Petroleum Brownfields

On this page:

• Introduction
• Identifying Petroleum Brownfields 
• Financial Resources and Technical Assistance 
• Assessing and Cleaning Up Petroleum Brownfields Sites 
• Reusing Cleaned Up Petroleum Sites 
• Addressing Petroleum Brownfields – Information for Implementing Agencies
• State Collaboration Success Stories
• Frequently Asked Questions 

Introduction

Brownfield is a term applied to real property where its expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance. A petroleum brownfield is a type of brownfield where petroleum is the source of contamination. This includes but is not limited to properties contaminated by releases from underground storage tanks.

 Petroleum contamination can be found at many different types of properties. Many abandoned sites, such as old gas stations, auto service businesses, factories, mill sites, shipyards, transit stations, and junkyards have been found to be contaminated by petroleum from UST releases. These sites blight the surrounding neighborhoods and can threaten human health and the environment. Petroleum can contaminate groundwater, the source of drinking water for nearly half of the U.S. population. 

Petroleum brownfields are being cleaned up and reused to benefit communities across the country. Cleaning up and reinvesting in petroleum contaminated properties increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, provides new amenities for the community such as parks and recreation, utilizes existing infrastructure, and protects the environment. 

Identifying Petroleum Brownfields

Locating a petroleum brownfield site can be as simple as driving past and taking note of an old, abandoned gas station and then checking with your state UST implementing agency for information on the site. Many state and local government websites contain lists (often called inventories or databases) of brownfield properties within their jurisdictions. Your state UST implementing agency or state and Tribal brownfields response program are the best places to find a listing of brownfield sites. State and local officials use these inventories to promote the availability and marketability of their petroleum brownfield sites. Developers and others use the inventories to look for potential reuse sites.

 A property that is perceived to be contaminated by petroleum is a potential petroleum brownfield site. A site assessment can determine whether there is no petroleum contamination, or it can identify contaminants of concern so the site can be cleaned up to meet standards appropriate for the property’s end use. Sometimes, a site assessment is all that is needed to determine that the site is ready for reuse.

Financial Resources and Technical Assistance

There are numerous sources of financial assistance for the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of petroleum-contaminated sites. Many federal, state, and local government environmental and economic development programs provide financial assistance in the form of grants and cleanup funds. Public and private resources also may be available depending on the intended reuse of a site. For instance, parks and recreation programs at the local, state, and federal government levels may have resources devoted to the development of new parkland or recreational facilities. Federal, state, and local housing authorities may have resources devoted to developing low-income housing. Many governments also provide tax incentives to encourage redevelopment.

Federal and State Resources

Federal Brownfields Resources

EPA awards Brownfields Grants to local governments, states, Tribes, and non-profit organizations to assess and clean up brownfields, including those impacted by petroleum contamination. Explore the types of funding available and eligibility for EPA’s Brownfields Grants. EPA also provides several types of free technical assistance to support local efforts to address brownfield sites.

State and Tribal Brownfields Response Programs

EPA’s State and Tribal Brownfields Response Program empowers states, Tribal Nations, territories, and communities to build strong partnerships and local capacity to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. 

Awarded annually and administered through cooperative agreements with EPA regional offices, these State and Tribal Response Program funds are commonly referred to as Section 128(a) funding, after the program’s authorization in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. 

States and Tribal Nations are responsible for developing brownfields cleanup standards and policy and conducting or overseeing assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in their jurisdictions. EPA provides funding to help establish or enhance state and Tribal response programs.

UST Resources

EPA’s UST Program works to prevent releases from USTs and clean them up when they happen. EPA allocates federal LUST Trust Fund funding to support state and Tribal release prevention and cleanup programs annually through grants. States typically use federal cleanup resources to pay for staff that oversee LUST cleanups. Some LTF money is used for site-specific work at higher priority LUST sites. 

Some states also have state-specific funding sources to assess and cleanup releases at UST sites. States with state financial assurance funds typically pay for eligible cleanups at Responsible Party-lead sites. Some states have funds specifically designated for abandoned sites, which may also be eligible for brownfields reuse projects. State UST contacts are the best source of information on state-specific resources.

Private Sector Resources

Private-sector involvement can be a major component of brownfields redevelopment projects. Once a site is assessed, the private sector may step in to pay for cleanup and redevelopment in recognition of the site's value for reuse. Resources or technical assistance to support these projects may come from real estate developers, nonprofit groups or environmental organizations, in-kind contributions from local businesses, private foundations, or universities.

Assessing and Cleaning Up Petroleum Brownfield Sites

The management of a petroleum brownfield site requires specific technical expertise. A petroleum-contaminated site must first be assessed to determine the nature and extent of the contamination. An assessment will guide how a site is to be cleaned up. Sometimes, an assessment of a petroleum brownfields site is all that is needed to deem the site ready for reuse. 

It is important to consider the reuse of a petroleum brownfield site when planning to clean it up. The potential reuse of a site can affect the cleanup design and standards. For example, petroleum contaminated sites that are to be cleaned up and reused for residential housing may require more stringent remediation than would be required for a parking lot where contamination may be encapsulated and paved over. 

The petroleum brownfield assessment and cleanup process varies by state. Contact the UST state implementing agencies for information and assistance with petroleum brownfields site assessments and cleanups. Brownfields contacts in EPA regional offices are also available to assist with questions about cleanup and redevelopment efforts at petroleum brownfields sites. 

Visit Cleaning Up Underground Storage Tank Sites for technical information for assessing and cleaning up UST release sites, some of which may be petroleum brownfields.

Addressing Liability Issues

If someone buys a property with petroleum contamination, they could become legally responsible for cleaning up that contamination. Prospective purchasers should do their due diligence to understand the conditions of the site in terms of contamination and potential liabilities. 

EPA encourages the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated properties by clarifying Superfund liability concerns and implementing the landowner liability protections. However, petroleum brownfields do not always fall under those protections. The reference documents in the resource box provide additional information.

Reusing Cleaned Up Petroleum Sites

This section provides examples of how petroleum brownfields are being reused and offers ideas to consider when planning a petroleum brownfields reuse. 

Cleaning up and reusing petroleum-contaminated land saves pristine land elsewhere from development and potentially from future contamination. These sites can be reused for small businesses, office buildings, health clinics, public buildings, parks or recreational facilities, low-income housing, green space, and parking lots.  It takes close cooperation among many parties to plan and carry out a petroleum brownfield reuse project. Federal, state, and local governments are often involved in the cleanup and reuse of petroleum brownfields, and private entities often provide assistance and resources.

Successful Reuse Examples

Massachusetts

EPA Region 1 worked with the town of Lunenberg, Massachusetts to address an abandoned UST site. The former gas station site sat idle for over twenty years with its canopy and pumps still standing and its USTs and piping still in the ground. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued notices of non-compliance several times over the years and officially listed the property as contaminated from the USTs. The Town took ownership of the property after a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment paid for with local funding, and a Phase II Site Assessment covered by a 104(k)-assessment grant in the region were completed. These activities and change in ownership made the site eligible for the Brownfields program, including direct technical assistance through the Targeted Brownfields Assessment program.

EPA selected the site in 2022 for Brownfields support. Work on the site began in May 2023 and included removing four tank systems from the property -- two 10,000-gallon gasoline tanks, one 4,000-gallon diesel tank, and one 500-gallon oil tank. Additional investigation activities are planned with the goal of LUST site cleanup and eventual redevelopment.

Pennsylvania

In Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, the Greene County Industrial Development Authority identified a former automotive fueling and service station site with high reuse potential. This site was vacant with seven leaded gasoline, gasoline, diesel and used motor oil USTs for approximately 20 years. The GCIDA was awarded a US EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant in 2022, with the support of the Greene County Commissioners. With the funding assistance, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment was completed which identified environmental conditions directly associated with the historic use. Most notably, unknown conditions of two gasoline USTs, which were reportedly closed in place and filled with concrete. The GCIDA board authorized a Phase II ESA be completed including a full assessment of the potential USTs, which would involve removal to evaluate potential releases. After the Phase II assessment was completed, and no exceedances of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Non-Residential Statewide Health Standards were identified, the site was purchased by a local business in 2024. The site has been redeveloped into a machinery reclamation and auction company, which in turn has expanded their business and created two new full-time jobs.

Opportunities for Small Businesses

An old, abandoned property contaminated by petroleum can be an excellent site for a new small business. Abandoned gas stations are often on major roadways, making them good locations for businesses. Generally, these sites are relatively small, have usable buildings in place, and already have access to water and power sources. In addition, many state and local areas have created incentives to foster the cleanup and reuse of these sites, including tax advantages or financial incentives.

Partnerships

Inter-Governmental

Successful government involvement in a revitalization project usually involves collaboration across program lines and between different levels of government as well as Tribal governments where applicable. It is important that all government entities - federal, state, Tribal and local - work together. Tank remediation, brownfields, revitalization, and economic development programs must cooperate to fully capitalize on the potential of reusing petroleum brownfield sites. The Addressing Petroleum Brownfields – Information for Implementing Agencies section of this webpage for information for state and local UST and Brownfields personnel.

Public and Private Partnerships

Petroleum brownfields revitalization projects may also involve public and private partnerships, which can improve coordination, administration, and stakeholder engagement. In addition, public and private partnerships may pursue more public interest development and realize end-use possibilities for abandoned gas station sites that have societal benefits, such as a police station or a medical clinic.
 

Addressing Petroleum Brownfields - Information for Implementing Agencies

Introduction

EPA works to cleanup federally regulated underground storage tank release sites, with a focus on high priority releases. EPA also awards brownfields grants for the assessment and cleanup of brownfields for relatively low priority releases. Brownfields and UST programs can work together on innovative approaches to assess, clean up, and reuse abandoned UST sites to benefit communities across the country. 

States can determine the risks posed by petroleum releases by considering factors such as the release volume, total population exposed, proximity or impact to groundwater aquifers, drinking water wells contaminated, source water protection areas, and unique exposure pathways. Once site risks are understood, then a site can be prioritized accordingly. 

Brownfields redevelopment projects can be a good pathway towards cleanup of UST releases.  There are many potentially eligible UST sites including lower priority abandoned UST release sites and abandoned USTs and UST facilities. With aging UST infrastructure and changes in fuel consumption, we may see more abandoned gas stations and sites with potential contamination from leaking USTs. Note that operating gas stations and many responsible party-led cleanups would not be candidates for brownfields program assistance.

UST and Brownfields Program Collaboration

EPA’s UST and Brownfields programs have a long history of working together to find innovative ways to address sites with known or perceived contamination from petroleum products. Numerous abandoned former gas stations, other USTs, and UST release sites have been assessed and cleaned up in whole or in part using Brownfields funding and subsequently reused to benefit communities. Some UST release sites may only need sampling to determine there is no environmental risk, and the cleanup can be considered complete with No further action is necessary to protect human health and the environment. 

Communication and collaboration between UST and Brownfields programs at the federal, state, Tribal and local government levels is essential to identify and address potentially eligible UST sites for redevelopment. Understanding the roles, flexibilities, and available resources of each program is an important step in determining coordination opportunities. There is some variability in state UST and Brownfields programs, and it is important to understand the nuances of each program. UST and Brownfields programs should coordinate to understand available resources to address contaminated sites in the state.

How do UST and Brownfields Programs Get Started?

Collaboration is key to matching potentially eligible tank sites with brownfields support and funding. Critical steps include: 

1. Create an inventory of potentially eligible UST sites. 
2. Identify viable sites that may meet brownfields eligibility criteria. 
3. Work together to match appropriate funding sources to eligible sites.
4. Consider reuse options for eligible sites.
5. Partner with relevant stakeholders.

Eligibility for Brownfields Resources

EPA and state brownfields programs can provide funding to assess and cleanup brownfields sites. Petroleum-contaminated sites must meet certain requirements to be eligible for brownfields grant funding. Generally, states determine brownfields site eligibility. Where the state is unable to make the eligibility determination, EPA will make the determination. EPA will make the determination for Tribes. Interested individuals should check with their state Brownfields Coordinators or EPA on eligibility for sites contaminated with petroleum. 

EPA maintains Information on Sites Eligible for Brownfields Funding under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) § 104(k). Petroleum is defined under CERCLA as “crude oil or any fraction thereof which is not otherwise specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance under that section.” Per section 1.3.2, for a petroleum-contaminated site that otherwise meets the definition of a brownfield site to be eligible for funding, EPA or the state must determine: 

1. There is no viable responsible party. 
2. The site will not be assessed, investigated, or cleaned up by a person that is potentially liable for cleaning up the site. 
3. The site must not be subject to a corrective action order under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 9003(h). 

In general, actively operating gas stations and many responsible party-led cleanups would not be candidates for brownfields program assistance. Abandoned UST release sites, and abandoned USTs and UST facilities may be eligible, including: 

• Lower priority abandoned UST release sites that have known contamination but are not moving forward because there is no viable responsible party and/or no funding available to clean up the site.
• Abandoned USTs and UST facilities, including former gas stations or fueling facilities that are a blight on communities and may have the presence or perceived presence of petroleum contamination that inhibits reuse of the property. In addition, abandoned USTs associated with former facilities are often encountered during construction and redevelopment.

Petroleum Eligibility Language

EPA updated the petroleum-eligibility language for Brownfields Grant funding in FY 2024 and beyond to clarify that if the site has petroleum contamination from an UST, then eligibility should flow based on an evaluation of who owns the tank (instead of the former structure that was based on who owns the site). While most of the petroleum determinations are made by the states, EPA must make the petroleum determinations for sites on Tribal lands. 

Contact a Brownfields Program representative in your EPA regional office to discuss eligibility requirements and any current or upcoming funding opportunities.

Available Resources to Address Eligible Sites

Brownfields Resources

EPA awards Brownfields Grants to local governments, states, Tribes, and non-profit organizations to assess and clean up brownfields, including those impacted by petroleum contamination. Explore the types of funding available and eligibility for EPA’s Brownfields Grants. 

EPA’s State and Tribal Brownfields Response Program empowers states, Tribal Nations, territories, and communities to build strong partnerships and local capacity to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. 

States and Tribal Nations are responsible for developing brownfields cleanup standards and policy and conducting or overseeing assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in their jurisdictions. EPA provides funding to help establish or enhance state and Tribal response programs.

EPA also provides several types of free technical assistance to support local efforts to address brownfield sites. 

In addition to the opportunities described above, EPA’s Job Training Grants provide funding to nonprofits, local governments, and other eligible organizations to provide environmental training for residents impacted by brownfield sites in their communities. Note to potential grant applicants who focus on UST work: as part of a broader training curriculum, the EPA Job Training Program now allows an applicant to provide training in release detection methods, techniques, and practices at UST facilities where hazardous substances and/or petroleum products are or were located, in order to assess whether the tanks have leaked or may be leaking.

UST Resources 

Federal LUST Trust Fund money is provided to state UST programs annually via formula grants. State UST programs can use LTF money to do site-specific assessment and cleanup work at higher priority sites only. If LTF money is used for site-specific work, the state program needs to pursue cost recovery. For more information on the fund, visit State Grant Policy and Guidance | US EPA. 

Many states have state financial assurance funds that pay for eligible UST release site cleanups. Many of these state financial assurance funds reimburse the Responsible Party for the cleanup work done at the site and do not cover abandoned UST release sites or sites with no viable responsible party. Check to see if your state has a fund that has  the ability to pay for abandoned UST release sites or  a separate program to address abandoned UST release sites.

Brownfields Contacts

• State and Tribal Brownfields Response Programs.
• EPA Brownfields Program Regional Contacts.
• EPA Brownfields Grant Recipients List and Contacts.
• Technical Assistance to Brownfields Points of Contact.

State Collaboration Success Stories 

Oklahoma 

The Brownfields and UST programs at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission work closely together to address former tanks sites in the state. Specifically, they worked with the town of Okemah to identify solutions for dealing with the large number of gas stations in their town and began The Okemah Brownfields Project. Learn more about the commission's broader efforts redeveloping brownfields on their general Brownfields Department webpage. 

South Carolina 

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services UST Program was interested in collaborating with their state brownfields program after learning about other states’ successes across the country. Learn more about their efforts on the inventory, characterization, assessment, and cleanup plan development for brownfield sites in the L.U.S.T.Line Article, Leveraging Brownfields Funding to Remove Out-of-Compliance Underground Storage Tanks in South Carolina.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Whom do I contact if I want to inquire about a petroleum brownfield near me?
  You can contact your state UST implementing agency or the Brownfields contacts in EPA Regional offices. Local governments may have information about property ownership and permits.
   
• What are the benefits of addressing petroleum brownfields?
  Communities have used these formerly contaminated sites for small businesses, office buildings, health clinics, public buildings, parks or recreational facilities, low-income housing, green space, and parking lots. Any contamination must be assessed and cleaned up per state and federal requirements before it can be reused.
   
• What is EPA doing about petroleum brownfields?
  EPA awards competitive Brownfield grants for the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites, including petroleum brownfield sites.
   
• Are there resources available from EPA to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields?
  Yes. EPA's Brownfields Program awards grants and provides technical assistance for just this purpose.
   
• Do state and local governments have resources to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields?
  Many states and local areas, especially large cities, have brownfields or similar programs that offer technical and/or financial assistance to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields. For more information, contact or visit the website of your state UST implementing agency or state brownfields program.
   
• Are there resources available from other sources to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields?
  Yes. Other federal government programs and developers, lenders, banks, and many other entities in the private sector have resources available for the reuse of petroleum brownfields.
   
• Is a cleaned-up petroleum site actually safe to reuse?
  The cleanup requirements for a petroleum contaminated site may depend on the planned reuse of the property. Regulatory agencies issue a No Further Action letter when a site satisfies land use requirements. States may place parameters on how a site can be reused. For instance, some formerly contaminated sites may only be reused for industry and not for schools. Others may be reused for residential housing. Your state government regulatory authority determines the cleanup requirements for your state. For more information, contact your state implementing agency.
   
• If I want to find a petroleum brownfield site(s) to reuse, where do I look?
  Some states and local areas, especially cities and counties, maintain lists of petroleum brownfield sites. Many of these entities maintain the lists on their websites. For more information, contact or visit the website of your state implementing agency or state brownfields program.
   
• How do I contact EPA about petroleum brownfields?
  For information on petroleum brownfields, please contact Sara Miller (via email at miller.sara@epa.gov) or state personnel at your State Underground Storage Tanks Programs. For information on brownfields programs, including petroleum brownfields, please visit the Brownfields Contacts in EPA Regional offices to find a point of contact.