North Dakota

Brownfields Program

Agency North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

The Brownfields Program of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is overseen by DEQ's Hazardous Waste Program, in its Division of Waste Management. DEQ says the purpose of the North Dakota Brownfields State Program is to take contaminated or potentially contaminated, underdeveloped, unproductive property and convert it into productive real estate. DEQ defines a brownfield as a property whose expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

In a Phase I ESA

This handbook reads the program's list of brownfield sites as the North Dakota form of the state brownfields records that ASTM E1527-21 lists as a standard source. The pairing rests on the program page's link label: this handbook did not open the list, and DEQ's Data & Maps page says all brownfield site data is available through EPA Region 8. The general reading of a brownfields listing is on the Brownfields page. Four North Dakota details bear on it.

A federal grant can pay for the work. DEQ's page, read October 13, 2026, says that to date it continues to receive Brownfields State Response grants from EPA, and that the grant can be used by DEQ for environmental assessment and hazardous material cleanup activities at brownfield sites. The assessment activities it names include site assessment, site characterization and site response, and cleanup planning and design.
Not every brownfield is a soil case. DEQ's examples of potential brownfield sites are an abandoned retail commercial building which has or is suspected to have asbestos, and an abandoned gas station with soil contamination. The pages read do not say what the list records about a site.
Who can apply. DEQ says the North Dakota Brownfields State Response Program is application based, and that cities, counties, non-profits and local development groups may qualify and apply for assistance. A site access agreement is required for every site requesting assessment or cleanup assistance.
The funds carry conditions. DEQ says the funds may only be used at sites where there is a release or substantial threat of release of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant which may present an imminent and substantial danger to public health or welfare, and may also be used where there is reason to believe a release has occurred or is about to occur. Eligible site applications are considered first come, first served, and if the costs for all sites submitted exceed available funds, the sites are put on a waiting list.

Two DEQ pages, two answers

The program page says a list of current and historic brownfield sites is available, and links it. DEQ's Data & Maps page says all brownfield site data is available through EPA Region 8, and links a January 2021 snapshot of EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization page for Region 8 and its Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES). Check both the state list and the EPA records DEQ links.

Where to look a site up

DEQ's Brownfields Sites In North Dakota list is linked from the program page. The pages read do not say how often it is updated.
The program page also links an introduction letter to the Brownfields State Response Program, the application and the site access agreement.
DEQ gives the mailbox DEQBrownfields@nd.gov for more information. The Division of Waste Management is at 701-328-5166.

Getting the file

DEQ takes open records requests at DEQOpenRecords@nd.gov, on its General Request Form for general records. What to put in a request is on the Open Records Requests page.

Sources

North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 13, 2026, no modified date shown: