ABCs of Brownfields

Below is a glossary of common acronyms used in brownfield redevelopment in the Mid-Atlantic Region. How many do you know?

AAI: All Appropriate Inquiry

A process of evaluating the historic and current usage and environmental conditions of a property to assess potential liability. This is usually completed during the purchase or sale of a property and can provide liability protection to the purchaser.

ABCA: Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives

An ABCA provides information about contamination issues at a site and an evaluation of possible remedial alternatives. This evaluation will be revised, as necessary, and incorporated into the final site cleanup plan for review by the community, project partners, regulatory oversight agencies, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on sites receiving EPA Cleanup Grants.

ACM: Asbestos Containing Materials

Any material containing more than one percent asbestos.

ACRES: Assessment, Cleanup, & Redevelopment Exchange System

An online reporting tool with features to assist with data entry, data submission, and tracking both new and historical data related to an EPA grant or subject properties. ACRES tracks data through each step of the EPA review process and maintains an archive of all data submitted for later reference.

AML: Abandoned Mine Lands

The lands, waters, and surrounding watersheds where extraction, beneficiation, or processing of ores and minerals has occurred.

ARC: Appalachian Regional Commission

An economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.

CAR: Cooperative Agreement Recipient

This is the organization that receives federal funding through a cooperative agreement, such as a Brownfields Grant and other environmental programs. CAR recipients may also be referred to as grantees or award recipients.

CDBG: Community Development Block Grant

A federal grant that provides money and other resources to address a variety of community development needs, including upgrading building facades, creating public spaces, and addressing infrastructure needs. The CDBG is one of the longest-running programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

CERCLA: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

This law enacted by Congress in 1980 created the tax that funds Superfund and outlined liability for contaminated land.

CHNA: Community Health Needs Assessment

A research process non-profit hospitals must implement as part of their community-benefit reporting. CHNAs must be completed by hospitals and health systems every three years and identify the most pressing community health concerns. An implementation plan must then be developed to address identified community health needs.

COC: Contaminant of Concern OR Certificate of Completion

A chemical or substance that has the potential to adversely affect humans due to its concentration, distribution, and mode of toxicity; OR Certified completion through the Voluntary Remediation Program.

DEP: Department of Environmental Protection

The state environmental agency in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

DEQ: Department of Environmental Quality

The state environmental agency in Virginia.

DNREC: Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The state environmental agency in Delaware.

DOEE: Department of Energy and Environment

The agency responsible for protecting the environment in DC.

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

The federal agency responsible for the protection of human health and the environment.

ESA: Environmental Site Assessment

A site investigation conducted to determine the extent, if any, of contamination on a property. They consist of two stages, including Phase I and Phase II.

LIHTC: Low Income Housing Tax Credit

This is a tax incentive to construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing for low-income households.

MARC Grants: Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Funds, and Cleanup Grants

These are the most common types of EPA Brownfields Grants that may be used to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances. In years that either Multipurpose or Revolving Loan Funds are not being awarded, these may be referred to as ARC or MAC Grants instead.

MDE: Maryland Department of the Environment

The state environmental agency in Maryland.

NOFO: Notice of Funding Opportunity

This includes a description of assistance opportunities (like a grant or cooperative agreement) and the entities that are eligible to apply.

NPL: National Priorities List

This is EPA’s list of the most serious hazardous chemical releases. It is a guide for the agency to determine which sites need further investigation and more resources dedicated to address the contamination.

PAHs: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

A class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. They are also produced when coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco are burned. Several of the PAHs and some specific mixtures of PAHs are considered to be cancer-causing chemicals.

PCBs: Polychlorinated Biphenyls

A group of man-made organic chemicals used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications until manufacturing was banned in 1979. PCBs are still present all over the world as they do not readily break down in the environment.

PFAS: Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances

These are a group of nearly 15,000 synthetic chemicals known as “Forever Chemicals” that build up in humans. They are linked to numerous health problems, including cancer. PFAS are commonly found in a variety of consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, adhesives, food packaging, and more.

PO: EPA Project Officer

Once an EPA Brownfields Grant is awarded, a staff member from EPA is assigned as the project officer to work with the award recipient.

REC: Recognized Environmental Conditions

The presence or likely presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products on a property under conditions that indicate an existing release, a past release, or a material threat of a release of any hazardous substances or petroleum products into structures on the property or into the ground, groundwater, or surface water of the property.

RFP: Request for Proposals

A document that announces a project or program and requests proposals and qualifications, as well as project or program plans. An RFP can be used to procure contractors for a wide range of services or to identify a developer for a site.

RFQ: Request for Quotes

Similar to an RFP, this document is used by an organization to invite vendors to submit price quotes and bid on specific products or services. An RFQ is typically used when the buyer knows exactly what they want and is looking to compare prices. On the other hand, an RFP seeks more detailed and customized solutions.

RLF: Revolving Loan Fund

A revolving loan fund (RLF) is a gap financing measure. It is a self-replenishing pool of money, utilizing interest and principal payments on old loans to issue new ones. While the majority of RLFs support local businesses, some target specific areas such as healthcare, minority business development, and environmental cleanup.

SHPO: State Historic Preservation Office

Each state and territory has a designated State Historic Preservation Office that leads preservation efforts to identify and maintain inventories of important properties. Many SHPOs additionally work within their state governments and Main Street communities to coordinate revitalization efforts.

TA: Technical Assistance

Technical assistance typically refers to specialized services and non-financial resources provided to communities or projects. Examples of common technical assistance include project plan review and development, grant application assistance, mentoring, and other training.

TAB: Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities

EPA’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities program provides technical assistance to communities, states, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders to help address their brownfield sites and to increase their understanding and involvement in brownfields cleanup, revitalization and reuse. The Region 3 TAB provider is Mid-Atlantic TAB.

TBA: Targeted Brownfields Assessment

This EPA program helps states, tribes, and municipalities—especially those without EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants—promote the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. Eligible entities may receive assessment services for a site, which is conducted by an EPA contractor on their behalf.

UST: Underground Storage Tank

A tank and associated underground piping that is substantially or totally beneath the surface of the ground. According to EPA, the greatest potential hazard from a leaking UST is that petroleum or other hazardous substance can seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater. State and local governments oversee their USTs and cleanup programs.

VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds

Compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. They are common ground-water contaminants.