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 at the bottom of this and every page under "State Information, Email Updates - GovDelivery" or simply click here.
Items of Interest
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.
Brownfields Environmental Consulting RFQ
On March 17, 2023, the Indiana Brownfields Program announced that sixteen (16) firms were qualified under the Program’s February 10, 2023 Request for Qualifications. The updated list of firms qualified by the Program will be effective April 1, 2023 and is linked below. Until April 1, 2023, the Program will continue to utilize the firms qualified in 2015. Thank you to all the firms that responded and we look forward to working with the newly-qualified firms on future brownfield projects.
Indiana Brownfields Program StoryMaps
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://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e6880065e53d4df094991707b143d59f
Brownfields 2023 - Sustainable Communities Start Here
The next Brownfields Training Conference will be held in Detroit, Michigan from August 8-11, 2023. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous Conference was delayed a year, resulting in just a year between these Conferences, which is normally offered every two years. Mark your calendars and save some time to connect with new and familiar Brownfield colleagues. For more details, please visit their website: https://brownfields2023.org/2022/08/brownfields-2023-detroit-michigan/
Upcoming Webinars
Vapor Intrusion Mitigation (VIM-1) - A Two Part Series – February 21, 2023 1:00pm EDT
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions. The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC.
Environmental Data Management (EDM): Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best Practices – February 23, 2023 1:00pm EDT
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data.
Environmental Data Management (EDM): Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental Data – April 6, 2023 1:00pm EDT
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data.
ITRC PFAS Introductory Training – April 13, 2023 1:00pm EDT
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health.
Environmental Data Management (EDM): Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data Management – May 2, 2023 1:00pm EDT
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data.
Sustainable Resilient Remediation (SRR) – May 11, 2023 1:00pm EDT
Extreme weather events and wildfires are increasing and impacting hazardous waste sites. The primary goal of cleanups, which is protecting human health and the environment, is undermined.
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 ยง 104(k)
E-Submissions
The Indiana Brownfields Program (Program) requests electronic submittals (e-submissions) of documents to reduce the need to mail paper documents or submit electronic copies via CD/DVD, flash drive, email or file sharing link. Program staff may, however, still request a hard copy for maps and/or large files.
E-submissions must be less than 75 megabytes (MB). If a file cannot be reduced to less than 75 MB, it should be broken into multiple files. A new e-submission site is available for public use and will replace all other forms as a preferred document submittal method.
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. As a reminder, each form/document/report should be saved as a separate pdf, not as one large document.
Questions regarding the e-submittal process may be directed to Haley Faulds at 317-234-0685 or email hfaulds1@ifa.in.gov.
Announcing New Request for Applications
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New date for National Brownfields Training Conference - August 16-19, 2022
The 2021 National Brownfields Training Conference that was to be held on December 8-11, 2021 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was postponed until 2022 and has been rescheduled for August 16-19, 2022. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing formerly utilized commercial and industrial properties. EPA cosponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Arbor Day Foundation Phytoremediation Service
Arbor Day Foundation is now offering no-cost assessments to communities with contaminated sites. Through this assessment, municipal leaders can learn more about whether sites of concern in their community are suitable for cleanup through the planting of trees (phytoremediation). For qualifying sites, Arbor Day Foundation will connect site stakeholders with technical resources to help further assess, quote, design, and implement phytoremediation. This program began in March 2021 and will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to schedule a meeting about using phytoremediation, check out https://www.arborday.org/partnerships/phytoremediation/?utm_source=press-release&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=phytoremediation-summer-2021&Wherefrom=PressRelease.
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 brownfield 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).
Read the Brownfields Bulletin Summer 2022 Issue
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones (OZ)s designated in select communities are tax incentives for private investors that can facilitate brownfield redevelopment. Learn more here.
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 Brownfield 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 Brownfield 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 brownfield sites in your community, and using the BiT/ACRES interface to report your U.S. EPA Brownfield grant data (as applicable). Stakeholders that would find this valuable include Local Governments, Coalitions, Nonprofits, and Planners.
State Revolving Fund Loan Program Funding:
Brownfield Remediation Nonpoint Source Incentives Fact Sheet
Eligible projects include the cleanup of brownfield sites contaminated with hazardous substances that impact surface or ground water quality. Integrating a brownfield 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 Brownfield 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