Revised December 2024*   

Purpose

The Department of Toxic Substances Control’s (DTSC’s) CLEAN Program helps developers, businesses, schools, and local governments assess, cleanup, and redevelop California brownfield sites. DTSC accepts CLEAN loan applications ongoing.

Program Highlights

• Investigating Site Contamination Program (ISCP): Provides low-interest loans up to three (3) years and up to $100,000 to conduct preliminary endangerment assessments. If DTSC determines that property redevelopment is not economically feasible, it can waive up to 75 percent of the loan.
  • Loan repayment begins six (6) months after DTSC disburses the ISCP Loan.
• CLEAN Loan Program: Provides low-interest loans up to seven (7) years and up to $2.5 million to cleanup or remove hazardous materials where redevelopment is likely to have a beneficial impact on community property values, economic viability, and quality of life.
  • Costs are not eligible unless incurred after DTSC approves an application and DTSC executes a grant/loan agreement with the applicant.
  • Loan repayment begins upon site certification or response action completion or two (2) years after loan disbursement, whichever comes first.

General Eligibility Requirements

• Per Health and Safety Code § 80200-80280, 80350, and 80355,eligible properties include brownfields or underutilized properties.
• Per Health and Safety Code § 80370, applicant must not have any:
  • Felony convictions or misdemeanors involving hazardous materials regulation;
  • Felony convictions or misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to, fraud, bribery, records falsification, perjury, forgery, conspiracy, profiteering, or money laundering crimes; or
  • Administrative order or agreement violations issued by, or entered into with, any federal, state, or local agency that requires site response action.

Contacts

*Disclaimer

This fact sheet does not replace or supersede relevant statutes and regulations. The information contained in this fact sheet is based upon the statutes and regulations in effect as of the date of the fact sheet. Interested parties should keep apprised of subsequent changes to relevant statutes and regulations.