The State Water Resources Control Board seeks to preserve, enhance, and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper water resource allocation and efficient use, for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Orphan Site Cleanup Fund (OSCF) grant program offers financial aid for the cleanup of sites tainted by leaking petroleum underground storage tanks in cases where no financially responsible party exists, and the applicant is not eligible for the UST Cleanup Fund. The program was updated by Senate Bill 445 in 2014 to broaden eligibility beyond just brownfield sites. Grants support various response actions essential for addressing unauthorized releases from petroleum USTs, including preliminary site assessments, soil and groundwater investigations, preparing corrective action plans as per the California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Chapter 16, Article 11, and more. Funding can also be used for removing UST systems, petroleum products, and soil excavation up to 500 cubic yards. Applicants must demonstrate that any required corrective action plans are complete and approved by the regulatory agency. Only the current property owner is eligible for a Cleanup Grant, with a maximum available grant amount of $1 million.