Petroleum Brownfields

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What's New? 

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: A Historic $1.5 Billion Investment in Brownfields 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) invests $1.5 billion in EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program. Some abandoned gas stations with petroleum contamination may be good candidates for brownfields funding. More information on this historic investment, including types of grant funding and eligibility requirements, can be found on EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization's (OBLR’s) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law webpage.

Opportunities for Partnership and Success

EPA Region 6 recently finalized a new resource, Underground Storage Tanks and Brownfields: Opportunities for Partnership and Success. This document highlights opportunities for tanks and brownfields programs to partner at the national, regional, state, tribal and local levels to assess, cleanup, and help prepare abandoned UST and LUST sites for sustainable reuse.

Introduction

Brownfield is a term applied to a 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 the contaminant is petroleum.

Resources

·  Revitalization Webinars

·  Understanding Brownfields fact sheets

·  Brownfields Road Map outlines how to access and cleanup a brownfield site.

Of the estimated 450,000 brownfield sites in the U.S., approximately one-half are thought to be impacted by petroleum, much of it from leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) at old gas stations. These sites blight the surrounding neighborhoods and 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, such as old, abandoned gas stations, are being cleaned up and reused to the benefit of communities across the country. EPA’s Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) and Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) jointly focus on the cleanup and reuse of petroleum contaminated sites.  OUST focuses on the cleanup of federally regulated leaking underground storage tank sites, prioritizing high risk releases.  OBLR awards brownfields grants for the assessment and cleanup of petroleum brownfields, prioritizing relatively low risk releases. 

States determine the prioritization and risk of 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, unique exposure pathways, or environmental justice communities.  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 improves and protects the environment. 

History of EPA Petroleum Brownfields

Since its inception in 1995, EPA's Brownfields Program has grown into a results-oriented program that has changed the way contaminated property is perceived, addressed, and managed. Initially, EPA provided small amounts of seed money to local governments that launched hundreds of two-year brownfield pilot projects.

Petroleum-contaminated sites were not eligible for traditional brownfields funding. Through passage of the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act in 2002, brownfields policies that EPA developed over the years were passed into law. The 2018 Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act reauthorized EPA's liability provisions, and state and tribal response programs.  

Identifying, Assessing, and Cleaning Up 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 implementing agency for information on the site. Many state and local government websites contain lists (often called inventories or databases) of brownfield properties, including petroleum sites, within their jurisdictions. The EPA encourages states and local areas to develop and maintain lists or inventories of brownfield properties that could potentially be reused. Your state implementing agency or state brownfields program is the best place to find a listing of brownfield sites.

Once identified, 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. As much as possible, it is important to consider the reuse of a petroleum brownfield site when planning to clean it up. In several states the potential reuse of a site can affect the cleanup design. Petroleum contaminated sites that are to be cleaned up and reused for residential housing, for example, may require more stringent remediation than for a parking lot where contamination may be encapsulated and paved over.

Identifying Petroleum Brownfields

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. A property that is perceived to be contaminated by petroleum is a potential petroleum brownfield site until assessment of the site proves there is no petroleum contamination or clearly identifies contaminants of concern so they can be cleaned up to meet the designated end use.

The size of petroleum brownfield varies significantly; some sites are smaller than an acre, while other sites are huge former industrial properties. Some sites are bare soil, while others have existing buildings and infrastructure. For redevelopment purposes, it is important to remember that small sites can be combined to make larger sites depending on the desired use.

State and Local Inventories of Petroleum Brownfield Sites

Resources

Below are a few examples of the lists, or inventories, of petroleum contaminated brownfield sites compiled by some states and local jurisdictions. These inventories can include databases or maps and provide a snapshot of the contaminated sites within a given area. 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.

The information available with inventories varies. Some inventories contain only addresses of petroleum sites while others contain detailed information or maps of brownfields sites. Even if an area does not have a brownfields inventory, they may have publicly available information about leaking underground storage tank sites, some of which could be petroleum brownfields.

Assessing and Cleaning Up Petroleum Brownfield Sites

The petroleum assessment and cleanup process varies by state. Each contaminated site must be cleaned up to satisfy state and federal requirements. State requirements are at least as stringent as the federal requirements, and often surpass them. For petroleum brownfield site assessments and cleanups, implementing agencies are often the first place to seek information and assistance.  Brownfields stakeholders may also connect with Brownfields contacts in EPA regional offices who are available to assist cleanup and redevelopment efforts at petroleum brownfields sites.

Addressing Liability Issues

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. If someone buys a property with petroleum contamination, they could become legally responsible for cleaning up that contamination. Prospective purchasers should start coordinating with relevant regulatory authorities as early as possible to protect themselves from liability during and after the cleanup and reuse of the property.

Financial Resources

There are numerous sources of financial assistance for the cleanup and redevelopment of petroleum-contaminated sites. Many local, state, and federal government environmental and economic development programs provide financial assistance in the form of grants and cleanup funds. The resources highlighted in this section provide a brief glimpse into common revitalization themes.

Beyond this assistance is a wealth of public and private resources that may be available depending on the intended reuse of a cleaned up 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.

Resources

Federal Government Programs

Each year, 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. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act in 2002 outlines specific criteria by which petroleum sites may be eligible for brownfields grant funding. These criteria are briefly described as follows: the site must be of relatively low risk; there can be no viable responsible party; the applicant cannot be potentially liable for cleaning up the site; and the site must not be subject to a RCRA corrective action order.

To determine if a leaking underground storage tank site is eligible for brownfield grants, it may be necessary to request a determination of eligibility from the state petroleum regulatory authority regarding low-risk priority petroleum-contaminated or suspected sites. Where the state is unable to make the eligibility determination, EPA will make the determination. EPA will make the determination for tribes.

Updated Petroleum Eligibility Language

EPA recently updated the petroleum-eligibility language for Brownfields Grant funding 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 is 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. See the FY24 Cleanup Grant Guidelines as an example.

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

Brownfields Job Training Program

As part of a broader training curriculum, the EPA Brownfields 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.

State and Local Programs

Many states also have programs and resources that provide technical and financial assistance for the assessment, cleanup, and reuse of petroleum sites. A good place to look for information are the state implementing agencies websites. Several of the guides below include information on both public and private funding.

Private Sector Resources

In most brownfields redevelopment projects, private-sector involvement (e.g., private developers) is a major component. Once a site's contamination uncertainties are cleared up, the private sector often steps in to pay for cleanup and redevelopment in recognition of the site's value for reuse.  Listed below are examples of funding and in some cases, technical assistance resources from the private sector:

  • Nonprofit groups, such as Habitat for Humanity or environmental organizations
  • In-kind contributions from local businesses, such as materials donations or services
  • Private foundations, for example through competitive grant programs
  • University support, typically in the form of technical assistance
  • Community Development Financial Institutions provide credit, capital, and financial services to underserved communities 

Reusing Cleaned Up Petroleum Sites

Petroleum brownfield sites are being cleaned up and reused for many different purposes across the U.S. Some old abandoned gas station sites are now the locations for new businesses and new affordable housing. This section provides numerous examples of how petroleum brownfields are being reused and offers ideas to consider when planning a petroleum brownfields reuse.

The cleanup and reuse of a petroleum site is a contribution to sustainable environmental practice. Cleaning up and reusing petroleum-contaminated land saves pristine land elsewhere from development and potentially from future contamination. As much as possible, it is important to consider the reuse of a petroleum brownfield site when planning to clean it up. It takes close cooperation among many differing parties to plan and carry out a petroleum brownfields reuse project. Federal, state, and local governments are often involved in the cleanup and reuse of petroleum brownfields, as are the assistance and resources of private entities.

Resources for the Reuse of Petroleum Brownfields

The publications and links below provide examples of challenges, tools, and best practices encountered by petroleum brownfield revitalization practitioners that could be applicable to your petroleum brownfield projects.

EPA Publications and Guides

Partner Publications and Best Practices

Partnerships

Inter-Governmental

Successful government involvement in a revitalization project usually involves collaboration across program lines and between different governments. It is important that all levels of government - federal, state, and local - work together. Within each government level, tank remediation, brownfields, revitalization, and economic development programs must cooperate to fully capitalize on the potential of reusing petroleum brownfield sites. Depending upon the reuse of a site, it is possible that government offices including housing, parks and recreation, and others may become involved.

For an example of a successful inter-governmental collaboration on a revitalization project focused on a corridor, see The Route 66 Partnership Exploring Cleanup and Redevelopment Opportunities.

For a description of how Colorado, Michigan, and Washington use cross-program cooperation for redeveloping petroleum brownfields, see the June 2020 issue of LUSTLine, a publication of the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission.

Public and Private Partnerships

There are many benefits from public and private partnerships for communities, and for regulators. These partnerships can promote the coordination of regulatory programs, the streamlining of administrative procedures, and a multi-stakeholder examination of cleanup solutions and risk sharing. 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. EPA is committed to building partnerships to foster brownfields cleanups and reuse.

Opportunities for Small Businesses

Resources

An old, abandoned property contaminated by petroleum can be an excellent site for a new small business. Abandoned gas station sites often have traits that can make them excellent locations for a small business, including:

  • Relatively small size that easily accommodates a small business
  • Prominent location, many times on a corner lot on busy thoroughfares
  • Already possesses necessary infrastructure, negating the need for expensive land clearing and for new access to water and power sources and other amenities
  • Useable buildings are already in place

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.

Success Stories

This section provides success stories for petroleum brownfields categorized according to how a site is reused, such as for housing, commercial and business, public, or environmental and recreational reuse. Each success story includes a wealth of information on how the project was conducted, which can help others undertake and complete similar projects.

  • Housing Reuse: Petroleum-contaminated property has been cleaned up and reused for affordable housing, assisted living, public housing, and private residences.
  • Commercial And Business Reuse: Petroleum-contaminated properties are being cleaned up and reused for all sorts of businesses large and small. Small businesses find old gas station sites a perfect fit for a new fast food restaurant, bank, or pharmacy. Larger developments have occurred on larger properties or where smaller properties have been combined.
  • Public Reuse: Because old, abandoned gas stations are found in many communities, governments often find these sites to be excellent locations for new public services, such as firehouses, police stations, health care centers, education centers, and government services offices.
  • Environmental And Recreational Reuse: Petroleum-contaminated properties are being cleaned up and reused in ways that both enhance the environment and enrich community living. A cleaned up petroleum site can make a major contribution to cleaner water in rivers, lakes, and harbors and provide recreational facilities for the local community.

This table categorizes some of the successful reuse projects we have heard about from across the country. To sort these examples, just click on the column headers.

Reuse Type State City Project Resource
Housing Indiana Indianapolis Live-Work Residences Former Gas Stations Transformed into Vibrant Live-Work Residences (PDF)  (1 pg, 53 K, About PDF)
Housing Massachusetts Worcester Affordable Housing Gardner-Kilby-Hammond (GKH) Revitalization Project
Housing South Carolina Greenville Housing for Homeless Coordinating Resources from Two EPA Programs Maximizes Effectiveness (PDF) (3 pp, 162 K, About PDF)
EPA-560-F-239. March 2008.
Housing Utah Salt Lake City Affordable Housing Engaging Communities in Healthy Living Through Revitalization: Jefferson School Apartments Phase II (PDF) (1 pg, 90 K, About PDF)
Housing Vermont Swanton Duplex Habitat for Humanity Sees a Former Gas Station as a Perfect Fit for Residential Reuse (PDF) (1 pg, 103 K, About PDF)
EPA-560-F-08-304. October 2008.
Commercial And Business Maine Lewiston Business Park Bates Mill
Commercial And Business Maryland Baltimore Business Center Green Theme Story [Green Buildings]
EPA 500-F-03-249. October 2003.
Public Connecticut East Hartford Educational Facilities Brownfields Success in New England: Goodwin College Riverfront Campus (PDF)(1 pg, 510 K, About PDF)
Public Connecticut New Haven Family Center "r" Kids Family Center
Public Florida Clearwater Community Health Resource Center Improving Public Health in Brownfields Communities (PDF) (4 pp, 188 K, About PDF)
EP-560-F-07-253. January 2008.
Public Louisiana Shreveport Convention Center A Brownfields Intervention Results in the New Shreveport Convention Center (PDF) (1 pg, 92 K, About PDF)
EPA-560-F-07-213. June 2007.
Public Massachusetts Worcester Boys and Girls Club Gardner-Kilby-Hammond (GKH) Revitalization Project
Public New Hampshire New Ipswich Town Offices and Police Station Seppala and Aho: Success in Assessment Demonstration Pilot Program
Public Nevada Reno Events Center Reno's New Events Center is a Major Venue for Downtown Entertainment (PDF) (1 pg, 87 K, About PDF)
EPA-560-F-06-226. August 2006.
Public Rhode Island Providence Save The Bay Education Center Save the Bay Center
Environmental and Recreational Connecticut New London Waterfront Boardwalk Success in EPA-Conducted Targeted Brownfields Assessments
Environmental and Recreational Connecticut Norwich Riverfront Park Brownfields Success in New England: Occum Park (PDF) (1 pg, 364 K, About PDF)
Environmental and Recreational Massachusetts Fitchburg Riverfront Park Rubber Factory Contaminated Site Becomes an Urban Oasis

Sustainability Success Stories

Frequent Questions

  • If I want to inquire about or find the status of a petroleum brownfield near me, who do I contact?
    You can also contact your state implementing agency or the EPA petroleum brownfields staff person in your region.
     
  • What can be done about a petroleum brownfield?
    Petroleum brownfields are a potential threat to the soil and ground water of a community. Any contamination at the site must be assessed and cleaned up to state requirements. Once a site is cleaned up, the community, a private investor, or the local government can consider reusing the cleaned up site. Some communities have used the sites for small businesses, office buildings, health clinics, public buildings, parks or recreational facilities, low-income housing, green space, and parking lots.
     
  • What is EPA doing about petroleum brownfields?
    Each year the Agency awards competitive Brownfield grants for the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites, including petroleum brownfield sites. EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks and EPA's Brownfields Program developed petroleum brownfields action plans to focus attention and resources on petroleum brownfield sites and to foster the cleanup and reuse of these 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.
     
  • How much money has EPA awarded to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields?
    Since 2002, EPA has awarded an average of $23 million a year to assess and clean up petroleum brownfields.
     
  • 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 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 also have resources available for the reuse of petroleum brownfields.
     
  • Is a cleaned up petroleum site really safe to reuse?
    Most states have cleanup requirements for contaminated sites. Once a site is cleaned up to meet the state's standard, the state will acknowledge this milestone for the site. From there, the reuse of a site can vary widely. Some states place parameters on how some cleaned up sites 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.
     
  • How many petroleum brownfield sites have been reused to date?
    No one knows for sure, though state or local areas may have information available on sites in their jurisdictions. For more information, visit your state, city, or county website or contact your state implementing agency. EPA is just beginning to track the revitalization of these sites as a part of the Assessment, Cleanup, and Redevelopment Exchange Systems (ACRES) System.
     
  • 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 or underground storage tanks, please visit:
    For information on brownfields programs, including petroleum brownfields,  please visit:

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Last updated on May 30, 2024