BUILD Act

To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to modify provisions relating to grants, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2015 BUILD Act 2. Expanded eligibility for nonprofit organizations Section 104(k)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(1) (1) in subparagraph (G), by striking or (2) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (I) an organization described in section 501(c)(3) (J) a limited liability corporation in which all managing members are organizations described in subparagraph (I) or limited liability corporations whose sole members are organizations described in subparagraph (I); (K) a limited partnership in which all general partners are organizations described in subparagraph (I) or limited liability corporations whose sole members are organizations described in subparagraph (I); or (L) a qualified community development entity (as defined in section 45D(c)(1) . 3. Multipurpose brownfields grants Section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (9) and (10) through (12) as paragraphs (5) through (10) and (13) through (15), respectively; (2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) subject to paragraphs (5) and (6) (3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) Multipurpose brownfields grants (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (D) and paragraphs (5) and (6), the Administrator shall establish a program to provide multipurpose grants to an eligible entity based on the considerations under paragraph (3)(C), to carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, planning, or remediation activities at 1 or more brownfield sites in a proposed area. (B) Grant amounts (i) Individual grant amounts Each grant awarded under this paragraph shall not exceed $950,000. (ii) Cumulative grant amounts The total amount of grants awarded for each fiscal year under this paragraph shall not exceed 15 percent of the funds made available for the fiscal year to carry out this subsection. (C) Criteria In awarding a grant under this paragraph, the Administrator shall consider the extent to which an eligible entity is able— (i) to provide an overall plan for revitalization of the 1 or more brownfield sites in the proposed area in which the multipurpose grant will be used; (ii) to demonstrate a capacity to conduct the range of eligible activities that will be funded by the multipurpose grant; and (iii) to demonstrate that a multipurpose grant will meet the needs of the 1 or more brownfield sites in the proposed area. (D) Condition As a condition of receiving a grant under this paragraph, each eligible entity shall expend the full amount of the grant not later than the date that is 3 years after the date on which the grant is awarded to the eligible entity unless the Administrator, in the discretion of the Administrator, provides an extension. . 4. Treatment of certain publicly owned brownfield sites Section 104(k)(2) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(2) (C) Exemption for certain publicly owned brownfield sites Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an eligible entity that is a governmental entity may receive a grant under this paragraph for property acquired by that governmental entity prior to January 11, 2002, even if the governmental entity does not qualify as a bona fide prospective purchaser (as that term is defined in section 101(40)), so long as the eligible entity has not caused or contributed to a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance at the property. . 5. Increased funding for remediation grants Section 104(k)(3)(A)(ii) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(3)(A)(ii) $200,000 for each site to be remediated $500,000 for each site to be remediated, which limit may be waived by the Administrator, but not to exceed a total of $650,000 for each site, based on the anticipated level of contamination, size, or ownership status of the site 6. Allowing administrative costs for grant recipients Paragraph (5) of section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (1) in subparagraph (B)— (A) in clause (i)— (i) by striking subclause (III); and (ii) by redesignating subclauses (IV) and (V) as subclauses (III) and (IV), respectively; (B) by striking clause (ii); (C) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii); and (D) in clause (ii) (as redesignated by subparagraph (C)), by striking Notwithstanding clause (i)(IV) Notwithstanding clause (i)(III) (2) by adding at the end the following: (E) Administrative costs (i) In general An eligible entity may use up to 8 percent of the amounts made available under a grant or loan under this subsection for administrative costs. (ii) Restriction For purposes of clause (i), the term administrative costs (I) investigation and identification of the extent of contamination; (II) design and performance of a response action; or (III) monitoring of a natural resource. . 7. Small community technical assistance grants Paragraph (7)(A) of section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (1) by striking The Administrator may provide, (i) Definitions In this subparagraph: (I) Disadvantaged area The term disadvantaged area (II) Small community The term small community (ii) Establishment of program The Administrator shall establish a program to provide grants that provide, ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (iii) Small or disadvantaged community recipients (I) In general Subject to subclause (II), in carrying out the program under clause (ii), the Administrator shall use not more than $600,000 of the amounts made available to carry out this paragraph to provide grants to States that receive amounts under section 128(a) to assist small communities, Indian tribes, rural areas, or disadvantaged areas in achieving the purposes described in clause (ii). (II) Limitation Each grant awarded under subclause (I) shall be not more than $7,500. . 8. Waterfront brownfields grants Section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (11) Waterfront brownfield sites (A) Definition of waterfront brownfield site In this paragraph, the term waterfront brownfield site (B) Requirements In providing grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall— (i) take into consideration whether the brownfield site to be served by the grant is a waterfront brownfield site; and (ii) give consideration to waterfront brownfield sites. . 9. Clean energy brownfields grants Section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (12) Clean energy projects at brownfield sites (A) Definition of clean energy project In this paragraph, the term clean energy project (i) a facility that generates renewable electricity from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; and (ii) any energy efficiency improvement project at a facility, including combined heat and power and district energy. (B) Establishment The Administrator shall establish a program to provide grants— (i) to eligible entities to carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, plan­ning, feasibility analysis, design, or remediation activities to locate a clean energy project at 1 or more brownfield sites; and (ii) to capitalize a revolving loan fund for the purposes described in clause (i). (C) Maximum amount A grant under this paragraph shall not exceed $500,000. . 10. Targeted funding for States Paragraph (15) of section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) (C) Targeted funding Of the amounts made available under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, the Administrator may use not more than $2,000,000 to provide grants to States for purposes authorized under section 128(a), subject to the condition that each State that receives a grant under this subparagraph shall have used at least 50 percent of the amounts made available to that State in the previous fiscal year to carry out assessment and remediation activities under section 128(a). . 11. Authorization of appropriations (a) Brownfields revitalization funding Paragraph (15)(A) of section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 9604(k) 2006 2018 (b) State response programs Section 128(a)(3) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ( 42 U.S.C. 9628(a)(3) 2006 2018 June 14, 2016 Reported without amendment

Summary: Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2015 or the BUILD Act This bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to revise programs and funding regarding brownfields. (Brownfields are certain commercial properties that are hindered from reuse or redevelopment due to the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.) (Sec. 2) The bill makes certain nonprofit organizations and community development entities eligible for brownfields revitalization funding. (Sec. 3) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must establish a program to provide multipurpose grants to carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, planning, or remediation activities at brownfield sites. (Sec. 4) The brownfield site characterization and assessment grant program is revised by authorizing eligible governmental entities to receive grants for property that was acquired before January 11, 2002, even if the entities do not qualify as bona fide prospective purchasers. (Sec. 5) The bill increases the cap on the amount that may be given in grants and loans for each site to be remediated. (Sec. 7) The EPA must establish a grant program that provides training, research, and technical assistance to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments, remediation of brownfield sites, community involvement, or site preparation. (Currently, the EPA may provide funding for this purpose.) The bill authorizes the EPA to use up to a specified amount of the funding made available for the grant program on grants to assist small communities, Indian tribes, rural areas, or disadvantaged areas. (A small community is one with a population of no more than 15,000 individuals and a disadvantaged area has an annual median household income that is less than 80% of the state-wide annual median household income.) (Sec. 8) The EPA must give consideration to waterfront brownfield sites located adjacent to bodies of water or federally designated floodplains when providing brownfield grants. (Sec. 9) The EPA must establish a program to provide grants to: (1) carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, planning, feasibility analysis, design, or remediation activities to locate a clean energy project at brownfield sites; and (2) capitalize a revolving loan fund for those purposes. A clean energy project means: (1) a facility that generates renewable electricity from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; and (2) any energy efficiency improvement project at a facility. (Sec. 11) The bill: (1) reauthorizes through FY2018 and revises brownfields revitalization funding, and (2) reauthorizes through FY2018 state and tribal response programs (programs responding to brownfields).