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Redevelopment Grants may be used to perform environmental site assessments to
determine whether a Brownfield property is contaminated, and if so, to what extent.
These grants may also be used to develop cleanup objectives, prepare cleanup plans,
and implement cleanup activities. Grant recipients are required to share in any grant
award through a 70/30 match and to spend the grant within three years. The Office of
Brownfields Assistance seeks out MBRGP grant recipients, evaluates grant
applications, monitors grant activities, and reviews reimbursement requests to ensure
eligibility and reasonableness of costs.
• Brownfields representatives from the Office of Brownfields Assistance assist
communities with extremely complex issues of Brownfields cleanup and
redevelopment. The Office also guides communities through both the grant
application and implementation processes and will meet with community officials
before they file a formal grant application to help determine cleanup potential and
maximize grant dollars. After grants are awarded, the Brownfield representatives
continue to assist grantee by providing continuous assistance with clean-up and clean-up
issues.
• Illinois EPA issued 78 grants as of November 15, 2003. One additional grant
application is currently in-house and under review. Brownfields representatives are
assisting over a dozen additional communities with preparation of grant application
for submittal.
• By 2005, award $3.5 million from USEPA BCRLF Cooperative Agreement funds.
Cooperative Agreement funds will be awarded to eligible municipalities under an
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).
The maximum amount awarded under an IGA for a specific project is $425,000. The
maximum award amount to a municipality is $1 million. Funds will pay for
remediation costs performed under a Remedial Action Plan approved by the Site
Remediation Program.
As of November 15, 2003, the Office of Brownfields Assistance has awarded entered
into two IGA with two separate communities and awarded a total of $850,000. The
Office is working with two additional municipalities for two new awards estimated to
total $250,000. Additionally, the Office is working with one of the municipalities on
amending the existing IGA to include an additional site for an additional $425,000
• By 2005 the Office of Site Evaluation will have completed 40 Targeted Site
Assessments on a number of Brownfield properties throughout the State.
Working in close coordination with local mayors and city managers, personnel of
the Office of Site Evaluation will first identify viable candidate sites, and then
conduct (free of charge to the municipality) an environmental investigation of the
property to determine if the site contains contaminants that may act as a deterrent
to local redevelopment efforts.
