Brownfields Revitalization for a Better Tomorrow Act
Sponsored By: Representative Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
Introduced
Summary
Expand funding and eligibility for brownfields cleanup and reuse. This bill would widen who can get CERCLA 104(k) grants and loans, raise grant and per-site caps, and add technical help and public reporting to speed remediation and redevelopment.
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- Communities and developers: Raises the per-site cleanup cap to $1.0 million and doubles multipurpose grants to $2.0 million, giving projects more money to pay for assessment and cleanup.
- Small towns and disadvantaged areas: Creates a noncompetitive technical-assistance grant to help five covered applicants in small communities and allows waivers of matching requirements for eligible small or disadvantaged places.
- States, tribes, and oversight bodies: Requires states and tribes to keep public brownfield inventories, mandates Inspector General audits on a two-year cycle, and orders studies and permitting guidance including a revolving-loan-fund study due in 2028.
*Would authorize about $123.5 million per year for FY2027–2031 for these programs and revise a state funding cap to $46.25 million, increasing the bill's authorized federal funding.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
More brownfields funding authorized
If enacted, the bill would authorize $123,500,000 for brownfields work for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031. Each year, 0.5% of that money would be reserved for oversight under paragraph (8). This would increase annual federal funding available for brownfield assessment, cleanup, and related grants.
Bigger cleanup grants, new eligibility
If enacted, the bill would raise the maximum cleanup grant per brownfield site to $1,000,000 and raise multipurpose grant limits to $2,000,000. It would cap any single-site assessment grant at $500,000 and let recipients use up to 10% of a grant or loan for demolition with EPA Administrator approval. The bill would add 501(c)(6) organizations as eligible applicants and require the Administrator to waive matching shares for eligible entities in small communities or disadvantaged areas. It would also add ranking priority for former military sites and certain FAST Act activities, and provide noncompetitive technical assistance grants in FY2028 and FY2029 to help five covered applicants.
More audits and permitting guidance
If enacted, the bill would require the EPA Inspector General to audit brownfields federal funds, grants, loans, and State/tribal 128(a) grants within 2 years and every 2 years after. The bill would also require EPA to issue guidance within 1 year to help Federal agencies speed permits and environmental reviews for brownfield projects. The bill would add clear definitions for key program terms to reduce ambiguity.
Smaller state grants, public site lists
If enacted, the bill would set annual authorization for State and tribal brownfields grants at $46,250,000 for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031. The bill would also require any State or Indian tribe that gets a 128(a) grant to keep and publish an annual, location-based inventory of all brownfield sites where grant-funded activities occurred.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
KY • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov