RRC Brownfields Response Program

(BRP)

Brownfields Mission:

Similar to the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), the RRC’s Brownfields Response Program was created as an additional means to incentivize the remediation of properties in Texas contaminated by oil and gas-related activities.

The RRC’s Brownfields Program provides FREE environmental site assessments and limited cleanups at Brownfield sites for qualified entities in order to protect the environment, create jobs, and revitalize communities by increasing property values and tax revenue.

What is a Brownfield?

A “Brownfield” site is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a real property of which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminates.

Who is eligible for the Brownfields Grant Funds?

State, local, and tribal governments
Non-profit organizations
Quasi-governmental agencies
Private landowners with community-supported projects
Universities and school districts
Economic Development Corporations

How to apply and what to expect

Complete the Brownfields Application and mail to:

Brownfields Response Program
Railroad Commission of Texas
PO Box 12967
Austin, Texas 78711

Be sure to include all necessary documents with your application, such as site location and property description information, as well as property tax information, a redevelopment plan for the site, and information about your organization. RRC staff will review applications upon receipt to determine if both the site and applicant are eligible for a Targeted Brownfields Assessment. An acceptance or rejection letter will be issued within 45-days of receiving the completed application.

Following acceptance into the Brownfields Program, RRC staff will coordinate with one of our contracted engineering firms to conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). The RRC’s contracted engineering firm will coordinate access to the property with the applicant. Once the final Phase I ESA has been completed, RRC staff will provide a copy of the report to the applicant. Based on the results of the Phase I ESA, RRC staff and the applicant will discuss the need for further environmental investigations on the property. Following successful remediation of the property, the RRC Brownfields staff will issue a Certificate of Completion to the applicant.

History of the Program:

The RRC’s Brownfields Response Program was created in 2002, when the Commission was awarded Brownfield Grant funding through the EPA Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act Section 128(a).

Since the RRC began participation in the program, the Commission has been awarded over $2.5 million in EPA Brownfield Grant Funds. Staff of the program have conducted environmental investigations at 37 Brownfield properties and over 6,000-acres of greenspace have been remediated. Additionally, it is estimated that over 1,000 jobs have been created through the successful redevelopment of RRC Brownfield sites.

Brownfield Success Stories:

Additional resources: