEED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 19

3. TASK DESCRIPTIONS, COST ESTIMATES, AND MEASURING PROGRESS 21

4. PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE 25

IV.F. Leveraging 27 IV.G. Confidential Business Information 28 IV.H. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation 28

SECTION V. – NARRATIVE REVIEW INFORMATION 28

V.A. Evaluation Criteria 28 V.B. Other Factors and Considerations 35 V.C. Review and Selection Process 36 V.D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation 36

SECTION VI. – AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 36

VI.A. Award Notices 36 VI.B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 37 VI.C. Reporting Requirements 37 VI.D. Brownfield Programmatic Requirements 37 VI.E. Disputes 38 VI.F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation 38

SECTION VII. – EPA REGIONAL BROWNFIELD PROGRAM CONTACTS 39

Appendix 1 Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions 40

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures 40 B. Submission Instructions 41 C. Technical Issues with Submission 43

SECTION I. – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was amended by the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act in 2002 to include Section 104(k), which provides federal financial assistance authorities for brownfields revitalization, including grants for assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan funds. The Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act enacted in 2018 reauthorized EPA’s Brownfields Program and made additional amendments to CERCLA that affect EPA’s brownfield grant authorities, and ownership and liability provisions. (Note:

References to CERCLA in this solicitation refer to CERCLA as amended by the 2002 Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act and the 2018 BUILD Act.)

A brownfield site is defined in CERCLA § 101(39) as real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, controlled substances, petroleum or petroleum products, or is mine-scarred land.

A critical part of EPA’s Brownfields Program is to ensure that residents living in communities historically affected by economic disinvestment, health disparities, and environmental contamination have an opportunity to reap the benefits from brownfields redevelopment. EPA’s Brownfields Program has a rich history rooted in environmental justice and is committed to helping communities revitalize brownfield properties, mitigate potential health risks, and restore economic vitality.

As described in Section V.A. of this announcement, applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which the applicant demonstrates: a vision for the reuse and redevelopment of brownfield sites and a strategy for leveraging resources to help accomplish the vision; the environmental, social, health and economic needs and benefits of the target area; strong community engagement; reasonable and eligible tasks and appropriate use of grant funding; the capacity for managing and successfully implementing the cooperative agreement; and other factors.

I.A. Description of Grant

Multipurpose Grants provide funding to carry out a range of eligible activities. Applicants can apply for up to $800,000 per grant under this solicitation. Multipurpose Grant applicants should have the capacity to conduct a range of eligible activities, for example:

- Developing inventories of brownfield sites;

- Prioritizing sites;

- Conducting community involvement activities;

- Conducting environmental site assessments;

- Developing cleanup plans and reuse plans related to brownfield sites;

- Conducting cleanup activities on brownfield sites owned by the applicant; and

- Developing an overall plan for revitalization.

Multipurpose Grant funding must be used to conduct both assessment and cleanup activities, and to develop an overall plan for revitalization of the target area if a plan does not already exist.

Note, projects that allocate at least 70% of the funds for tasks directly related to site-specific work, including site assessments, remediation, and associated tasks (with at least $200,000 designated for tasks directly associated with site remediation) will be reviewed more favorably.

An applicant must be the sole owner of at least one brownfield site within their target area by October 28, 2020, where cleanup activities may be conducted. For the purposes of eligibility determinations in these guidelines only, the term “own” means fee simple title through a legal document (for example a recorded deed); unless EPA approves a different ownership arrangement (for example, a nominee agreement or 99-year irrevocable lease). EPA will find applicants ineligible if they do not meet the ownership requirement by October 28, 2020. Refer to threshold criterion Section III.B.4. and FY21 FAQs1 for additional information.

A Multipurpose Grant recipient may only expend grant funds for the remediation of a brownfield site it owns. The terms and conditions of Multipurpose Grants will require recipients to provide documentation of ownership for sites they intend to clean up with grant funds. Grant recipients also will need to demonstrate they are not liable for any contamination at a brownfield site prior to expending grant funds for remediation of a brownfield site.

Multipurpose Grants require a $40,000 cost share. The cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services, must be used for eligible and allowable costs under the grant, as described in the FY21 FAQs.

For examples of grant project accomplishments across the country, please see the EPA Brownfield Grant Recipients Success Stories.2 For more information on a range of brownfield funding topics, please refer to the FY21 FAQs.

I.B. Uses of Grant Funds

In addition to direct costs associated with the inventory, site prioritization, site reuse planning3, community involvement, assessment, cleanup planning, and cleanup of a brownfield site, grant funds may be used for:

1. Direct costs associated with programmatic management of the grant, such as required performance reporting and environmental oversight.

1 The FY21 Brownfields Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants.

2 The Brownfield Grant Recipient Success Stories are available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfield-grant-recipient-success-stories.

3 For more information on site reuse plans and examples of eligible planning activities, please refer to the FY21 FAQs and Planning Program Fact Sheets at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-eligible-planning-activities.

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfield-grant-recipient-success-stories https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfield-grant-recipient-success-stories https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfield-grant-recipient-success-stories https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-eligible-planning-activities

All costs charged to Multipurpose Grants must be consistent with the requirements at 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E.

2. A local government (as defined in 2 CFR § 200.64, Local Government, and summarized in

Section III.A. of these guidelines and the Health Monitoring Fact Sheet4) may use up to 10% of its grant funds for the following activities:

a. health monitoring of populations exposed to hazardous substances from a brownfield site; and

b. monitoring and enforcement of any institutional control used to prevent human exposure to any hazardous substance from a brownfield site.

3. A portion of the Brownfields Grant may be used to purchase environmental insurance. (See the FY21 FAQs for additional information on purchasing environmental insurance.)

Grant funds cannot be used for the payment of:

1. Direct costs for proposal preparation;

2. a penalty or fine;

3. a federal cost share requirement (for example, a cost share required by other federal funds);

4. administrative costs, including all indirect costs and direct costs for grant administration in excess of five (5) percent of the total amount of EPA grant funding, with the exception of financial and performance reporting costs (which are considered allowable programmatic costs and not subject to the 5% limitation);

5. a response cost at a brownfield site for which the recipient of the grant or loan is potentially liable under CERCLA § 107;

6. a cost of compliance with any federal law, excluding the cost of compliance with laws applicable to the cleanup; or

7. unallowable costs (e.g., lobbying) under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E.

See the FY21 FAQs for additional information on ineligible grant activities and unallowable costs.

I.C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage

The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.5 Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1 – A Cleaner, Healthier

4 The Health Monitoring Fact Sheet is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-public-health-and-health-monitoring.

5 EPA’s Strategic Plan is available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan.

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-public-health-and-health-monitoring https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-public-health-and-health-monitoring https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-public-health-and-health-monitoring https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan

Environment, Objective 3 – Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination of EPA’s Strategic Plan.

All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective.

I.D. Measuring Environmental Results: Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes

EPA requires that applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements.6 Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the goal and objective described above in Section I.C.

Applicants are required to describe how funding will help EPA achieve environmental outputs and outcomes in their responses to the ranking criteria in Section IV.E. Outputs and outcomes specific to each project will be identified as deliverables in the negotiated workplan if the application is selected for award. Recipients will be expected to report progress toward the attainment of expected project outputs and outcomes during the project performance period.

Outputs and outcomes are defined as follows:

1. Outputs

The term “outputs” refers to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during the project period. The expected outputs for the grants awarded under these guidelines may include, but are not limited to, the number of brownfield sites identified in inventories, development of a site-specific reuse plan or an area-wide plan, number of Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, cleanup activities complete at one or more brownfield sites, number of community meetings held, and/or the number of underground storage tanks pulled.

2. Outcomes

The term “outcomes” refers to the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out the activities under the grant. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic; must be qualitative or quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable during the project period. Expected outcomes of Brownfield Grants include the number of jobs created and funding leveraged through the economic reuse of sites; the number of acres made ready for reuse; acres of greenspace created for communities; and the minimized exposure to hazardous substances and petroleum contamination.

6 EPA Order 5700.7, EPA’s Policy for Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements is available at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements.

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

I.E. Supporting Environmental Justice

EPA defines environmental justice as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across the nation. Environmental justice will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.7

Environmental justice can be supported through equitable development approaches and intentional strategies to ensure that low-income and minority communities not only participate in but also benefit from decisions that shape their neighborhoods and regions. There are many different approaches that promote equitable development, such as ensuring a mix of housing types across a range of incomes; access to fresh food; access to jobs; and access to local capital.

Programs or policies can be put in place to help ensure creation or integration of affordable housing; local or first-source hiring of contractor or subrecipient employees provided the recipient does not impose geographic preferences for procurements in violation of 2 CFR 200.319(b); minority contracting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 33; inclusionary zoning (where a percentage of new housing is designated as affordable housing); healthy food retailers in places where they do not exist (e.g. food deserts); co-operative ownership models where local residents come together to run a community-owned, jointly owned business enterprise; rent control or community land trusts (to help keep property affordable for residents); supportive local entrepreneurial activities; and adherence to equal lending opportunities.

Applicants should discuss and provide specific examples of how the proposed Brownfields Multipurpose Grant project will address environmental justice challenges in Section IV.E.

SECTION II. – AWARD INFORMATION

II.A. What is the Amount of Available Funding?

The estimated total funding available for Multipurpose Grants under this solicitation is approximately $8 million, and EPA anticipates awarding an estimated 10 Multipurpose Grants for an estimated amount of $800,000 for each grant subject to the availability of funds, quality of applications, and other applicable considerations.

In addition, EPA reserves the right to award additional grants under this competition should additional funding become available. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selection decisions. EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or make fewer awards than anticipated.

7 For more information please visit www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice.

http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. To maintain the integrity of the competition and selection process, EPA, if it decides to partially fund an application, will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award.

II.B. What is the Project Period for Awards Resulting from this Solicitation?

The project period for Multipurpose Grants is up to five years.

II.C. Substantial Involvement

The Brownfields Multipurpose Grant will be awarded in the form of a cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements permit the EPA Project Officer to be substantially involved in overseeing the work performed by the selected recipients. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for this project includes:

• close monitoring of the recipient’s performance to verify the results;

• collaborating during the performance of the scope of work;

• in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.317 and 2 CFR § 200.318, as appropriate, review of proposed procurements;

• reviewing qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees, or contractors including consultants, employed by the award recipient);

• reviewing and commenting on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient); and

• reviewing the selection of proposed sites to verify sites meet applicable site eligibility criteria.

SECTION III. – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION AND THRESHOLD

CRITERIA

III.A. Who Can Apply?

The following information indicates which entities are eligible to apply for a Multipurpose Grant.

• General Purpose Unit of Local Government. [For purposes of the EPA Brownfields Grant Program, a “local government” is defined as stated under 2 CFR § 200.64.: Local government means a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority (including any public and Indian housing agency under the United States Housing Act of 1937), school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (whether or not incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law), any other regional or interstate government entity, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government.]

• Land Clearance Authority or another quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a General Purpose Unit of Local Government.

• Government Entity Created by State Legislature.

• Regional Council or group of General Purpose Units of Local Government.

• Redevelopment Agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a state.

• State.

• Indian tribe other than in Alaska. (The exclusion of Alaskan Tribes from Brownfields

Grant eligibility is statutory at CERCLA § 104(k)(1)). Intertribal Consortia, comprised of eligible Indian tribes, are eligible for funding in accordance with EPA’s policy for funding intertribal consortia published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2002, at 67 Fed. Reg. 67181. This policy also may be obtained from your Regional Brownfields Contact listed in Section VII.)

• Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation, and Metlakatla Indian Community. (Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations are defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 and following. For more information, please refer to the FY21 FAQs.)

• Nonprofit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

• Limited liability corporation in which all managing members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

• Limited partnership in which all general partners are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

• Qualified community development entity as defined in section 45D(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Note, individual entities, for-profit organizations, and nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to receive Brownfields Grants.

III.B. Threshold Criteria for Multipurpose Grants

This section contains the threshold eligibility criteria that ensure applicants are eligible to receive a Multipurpose Grant. Threshold criteria are pass/fail and are based on certain requests for information identified below. The information you submit will be used by EPA solely to make eligibility determinations for Brownfield Grants and is not legally binding for other purposes including federal, state, or tribal enforcement actions. Only those applications that pass all the threshold criteria will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria in Section V.A. of this announcement.

Applicants may not submit multiple applications under this solicitation. Applicants who submit more than one application (i.e., submit applications for different projects) will be contacted by EPA prior to application review to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn.

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants

Entities applying for an FY21 Multipurpose Grant may not apply for an FY21 Assessment Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-05) or FY21 Cleanup Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-07). Applicants that exceed the number and type of applications allowable will be contacted, prior to review of any of the applications by EPA, to determine which application(s) the applicant will withdraw from the competition.

Entities that were awarded an FY19 Multipurpose Grant (EPA-OLEM-OBLR-18-08) may not apply for an FY21 Multipurpose Grant under this solicitation.

Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

EPA staff will respond to questions regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the application, and requests for clarification about this announcement. For purposes of the threshold eligibility review, EPA, if necessary, may seek clarification of applicant information that is included in the application and/or consider information from other sources, including EPA files. Such communications shall not be used to correct application deficiencies or material omissions, materially alter the application or project proposed, or discuss changes to the applicant’s responses to any evaluation or selection criteria.

In order to maintain the integrity of the competition process, EPA staff cannot meet with individual applicants to discuss draft applications, provide informal comments on draft applications, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria. EPA’s limitations on staff involvement with grant applicants are described in EPA’s Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements.8

Applications must substantially comply with the submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV. of this announcement or they will be rejected. Pages exceeding the page limits described in Section IV.C. for the Narrative Information Sheet and the Narrative, and attachments not specifically required, will not be reviewed.

In addition, applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov as stated in Section IV. and Appendix 1 of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Appendix 1) on or before the application submission deadline. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV. and Appendix 1 of this announcement to ensure that their application is submitted on time.

Applications received after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed

8 EPA Order 5700.5A1, EPA’s Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements is available at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with www.grants.gov or relevant www.sam.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through www.grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission.

EPA will verify that the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number listed on the application is the correct DUNS number for the applicant’s organization/department. If the correct DUNS number is not included in the application, the application may be deemed ineligible. Applicants need to ensure that the correct Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and DUNS number of the entity that will receive the award and will be held accountable by EPA for the proper expenditure of funds are listed on the application.

Responses to each item below are required and must be included as an attachment to the Narrative that is included in the application submitted to EPA. See Section IV.C. for a complete list of required documents that must be submitted.

1. Applicant Eligibility Provide information that demonstrates how you are an eligible entity for a Multipurpose Grant as specified in Section III.A., Who Can Apply?

• For entities that are cities, counties, tribes, or states, affirm that the organization is eligible for funding.

• For government entities other than cities, counties, tribes, or states, attach documentation of your eligibility (e.g., resolutions, statutes, etc.).

• For nonprofit organizations, or organizations comprised of nonprofit organizations, provide documentation as an attachment to the Narrative demonstrating tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

• For qualified community development entities, provide documentation as an attachment to the Narrative certifying the organization’s status.

2. Community Involvement Provide information that demonstrates how you intend to inform and involve the community and other stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and other brownfield activities described in your application.

3. Target Area

Identify one target area where you propose to conduct eligible activities, such as a neighborhood, a number of neighboring towns, a district, a corridor, a shared planning area, or a census tract. The target area may not include communities that are located in distinctly different geographic areas.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

4. Affirmation of Brownfield Site Ownership To be eligible for Multipurpose Grant funding, an applicant must own a site(s) that meets the CERCLA § 101(39) definition of a brownfield. An applicant must own a brownfield site(s) within their target area where cleanup activities may be conducted by October 28, 2020.

Entities liable for contamination on the site are not eligible for Brownfields Grant funding.

Site eligibility related to liability is determined differently at sites contaminated with hazardous substances than for sites contaminated by petroleum or petroleum product.

Eligibility determinations for site-specific assessment and cleanup activities will be made by EPA after the award of the grant throughout the project period.

Affirm that you own a site that meets the CERCLA § 101(39) definition of a brownfield and is: a) not listed (or proposed for listing) on the National Priorities List; b) not subject to unilateral administrative orders, court orders, administrative orders on consent, or judicial consent decrees issued to or entered into by parties under CERCLA; and c) not subject to the jurisdiction, custody, or control of the U.S. government. (Note: Land held in trust by the U.S.

government for an Indian tribe is eligible for funding.) For more information on sites eligible for Brownfields Grant funding, please see the Information on Sites Eligible for Brownfields Funding under CERCLA § 104(k).9

5. Use of Grant Funds Multipurpose Grant funding must be used to conduct both assessment and cleanup activities, and to develop an overall plan for revitalization of the target area if a plan does not already exist. Indicate on which page of the application information on your plan to conduct assessment and cleanup activities, and to develop an overall plan for revitalization of the target area, if a plan does not exist, can be found. If an overall plan for revitalization of the target area already exists, please state this in your response. Note, information that is referenced can be in the written narrative or the budget table.

6. Required Cost Share

Multipurpose Grant recipients are required to provide a $40,000 cost share. The cost share may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services from a non-federal source. If the cost share is in the form of a contribution of labor, material, or other services, it must be incurred for an eligible and allowable expense under the grant and not for ineligible expenses and it must otherwise comply with 2 CFR § 200.306. Eligible and allowable expenses may include administrative costs borne by the recipient or a third party to meet its cost share obligation; including indirect costs, subject to the 5% limit on administrative costs.

See the FY21 FAQs for more information on the cost share requirement.

Demonstrate how you will meet the $40,000 cost share requirement. Note, this discussion may be the same as the response to Description of Tasks and Activities in Section IV.E.3.a.

9 Information on Sites Eligible for Brownfields Funding CERCLA § 104(k) is available at https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-sites-eligible-brownfields-funding-under-cercla-ss-104k.

https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-sites-eligible-brownfields-funding-under-cercla-ss-104k https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-sites-eligible-brownfields-funding-under-cercla-ss-104k https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/frequently-asked-questions-about-multipurpose-assessment-rlf-and-cleanup-grants https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/information-sites-eligible-brownfields-funding-under-cercla-ss-104k

SECTION IV. – APPLICATION SUBMISSION INFORMATION

IV.A. How to Obtain an Application Package

A copy of these guidelines can be obtained from the EPA Brownfields Program website10 or through www.grants.gov.

IV.B. Due Date and Submission Instructions

Your organization’s Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must submit your complete application package11 electronically to EPA through www.grants.gov. Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on October 28, 2020. Please allow enough time to successfully submit your application package and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit. Occasionally, technical and other issues arise when using www.grants.gov.

Applications received after 11:59 p.m. ET on October 28, 2020, will not be considered for funding.

In order to submit an application through www.grants.gov, you must:

• Have an active DUNS number;

• Have an active System for Award Management (SAM) account in www.sam.gov;

• Be registered in www.grants.gov; and

• Be designated as your organization’s AOR.

The registration process for all the above items may take a month or more to complete.

The electronic submission of your application must be made by the AOR of your institution who is registered with www.grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for federal assistance.

Refer to Appendix 1 for specific instructions on how to apply through www.grants.gov.

If you do not have the technical capability to apply electronically through www.grants.gov because of limited or no Internet access which prevents you from being able to upload the required application materials to www.grants.gov, please refer to the procedures in Appendix 1.

You should make every effort to complete the registration process in order to apply through www.grants.gov. However, if you are experiencing technical difficulties in applying through www.grants.gov because of operational or other issues related to COVID-19, you may request to submit the application by email. Email your request (which must include an explanation of the COVID-19 related issue you are experiencing and the specific reason you are unable to submit the application through www.grants.gov) and the complete application to Jerry Minor-Gordon (minor-gordon.jerry@epa.gov) by October 28, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. There is no guarantee EPA will accept the submission outside of

10 EPA Brownfields Program website is available at www.epa.gov/brownfields.

11 Note, for the purposes of this competition, the “application package” includes the required federal forms available at www.grants.gov, as well as the Narrative Information Sheet, the Narrative and associated attachments.

http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/apply-brownfields-grant-funding http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:minor-gordon.jerry@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/brownfields www.grants.gov. Requests received after October 28, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET will not be reviewed or considered.

If you submit more than one application for the same, identical project (either in error or to replace a previously submitted application), EPA will only review the most recently received application for that project unless you notify Jerry Minor-Gordon (minor-gordon.jerry@epa.gov) and specify which application you want EPA to review.

IV.C. Content and Form of Application Submission

The application must stand on its own merits based on the responses to the relevant ranking criteria in Section IV.E.

All application materials must be in English. The Narrative Information Sheet and the Narrative must be typed, single-spaced, on letter-sized (8.5 x 11-inch) paper, and should use standard Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri fonts with a 12-point font size. The Application Submission Checklist below outlines the documents to include in the application. Extraneous materials, including photos, graphics, and attachments not listed, will not be considered.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

• Federal application materials required by www.grants.gov (see Appendix 1)

• Narrative Information Sheet (2-page limit, single-spaced) (see Section IV.D.)

• Narrative Information Sheet Attachment:

o Letter from the state or tribal environmental authority (see Section IV.D.8.)

• The Narrative, which includes responses to the ranking criteria (12-page limit, single-spaced) (see Section IV.E.)

• Threshold Criteria Response (as an attachment(s)):

o A statement of applicant eligibility if a city, county, state, or tribe (see Section III.B.1.)

o Documentation of applicant eligibility if other than a city, county, state, or tribe; e.g., resolutions, statutes, or documentation of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or qualified community development entity (see Section III.B.1.)

o Description of community involvement (see Section III.B.2.)

o Description of the target area where Multipurpose Grant funding will be used (see

Section III.B.3.)

o An affirmative statement that the applicant owns a site, or sites, which meets the definition of a brownfield site (see Section III.B.4.)

o Indicate the page(s) on which you discuss your plan to use funding for both assessment and planning activities, and to develop an overall plan for revitalization of the target area. Alternatively, state if an overall plan of the target area already exists (see Section

III.B.5.)

o Discussion on how the cost share will be met (see Section III.B.6.)

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:minor-gordon.jerry@epa.gov http://www.grants.gov/

IV.D. Narrative Information Sheet

The Narrative Information Sheet must address the information below and shall not exceed two, single-spaced pages. Any pages submitted over the page limit will not be considered. EPA does not consider information in the Narrative Information Sheet to be responses to the ranking criteria. Each Narrative Information Sheet must be on the applicant’s official letterhead.

1. Applicant Identification Provide the name and full address of the entity applying for funds.

This is the agency or organization that will receive the grant and be accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds.

2. Funding Requested

a. Grant Type Indicate “Multipurpose”

b. $_________ (Include requested amount; must not exceed $800,000)

3. Location Provide the a) city, b) county, and c) state or reservation, tribally owned lands, tribal fee lands, etc., of the community(ies) that you plan to serve.

4. Contacts

a. Project Director Provide the name, phone number, email address, and mailing address of the Project Director assigned to this proposed project. This person should be the main point of contact for the project and should be the person responsible for the project’s day-to-day operations. The Project Director may be contacted if other information is needed.

b. Chief Executive/Highest Ranking Elected Official Provide the name, phone number, email address, and mailing address of the applicant’s Chief Executive or highest ranking elected official. For example, if your organization is a municipal form of government, provide this information for the Mayor or County Commissioner. Otherwise, provide this information for your organization’s Executive Director or President. These individuals may be contacted if other information is needed.

5. Population

• If you are a city/town, provide the population of your jurisdiction.

• If you are a county/parish/borough, state, or regional organization that covers a geographic area with more than one city/town, provide the population of the city/town in which each priority site/proposed site/target area is located.

• If you are a nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) or qualified community development entity, provide the population of the city/town in which the project is located.

• If you are a tribe, provide the number of tribal/non-tribal members affected.

Population data can be found at www.census.gov.

6. Other Factors Checklist Please identify which of the below items apply to your community/proposed project. If none of the Other Factors are applicable to your community/proposed project, please provide a statement to that effect.

Other Factors Page # Community population is 10,000 or less.

The applicant is, or will assist, a federally recognized Indian tribe or United States territory.

The priority brownfield site(s) is impacted by mine-scarred land.

The priority site(s) is adjacent to a body of water (i.e., the border of the priority site(s) is contiguous or partially contiguous to the body of water, or would be contiguous or partially contiguous with a body of water but for a street, road, or other public thoroughfare separating them).

The priority site(s) is in a federally designated flood plain.

The reuse of the priority site(s) will facilitate renewable energy from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; or will incorporate energy efficiency measures.

At least 20% of the overall project budget will be spent on eligible site reuse or area-wide planning activities for priority brownfield site(s) within the target area.

7. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority (not included in the two-page limit)

For an applicant other than a state or tribal environmental authority, attach a current letter from the appropriate state or tribal environmental authority acknowledging that the applicant plans to conduct assessment and cleanup activities and is planning to apply for FY21 federal brownfields grant funds. Letters regarding applications from prior years are not acceptable.

If you are applying for multiple types of grants, you need to receive only one letter from your state or tribal authority acknowledging the relevant grant activities. However, you must provide a copy of this letter, as an attachment, with each of your applications. Please note that general correspondence and documents evidencing state involvement with the project (i.e., state enforcement orders or state notice letters) are not acceptable. Coordinate early with your state or tribal environmental authority in order to allow adequate time for you to obtain the acknowledgment letter and include it in your application.

The letter from the state or tribal authority does not count towards the two-page limit for this section.

IV.E. Narrative/Ranking Criteria

The Narrative (including citations) shall not exceed 12 single-spaced pages. Any pages submitted over the page limit will not be evaluated.

https://www.census.gov

The Narrative must include clear, concise, and factual responses to all ranking criteria and sub-criteria below. The Narrative must provide sufficient detail to allow for an evaluation of the merits of the application. If a criterion does not apply, clearly state this. Any criterion left unanswered may result in zero points given for that criterion. Responses to the criteria should include the criteria number and title but need not restate the entire text of the criteria.

1. PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION AND PLANS FOR REVITALIZATION

a. Target Area and Brownfields

i. Background and Description of Target Area Include a brief description of your city, town, or geographic area to provide background on its cultural and industrial history that demonstrates your brownfield challenges and their impact on the community.

Identify and describe the specific target area where you plan to perform eligible activities, such as a neighborhood, a number of neighboring towns, a district, a corridor, a shared planning area, or a census tract.

ii. Description of the Priority Brownfield Site(s) Describe one or more priority brownfield site(s) in the target area and discuss why the site(s) may be a candidate for assessment, cleanup, and/or reuse. Include information such as known contamination, past and current land uses, current site conditions (including structures), and potentially related environmental issues.

Note: A recipient of a Multipurpose Grant may not expend any grant funds for the remediation of a brownfield site unless they own the brownfield site and are not responsible for the contamination.

b. Revitalization of the Target Area

i. Overall Plan for Revitalization If an overall plan for the revitalization of brownfield sites within the target area already exists, describe how the proposed Multipurpose Grant activities align with that plan. Explain the extent to which a feasible site reuse strategy already exists for at least one of the priority brownfield site(s) to be addressed under the grant. Discuss how the brownfields revitalization plan(s) aligns with and supports the local government’s broader land use and revitalization efforts.

If an overall plan for revitalization of brownfield sites within the target area does not exist, describe how the activities performed using Multipurpose Grant funds will result in an overall plan for revitalization of brownfield sites, including a feasible site reuse strategy for the priority brownfield site(s) addressed under the grant. Discuss how your brownfields revitalization plan(s) will align with and support the local government’s broader land use and revitalization efforts.

ii. Outcomes and Benefits of Overall Plan for Revitalization Describe the potential of the overall plan for revitalization to stimulate economic development in the target area upon completion of the cleanup of these properties, and/or how the grant will facilitate the creation of, preservation of, or addition to a park, a greenway, undeveloped property, recreational property, or other property used for nonprofit purposes.

Describe how the overall plan for revitalization will help spur economic growth within an Opportunity Zone.

If applicable, describe how the proposed project or revitalization plans will promote the sustainable reuse of existing buildings or structures.

If applicable, describe how the reuse of the priority site(s) will facilitate renewable energy from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; or will incorporate energy efficiency measures.

c. Strategy for Leveraging Resources

i. Resources Needed for Site Reuse Describe the applicant’s eligibility for monetary funding…