CONTAMINATED ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT LANDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM is sponsored by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This program provides funding to assist Tribal entities in Alaska with addressing contamination on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands that were contaminated prior to the time of conveyance.

Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program | US EPA Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Congress appropriated funding starting in fiscal year 2023 for the EPA to establish and implement a grant program to assist Tribal entities in Alaska with addressing contamination on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands that were contaminated prior to the time of conveyance.

Funding is awarded as cooperative agreements for site assessment and remediation, as well as related community outreach and involvement. Visit Contamination on ANCSA Conveyed Lands for more information about EPA's ANCSA program.

Proposal development templates and resources Administrative resources and tools Technical assistance for applicants and recipients Other EPA funding for contaminated sites The objectives are to provide funding to characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement activities related to these lands, and carry out cleanup activities at ANCSA sites contaminated at the time of conveyance.

Proposals for cooperative agreements are accepted on a rolling basis for a maximum amount of $3M per project with project periods of up to 5 years. As long as funds remain available, EPA expects to extend the closing date of this opportunity. The Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance describes program background, eligible entities and sites, allowable activities and costs, and outlines proposal required elements.

Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance (pdf) (425. 03 KB, Updated April 2025) Alaska Native Regional and Village Corporations Federally Recognized Tribes in Alaska Alaska Native Nonprofit Associations Alaska Native Nonprofit Organizations Alaskan Inter-Tribal Consortia EPA will award funding for site assessment and cleanup provided there is a reasonable basis to conclude it was contaminated at the time of conveyance.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the site: Was conveyed pursuant to ANCSA. Was contaminated by hazardous or toxic substances, pollutants, contaminants, or oil at the time of conveyance. Is on EPA’s Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory.

Check EPA’s Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory to determine whether the site is included. If the site is not included on the inventory , then the applicant must submit a new site for review. If you have general questions or concerns about a site in your community, or whether a site on the inventory is described accurately, please send an email to ANCSAInventory@epa.

gov . After a new site is submitted, the submitter will receive a confirmation email. It will then be listed on the Proposed ANCSA Sites Layer of EPA’s Common Operating Picture until it is verified for eligibility by EPA.

To be eligible to receive EPA’s Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program cooperative agreements, sites must be "verified" – meaning on ANCSA conveyed land and contamination was present at the time of conveyance. Before submitting a proposal: please review the Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory to determine whether the site(s) you wish to assess and/or cleanup is eligible.

If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact Contaminated ANCSA Lands Site Inventory Manager, Stephen Nguyen ( nguyen. stephen@epa. gov ), 206-553-1073.

If you need technical assistance in considering cleanup options, learning more about grants, or working with qualified environmental professionals, please see our technical assistance for applicants and recipients resources listed below. Eligible applicants may submit multiple funding requests for various sites. It may be possible to receive more than one award per entity.

Each funding request proposal must include: Narrative project description. The project manager who reviews your proposal will invite your organization to submit a complete application package in Grants. gov after completing the initial proposal review process.

Further details on how to apply are provided in the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program Guidance, as well as on Grants. gov . Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Listing 66.

965 (SAM. gov) Mahri Lowinger ( lowinger. mahri@epa.

gov ), 907-271-6334, Senior Contaminated ANCSA Lands Project Manager Jeff Estes ( estes. jeff@epa. gov ), 907-271-6558, Contaminated ANCSA Lands Project Manager Proposal development templates and resources Below are several resources for eligible entities to assist in the development of funding requests.

The use of these optional templates may help ensure that all required elements are addressed. Narrative Template (docx) (120. 61 KB, Updated April 2025) Work Plan Components Template (pdf) Detailed Budget Worksheet (xlsx) (144.

61 KB, Updated February 2025) Indirect cost rates help ensure that recipients are compensated for administrative costs incurred under an EPA assistance agreement (e.g., costs for renting space, utilities, accounting services, human resource services). Applicants that have an indirect cost rate should include them in their detailed budget.

Indirect Cost Guidance for Recipients of EPA Assistance Agreements (RAIN-2018-G02-R) : This notice explains EPA’s 2018 policy that aligns indirect costs with 2 CFR Part 200. Application forms for the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program do not need to be provided at the time of submission of initial funding request proposals (narrative description, workplan components, and detailed budget).

The project manager who reviews your proposal will invite your organization to submit a complete application package in Grants. gov after completing the initial proposal review process. The following application forms are typically required when applying for EPA grants.

Visit EPA Grantee Forms for copies. SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance: This form is required with every grant application. SF 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs: This form is required with every grant application.

EPA Form 4700 4, Pre-award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and Recipients Requesting Federal Financial Assistance: This form is required with every grant application. EPA Form 5700 54, Key Contacts Form: This form is required with every grant application. EPA Form 6600 06, Certification Regarding Lobbying: This form is required for all grants over $100,000.

For applicants considering this program, please ensure that your organization’s SAM. gov registration and unique entity ID are current. If you need to register your organization in Grants.

gov, please allow up to four weeks to complete registration. For Grants. gov support, contact the Grants.

gov Support Center – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants. gov . Please do not submit federal application forms for the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program in Grants.

gov until you are provided specific instructions from EPA project managers. Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation: UIC has two ANCSA assistance projects – both of which are former properties of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Utqiakgivk, Alaska. The first is is a fuel spill assessment and Hazardous Material Building survey of a powerhouse.

The latest is the abatement and removal of asbestos contamination in a section of Iḷisaġvik College to repurpose limited indoor office space critical for the community. Native Village of Unalakleet: Cleanup of an old vault site containing contaminated sludge and soil, as well as address the physical risks posed by having an open 12-foot deep vault with an 18-foot vertical culvert.

The Unalakleet River is in close proximity to the site, where community members rely on the river for subsistence and drinking water. Kawerak, Inc.: Conduct a removal action at the Shishmaref Shoreline Tar Barrels site. Tar barrels and debris were discarded after the State of Alaska constructed a runway in Shishmaref the 1950’s.

Construction waste was buried near the shoreline, but erosion from storms exposed the subsurface barrels. Kawerak’s Contaminated Sites Program aims to work closely with the Native Village of Shishmaref, City of Shishmaref, and Shishmaref Native Corporation to remove the exposed subsurface barrels. Tyonek Native Corporation: Conduct an inventory, characterization and removal of abandoned drum located on the Iniskin Peninsula.

Once drums are removed, then a phase II site characterization of the surface and subsequent remediation. Ounalashka Corporation: Remove soils contaminated with PCBs from around the WWII -era Building 551 located in Unalaska. Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council: Remove contaminated soils and timbers from a former pumphouse and barge landing at the Tanana Community Hall in Tanana.

Aleut Corporation: Build a permanent monofil cover for the asbestos landfill created when weather destroyed a former Naval Public Works building near the town of Adak. The permanent cover will protect the residents and the environment from loose asbestos becoming airborne during storm events. For more details, check out EPA’s ANCSA story map (click on "Current Efforts").

Administrative resources and tools The Code of Federal Regulations outlines the requirements, which includes: Description of accomplishments measured against work plan commitments (activities). Cumulative effectiveness of the work performed under all workplan commitments. Suggestions for improving the work plan, including the timeline for making improvements if appropriate.

Grantees typically report quarterly but may negotiate a different reporting schedule with their EPA Project Manager. There is no required format for a progress report. However, to simplify reporting, below is a template you may use.

Please contact your EPA Project Manager for any assistance or recommendations. Progress Report Template (pdf) 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 the Cooperative Agreement, the SF-425 must cover all cumulative years of the grant and is due 120 days of the end of the performance period.

Visit EPA Grantee Forms . Recipients must complete EPA Form 5700-52A to report Minority Business Enterprises/Women Business Enterprises (MBE/WBE) utilization under EPA assistance agreements when the combined total of funds budgeted for procuring supplies, equipment, construction or services exceeds the Simplified Acquisition Threshold of $250,000. Annual reports are due by October 30 of each year.

Final reports are due by October 30 or 120 days after the end of the project period, 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 (links to Code of Federal Regulations). EPA's Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment This guide describes the financial transactions covered by the competitive contracting requirements and other rules you must follow when awarding and administering EPA funded contracts.

Visit Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements . Frequent questions about Alaska Native Corporation procurement Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) are unique entities for the purposes of participating in EPA financial assistance programs.

The document below will help answer questions on how ANCs and others who may be using EPA grant funds for transactions with ANCs or their subsidiaries can comply with requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 and related EPA guidance.

Frequent Questions about Alaska Native Corporation Procurement (pdf) EPA determines that all projects funded by a grant or cooperative agreement are completed and administrative requirements are met through the grant closeout. Reports required for closeout must be submitted no later than 120 days after the project period end date. Visit Tribal Grant Closeouts in Region 10 for details.

Quality Assurance Project Plan resources A Quality Assurance Project Plan is a written document that describes your plan for collecting and using environmental data. Grantees that develop QAPPs must obtain approval for the QAPP from EPA (or from states or Tribes with delegated QAPP approval authority) before starting environmental data activities.

Visit Quality Assurance Project Plans for Tribes in Region 10 to find outlines of the required elements and templates to help you get started.

Technical assistance for applicants and recipients EPA has funded two technical assistance providers with who are working as partners with EPA in administering the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Program: The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is working closely with EPA in site verification associated with the Contaminated ANCSA Sites Inventory.

DEC staff are available to assist communities with site verification including document review and sampling, and site submission to the inventory. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Contamination Support Program is available to provide technical assistance with site research, proposal development, and training in communities.

The Alaska Native Village Corporation Association is assisting with Alaska Native outreach and contaminated ANCSA site identification. Other EPA funding for contaminated sites There are additional EPA grant programs, such as brownfields and/or Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants programs, which may be available to address contaminated ANCSA sites assessment or cleanup.

To learn more about brownfields, visit Brownfields in EPA Region 10 and Types of Brownfields Funding . Region 10 Tribal Programs Contact us about Tribal programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Contact us about Tribal programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Last updated on March 27, 2026