Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grant (BRAG)

About

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Remediation oversees the Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grant (BRAG). The funding for this grant is authorized through the Rural Brownfields Investment Act (Pub. Ch. 86, effective July 1, 2023). The law promotes conservation of Tennessee’s agricultural, recreational, and open space lands by encouraging environmentally sound redevelopment of properties blighted by real or perceived contamination. 

Tentative application window: February 2024 – April 2024

Project Categories

• IDENTIFICATION - The creation of an inventory of brownfield sites, which may span multiple locations. Maximum Grant - $20,000 contract term - 12 months
• INVESTIGATION - Conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), conducted in accordance with the current ASTM E-1527 standard, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment conducted in accordance with the current ASTM E1903 standard, or any other environmental investigation. Maximum Grant - $100,000, contract term - 24 months
• REMEDIATION - Actions to contain, remove, mitigate, or dispose of hazardous substances, pollutants, other contaminants, or petroleum products, at a brownfield site. This may include certain types of demolition performed at a brownfield and the installation or upgrade of the minimum amount of infrastructure that is necessary to make a brownfield property usable. Maximum Grant - $500,000, contract term - 24 months

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include political subdivisions of the state, including, but not limited to a county, municipality, development district, or development board.

• Applicants may submit up to three applications—one from each project category listed above.
• Individual grants are capped at $500,000 annually per eligible entity.
• All awarded investigation and remediation projects must enroll in the TDEC Voluntary Oversight and Assistance Program.
• Tax incentive tier 1 and tier 2 counties (map) may not use grant funds for VOAP fee recovery. Payment of these fees is considered the match requirement for tier 1 and tier 2 counties. 
• There is no match requirement for tier 3 and tier 4 counties. 

Resources

• BRAG Grant Manual (state funded grant)
• Voluntary Oversight and Assistance Program (VOAP)
• Assistance with EPA Brownfield Grants (federal funded grant)