PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
Version 82 · Passed Senate without amendment · Jun 27, 2016
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate reported version is repeated here.)
Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2015 or the BUILD Act
This bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to revise programs and funding regarding brownfields. (Brownfields are certain commercial properties that are hindered from reuse or redevelopment due to the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.)
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 2) The bill makes certain nonprofit organizations and community development entities eligible for brownfields revitalization funding.
(Sec. 3) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must establish a program to provide multipurpose grants to carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, planning, or remediation activities at brownfield sites.
(Sec. 4) The brownfield site characterization and assessment grant program is revised by authorizing eligible governmental entities to receive grants for property that was acquired before January 11, 2002, even if the entities do not qualify as bona fide prospective purchasers.
(Sec. 5) The bill increases the cap on the amount that may be given in grants and loans for each site to be remediated.
(Sec. 7) The EPA must establish a grant program that provides training, research, and technical assistance to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments, remediation of brownfield sites, community involvement, or site preparation. (Currently, the EPA may provide funding for this purpose.) The bill authorizes the EPA to use up to a specified amount of the funding made available for the grant program on grants to assist small communities, Indian tribes, rural areas, or disadvantaged areas. (A small community is one with a population of no more than 15,000 individuals and a disadvantaged area has an annual median household income that is less than 80% of the state-wide annual median household income.)
(Sec. 8) The EPA must give consideration to waterfront brownfield sites located adjacent to bodies of water or federally designated floodplains when providing brownfield grants.
(Sec. 9) The EPA must establish a program to provide grants to: (1) carry out inventory, characterization, assessment, planning, feasibility analysis, design, or remediation activities to locate a clean energy project at brownfield sites; and (2) capitalize a revolving loan fund for those purposes. A clean energy project means: (1) a facility that generates renewable electricity from wind, solar, or geothermal energy; and (2) any energy efficiency improvement project at a facility.
(Sec. 11) The bill: (1) reauthorizes through FY2018 and revises brownfields revitalization funding, and (2) reauthorizes through FY2018 state and tribal response programs (programs responding to brownfields).
People & committees
Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · R–OK
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4585-4586; text as passed Senate: CR S4585-4586)
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S4585-4586; text as passed Senate: CR S4585-4586)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 518.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. With written report No. 114-276.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Inhofe without amendment. With written report No. 114-276.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-349.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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