- Granting Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
- Appropriation Amount: $20,000,000
- Grant Amount: Variable
- Announcement Date: May 5, 2023
- Closing Date: June 23, 2023
Purpose: The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971 included the transfer of 44 million acres to Alaska Native regional and village corporations. Some of these lands became contaminated prior to conveyance (transfer) from a variety of activities such as fuel storage, power generation, waste handling practices, mining and other activities.
These contaminants — which include but are not limited to arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and petroleum products — can pose health concerns to Alaska Native communities, impact subsistence resources, and slow economic activity.
In its fiscal year 2023 omnibus bill, Congress appropriated $20 million for EPA to establish and implement a grant program to assist Alaska tribal entities with addressing contamination on ANCSA lands that were contaminated at the time of conveyance.
Eligible Expenditures:
These grants may be used to help with the inventory, verification, assessment, and remediation of the contaminated sites, as well as related community outreach and involvement.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible tribal entities include Alaska Native regional corporations, Alaskan Native village corporations, federally-recognized tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native nonprofit associations, and inter-tribal consortia comprised of Alaskan tribal entities.