HAZARDOUS DISCHARGE SITE REMEDIATION FUND (HDSRF)

Businesses operating in New Jersey, individuals, or municipalities that are required to, or volunteered to, perform remediation and/or cleanup of contaminated and underutilized sites may be eligible to secure financing through loans and/or grants under the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF).

The HDSRF is administered through a partnership between the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the NJEDA. The DEP evaluates an applicant’s preliminary eligibility requirements, the technical merits of the proposed project, and the estimated project costs. Upon DEP approval, the NJEDA evaluates an applicant’s financial status, determines grant and/or loan eligibility, and awards funding.

DOLLAR AMOUNT

Up to $500K in loans to private entities and $2M for public entities per calendar year
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Up to $3 million in grants to municipal, county and redevelopment authorities
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Up to an additional $2M to public entities for remediation in a brownfield development area
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$10M available annually for 75% of remedial action costs for recreation/ conservation and renewable energy and 50% of the costs for affordable housing projects.

BENEFITS

The HDSRF provides needed funding for the investigation, remediation and/or cleanup of a suspected or known contaminated site. Funding is also available for the remediation and cleanup of underutilized sites to maximize their potential economic value for the local municipality and the state.

USES

Loans are awarded to businesses and individuals for all phases of remediation. Grants are awarded to businesses and individuals for cleanup costs that qualify as an “unrestricted use” remedial action
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Grants and loans awarded to municipalities may be used only for preliminary assessments, site investigation, remedial investigation and remedial action.

APPLICATION PROCESS
ELIGIBILITY

APPLICATION PROCESS

Complete application www.nj.gov/dep/srp/finance/hdsrf/
NJDEP will evaluate an applicant’s preliminary eligibility requirements and estimated remediation costs and make a recommendation to NJEDA for funding.
NJEDA may request additional information from the applicant in order to complete its evaluation.
The applicant will be given priority for financial assistance based on the date of receipt by the Authority, readiness to proceed with the remediation, and availability of funds.
EDA will evaluate the applicant’s financial status, determine grant/loan eligibility, and award funding.
Applications will have a 30-business day remedy period from receipt of written notice of incompleteness to file any additional information required by NJEDA.
The NJEDA staff will make recommendations for consideration and official action at an NJEDA board meeting.
An applicant may appeal the NJEDA Board’s action by submitting, in writing to NJEDA within 20-business days from the effective date of the NJEDA Board’s action.

ELIGIBILITY

Businesses required to perform remediation activities due to closure of operations, transfer of ownership/operations, and do not have funding source.
Municipalities and persons who voluntarily undertake remediation.
Municipalities, if they:
- Own or hold a tax sale certificate on the property.
- Have a comprehensive plan or realistic opportunity for property to be re/developed within a three-year period.
Individuals or businesses who have discharged hazardous substance or are responsible for such substance and do not have funding source.
Individuals or businesses must have a net worth less than $2 million.
Individuals or businesses who acquired the project site prior to 12/31/83 where there has been a discharge of a hazardous discharge that was not used by the person who acquired the site, or any person with permission from the applicant to use the site.
prioritize applications for sites owned by a municipality in a brownfield development area (BDA) and in areas designated as either PA1 or PA2.

State of New Jersey’s Premier Business Services (PBS) portal online NJEDA Legal Questionnaire HDSRF Rules

QUESTIONS

For more information or to ask a specific question please send an email to hdsrf@njeda.com and a team member will reach out to you.