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 Conferences
National Brownfields Conference in Detroit this summer
Join the world's largest gathering of brownfield professionals at this 4-day conference and learn from people who have walked in your shoes. You'll hear about brownfield successes and why they're working; explore innovative ways to engage your community; and learn best practices in remediation, redevelopment, environmental justice, and sustainability. Tuesday-Friday, August 8-11, Detroit, Michigan.
Farmworker housing conference in Oregon July 18 – 20
The 3-day Farmworker Housing Conference in Hood River this summer is co-sponsored by Casa of Oregon and the Office of Rural & Farmworker Housing. The one-of-a-kind event brings together advocates, policymakers, affordable housing developers, and experts in the field to discuss challenges and solutions for building affordable, quality housing for farmworkers. In-person conference Tuesday–Thursday, July 18–20. Learn more.
Save the date! IACC Conference in Wenatchee Oct 24 – 26
Join us this fall for the 2023 Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council Conference in Wenatchee, Washington. The annual 3-day event will be in-person only this year (no hybrid option) with sessions, tech teams, exhibits, and networking events that connect you with funding resources and technical assistance, as well as with local, state, federal, and Tribal governments.
To propose a session, contact Claire.Miller@Commerce.wa.gov. To reserve an exhibitor table, contact Cynthia.Fuller@Commerce.wa.gov.
In-person conference Tuesday – Thursday, October 24–26. Learn more.
Funding Opportunities
Integrated Planning Grant applications accepted July 5 – Aug 8
Local governments that own (or are considering acquiring) a brownfield property can apply for Ecology's Integrated Planning Grants to help plan for cleanup and redevelopment.
Review the 2023-25 IPG guidelines and EAGL instructions, then submit your application during the window: Wednesday, July 5–Tuesday, August 8. We'll continue sharing updates here, but you can also track them on our Integrated Planning Grant webpage or by subscribing to Ecology's RAG email list.
Affordable Housing Planning Grant applications accepted July 5 – Aug 31
Have an affordable housing project in the works? Ecology's new planning grants can help. Funding is available to public, private, and nonprofit entities that are considering cleaning up a contaminated site with affordable housing as the end use.
Review the criteria in our 2023–25 affordable housing planning grant guidance to learn if your project is eligible, then apply during the window: Wednesday, July 5 – 4 p.m. Pacific time, Thursday, August 31. We'll continue posting updates here, but you can also track them on our Affordable Housing Planning Grant webpage or by subscribing to Ecology's RAG email list.
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Apply for a Targeted Brownfields Assessment
EPA's Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) program promotes the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields by helping states, Tribes, municipalities, other government entities, and nonprofit organizations minimize the uncertainties of contamination often associated with brownfields. Unlike funded grants, TBAs are an EPA service, and the assessments are conducted by an EPA contractor. A TBA may encompass one or more of three activities:
- “All appropriate inquiries” assessment (Phase I), which includes a background and historical investigation, and a site inspection.
- Full site assessment (Phase II), including sampling activities to identify areas of contamination and types and concentrations of contaminants.
- Determining how much more investigation is needed and/or establishing cleanup options and cost estimates based on planned uses after redevelopment.
No application deadlines for this service. Learn more.
EPA Brownfields Job Training Grants
EPA is accepting applications from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver Brownfields Job Training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment in the environmental field. More information is available at FY 2024 Brownfields Job Training (JT) Grants.
Review the grant guidelines and an informational webinar recording. Apply through Grants.gov by Wednesday, August 2, 2023.
Grants for expanding high-speed Internet access
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is providing $42.45 billion to government entities for funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs. Projects should aim to expand Internet access in locations that have limited to no service. Learn more.
Letters of Intent due Tuesday, July 18, and initial planning funds applications due Tuesday, August 15. Apply on the NTIA Grants Portal.
Zero out dirty school buses
EPA's 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program is awarding $400 million in competitive grants to replace existing school buses with zero-emission buses and build charging infrastructure. Priority will be given to applicants needing to replace buses that serve:
- High-need local education agencies
- Rural areas
- Tribal school districts funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or
- Public school districts that receive basic support payments for students living on Tribal land.
Subscribe to the newsletter or attend a webinar for details. Applications due 8:59 p.m. Pacific time, Tuesday, August 22. Learn more.
Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations is offering grant funding for the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program to help deploy community-driven clean energy solutions in rural and remote areas across the country. This funding opportunity will award grants for projects with a dollar amount between $500,000 to $5 million and requires no cost-share from recipients to help ensure an equitable transition to a clean energy future.
Pre-applications are due 2 p.m. Pacific time, Thursday, July 13, 2023 and full applications are due 2 p.m. Pacific time, Thursday, October 12, 2023. Learn more at Grant Funding Notice: Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas.
Trainings and Webinars
 The Washington Department of Ecology and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in collaboration with the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) will guide current and new brownfields practitioners on how to maximize the activities conducted under an EPA assessment grant to be better prepared to clean up or market the property to a developer. This webinar will present the tools to plan a comprehensive assessment scope of work that includes elements like site characterization, evaluation of cleanup alternatives, and planning for regulatory oversight. These are steps for building a path toward cleanup and can be conducted under the assessment phase. Wednesday, July 19, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Pacific time.
For more information and to register, visit Building the Path: Maximizing Assessment in Preparation for Cleanup.
News
Interactive tool makes brownfield assessment & cleanup costs public
An interactive Analysis of Brownfields Costs (ABC) Tool from Kansas State University TAB provides available data from multiple sources and helps you make initial brownfields redevelopment and planning decisions. You can slice and dice the data to understand how different factors affect brownfields cleanup costs. Learn more.
National Environmental Youth Advisory Council
The National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC) is an exciting new opportunity for young people between the ages of 16-29. This group of passionate young leaders from across the country will provide advice and recommendations on environmental issues directly to the head of the EPA. The NEYAC will include sixteen members, and anyone can apply themselves or nominate someone else. Selected applicants who become members are appointed to NEYAC for a two-year term.
For more information, visit National Environmental Youth Advisory Council.
Video spotlights resources for environmental & climate justice
Watch a 14-minute overview about the grants and technical assistance now available through EPA's Environmental and Climate Justice Communities Grant Program and the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. Learn more.
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