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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING 

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT REPORTING FORM

Overview 

As specified in the cooperative agreement terms and conditions, all Brownfields Area-Wide 

Planning (BF AWP) cooperative agreement recipients (CARs) must report to EPA no later than 

30 days after the end of each reporting quarter.

 All CARs must complete and regularly maintain a BF AWP Cooperative Agreement 

Reporting Form.

 

 The CAR must use the Brownfields Program on-line reporting system, known as 

Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES), to associate to the 

BF AWP grant all relevant property records (such as site assessments and cleanups) that 

are already in ACRES. 

o The CAR will not create any new property records under the BF AWP grant.

o If the CAR is also a recipient of an EPA Brownfields assessment, cleanup or 

revolving loan fund (RLF) grant for a property within the BF AWP project area, 

then the CAR must first create property record(s) in ACRES and complete a 

Brownfields Property Profile Form as required under their assessment, cleanup or 

RLF grant, and then associate the appropriate property record(s) to the BF AWP 

grant.

o If EPA provides a Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) within the BF AWP 

project area, the CAR will work with EPA to associate this TBA to the BF AWP 

grant.

 The CAR must also track and report all leveraging information (resources) and 

accomplishments for the BF AWP project area. CAR will ensure that any leveraging that 

is already otherwise associated to a particular property in ACRES is not double counted 

(e.g., the same leveraging resource and amount should not be captured for both the BF 

AWP grant and the assessment, cleanup or revolving loan fund grant).

 When to submit: 

o The original BF AWP Cooperative Agreement Reporting Form must be submitted 

when the cooperative agreement recipient starts using EPA funds to pay for 

eligible BF AWP activities. 

o The CAR will update this form and ACRES as new activities, accomplishments, 

resources, changes, and other information pertaining to revitalizing the BF AWP 

project area is available.

o The CAR will update this form upon completion of the brownfields area-wide 

plan as well as when the cooperative agreement is being closed out.

o The CAR should continue to update the form as plan implementation actions are 

taken and new investments occur within the BF AWP project area. If you have 

project area updates to report after the closeout of the cooperative agreement, 

please contact the ACRES Help desk at acres_help@epa.gov.
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 To whom to submit: CARs must submit their BF AWP Cooperative Agreement 

Reporting Form to their EPA Regional Representative identified in the terms and 

conditions of the cooperative agreement. If data is entered online it will automatically be 

delivered to the EPA Regional Representative. 

 How to submit: ACRES is available online and is the preferred method for all CARs to 

enter and electronically submit the BF AWP Cooperative Agreement Reporting Form. 

The form may also be submitted in hard copy with the next required quarterly progress 

report or submitted via e-mail to the EPA Regional Representative. 

Additional reporting requirements may be included in the terms and conditions of the 

cooperative agreement.

This Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

approved reporting form (OMB Form XXXX, EPA Form XXXX), supplements the required 

quarterly progress reports. Please note that in most instances, all reported information is 

accessible to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and may be distributed by

EPA to the public unless one of the FOIA exclusions is applicable. 
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Detailed Instructions for Completing Each Item on the Form

The BF AWP Cooperative Agreement Reporting Form is divided into five parts. Unless 

otherwise indicated, reporting in each section is mandatory for all CARs. Some questions need 

only be answered once; other questions should be updated when conditions change within the BF 

AWP project area. Additional instructions and definitions for completing this form are provided 

below. Please contact your EPA Regional Representative if you have any questions when 

completing this form. 

Cooperative Agreement Recipient Information

1. Cooperative Agreement Recipient Name. Enter the CAR name. Use the official name of the 

CAR as written in the cooperative agreement documentation, unless otherwise directed by the 

EPA Regional Representative.

2a-d. City, County, State and Zip Code. Enter the city, county, state and zip code for the CAR.

3. Cooperative Agreement Number. Enter the number of the cooperative agreement as 

provided in the cooperative agreement documentation (e.g., BF 00000000). 

4. Indicate if this form is the initial or updated form. Indicate if this is the first BF AWP 

Cooperative Agreement Reporting Form being submitted or an updated version of a previously 

submitted form. 

Part I – BF AWP Project Area Information

5. Name of BF AWP Project Area. If the project area has a specific name, enter it here. 

6a. Boundaries of the BF AWP Project Area. Enter geographic boundaries of your BF AWP 

project area. Use street names and/or natural or constructed boundaries (such as a river or 

railroad). Be specific as these boundaries will be used for mapping and other analysis.

6b. Insert map of project area within broader context of the city or larger community. 

Copy and paste a map with clear scale and street-level detail, which precisely delineates your BF 

AWP project area boundaries within the context of the city or larger community. 

7. Project area size (in acres). Enter approximate acreage of your project area. 

8. Project area description. Provide a brief description of the project area, highlighting a few 

key identifying features, area characteristics, typical land uses and general population.

ACRES - Associated Brownfields Properties

9. Number of brownfields properties within the BF AWP project area that have an ACRES 

ID. Enter the number of properties within the project area that already have an ACRES ID 

because they have received EPA brownfields resources for assessment and/or cleanup.

If you answered one or more to question 9, answer items pertaining to question 10 as needed
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10a. Associated brownfields site 1. Enter the ACRES ID for the first associated brownfields 

site.

If needed, add information for additional associated properties

10b. Associated brownfields site 2 (or 3, 4, 5, etc). Enter the ACRES ID for the any additional 

associated brownfields site(s). 

Catalyst Site(s) 

11. Number of catalyst/high priority brownfield site(s) within BF AWP project area. Enter 

the number of properties within the project area that are considered to be the catalyst/high 

priority sites within the BF AWP project area, as identified in the grant workplan. Please note 

that a catalyst/ high priority brownfield site may or may not already have an ACRES ID. 

If you answered one or more to question 11, answer items pertaining to question 12 as needed

For each site that is considered a catalyst/high priority brownfield within the BF AWP project 

area, specify whether the site has an ACRES ID. If a site does not have an ACRES ID, provide 

the site name, address and size (in acres).

12a. Catalyst/high priority site 1. Enter the ACRES ID, or if the site does not have an ACRES 

ID enter the site name, address and site size (in acres).

If needed, add information for additional sites

12b. Catalyst/high priority site 2 (or 3, 4, 5, etc). Enter the ACRES ID, or if the site does not 

have an ACRES ID enter the site name, address and site size (in acres).

Part II: Leveraged Resources

The table in this section collects information pertaining to resources that have been or are being 

leveraged to support revitalization outcomes within the BF AWP project area that are consistent 

with the goals of the brownfields area-wide plan. Resources reported here as leveraging must be 

used to support outputs related to the BF AWP cooperative agreement-funded and/or outcomes 

related to the broader project area revitalization efforts.

Leveraged resources includes funds (private or public investment, grant funds, etc), related 

technical assistance, and other resources provided in-kind. Leveraged funds may be used to 

support allowable activities (e.g., inventory, assessment, cleanup) and activities that cannot be 

funded by the EPA cooperative agreement (e.g., demolition, property preparation, redevelopment 

construction, transportation improvements, marketing, etc) that should be reported in this 

section. 

To be reportable, there must be a demonstrable link or connection between the EPA-funded 

activity and the leveraged resource. The leveraged resource should be reported only when 

awarded and manifested. Given that in many cases the BF AWP effort happened as a result of or 

alongside other project area revitalization efforts, leveraged resources reported here may pre-date 

the award of the BF AWP cooperative agreement. Therefore it is imperative that the CAR report 

the year the resources were awarded. 
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CARs should take great care to ensure that leveraged resources are not double-counted. Any 

leveraged resource that is already reported in ACRES as part of a specific property record (e.g., 

reported as part of an assessment or cleanup site and is associated to the BF AWP grant) must 

not be reported in this section. Site-specific leveraging that is already reported in ACRES as part 

of a specific property record will be captured as part of the property record’s association to the 

BF AWP grant.

The table in this section collects the Source of Resources, name of the entity(ies) providing 

resources, the year resources awarded, how the resources are used, and the amount of resources 

leveraged to support the BF AWP project or BF AWP project area revitalization. Please use a 

separate line for each resource listed. The categories of funding include: 

 Other Federal. Select if any other federal resources were leveraged beyond the BF AWP 

grant and any associated brownfields listed under item 10. Other federal resources 

include, for example, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community

Development Block Grant, U.S. Economic Development Administration Public Works 

grant, EPA technical assistance project, U.S. Department of Transportation 

Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER), etc.

 State/Tribal Funding. Select if any state and tribal resources (exclusive of state and 

tribal property-specific 128(a) cooperative agreement funds) were leveraged (e.g., state 

brownfields grant, state economic development grant). 

 Local Government. Select if any local resources were leveraged (e.g., local bond/tax 

increment financing). 

 Private/Other. Select if any private resources were leveraged (e.g., company X, 

developer Y, non-profit Z). 

Name of Entity Providing Resources. Indicate the name of the entity that provided resources. 

Year Resources Awarded. Use the dropdown boxes to select the year the leveraged resources 

were awarded.

Resources used for. Select one of the dropdown categories for items that were not paid under 

the BF AWP grant:

 Infrastructure improvement: e.g. transportation, utility, broadband improvements

 Supporting study: e.g. a market or renewable energy study of the project area 

 Community outreach/education: e.g., donated meeting space or events used for BF AWP 

community sessions; free advertising to the community of BF AWP events; community

surveys

 Recreation/greenspace improvements: e.g., development of park or recreation space

within the BF AWP project area

 Building (new/rehab): e.g, development of new or rehabilitated buildings within the BF 

AWP project area

 Other

Also provide a specific yet brief description of how the resources were used in support of the BF 

AWP project outputs and/or BF AWP project area revitalization outcomes.
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Amount of Resources Leveraged to Support BF AWP Project or BF AWP Project Area 

Revitalization. Enter the amount of resources that were used in support of BF AWP project 

outputs or BF AWP project area revitalization outcomes. Only the amount that is specific to the 

BF AWP project area should be captured here. If the leveraged resources is designated for an 

area larger than the BF AWP project area (e.g. if the resources was provided for a city-wide 

improvement), include here only the amount used within the BF AWP project area. 

Estimates are accepted but the methodology for apportionment of funds must be documented in 

the grant file. 

Part III: Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Documents

13. Provide weblink to final brownfields area-wide plan document(s). Enter the weblink

where the final BF AWP documents can be accessed.

14. Provide weblink for project photographs. Enter the weblink where photographs from the 

project can be accessed.

15. Share highlights from the final brownfields area-wide plan. Include a brief summary that 

highlights the community and project area goals identified in the final brownfields area-wide 

plan, including the overall BF AWP project approach.

16. Describe past uses and planned future uses within the BF AWP project area. Indicate 

within the tables the type and amount (select acres or square footage) for:

 Past/existing land uses within the BF AWP project area, and

 Planned future land uses within the BF AWP project area (as described within the 

brownfields area-wide plan)

Land use categories include: 

 Greenspace: agricultural site, field, forest, nature trails, park, playing fields, playground, 

pond, recreational area, stormwater management areas, green roof, urban forest canopy, 

wetland, wildlife refuge; 

 Residential: housing; 

 Industrial: chemical plant, foundry, machine shop, incineration, landfill, manufacturing 

(general), mill (general), mining, petroleum (distribution/storage), power generating 

plant, utility, warehouse, water treatment/sewage plant, wood products site; and 

 Commercial: automotive (dealership), dry cleaning facility, bank, museum, office, 

laundry, recycling, retail, service station, storage, public services, places of worship, 

schools, transportation center (bus, rail, etc.). 

 Other: include other land use types not already described in the above categories, and 

further describe the specific type of land use

 For properties with more than one future use (i.e., mixed use), check all categories that 

apply and indicate the proportional acreage of each use. 
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Part IV: Implementation Activities

17. Which of these plan implementation activities relate to your BF AWP project area?

Check all that apply. Select Completed, Underway, Not Yet Started & Not Applicable from the 

dropdown menu. In the space next to each selection, provide one or more specific examples of 

how you are working on or completed the BF AWP plan implementation activity. Add a new 

line to list any activity not listed.

18. Have any catalyst/high priority sites and/or other associated brownfield properties 

within the BF AWP project area been redeveloped or reused consistent with the goals of 

the brownfields area-wide plan? Select Yes, No or Underway from the dropdown boxes to 

indicate whether any catalyst/high priority sites or other associated brownfields properties within 

the BF AWP project area have been or are being redeveloped/reused consistent with the goals of 

 Conducting brownfield site assessments, cleanup or other site preparation activities within 

the project area

 Continuing to reach out to community members and project partners, and create 

opportunities to be involved with plan implementation

 Working with local property owners, developers, and/or securing parcels as needed, to 

prepare brownfields for reuse

 Targeting infrastructure and housing improvements (including 

design/construction/abatement activities) to the project area

 Tying the BF AWP implementation efforts to other city or regional planning efforts 

 Changing/updating policy: e.g., local zoning, creating tax increment (or similar) financing 

or business improvement districts, adopting the brownfields area-wide plan, making other 

changes

 Leveraging infrastructure investments that enable revitalization

 Securing grants or technical assistance opportunities to help further implementation

 Securing nonprofit or private funds to help further implementation

 Working with developers to help further implementation

 Strengthening relationships with federal, state, tribal, regional and local partners to 

continue support for the BF AWP revitalization goals

 List other implementation activities
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the brownfields area-wide plan. If yeswithin the tables the type and amount of acres or square 

footage within the BF AWP project area that have actually been reused or redeveloped. 

If you answered Yes or Underway question 18, answer items pertaining to question 19 as needed

19a-1. Catalyst/high priority site 1. The information from item 12a will automatically appear. 

Select how this property has been redeveloped/reused using the dropdown land use categories. 

If needed, information from the additional catalyst/high priority sites will appear as 19a-2 (or 

3,4,5, etc). 

19a-2. Catalyst/high priority site 2. The information from item 12b will automatically appear. 

Select how this property has been redeveloped/reused using the dropdown land use categories. 

19b-1. Associated brownfields site 1. The information from item 10a will automatically appear. 

Select how this property has been redeveloped/reused using the dropdown land use categories. 

If needed, information from the additional associated brownfield sites will appear as 19b-2 (or 

3,4,5, etc). 

19b-2. Associated brownfields site 2. The information from item 10b will automatically appear. 

Select how this property has been redeveloped/reused using the dropdown land use categories. 

Land use categories include: 

 Greenspace: agricultural site, field, forest, nature trails, park, playing fields, playground, 

pond, recreational area, stormwater management areas, green roof, urban forest canopy, 

wetland, wildlife refuge; 

 Residential: housing; 

 Industrial: chemical plant, foundry, machine shop, incineration, landfill, manufacturing 

(general), mill (general), mining, petroleum (distribution/storage), power generating 

plant, utility, warehouse, water treatment/sewage plant, wood products site; and 

 Commercial: automotive (dealership), dry cleaning facility, bank, museum, office, 

laundry, recycling, retail, service station, storage, public services, places of worship, 

schools, transportation center (bus, rail, etc.). 

 Other: include other land use types not already described in the above categories, and 

further describe the specific type of land use

 For properties with more than one future use (i.e., mixed use), check all categories that 

apply and indicate the proportional acreage of each use. 

Part V: Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned

20. Share one or more activities and/or approaches that worked well for your BF AWP 

project. Provide one or more “best practice” activity or approach that contributed to the success 

of your project.

21. Share one or more major challenges and/or barriers identified during the BF AWP 

project. Provide one or more challenge/barrier/obstacle you faced during your BF AWP project. 

Also include if/how you were able to work through each challenge/barrier/obstacle.
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22. Share key lessons learned and/or any advice you would give to future BF AWP 

cooperative agreement recipients. Provide a short summary of lessons learned during your BF 

AWP project. Also include some words of advice to future CARs that will help them learn from 

your BF AWP grantee experience.

23. Describe how the cooperative agreement term & condition for considering changing 

climate conditions was met during the BF AWP process. Include a brief statement describing 

how you met the term & condition for considering changing climate conditions. 

 CARs need to document in their BF AWP cooperative agreement file how they met this 

term & condition.

 CARs are encouraged to use and include in their BF AWP cooperative agreement file the 

BF AWP GRANTEE CHECKLIST: How to Address Changing Climate Concerns in Your 

Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Project found at 

http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-bf-awp-climate-adaptation-checklist. 

 The term & condition for considering changing climate conditions states: “As recipients 

develop the brownfields area-wide plan and implementation strategy, they must consider 

whether the proposed reuses for brownfield site(s) and other land in the project area are 

appropriate, given local changing climate conditions (e.g., sea level rise, site proximity to 

a flood plain, likelihood of increased major storm events, drought conditions, 

etc.). Recipients may additionally consider the degree to which the proposed reuses in the 

project area can be designed to reduce greenhouse gas discharges, reduce energy use or 

employ alternative energy sources, reduce volume of wastewater generated/disposed, 

reduce volume of materials taken to landfills, reduce stormwater run-off, improve air 

quality, and recycle and re-use materials generated during the cleanup and reuse process, 

to the maximum extent practicable.”

Approvals

24. Cooperative Agreement Recipient Project Manager. Type or print the name of the 

cooperative agreement recipient project manager. The project manager should also sign and 

date the completed form before submission. 

25. U.S. EPA Regional Representative. Type or print the name of the EPA Regional 

representative. The EPA representative should also sign and date the reviewed form.