The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), which regulates the state’s business environment and law, announced recently that it is preparing the next round of Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Brownfields Grants through the Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development Fund. Through the business environment and law, RIDEM also announced that it expects to offer approximately 2.5 million dollars for this round of RFPs.
The Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development Fund was created to encourage the reuse of brownfields, in a business environment and law and regulation, throughout Rhode Island. The program is implemented by RIDEM and its purpose is to offer funding for:
- Remedial investigation
- Redevelopment
- Remedial design
- Construction of remedies, and other associated work.
Eligible expenses will vary with the type of grant application. Some examples of types of eligible expenses may include “the costs of personnel salary and fringe, travel, supplies, constructions, and contractual services. With respect to personnel, [RIDEM] generally will not subsidize salaries of existing governmental staff, but rather encourages such expenses to be allocated as match.”
According to RIDEM, this latest round of Brownfields Grants will not deviate from past rounds. The business environment and law makers saw fit to provide opportunities for beneficial property reuse and that vision has not changed. Corporate entities, Rhode Island’s business environment and law professionals, consultants, and municipalities are all eligible for the RFP process.
RIDEM will review grant applications favorably for those proposals that result in job creation for the business environment and law abiding project proponents. So long as the project proposes to create permanent and temporary jobs and/or solar and renewable energy sources to these subject properties.
For the state’s business environment and law arena, RIDEM indicates that there will be one new proposal mandate – as an administrative matter, this grant round will require that all applicants submit an IRS W-9 form, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification.
The grant program provides the business environment and law industry “the criteria for evaluating and prioritizing applications, provides funding support and technical assistance to facilitate and accelerate the return of Brownfields to productive re-use and strengthen Rhode Island’s economic base. In general, these funds should be used to clean up sites in Rhode Island, create jobs, assist small businesses, and add to the tax base of the communities where they are utilized.” Learn more about the updates and how the Brownfields Grants can help small businesses.
Applicants eligible to apply during the RFP process include those in the business environment and law markets, “government or public entities, Non-Profit entities, and Private/Non-Governmental entities that are proposing projects on brownfield sites and have real economic development impact, create jobs, leverage private funds, and return under-utilized properties to beneficial re-use.” Learn more about eligible applicants for the Brownfields Grants.
The attorneys at Desautel Browning Law have the experience and confidence you need to assist with Rhode Island’s business environment at law surrounding environmental programs.
To learn more about Desautel Browning Law and how it can represent you and your business, call us at 401.477.0023 today.
