Orphan Site Cleanup Fund (OSCF) Program

NOTE: There are two Orphan Site Programs: The original Program is called Orphan Site Cleanup Account (OSCA) and the new program is called the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund (OSCF) or (Orphan Site Fund).

The OSCF is a new financial assistance program in the Division of Financial Assistance. The Orphan Site Fund Program was established to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants for the cleanup of brownfields sites contaminated by leaking petroleum underground storage tanks where there is no financially responsible party.

New! Brownfields Funding Workshops – Get workshop information and registration form

The OSCF regulations became effective October 16, 2009.

The OSCF regulations are available for downloading.

   Receive updates on this topic by email. Subscribe online to the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund (SB 1161) email list.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 (ARRA) was enacted on February 17, 2009. Congress appropriated $200 million from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund to United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for cleaning up leaks from underground storage tanks.

The LUST Recovery Act money will pay for activities at shovel-ready sites to assess and clean up underground storage tank petroleum leaks.

The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Financial Assistance has received a $15,777,0000 federal grant from the USEPA, Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The State Water Board will use these federal funds to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants under the OSCF and for the Emergency, Abandoned and Recalcitrant (EAR) program.

The Orphan Site Cleanup Account financially assisted grantees to cleanup and redevelop urban blight. See examples of OSCA success stories.

OSCF Now Accepting Applications

The Orphan Site Fund is accepting applications from eligible applicants that meet established eligibility requirements and are ready to move forward with cleanup activities on an ongoing basis. Applications for the OSCF program will be accepted on an on-going basis. Please print and sign the application and mail to the address provided.

ARRA Funded Sites

• See who has received ARRA funds

OSCF Priority List

Orphan Site Cleanup Fund applications determined eligible are placed on the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund Priority List. The first Orphan Site Cleanup Fund Priority List was adopted under State Water Resources Control Board Resolution 2009-0036. The OSCF Priority List will be revised at least once each calendar year.

• State Water Resources Control Board Resolution 2010-0001
• Priority List January 2010

ARRA Grant Agreement Templates

OSCF grants will be made between the State of California acting by and through the State Water Resources Control Board. Below are draft OSCF assessment and cleanup grant templates for when grants are funded by the USEPA under the ARRA.

• OSCF ARRA Assessment Grant Template
• OSCF ARRA Cleanup Grant Template

ARRA Grant Guidance Documents

These guidance documents have been provided to assist eligible public agency applicants and eligible non-profits and other private party applicants in complying with state and federal requirements for OSCF grant agreements when grants are funded with funds from the USEPA under the ARRA. Specifically, these documents are intended to provide general grant information and information regarding the grant process, procurement requirements, and ARRA specific requirements for applicants. These guidance documents are not regulations and may not be cited as legal authority.

• Guidance for Public Agencies
• Guidance for Non-Profits and Other Private Parties

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

ARRA funded subrecipients must comply with DBE requirements for all contracts that exceed $10,000. The DBE Guidance document is provided to assist subrecipients and contractors in complying with DBE requirements.

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Guidelines

ARRA Logo FAQs

USEPA’s Office of Underground Storage Tanks developed answers to questions regarding the Recovery Act logo.

• Recovery Act Logo FAQs

ARRA Quarterly Reporting

ARRA funded subrecipients are required to submit Quarterly Reporting data on the ARRA Quarterly Reporting Form below. Failure to provide requested data in a timely fashion may result in loss of funding and repayment of all disbursed funds.

• ARRA Quarterly Reporting Form

ARRA Fraud Prevention Training and Self-Certification

This USEPA, Office of Investigations, ARRA Fraud Awareness Training, provides you with information and suggestions to help monitor the use of stimulus funds and to inform you of the potential for fraud, waste, and abuse in the OSCF program. This is required training to obtain an ARRA grant. A self-certification form is also provided.

• ARRA Fraud Prevention in the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund
• ARRA Fraud Prevention in the Orphan Site Cleanup Fund Self-Certification Course Completion

Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program ARRA Links

• USEPA ARRA Website for Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program
• LUST Recovery Act Program Guidelines
• Implementing Guidance for ARRA Funds from the Office of Management and Budget
• Final Buy American Guidance From EPA
• View the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Program Recovery Plan submitted to OMB on May 15, 2009
  • on EPA's site in PDF format (14 pp, 205K, About PDF) or
  • on recovery.gov in HTML format
• EPA-Recommended Environmental Best Practices for Federally-Funded Projects
• Agencies Receiving ARRA LUST Funds
• Track the progress of ARRA funds at www.Recovery.gov
• USEPA ARRA Brownfields Program Activities

Questions or Comments?

For more information please email oscf@waterboards.ca.gov.

(Updated 4/4/11)