2026 National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Awards

EPA Recognizes 2026 Excellence in Reuse Awards for Federal Facility Cleanup Sites 

EPA is announcing the winners of the 2026 National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Awards, recognizing outstanding partnerships among federal agencies, states, local partners, communities and developers that have restored and reused contaminated land at federal facilities. 

EPA established the award to recognize the teams who have supported the reuse and restoration of federal facility sites through outstanding efforts. Their work shows that strong, collaborative partnerships are key to revitalizing neighborhoods and environments. When cleanup efforts align with the surrounding community’s needs and vision, they are most successful.

The 2026 award winners are: 

Base Realignment and Closure Award: Former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California (Air Force)  

The former Castle Air Force Base cleanup team has turned the 2,000-acre base into the Castle Commerce Center and Castle Airport. This redevelopment has created a dynamic hub for aviation, innovation, education, housing, recreation, and public services that support thousands of jobs, with thousands more expected in the years ahead. It is a model for turning decommissioned military facilities into vibrant community assets that honor a site’s legacy. 

Superfund Non-National Priorities List Award: Valgold Ore Processing Area, Mohave National Preserve in California (National Park Service) 

The Valgold Ore Processing Area team has rehabilitated a history of legacy mining into a public and ecological asset. The National Park Service removed thousands of tons of contaminated soil, debris and hazardous waste and restored the area to habitat that now safeguards threatened species like the desert tortoise and Joshua tree. This restoration erased decades of mining and milling impacts to preserve these exceptional lands for the enjoyment of current and future generations.  

Background: 

EPA created the National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse award to recognize exceptional work in remediating federal sites for beneficial use and positive impacts to the community.   

EPA has ongoing cleanup and property transfer responsibilities at nearly 2,400 federal facility sites across the country, including 175 federal facilities on the Superfund National Priorities List, some of the nation’s largest and most complex cleanup sites. The EPA is promoting innovative, cost-effective cleanups at federal facilities by working with federal agencies, Tribal, state, territorial, and local governments, communities, and developers to ensure that federal facilities meet environmental standards and undergo redevelopment for both public and private-sector reuse. 

These awards recognize project teams that have demonstrated excellence in working cooperatively with EPA to ensure the reuse of a site matches the type of cleanup actions taken. Award winners have demonstrated excellence in: 

  1. Working cooperatively and forming partnerships.
  2. Complementing redevelopment design with the selected remedy.
  3. Innovating beneficial use outcomes.
  4. Considering the impacts on and inputs from the local community.
  5. Creating jobs, fostering economic development or recreational opportunities, or sustaining mission support.

Previous Award Winners:

Cleanups at Federal Facilities

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Last updated on July 8, 2026