Staff told the Benton Harbor Brownfield Redevelopment Authority on Oct. 9 that the authority’s brownfields assessment grant application was submitted under the city because the city holds the unique entity identifier (UEI) required by federal grant rules, and that the authority could not get a debriefing from EPA because the agency no longer allows private consultants to attend applicant debriefings.

Therese explained the application was listed under the city rather than the authority because the Brownfield Authority lacks a UEI. She said the EPA had indicated it would contact the mayor and city manager for any debriefing but that, so far, no debriefing or feedback had been provided. "We weren't able to do a debriefing because we were hoping to receive feedback...we don't have that information," she said.

Staff and consultants said the EPA removed some prior reporting requirements (for example, the environmental justice screening tool and minority business reporting) and that the program's focus appears to be shifting toward economic revitalization. Staff also noted that funding available from the bipartisan infrastructure law is expected to shrink in the future, increasing competition for assessment grants.

Board members discussed whether to reapply this year and whether a debriefing would be required before investing staff time and budget to reapply. City Manager Alex Little said ongoing federal and state personnel changes and communication difficulties make predicting EPA actions difficult; he suggested the board could wait to reapply until the federal process stabilizes. Member Ivy Chandler urged the board not to abandon the effort and said earlier debriefings would have been valuable for improving applications.

No formal action was taken; staff said they would forward EPA contact information to the board and that the city would schedule any debriefing with EPA if the agency agreed to provide one. Staff also recommended exploring partnerships with the city and other local organizations if the authority applies again.