National Perspective Review Of Brownfields Proposals

1. National PerspectiveReview Of Brownfields Proposals EPA Region 4 The United States Environmental Protection Agency

2. Overview • Grant Programs Background • Purpose And Intent • Impact Of History • General Suggestions For A Better Proposal • Going Beyond The Criteria

3. Background • Overall Vision and Plan for Project, from Assessment thru Cleanup and Redevelopment • Give Us Reasons To Believe Overall Project/Vision Will Be Completed • Schedule, Cost Estimates All Project Phases • Funds • Thought Out

4. Background • Evidence Of Local Commitment • Budget, In-Kind, Man-hours • Leveraging • Local Partners, “Ground Swell” • Community Groups, Environmental Groups, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development District/Department, School Boards, Transit Authority, Banks, Local Business, Churches

5. Background • Assessment Grant • Local Program Seed Money • Technical Work, Use Contractor (Assessment, Cleanup Planning, Cleanup) • Work Applicant Can Do - Limit Contractor Use (Outreach, Reporting) • If Possible, Make Activities In-Kind

6. Background • Strong Relationship with State • Cleanups Are Overseen And Approved by State • Private Projects Should Have Public Benefits

7. Background • EPA Has Seen Local Programs Struggle • Lack of Political Support • Assessment, Access • RLF, Loans Do Not Occur • Criteria Worth Extra Effort • Community Need and Involvement • Budget • Reduction of Threats to Human Health/Environment • Greenspace • Experience Counts • History of Success on Related Projects or Partnering

8. Key Terms • Collaboration, Coordination, Voluntary • Partners: Local, State, Federal, Private, Non-Profit • Stakeholders, Community • Outreach, Meaningful Public Participation • Commitment • Vision • Incentives • Transform, Change Catalyst, Revitalize • Innovative

9. Potential Red Flags • Superfund Sites • Marketing, except RLF • Contingencies • Fund Raising • Lobbying • Enforcement Action/Order • Administrative, Indirect

10. General Suggestions • Read Guidelines! • All Criteria Matter, If Not Applicable - Say So • Respond to All Parts of Each Criterion • Get Clarification Of Any Not Fully Understood • Reviewer Knows Only What You Tell Them • Be Specific But Not Overly Detailed • Be Specific And Thorough But Brief • Provide Project Specifics • If Not Possible Provide Area Wide Specifics

11. General Suggestions • Adhere To Format (page limit, font size, budget) • Proposal With Pages Less Than Limit – OK! • Copy Ready • Budget Versus All Project Activities Discussed in Proposal – Who Is Paying? • If Not Planning To Charge Activity To Grant, Show As In-Kind Or Leverage In Budget Narrative or Table • Examples: Community Involvement, Cleanup Planning

12. General Suggestions • Know And Explain Community • Strengths • Unique Programs Or Characteristics • Vision 2025, Main Street/Downtown Program, Railroad City, Heritage Rivers • Weaknesses (help justify funds) • Recognized By Outside Sources • University or Environmental Groups studies, Sierra Club

13. General Suggestions • Know What Activities Are Allowable Grant Expenses, When in Doubt - Ask • Non-Allowable Costs Red-Flags • Administrative Cost Ban • Examples: Indirect, “Admin-type” Activities, Supervision, Management • Various Planned Grant Activities • Examples: Redevelopment Costs, Unjustified Demolition for Cleanup/RLF, Land Acquisition

14. General Suggestions • Applying For Both Assessment and Cleanup Grants - For Same Project, At Same Time - Viewed Unfavorably • Quality of Proposal and Project Both Matter

15. General Suggestions • Be Clear About • Total Amount Of Federal Funds Requested • Type Of Proposal, Assessment Only • Community Wide • Site Specific • Type Of Funds Requested • Hazardous • Petroleum

16. General SuggestionsPut Yourself in Reviewer’s Shoes • Do Not Make Reviewer Hunt For Answers • Organize Proposal by Criteria, Use Number System • Describe All Unique or Local Terms Used • Reviewer Does Not Know Your Area • Briefly Explain All Local and State Programs • Avoid Reiterating entire Criteria in Response • Don’t Reiterate General Brownfields Concepts, Except As They Relate To Your Vision

17. General SuggestionsPut Yourself in Reviewer’s Shoes,cont. • Know Your Reviewer (Scientists, Engineers, Environmentalists) • Cleanup Plan Description • Get Technical Professional Help • Specifics • All Environmental Impacts, Direct and Indirect • Discuss Other Area Environmental Projects • Specifics Preferred • Details Generally Preferred, Don’t Overdo • Provide Numbers, If Possible • Use Simple Legible Charts/Tables • Examples: Demographics, Contaminant Levels, Grant History

18. General SuggestionsPut Yourself in Reviewer’s Shoes,cont. • Overall Proposal Check • Unnecessary Redundancy? • Unusual Activities? Explained? Justified? • “Media Services For Site Project” • “Offsite Planning” • Understandable? Readable? • Ask Third Party to Read Proposal

19. General Suggestions Proposal Attachments • Summarize and Refer to All Attachments • Mandatory Attachments • State Letter(s) • Petroleum determination by State • RLF Legal Opinion • Excluded or Property-Specific Site Information • Attach Community Notice Documentation • Attach Site Access Agreement, Assessment Site Specific Only • Think Minimal Attachments, Value Added?

20. General SuggestionsProposal Attachments, continued • Maps (81/2 x 11, copy ready) • Include Index • Support Letters Are Encouraged • From Sub-Jurisdictions, If Proposal Covers Multiple Jurisdictions • From Local Community Based Groups • From Partners Discussed In Proposal • Letters Should Include Discussion Of Partner’s Specific Contributions, If Any

21. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Community Need • Compare Demographics To State/National • Primary: Race, Unemployment, Poverty, Income • Other: Crime, Disabled, Food Stamps, Renters, High School Graduate, Unmarried Mothers, Infant Mortality • Think Sensitive Populations (Children, Elderly) • Any Special Designation of Need • Empowerment Zone, Enterprise Community, Renewal Community, Treasury Hot Zone, Health & Human Services Underserved Medical Community, Weed & Seed www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice

22. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Budget • Realistic Environmental Costs • Ph I, $2,000-5,000 • Ph II, highly variable, $20,000 + • Ph III/Cleanup Plan, highly variable, $10,000 + • Explain all Personnel Costs • What Will Staff Do On Project? • Do Environmental Work With Federal Funds • Be Clear About Your Intent - What Will Be Charged To Grant? In-Kind? Donated?

23. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Community Involvement • Early and Often, Never Too Soon To Build Relationship • Plan to Provide Translators • Conduct Design Charette, if appropriate • Hold Public Meetings • Use Internet • Go Overboard, Have an Aggressive Plan • Community Based Group List, Residents, “Grass Roots”, Business, Neighborhood Groups • Are They Actual Partners? How Are They Involved? • Use Citizen Advisory Committee • Form Before Proposal Submission or Plan to Form

24. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Leveraging • Explain How Funds Will Be Used In Project • Research Identify Potential Funding Sources • Private, Foundations • Federal • EDA for Redevelopment; HUD for BEDI, CDBG; COE • State • Bonds, Park Funds • Local • Tax, Community Development Block Grant

25. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Ability to Manage Grants • Refer to Grant Requirements • Progress Reports • Financial Reports • Minority/Women Owned Business Reports • Quality Assurance • Quality Management Plan – Before Award • Quality Assurance Project Plans – Before Sampling

26. Specific Criteria Suggestions Above and Beyond, Extra Points • Site Selection – Assessment • Site Specific, Attach Access Consent • Access For Private Sites • Refer to Written Agreement • Attach Example of Written Agreement • Past Experience Getting Access

27. Contacts Brownfields National Homepage www.epa.gov/brownfields EPA Region 4 http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/bf/index.htm