Ready for Reuse Grants

Wisconsin Ready for Reuse Loan and Grant Program The Ready for Reuse Program is on full display in La Crosse. Photo credit: City of La Crosse. The Ready for Reuse program provides funding to eligible entities to clean up brownfield properties. The program is administered by the DNR through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Loans and grants are available through the Ready for Reuse program. Loans are zero-interest and are generally awarded for projects that need at least $250,000 for cleanup activities. The maximum grant amount is $200,000 per property; the project should be completed within two years. A match contribution of at least 22% of the amount requested is required; other state or local grants may be used as match if the loan periods overlap. Federal grants may not be used as a match contribution. Applications for the program are accepted year-round. Awards are subject to eligibility and available funding. Wisconsin Ready for Reuse Program - Hazardous Substance Loans and Grants (RR-753) List of Awards: 2004-2025 traditional hazardous substance and petroleum funds List of Recovery Act Ready for Reuse Awards Before Applying The Ready for Reuse program provides funds to sites that are READY to begin cleanup activities and have enough secured funding to finish the cleanup. If you feel that you have a project that fits this program, take the following steps as soon as possible. Read the Wisconsin Ready for Reuse Loan and Grant Program Fact Sheet (RR-753) Contact Jodie Thistle to discuss your project Eligible Properties The property must meet the federal definition of a brownfield, which is real property, the reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous contaminant ( See EPA ). Not Eligible Properties ineligible for awards under the Ready for Reuse program include: Facilities listed (or proposed for listing) on the National Priorities List (NPL). Facilities subject to unilateral administrative orders, court orders, administrative orders on consent or judicial consent decrees issued to or entered into by parties under CERCLA. Facilities that are subject to the jurisdiction, custody or control of the government (land held in trust by the United States government for an Indian tribe is eligible for brownfield funding). Property-Specific Determination Required Some properties require a property-specific determination from the EPA. This includes facilities with planned or ongoing CERCLA removal actions, facilities subject to federal administrative or court orders, facilities subject to corrective action under RCRA, land disposal facilities, properties with PCB contamination and properties that received funding from the federal Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund. Petroleum Additional eligibility criteria are applied to properties requesting petroleum cleanup funding: There must be no viable responsible party that can address the petroleum contamination at the site. The facility cannot be subject to federal enforcement action under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) The facility cannot have obligations under the federal Oil Pollution Act (OPA) or use of federal leaking underground storage tank (LUST) funds at the site at the site. Eligible Applicants Only municipal entities are eligible to receive a loan through the Ready for Reuse Program. Units of local government, nonprofit organizations and tribes, or other eligible tribal entity under 40 CFR 31.30 are eligible for grants the grantee must own the property. All eligible applicants must also demonstrate: The applicant did not cause, contribute to or exacerbate the contamination. The applicant (and the property owner, if the applicant does not own the property) has liability defense under the Comprehensive Environmental Liability Act (CERCLA).

The Ready for Reuse program provides funding to eligible entities to clean up brownfield properties. The program is administered by the DNR through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Loans and grants are available through the Ready for Reuse program. Loans are zero-interest and are generally awarded for projects that need at least $250,000 for cleanup activities. The maximum grant amount is $200,000 per property; the project should be completed within two years.