2. State assistance for pre-nomination study for brownfield opportunity areas. a. Within the limits of appropriations therefor, the secretary is authorized to provide, on a competitive basis, financial assistance to municipalities, to community based organizations, to community boards, or to municipalities and community based organizations acting in cooperation to prepare a pre-nomination study for a brownfield opportunity area designation. Such financial assistance shall not exceed ninety percent of the costs of such pre-nomination study for any such area. b. Activities eligible to receive such assistance shall include, but are not limited to, the assembly and development of basic information about:

1. (1) the borders of the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
2. (2) the number and size of brownfield sites;
3. (3) current and anticipated uses of the properties in the proposed area;
4. (4) current and anticipated future conditions of groundwater in the proposed area;
5. (5) known data about the environmental conditions of the properties in the proposed area;
6. (6) ownership of the properties in the proposed area; and
7. (7) preliminary descriptions of possible remediation strategies, reuse opportunities, necessary infrastructure improvements and other public or private measures needed to stimulate investment, promote revitalization, and enhance community health and environmental conditions. c. Funding preferences shall be given to applications for such assistance that relate to areas having one or more of the following characteristics:
8. (1) areas for which the application is a partnered application by a municipality and a community based organization;
9. (2) areas with concentrations of brownfield sites;
10. (3) areas for which the application demonstrates support from a municipality and a community based organization;
11. (4) areas showing indicators of economic distress including low resident incomes, high unemployment, high commercial vacancy rates, depressed property values; and
12. (5) areas with brownfield sites presenting strategic opportunities to stimulate economic development, community revitalization or the siting of public amenities. d. The secretary, upon the receipt of an application for such assistance from a community based organization not in cooperation with the local government having jurisdiction over the proposed brownfield opportunity area, shall request the municipal government to review and state the municipal government's support or lack of support. The municipal government's statement shall be considered a part of the application. e. Each application for assistance shall be submitted to the secretary in a format, and containing such information, as prescribed by the secretary but shall include, at a minimum, the following:
13. (1) a statement of the rationale or relationship between the proposed assistance and the criteria set forth in this subdivision for the evaluation and ranking of assistance applications;
14. (2) the processes by which local participation in the development of the application has been sought;
15. (3) the process to be carried out with the state assistance including, but not limited to, the goals of and budget for the effort, the work plan and timeline for the attainment of these goals, and the intended process for community participation in the process;
16. (4) the manner and extent to which public or governmental agencies with jurisdiction over issues that will be addressed in the data gathering process will be involved in this process;
17. (5) other planning and development initiatives proposed or in progress in the proposed brownfield opportunity area; and
18. (6) for each community based organization which is an applicant or a co-applicant, a copy of its determination of tax exempt status issued by the federal internal revenue service pursuant to section 501 of the internal revenue code, a description of the relationship between the community based organization and the area that is the subject of the application, its financial and institutional accountability, its experience in conducting and completing planning initiatives and in working with the local government associated with the proposed brownfield opportunity area. f. Prior to making an award for assistance, the secretary shall notify the temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly. g. Following notification to the applicant that assistance has been awarded, and prior to disbursement of funds, a contract shall be executed between the department and the applicant or co-applicants. The secretary shall establish terms and conditions for such contracts as the secretary deems appropriate, including provisions to define: applicant's work scope, work schedule, and deliverables; fiscal reports on budgeted and actual use of funds expended; and requirements for submission of a final fiscal report. The contract shall also require the distribution of work products to the department, and, for community based organizations, to the applicant's municipality. Applicants shall be required to make the results publicly available.

3. State assistance for nominations to designate brownfield opportunity areas. a. Within the limits of appropriations therefor, the secretary is authorized to provide, on a competitive basis, financial assistance to municipalities, to community based organizations, to community boards, or to municipalities and community based organizations acting in cooperation to prepare a nomination for designation of a brownfield opportunity area. Such financial assistance shall not exceed ninety percent of the costs of such nomination for any such area. b. An application for such financial assistance shall include an indication of support from owners of brownfield sites in the proposed brownfield opportunity area. All residents and property owners in the proposed brownfield opportunity area shall receive notice in such form and manner as the secretary shall prescribe. c. No application for such financial assistance shall be considered unless the applicant demonstrates that it has, to the maximum extent practicable, solicited and considered the views of residents of the proposed brownfield opportunity area, the views of state and local officials elected to represent such residents and the local organizations representing such residents. d. Activities eligible to receive such financial assistance shall include the identification, preparation, creation, development and assembly of information and elements to be included in a nomination for designation of a brownfield opportunity area, including but not limited to:

1. (1) the borders of the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
2. (2) the location of each known or suspected brownfield site in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
3. (3) the identification of strategic sites within the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
4. (4) the type of potential developments anticipated for sites within the proposed brownfield opportunity area proposed by either the current or the prospective owners of such sites;
5. (5) local legislative or regulatory action which may be required to implement a plan for the redevelopment of the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
6. (6) priorities for public and private investment in infrastructure, open space, economic development, housing, or community facilities in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
7. (7) mapping of current and anticipated uses of the properties and groundwater in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
8. (8) existing detailed assessments of individual brownfield sites and, where the consent of the site owner has been obtained, the need for conducting on-site assessments;
9. (9) known data about the environmental conditions of properties in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
10. (10) ownership of the properties in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
11. (11) descriptions of possible remediation strategies, brownfield redevelopment, necessary infrastructure improvements and other public or private measures needed to stimulate investment, promote revitalization, and enhance community health and environmental conditions;
12. (12) the goals and objectives, both short term and long term, for the economic revitalization of the proposed brownfield opportunity area; and
13. (13) the publicly controlled and other developable lands and buildings within the proposed brownfield opportunity area which are or could be made available for residential, industrial and commercial development. e. Funding preferences shall be given to applications for such assistance that relate to areas having one or more of the following characteristics:
14. (1) areas for which the application is a partnered application by a municipality and a community based organization;
15. (2) areas with concentrations of brownfield sites;
16. (3) areas for which the application demonstrates support from a municipality and a community based organization;
17. (4) areas showing indicators of economic distress including low resident incomes, high unemployment, high commercial vacancy rates, depressed property values; and
18. (5) areas with brownfield sites presenting strategic opportunities to stimulate economic development, community revitalization or the siting of public amenities. f. Each application for such assistance shall be submitted to the secretary in a format, and containing such information, as prescribed by the secretary but shall include, at a minimum, the following:
19. (1) a statement of the rationale or relationship between the proposed assistance and the criteria set forth in this section for the evaluation and ranking of assistance applications;
20. (2) the processes by which local participation in the development of the application has been sought;
21. (3) the process to be carried out under the state assistance including, but not limited to, the goals of and budget for the effort, the work plan and timeline for the attainment of these goals, and the intended process for public participation in the process;
22. (4) the manner and extent to which public or governmental agencies with jurisdiction over issues that will be addressed in the data gathering process will be involved in this process;
23. (5) other planning and development initiatives proposed or in progress in the proposed brownfield opportunity area;
24. (6) for each community based organization which is an applicant or a co-applicant, a copy of its determination of tax exempt status issued by the federal internal revenue service pursuant to section 501 of the internal revenue code, a description of the relationship between the community based organization and the area that is the subject of the application, its financial and institutional accountability, its experience in conducting and completing planning initiatives and in working with the local government associated with the proposed brownfield opportunity area; and
25. (7) the financial commitments the applicant will make to the brownfield opportunity area for activities including, but not limited to, marketing of the area for business development, human resource services for residents and businesses in the brownfield opportunity area, and services for small and minority and women-owned businesses. g. The secretary, upon the receipt of an application for such assistance from a community based organization not in cooperation with the local government having jurisdiction over the proposed brownfield opportunity area, shall request the municipal government to review and state the municipal government's support or lack of support. The municipal government's statement shall be considered a part of the application. h. Prior to making an award for assistance, the secretary shall notify the temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly. i. Following notification to the applicant that assistance has been awarded, and prior to disbursement of funds, a contract shall be executed between the department and the applicant or co-applicants. The secretary shall establish terms and conditions for such contracts as the secretary deems appropriate, including provisions to define: applicant's work scope, work schedule, and deliverables; fiscal reports on budgeted and actual use of funds expended; and requirements for submission of a final fiscal report. The contract shall also require the distribution of work products to the department, and, for community based organizations, to the applicant's municipality. Applicants shall be required to make the results publicly available. Such contract shall further include a provision providing that if any responsible party payments become available to the applicant, the amount of such payments attributable to expenses paid by the award shall be paid to the department by the applicant; provided that the applicant may first apply such responsible party payments toward any actual project costs incurred by the applicant.

6. State assistance for brownfield site assessments in brownfield opportunity areas. a. Within the limits of appropriations therefor, the commissioner, in consultation with the secretary of state, is authorized to provide, on a competitive basis, financial assistance to municipalities, to community based organizations, to community boards, or to municipalities and community based organizations acting in cooperation to conduct brownfield site assessments in a brownfield opportunity area designated pursuant to this section. Such financial assistance shall not exceed ninety percent of the costs of such brownfield site assessment. b. Brownfield sites eligible for such assistance must be owned by a municipality, or volunteer as such term is defined in section 27-1405 of the environmental conservation law. c. Brownfield site assessment activities eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, testing of properties to determine the nature and extent of the contamination (including soil and groundwater), environmental assessments, the development of a proposed remediation strategy to address any identified contamination, and any other activities deemed appropriate by the commissioner in consultation with the secretary of state. Any environmental assessment shall be subject to the review and approval of such commissioner. d. Applications for such assistance shall be submitted to the commissioner in a format, and containing such information, as prescribed by the commissioner in consultation with the secretary of state. e. Funding preferences shall be given to applications for such assistance that relate to areas having one or more of the following characteristics:

1. (1) areas for which the application is a partnered application by a municipality and a community based organization;
2. (2) areas with concentrations of brownfield sites;
3. (3) areas for which the application demonstrates support from a municipality and a community based organization;
4. (4) areas showing indicators of economic distress including low resident incomes, high unemployment, high commercial vacancy rates, depressed property values; and
5. (5) areas with brownfield sites presenting strategic opportunities to stimulate economic development, community revitalization or the siting of public amenities. f. The commissioner, upon the receipt of an application for such assistance from a community based organization not in cooperation with the local government having jurisdiction over the proposed brownfield opportunity area, shall request the municipal government to review and state the municipal government's support or lack of support. The municipal government's statement shall be considered a part of the application. g. Prior to making an award for assistance, the commissioner shall notify the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. h. Following notification to the applicant that assistance has been awarded, and prior to disbursement of funds, a contract shall be executed between the department and the applicant or co-applicants. The commissioner shall establish terms and conditions for such contracts as the commissioner deems appropriate in consultation with the secretary of state, including provisions to define: applicant's work scope, work schedule, and deliverables; fiscal reports on budgeted and actual use of funds expended; and requirements for submission of a final fiscal report. The contract shall also require the distribution of work products to the department, and, for community based organizations, to the applicant's municipality. Applicants shall be required to make the results publicly available. Such contract shall further include a provision providing that if any responsible party payments become available to the applicant, the amount of such payments attributable to expenses paid by the award shall be paid to the department by the applicant; provided that the applicant may first apply such responsible party payments towards actual project costs incurred by the applicant.

8. Applications. a. All applications for pre-nomination study assistance or applications for designation of a brownfield opportunity area shall demonstrate that the following community participation activities have been or will be performed by the applicant:

1. (1) identification of the interested public and preparation of a contact list;
2. (2) identification of major issues of public concern;
3. (3) provision to access to the draft and final application for pre-nomination assistance and brownfield opportunity area designation supporting documents in a manner convenient to the public;
4. (4) public notice and newspaper notice of (i) the intent of the municipality and/or community based organization to undertake a pre-nomination process or prepare a brownfield opportunity area plan, and (ii) the availability of such application. b. Application for nomination of a brownfield opportunity area shall provide the following minimum community participation activities:
5. (1) a comment period of at least thirty days on a draft application;
6. (2) a public meeting on a brownfield opportunity area draft application.