Indiana Brownfields Program
Welcome to the Indiana Brownfields Program. Our mission is to encourage and assist investment in the redevelopment of Brownfield properties by helping communities via educational, financial, technical and legal assistance to identify and mitigate environmental barriers that impede local economic growth. To receive updates regarding our Program, you may subscribe (and unsubscribe at any time) to our listserv here.
Items of Interest
E-Submissions
The Indiana Brownfields Program (Program) requests electronic submittals (e-submissions) of documents through the Portal (idem.in.gov/myesubmission). This e-submission site is available for public use and will replace all other forms as the preferred document submittal method. Program staff may, however, still request a hard copy for maps and/or large files.
E-submissions cannot be greater than 75 megabytes (MB). If a file cannot be reduced to less than 75 MB, it should be broken into multiple files. As a reminder, each form/document/report should be saved as a separate pdf, not as one large document as follows: Request Form(s), Cover Letter, Application, User Questionnaire, Reports (Phase I ESA, Phase II ESA, Completion Reports etc.), Deeds, Legal Descriptions/Surveys, and Maps (Maps not already included within a report).
The e-submission site is available to individual email addresses and shared email accounts. To request or modify your e-submission access, please use IDEM’s e-Submission Enrollment Form (idem.in.gov/myesubmission) Once enrolled, instructions on how to submit documents will be provided. Refer to the Brownfields Program Electronic (e-Submission) Folder External User Guide for instructions.
For issues or assistance with the e-submittal process, please contact Haley Faulds at 317-234-0685 or email hfaulds1@ifa.in.gov.
Below is an example of an electronic submittal.**
Please refer to this example of a complete Comfort Letter request.**
Let's Navigate Your Next Move - Grant or No Grant?
Join KSU TAB on May 22nd, 2025, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM EDT for a free webinar designed to help you navigate the next steps in your Brownfields redevelopment journey.
Get expert insights, practical advice, and a roadmap for success, no matter your situation.
Don’t miss this chance to set yourself up for success—register today
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Upcoming Webinars
Tips and Tricks to Improve Groundwater Remedy Selection and Performance - Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 1:00PM-2:30PM EDT (17:00-18:30 GMT). Performance data for treatment technologies such as permeable reactive barriers, chemical oxidation, and chemical or biological reductive dichlorination suggests there are factors that may consistently impact the effectiveness of groundwater remediation at sites with volatile organic contamination. Aquifer and remedy geochemistry, site characterization, and implementation issues are factors that have impacted groundwater remedy performance at a number of sites. After illustrating these performance factors through case studies, we will cover tips and tricks that can be used to increase the likelihood of a successful groundwater remedy. For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/live.
ITRC: Introduction to Hydrocarbons Training - Thursday, April 17, 2025, 1:00PM-3:00PM EDT (17:00-19:00 GMT). Petroleum is a complex mixture of many compounds. Regulatory and technical guidance documents commonly focus on the hydrocarbon components of that mixture, or perceived risks that they present. However, focusing on a specific area of concern often causes practitioners to overlook other aspects of a release. For example, concerns related to exposure to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) risks may be overlooked while pursuing concerns related to light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) recovery or petroleum vapor intrusion (PVI). This class is designed to provide a basic overview of hydrocarbon behavior in the subsurface and how to scientifically assess concerns arising from the release of petroleum products into the environment. It will highlight key issues that help identify and manage TPH, LNAPL, and PVI risks together. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live.
ITRC PFAS Beyond the Basics: PFAS Fate and Transport, Site Characterization and Source ID Training - Thursday, April 24, 2025, 1:00PM-3:00PM EDT (17:00-19:00 GMT). This training class builds on the earlier information for fate and transport and site characterization presented in the PFAS 101 CLU-IN training. It provides more in-depth information for fate and transport, site characterization, source identification and some introductory information on environmental forensics. These topics will be presented along with options and a framework for data visualization. This training will focus largely on PFAS fate and transport in groundwater. The goal is to provide detailed information about the inputs practitioners can use to develop a robust conceptual site model to help understand fate and transport at PFAS sites, and how to gather evidence of multiple sources. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live.
Groundwater Modeling and Complexity of PFAS Modeling - Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1:30PM-2:30PM EDT (17:30-18:30 GMT). This presentation will cover fundamental concepts on groundwater fate and transport modeling along with examples of different models. Additionally, the complexity of modeling leaching of PFAS compounds in subsurface will be presented. For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/live.
Indiana Brownfields Program Story Maps
The Indiana Brownfields Program is excited to share Story Maps it has created for Sites across the state. Story Maps allow us to share success stories by presenting site history, investigation and clean-up activities, and redevelopments in a new and interactive way. To view the Story Map website and explore the various Maps created, please visit:
https://gisdata.in.gov/portal/apps/storymaps/stories/1dd14a1bb6aa403fa83cd2b068448eb0
2024 Brownfields Project Return on Investment (ROI) Survey
The Indiana Brownfields Program is once again collecting important information related to the financial, legal, and technical assistance it provides to our stakeholders. Please complete our survey in one of two ways: 1) Take an on-line survey, or 2) download a fillable PDF form of the survey, complete it, and email it in to the Program. Your feedback is instrumental as we evaluate our services so that we can continue to provide the most beneficial assistance to Indiana communities.
Submit completed surveys to Sara Westrick Corbin of the Indiana Brownfields Program via e-mail at scorbin1@ifa.in.gov. Call 317-234-1688 with any questions. Thank you for participating.
Click this link to take the Secure Online ROI Survey or
Click this link to download a fillable .pdf form ROI Survey
Refer here for the results of the 2023 Brownfields Project ROI Survey.
128(a) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Incentive – Federal Funds
Section 128(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) authorizes EPA to provide funding to States (including US Territories and DC) and Tribes to establish or enhance their environmental response programs. The Indiana Brownfields Program (Program) is offering assessment and remediation funding using 128(a) BIL funds to qualifying applicants and sites on a rolling basis through an application process until funds are fully obligated. Please utilize the Application for 128(a) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Funding to apply.
Resources:
- Tips on How to Get Started Early on Preparing Your Brownfields MARC Grant Proposal
- List of Entities Eligible to Apply for Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup Grants
- Programmatic Requirements
- Information on Health Monitoring Activities using an EPA Brownfield Grant
- EJScreen Demonstration for Brownfield Grant Applications
- Information on Eligible Planning Activities
- Renewable Energy or Energy-Efficient Approaches in Brownfields Redevelopment
- Socially Distant Engagement Ideas
- Information on CERCLA Liability Defenses
- Information on Sites Eligible for Brownfields Funding under CERCLA § 104(k)
Site Solicitation for Financial Assistance
The Indiana Brownfields Program (Program) continues to seek sites to evaluate for financial assistance as applicable/appropriate/available. For long-term planning purposes, the Program is interested in learning of brownfields sites in your community that need assessment and/or remediation of hazardous substances and/or petroleum contamination. Please contact the Program to learn how best to help us help you (e.g., U.S. EPA funded TAB Brownfields Inventory Tool per the TAB Program information below).
U.S. EPA Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance grant to Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA).
The CDFA Brownfields Technical Assistance program provides support to brownfields communities.
For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/pdfs/FY14-K6-Fact-Sheet_CDFA_FINAL.pdf
U.S. EPA-funded Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Program
for Free assistance with project planning, grant applications, RFPs, contractor selection, etc.
- For local site inventory assistance through TAB, check out https://www.ksutab.org/login?ref=BIT
The January 27, 2021 Building a Brownfields Inventory Using BiT webinar materials are now available and linked below.
AGENDA (PDF) SLIDES (PDF) RECORDING (MP4)
This webinar focused on using the KSU TAB Brownfields Inventory Tool (BiT) to quickly, easily, and conveniently keep track of your brownfield site inventory (e.g., number, location, etc.). The webinar highlighted using BiT with its new features, setting up a Project Area, entering site data, building area maps of the brownfields sites in your community, and using the BiT/ACRES interface to report your U.S. EPA Brownfields grant data (as applicable). Stakeholders that would find this valuable include Local Governments, Coalitions, Nonprofits, and Planners.
State Revolving Fund Loan Program Funding:
Brownfields Remediation Nonpoint Source Incentives Fact Sheet
Eligible projects include the cleanup of Brownfields sites contaminated with hazardous substances that impact surface or ground water quality. Integrating a brownfields project with a wastewater infrastructure project lowers the interest rate for a loan by up to 0.5 percent, making available additional funds that can be applied to qualified nonpoint source activities.
Tax Incentives that involve the Indiana Brownfields Program.
Tax Incentives that could involve but are outside the Indiana Brownfields Program include Opportunity Zones - learn more here.
U.S. EPA Brownfields Guidance Documents available here on our Resources page. Also, the U.S. EPA guidance web portal that provides links to all of U.S. EPA's active guidance documents is now accessible at https://www.epa.gov/guidance. Note that the guidance documents are organized by U.S. EPA Headquarters and Regional offices, e.g., Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) at Headquarters. Most recent documents are listed first. On the Office page, you’ll also see a text box that includes a link to submit a petition for modification or withdrawal of guidance documents.
Meeting with us?
- Downtown Indianapolis Parking & Security Changes
DOWNTOWN PARKING
Due to increases in the number of state employees who work at the Indiana Government Center, especially during the legislative session, public parking in the Senate Avenue and Washington Street Government Center garages has been discontinued.
Anyone visiting the Government Center for meetings or conferences will need to seek other parking options. Information about other downtown parking options can be found at: https://www.downtownindy.org/get-around-downtown/park
- Map to Indiana Brownfields Program office