and 2 Regional Administrators for approval prior to the award of any assistance agreement. Once a Regional Office approves the annual workplan, funds are awarded by the EPA Region 1 or 2 Regional Administrator as appropriate. Grantees will receive an award package from the appropriate EPA Regional grants management office that must be accepted and signed by an authorized official of the recipient organization and returned to the grants management office within 30 days. Awards may be made on an advance or reimbursement basis. Awards that are not signed and returned by the deadline may be subject to cancellation. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Notification of action on proposals varies depending on the timing of funds release to the EPA Regional Offices from Headquarters. Interval from submission to notification may vary from two months to eight months. Appeals: Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable. Renewals: No cost extensions and amendments may be available subject to the approval of EPA. Approval of subsequent funding is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds, and the Agency policy on the competitive grant process. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. Matching Requirements: This program has a statutory matching requirement; see CWA section 120 (f)(3). For all assistance (grants and cooperative agreements) agreements made under this program, federal costs shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the agreement. This program has no statutory funding formula. This program does not have MOE requirements. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Assistance agreements are generally made for a multi-year period at the discretion of EPA. Start dates for assistance agreements are variable and are established at the discretion of EPA. Generally however, it is intended that start dates closely follow award dates of the assistance agreement. Awards are fully funded, recipients draw down funding as cost are incurred, typically monthly. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Other. The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award. Reports: EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations at 40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31, as applicable. Program reports are required under this program. Cash reports are required under this program. Progress reports are required under this program. Expenditure reports are required under this program. Performance monitoring is required under this program. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Records: Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained for three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those that arose as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved. Account Identification: 68-0108-0-1-304. Obligations: (Project Grants) FY 08 $2,918,300; FY 09 est $2,993,000; FY 10 est $1,435,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $75,000 to $1,199,300/fiscal year; $637,000/fiscal year. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: Since 1991, EPA's funding of the Lake Champlain Basin Program has led protection and restoration of the Lake Champlain basin through coordination with federal, provincial, state, and municipal agencies and local citizens. The main program goals, as laid out in the Lake Champlain Management Plan Opportunities for Action, are as follows: reducing phosphorus inputs to Lake Champlain; decreasing toxic contamination; minimizing the risks to humans from water-related health hazards; and controlling the introduction, spread, and impact of nonnative nuisance species. EPA works with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee to determine funding priorities and distributes funds accordingly. The following four entities receive funding on an annual basis: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Lake Champlain Science Center. They may choose to compete all or part of the funds. Competitive announcements typically include the number of anticipated awards. In FY 08, funds were used to support protection and restoration of the Lake Champlain Basin. Specific examples of accomplishments include: creation and distribution of a "State of the Lake" report detailing current water quality and other ecosystem conditions; conducting water quality monitoring programs with the collection of at least 3,500 water chemistry samples; a boat inspection and education program to reduce the spread of invasive species; a survey of a nearby canal for the presence of asian clam, an invasive species; extensive watershed mapping to better plan for BMP installation; removal of thousands of pounds of invasive water chestnuts; and other tasks. Fiscal Year 2009: In FY 09, expected accomplishments include: revising the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan "Opportunites for Action"; further removal of invasive water chestnuts; and an extensive monitoring effort for toxic blue-green algae blooms. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Lake Champlain program grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's general grant regulations, 40 CFR Part 30 or 40 CFR Part 31. All assistance agreements must support the goals and objectives of the Lake Champlain Management Plan, Opportunities for Action. A copy of this document is available on request from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458, Phone 802-372-3213 and is also available online at http://www.lcbp.org. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Erik Beck, EPA New England, 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100-CWN, Boston, MA 02114-2023. Telephone: (617) 918-1606; Fax: (617) 918-0606; E-mail: beck.erik@epa.gov. Mario Paula, EPA Region 2, 290 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866. Telephone: (212) 637-3819; Fax: (212) 637-3889; E-mail: paula.mario@epa.gov. Headquarters Office: Erik Beck US EPA New England 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100-CWN, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Email: beck.erik@epa.gov Phone: (617) 918-1606 Website Address: http://www.epa.gov/NE/eco/lakechamplain/index.html RELATED PROGRAMS: 12.100 Aquatic Plant Control; 66.419 Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support; 66.436 Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Training Grants and Cooperative Agreements - Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act; 66.454 Water Quality Management Planning; 66.460 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants; 66.463 Water Quality Cooperative Agreements EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2008: Grants and cooperative agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations are for implementation of the Lake Champlain Management Plan. Grants awarded to States of Vermont and New York and NEIWPCC generally cover multiple tasks and projects per grant. Examples of work carried out by these grants include: (1) funding for the overall program coordination, and the full-time New York and Vermont Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinators employed by their respective states; (2) annual lake and tributary monitoring for phosphorus and other parameters by professional limnologists; lay monitoring of Lake Champlain and other lakes in the basin for phosphorus and other water quality parameters; (3) phosphorus reduction: research on phosphorus carried downstream by eroding stream banks, research on policy options for further phosphorus reduction from point and nonpoint sources, tracking implementation of best management practices on farms, geomorphic studies, and riparian restoration work; (4) removal of invasive species such as water chestnuts, research on non-chemical alternatives to sea lamprey control, and milfoil removal efforts; (5) toxins: funded studies on cyanobacteria dynamics in Lake Champlain as well as monitoring for cyanobacteria (blue green algae) blooms and their associated toxins in Lake Champlain. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. The Steering Committee recommends projects to EPA for funding based on the technical merit of the proposal and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan. EPA approves applications after Steering Committee recommendation based on the technical merit of the application and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan. 66.508 SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SEE) FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Administration and Resources Management, Environmental Protection Agency AUTHORIZATION: Environmental Programs Assistance Act of 1984, Public Law 98-313, 42 U.S.C 4368a. OBJECTIVES: To use the talents of Americans 55 years of age or older to provide technical assistance to Federal, State, and local environmental agencies for projects of pollution prevention, abatement, and control to achieve the Agency's goals of Clean Air; Clean and Safe Water; Land Preservation and Restoration; Healthy Communities and Ecosystems; and Compliance and Environmental Stewardship. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: The Environmental Programs Assistance Act of 1984 (Pub. L. 98-313) authorized the Administrator of the EPA "to make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements with private, nonprofit organizations designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965." These cooperative agreements are to utilize the talents of older Americans in temporary, full time or part time positions "providing technical assistance to Federal, State, and local environmental agencies for projects of pollution prevention, abatement, and control." "Technical assistance" may include any activity performed for the EPA in support of its projects ranging from inspections of schools for asbestos, to support for a Headquarters staff office. This allows for the coverage of all types of SEE program positions from professional to clerical. Annual funding priorities are not established at the SEE program level. Rather, Senior Resource Officials from the participating 65 program offices establish priorities requiring SEE program support. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2010: The Environmental Programs Assistance Act of 1984 (Pub. L. 98-313) authorized the Administrator of the EPA "to make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements with private, nonprofit organizations designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965." These cooperative agreements are to utilize the talents of older Americans in temporary, full time or part time positions "providing technical assistance to Federal, State, and local environmental agencies for projects of pollution prevention, abatement, and control." "Technical assistance" may include any activity performed for the EPA in support of its projects ranging from inspections of schools for asbestos, to support for a Headquarters staff office. This allows for the coverage of all types of SEE program positions from professional to clerical. Annual funding priorities are not established at the SEE program level. Rather, Senior Resource Officials from the participating 65 program offices establish priorities requiring SEE program support. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Cooperative Agreements USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: The SEE Act states that only nonprofit organizations which are designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act can participate. These cooperative agreements are to utilize the talents of older Americans in temporary full time or part time positions "providing technical assistance to Federal, State, and local environmental agencies for projects of pollution prevention, abatement, and control.". Applicant Eligibility: Private, nonprofit organizations designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Beneficiary Eligibility: Federal, State, and local environmental agencies and individuals 55 years old or older. Credentials/Documentation: The Environmental Programs Assistance Act of 1984 requires a certification by the Federal, State, or local agency that is to receive the SEE workers that the grant/cooperative agreement will not displace any Federal or State workers, prevent the rehiring of any laid-off Federal/State workers, or affect existing service contracts. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Requests for application forms must be submitted to: Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, (3903R), Washington, DC 20460. Completed applications must be sent to the same address, and a copy of the completed application should also be sent to: Susan Street, Manager, SEE Program, Environmental Protection Agency,Office of Administration and Resources Management, Office of Human Resources, Program Management and Communications Staff (3605A), Washington, DC 20460. Basic steps of the application procedure are outlined in the application package containing the application forms. Award Procedure: Each application shall be subjected to administrative evaluation to determine adequacy of application in relation to assistance regulations, and to program objectives. Deadlines: Not Applicable. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Disputes will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. This program has no matching requirements. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Assistance covers a period of one to three years and is awarded in increments during that period. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Assistance is incrementally awarded throughout the life of the agreement to support ongoing activities. Reports: No program reports are required. Recipients must furnish quarterly reports on expenditures by cooperative agreement. Progress reports are required on a quarterly schedule. Expenditure reports are required on a quarterly schedule. Performance monitoring is required as a normal part of project officer post award monitoring. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Records: Financial records, including all documents which support entries on accounting records and which substantiate changes to each assistance agreement must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA assistance accounts. All records must be maintained until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final financial status report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved. Account Identification: 68-0108-0-1-304. Obligations: (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $53,251,852; FY 09 est $53,000,000; FY 10 est $53,500,000 - The vast majority of the funds in this CFDA are not Recovery Act. Approximately 1 percent of the funding may be obligated as Recovery Act. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: New awards and amendments: $3,000 to $1,954,236 for FY 2008; Average $233,560; $1,705 to $1,346.140 for FY 2009, Average $181,934; estimated $3,000 to $1,400,000; FY 2010, Average $240,000. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: In Fiscal Year 2008, 228 cooperative REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Assistance Administration Manual, available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161 on a subscription basis; 40 CFR Part 30, General Regulation for Assistance Programs; Office of Administration and Resources Management for the Management of the Senior Environmental Employment Program. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Susan Street, Manager, SEE Program, (3605A) Susan Street SEE Program, Office of Administration and Resources Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: street.susan@epa.gov Phone: (202) 564-0410 Website Address: http://epa.gov/epahrist/see/brochure RELATED PROGRAMS: 66.518 State Senior Environmental Employment Program EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2008: Provide funding to eligible Grantee organizations to provide senior citizens who conduct national non-agricultural pesticide surveys, provide technical assistance to tribes, provide review and monitoring support for the Import Car Program, monitor the anti-fuel switching program, conduct research, and work on other general administrative and clerical tasks. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Proposals must demonstrate that the Organizations have the capability of operating nationwide; can manage the program within the prescribed administrative funding limits; and can provide a quality fringe benefit package to enrollees under the proposal (including health insurance). 66.509 SCIENCE TO ACHIEVE RESULTS (STAR) RESEARCH PROGRAM FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, 42 U.S.C 300; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, 15 U.S.C 2609; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001, 42 U.S.C 6981; Clean Air Act, Section 103, 42 U.S.C 7403; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2(F); Clean Water Act, Section 104, 33 U.S.C 1254; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, 7 U.S.C 136. OBJECTIVES: To (1) support research to determine the environmental and human health effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides; (2) identify, develop, and demonstrate effective pollution control techniques; and (3) support research to explore and develop strategies and mechanisms for those in the social, governmental, and environmental arenas to use in environmental management decisions. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: The STAR Program will fund the highest quality academic research in the following priority areas: (1) Air Quality: Novel Approaches to Improving Air Pollution Emissions Information; Air Research Centers. (2) Human Health: Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research (with NIEHS); Exploring Linkages between Health Outcomes and Environmental Hazards, Exposures, and Interventions for Public Health Tracking and Risk Management; Understanding the Role of Nonchemical Stressors and Developing Analytic Methods for Cumulative Risk Assessments; Novel Approaches for Assessing Exposure for School-Aged Children in Longitudinal Studies. (3) Ecosystem Protection/Water Quality: Enhancing Ecosystem Services From Agricultural Lands: Management, Quantification, And Developing Decision Support Tools. (4) Drinking Water: Integrated Design, Modeling, and Monitoring of Geologic Sequestration of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide to Safeguard Sources of Drinking Water; Innovative and Integrative Approaches for Advancing Public Health Protection Through Water Infrastructure for Sustainability. (5) Endocrine Disruptors/Biotechnology/Computational Toxicology: Computational Toxicology Research Centers: in vitro and in silico Models of Developmental Toxicity Pathways; Biotechnology and Food Allergy (joint initiative with NIAID). (6) Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology Research Grants: Joint US UK Research Program: Environmental Behavior, Bioavailability and Effects of Manufactured Nanomaterials. In addition to the solicitations identified above, other solicitations may be announced in the coming year. Please check the NCER website: http://www.epa.gov/ncer for an updated listing of all solicitations. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: PROJECT GRANTS USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) generally does not accept unsolicited proposals for the STAR program. All STAR awards are made in response to competitive requests for applications (RFAs) or requests for initial proposals (RFIPs). Funds awarded via grants/cooperative agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures incident to the performance of research plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: http://geodata.epa.gov. Some solicitations issued under this CFDA may allow for the submittal of Multiple Investigator applications. The applicability of Multiple Investigator applications will be described in the solicitations. For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (http://rbm.nih.gov/toolkit.htm). Applicant Eligibility: For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S.; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCS") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its grant from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism. Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on a grant, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations in other ways through grants made by this program. Not-for-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive grants from EPA under this program. See RFAs at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer for additional information pertaining to eligibility requirements. Some solicitations issued under this CFDA may propose early career projects which support new, creative investigators with outstanding promise at the Assistant Professor or equivalent level. Principal investigators from applicant institutions applying for the early career portion of the applicable solicitation must meet the following eligibility requirements: *Hold a doctoral degree in a field of science or engineering by the closing date of the solicitation; *Be untenured at the closing date of the solicitation; *By the award date, be employed in a tenure-track position (or tenure-track-equivalent position) as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) at an institution in the U.S., its territories, or possessions. Note: For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent position, it must meet all of the following requirements: (1) the employing department or organization does not offer tenure; (2) the appointment is a continuing appointment; (3) the appointment has substantial educational responsibilities; and (4) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the goals of the department/organization. The purpose of early career projects are to fund research by the early career PI. Public nonprofit institutions/organizations and private nonprofit Credentials/Documentation: The EPA may request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out the research. EPA may ask applicants to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. EPA may also ask the lead principal investigator/contact principal investigator for information documenting past performance. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see Appendix IV of the Catalog. When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Research and Development as required by the National Environmental Protection Act. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Application Procedures: OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Competitive RFAS or RFIPs for grants/cooperative agreements are announced widely through the Internet, university and scientific organizations, among other mechanisms. Applicants must propose EPA mission relevant research based on excellent science as determined through peer review by experts drawn from the national and international scientific community. Other more specialized scientific areas may be solicited via joint RFAs with other Federal agencies. The STAR program may fund research centers that focus on long-term, multi-disciplinary research. Specific details on the application process are described in the solicitations which are located at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA. Award Procedure: For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Customarily, applicants are notified of award decisions within six months of the close of the RFA. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract, and may be requested to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, past performance documentation, and/or make appropriate proposal revisions. EPA Project Officers will contact the Lead Principal Investigator/Contact Principal Investigator to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreement Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Appeals: Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. This program has no matching requirements. This program does not have MOE requirements. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants are normally funded for a minimum of 2 years. Total approved project period may not exceed 5 years. Grants are generally fully funded or incrementally funded (on a annual basis). See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Assistance is either fully funded (lump sum) or incrementally funded on an annual basis. Reports: No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. A grant recipient must agree to provide annual progress reports, with associated summaries for posting on NCER's web site, and a final report with an executive summary for web posting. A grant recipient must agree to provide copies of any peer reviewed journal article(s) resulting from the research during the project period. The recipient also agrees to provide expenditure and invention reports as appropriate. A discussion of expenditures is required in progress reports under this program. Performance Monitoring is required under this program. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Records: The record retention requirements of 40 CFR Part 30 (nonprofits and universities) or 40 CFR Part 31 (governmental units) are applicable depending upon the identity of the recipient. Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved. Account Identification: 68-0107-0-1-304. Obligations: (Project Grants) FY 08 $38,500,000; FY 09 est $50,400,000; FY 10 est $52,400,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: New awards range from $185,000 to $5,000,000 total per grant and average $500,000. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: Applications received for the STAR Program - FY 08: 211; FY 09: 70. New awards for the STAR Program - FY 08: 54; FY 09: 22. Abstracts of current grant awards, and annual interim and final summary results of the research are available on the homepage: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Fiscal Year 2009: Applications received for the STAR Program - FY 08: 211; FY 09: 70. New awards for the STAR Program - FY 08: 54; FY 09: 22. Abstracts of current grant awards, and annual interim and final summary results of the research are available on the homepage: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: General Grant Regulations and Procedures, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31); Research and Demonstration Grant Regulations, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 40). Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 (relocated to 2 CFR Part 225) for State and local governments, OMB Circular No. A-21 (relocated to 2 CFR Part 220) for educational institutions, and OMB Circular No. A-122 (relocated to 2 CFR Part 230) for nonprofit organizations. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Applicants are encouraged to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog or the contacts listed in the solicitations. Solicitations are located at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Headquarters Office: William Stelz USEPA Headquarters Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. Mail Code: 8721F, Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: stelz.william@epa.gov Phone: 202-343-9802 Website Address: http://www.epa.gov/ncer RELATED PROGRAMS: 66.511 Office of Research and Development Consolidated Research/Training/Fellowships EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2008: 1. Characterize coarse particle (CP) composition and origin and investigate the associations of CP mass concentrations and several health |