The Blight Elimination and Brownfield Redevelopment Program (BEBR)

The Blight Elimination and Brownfield Redevelopment Program (BEBR) provides grant funds to assist local governments, businesses and individuals with assessing and remediating the environmental contamination of an abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial facility or site. This program typically receives about $7.5 million in a combination of state and federal funds each fiscal year. The maximum grant award is $1.25 million.  Grants require a 20 to 50 percent match depending on the size of the grant awarded.

Any city, village, town, county, individual or businesses may apply for funds provided that the party that caused the environmental contamination and any person who possessed or controlled the environmental contaminant is either unknown, cannot be located or is financially unable to pay.

• The environmental investigation, remediation or groundwater monitoring of the site;
• The removal of underground storage tanks or hazardous waste containers;
• The acquisition cost of the brownfield site;
• Site clearance, building demolition or building renovation;
• Asbestos and lead paint abatement; and
• Infrastructure improvement

The BEBR program has a continual application process in which applications are accepted throughout the year, and potential applicants are encouraged to contact Program Staff and the Area Development Manager to discuss the project first. In reviewing the applications, Commerce considers the following criteria in an application review:

• The potential of a project to promote economic development;
• Whether the project will have a positive effect on the environment;
• The quality and amount of the applicant's contribution to the project; and
• The innovativeness of the proposal for remediation and redevelopment.

• The Department is required to award at least 7 grants for projects that are located in municipalities with a population of less than 30,000.
• The Department can not make an award of greater than $1,250,000.
• Grant funds can not be used to pay lien claims to the Department of Natural Resources or the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Grant funds can not be used to pay delinquent real estate taxes or interest/penalties that relate to those taxes.

Each successful applicant must enter into a contract with Commerce for the purpose of implementing the proposed grant. The contract will require the creation and maintenance of the project's proposed new full-time positions for a minimum two-year period.  Recipients must provide regular financial and program reports and when applicable, ensure compliance with Federal requirements such as environmental review and Davis-Bacon wage issues.

BEBR has a number of publications that may be of interest to economic development and community officials. 

These documents are downloadable from the following links in Adobe Acrobat:

• Blight Elimination and Brownfields Redevelopment (BEBR) Grant Program Fact Sheet
• Financial Resource Guide for Cleanup & Redevelopment 
• Wisconsin Statutes 560.13 (related to state funded program grants)
• Administrative Code Comm 110 (related to state funded program grants)
• Area Development Managers (business and community assistance)

Hardcopies of these documents are available by emailing Al Rabin, or calling 608-267-8926. 

If you have any questions regarding the program or other forms of brownfield financial assistance, please contact: