In 2001, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Office of Brownfields developed the Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Cleanup in Vulnerable Communities Initiative (CVCI).
The CVCI is an effort to enhance environmental justice and promote sustainable development in historically underserved California communities. As part of the broader CVCI program, the ECRG program aims to support community-driven projects that address environmental cleanup and revitalization in vulnerable or disadvantaged communities.
The CVCI allocated $500 million to expedite the cleanup and reuse of contaminated properties, known as brownfields, particularly in vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Within that initiative, the ECRG provides more than $250 million in grants to further incentivize cleanup and investment.
ECRG gives California communities an unprecedented opportunity to address historic environmental injustices and establish a new path for land use that offers immediate and lasting benefits, including recreational parks, green spaces, commercial enterprises, and housing.
California public entities, nonprofits, and Tribal organizations have access to various funding opportunities within the ECRG program, including:
Community-Wide Assessment Grant: A fixed $350,000 grant (which may include up to $50,000 for Clean Water Act (CWA) activities) for Phase I or II Environmental Site Assessments, Preliminary Endangerment Assessments, and community engagement.
Site-Specific Investigation Grant: Providing $150,000 to $7 million for cleanup planning at a site slated for reuse. Work includes Phase I and II Site Assessments, Preliminary Endangerment Assessments, supplemental site investigations, cleanup method evaluation, and more.
Site-Specific Cleanup Grant: Providing $300,000 to $10 million for planning, implementation, and reporting costs for the cleanup, pilot tests, and analysis to design the cleanup, public engagement, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) activities.
All available funding supports the mission of ECRG, encouraging beneficial reuse of land through assessment, investigation, and cleanup. Additionally, the program and its funding seek to transform brownfields into vibrant community spaces where people live, work, play, and learn in a healthy environment.
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