Brownfields are commercial or industrial properties for which expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. South Carolina brownfields are most commonly abandoned factories, textile mills, gas stations, or landfills. Catawba Regional Council of Governments (CRCOG) assists with remediating brownfields on a regional and statewide level through assessment and cleanup programs.
The Brownfields Assessment Program is funded by a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our current assessment grant funding is available through September 2026 for eligible sites located in Chester, Lancaster, Union, and York counties. Non-profit, governmental, and private for-profit entities who are owners or prospective purchasers of sites can qualify for the program.
The South Carolina Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (BCRLF) is available to finance environmental cleanup and removal activities at brownfields sites across the state. Loan funds are available to non-profit, governmental, and private for-profit borrowers at a below market interest rate. The BCRLF is funded by an EPA grant to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES). CRCOG serves as the fund manager for the BCRLF program.
The application process includes completing a BCRLF Loan Application and submitting projections, borrower financials, project costs, and cleanup plans for review. Cash flow, financial history, and collateral also will be considered in the loan review process.
General Guidelines:
- Loan Amounts - $100,000-$1,000,000
- Maximum Loan Amount - 80% of total eligible environmental cleanup costs up to $1,000,000
- Interest Rate - Fixed, below market interest rate, currently lending at 1%
- Term - Negotiable, currently a 1-year interest only period followed by a 10-year amortization period
- Legal Fees - Varies
- Prepayment Penalty - Varies
- Principal loan forgiveness - Up-to 50% principal forgiveness to a maximum of $500,000 for non-profits and governmental borrowers
- Collateral - Loans secured by non-project collateral (no recognized environmental conditions)
- Site Eligibility - Project site must be enrolled in the SCDES Voluntary Cleanup Contract-Non-Responsible Party Program (VCC-NRP)
- Project Costs - SCDES approved cleanup costs under the VCC-NRP contract
- BCRLF Program Flyer
- SCDES Brownfields VCC-NRP Program