SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a grant agreement between US Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Clearwater for a Brownfields Community-wide Assessment Cooperative Agreement in the amount of $500,000 for the period October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2030, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
Body
SUMMARY:
The City of Clearwater has been awarded a $500,000 Community-wide Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support the identification, assessment, and planning for the potential redevelopment and reuse of eligible brownfield properties.
A brownfield is a property whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
The grant will provide funding for eligible environmental assessment and planning activities, including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, community outreach, site inventory and prioritization, cleanup planning, site reuse assessments, and land-use assessments, consistent with the approved EPA grant agreement.
Grant funds may also be used for eligible program administration activities, including EPA reporting, financial and project tracking, database maintenance, community engagement, meeting preparation and attendance, and grant closeout documentation.
Further, the grant’s goal anticipates conducting 15 Phase I and 6 Phase II environmental site assessments, holding 7 community meetings, developing 3 site-specific cleanup plans/Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives, developing 4 planning documents to initiate brownfields revitalization, and submitting 16 quarterly reports.
The City will retain responsibility for grant administration, financial oversight, compliance monitoring, and required reporting throughout the grant period.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
A first quarter budget amendment will establish special program 181-G2707, Brownfield Assessment Grant FY26-30, to account for program revenues and expenditures.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
[N/A]
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
1.2: Maintain public infrastructure, mobility systems, natural lands, environmental resources, and historic features through systematic management efforts;
2.2 Cultivate a business climate that welcomes entrepreneurship, inspires local investment, supports eco-friendly enterprises, and encourages high-quality job growth;
2.4 Support equitable housing programs that promote household stability and reduce the incidence of homelessness within Clearwater;
