Tainted Assistance Program for ANCSA Land Holders

About the EPA's ANCSA Contamination Program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a new program starting in fiscal year 2023, funded to assist Alaska Native Tribal entities tackle contamination on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands contaminated prior to the time of conveyance. The program offers grants for site assessment, remediation, community outreach, and related activities. For more info, check out the Contamination on ANCSA Conveyed Lands page.

On this page you'll find:

Program Guidelines
Eligible Tribal Entities
Eligible Sites
How to Apply
Application Templates and Resources
Current Recipients
Administrative Resources and Tools
Technical Assistance for Applicants and Recipients
Other EPA Funds for Contaminated Sites

Program Guidelines

The aims are to provide funding for evaluating and cleaning up these lands, and conduct planning and community outreach activities related to these lands. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis for up to $3M projects with periods of up to 5 years. Check the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance for more details.

Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance (pdf) (425.03 KB, April 2025)

Eligible Tribal Entities

Alaska Native Regional and Village Corporations
Federally Recognized Tribes in Alaska
Alaska Native Nonprofit Associations
Alaska Native Nonprofit Organizations
Alaskan Inter-Tribal Consortia

Eligible Sites

EPA will fund site evaluation and clean-up if there is a reasonable basis to believe that the site was contaminated at the time of conveyance. Applicants must provide proof that the site meets the following criteria:

Was conveyed under ANCSA
Was contaminated with hazardous, toxic substances, pollutants, or oils at the time of conveyance
Is listed on the EPA's Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory

If the site is not included in the inventory, it must be submitted for review. For concerns or questions, contact ANCSAInventory@our website.

How to Apply

Before submitting a proposal, get in touch with the program coordinator, Ken Andraschko (andraschko.kenneth@our website). Once you've discussed eligibility, submit a funding request by email, including a project description, workplan, and budget. If your proposal is accepted, you'll be invited to submit a complete application package through grants.gov after the initial review process.

Further details can be found in the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance, as well as on grants.gov.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Listing 66.965 (SAM.gov)

Assistance for New and Returning Entities

For returning or current grant recipients: Jeff Estes (estes.jeff@our website) – 907-271-6558
For new applicants: Mahri Lowinger (lowinger.mahri@our website) – 907-271-6334

Application Templates and Resources

Eligible entities can find resources to assist with proposal development. Below you'll find several templates to help ensure all required elements are addressed.

Templates:

Narrative Template (docx) (120.61 KB, April 2025)
Work Plan Components Template (pdf) (292.8 KB)
Detailed Budget Worksheet (xlsx) (144.61 KB, February 2025)
Detailed Budget Worksheet (pdf) (2.54 MB, November 2024)

Current Recipients

Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation: Addressing fuel spill impact on lands; lead testing and asbestos abatement at the former Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Utqiagvik
Tyonek Native Corporation: Conducting inventory, characterization, and decommissioning of abandoned drums; cleaning up remaining contaminants on the lniskin Peninsula
Ounalashka Corporation: Removing soils contaminated with PCBs and conducting initial soil/groundwater sampling at a WWII warehouse in Dutch Harbor
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council: Removing contaminated soils and timbers from a former pumphouse and barge landing at the Tanana Community Hall
Aleut Corporation: Permanently covering an asbestos landfill near Adak to protect locals and the environment

For more details, see EPA's ANCSA story map (click on "Current Efforts")

Administrative Resources and Tools

Progress Reporting

Progress reports should include accomplishments against work plan commitments, cumulative project effectiveness, problem areas, and suggestions for improvements. Generally, reports are submitted quarterly but may be negotiated with the EPA Project Manager. There is no specific format for a progress report, but check out the template for assistance.

Progress Report Template (pdf) (213.47 KB)

SF 425 Federal Financial Report

This form is required annually within 90 days of the end of the performance period. In the last year of a grant, the form covers the entire grant period. Visit EPA Grantee Forms.

MBE/WBE Report

Recipients must complete EPA Form 5700-52A to report minority and woman-owned businesses (MBE/WBE) utilization under EPA assistance agreements. Annual reports are due by October 30, and a final report is due October 30 or 120 days after the end of the project, whichever comes first. Visit EPA Grantee Forms.

Learn more about EPA's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Requirements.

Procurement of Equipment, Supplies, and Contracts

Procurement standards are described in 2 CFR 200.

EPA's Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment

This guide outlines financial transactions and rules for awarding and managing contracts. Visit Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements.

Grants.gov

If considering this program, ensure your organization's SAM.gov registration and unique entity ID are up to date. Registration may take up to four weeks. For support, contact the Grants.gov Support Center – available 24/7 at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected].

Do not submit federal application forms for the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program in grants.gov until provided specific instructions from EPA project managers.

Technical Assistance for Applicants and Recipients

EPA has partnered with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Contamination Support Program, and Alaska Native Village Corporation Association to provide technical assistance to applicants and recipients. For site verification and other support, contact the relevant partner.

Other EPA Funding for Contaminated Sites

There are other EPA grant programs available to address environmental issues, such as the Brownfields program and the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants.

To learn more about brownfields, visit Brownfields in EPA Region 10 and Types of Brownfields Funding.

The Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program offers grants for undertaking site assessments, remediation activities, and community outreach on contaminated lands, with a focus on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands.
Site evaluation and cleanup are eligible for funding if there is evidence that the site was contaminated at the time of conveyance and meets certain criteria, such as being conveyed under ANCSA, being contaminated with hazardous substances at the time of conveyance, and being listed on the EPA's Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory.
To apply for funding, potential applicants should first contact Ken Andraschko, the program coordinator, to discuss eligibility. After discussing eligibility, a proposal can be submitted, including a project description, work plan, and budget.
The program is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is part of the overall effort to improve the air, water, and overall environment of Alaska through the use of science and environmental-science principles, with the support of financial resources.