(a) From any federal funds available to the department and any state funds used as a match to obtain those federal funds, the commissioner may, in the commissioner's discretion, provide grants and/or loans to municipalities, counties and/or other governmental instrumentalities to conduct screening, investigation, remediation, containment, cleanup and/or closure of inactive hazardous substance sites, solid waste disposal sites or brownfield projects under the authority of any statute administered by the department.
(b) A brownfield project shall be deemed to be within the term “project” as that term is defined in § 7-53-101. Any local government having jurisdiction over any part of a brownfield project is authorized to use tax increment financing for such project pursuant to § 13-20-205.