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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. 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 RFA's for grants/cooperative agreements are announced widely through the internet, university and scientific organizations, among other mechanisms. Complete application information is provided in the RFA. 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. Deadlines:

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:

Approximately 60 days for the application to be approved or disapproved.
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:

Projects periods and funding is normally on a 2 year basis. Longer projects are occassional supported. Expected project and funding periods will vary between funding priorities and will be identified in the annual funding announcement. EPA reserves the right to fully, incrementally or partially fund a project. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: The assistance is awarded either in a lump sum or in annual increments. Reports:

No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and financial, equipment, and invention reports. Reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations, 40 CFR Parts 30 and 31. Expenditure reports may be required under this program. This requirement will be identified in the terms and conditions of the agreement. 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 Parts 30 and 31 are applicable depending upon the identity of the recipient. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records, and substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients' grants and cooperative agreements records. Award recipients must agree to make methods, models, and data resulting from this agreement accessible to the public and to EPA. All records must be maintained until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions remain, such as those raised as a result of an audit, following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.

Account Identification:

68-0107-0-1-304.

Obligations:

(Project Grants) FY 08 $770,745; FY 09 est $384,000; FY 10 est $0 Range and Average of Financial Assistance:

The average financial assistance for 2007 awards on new projects was $384,000. Four awards were made each for that amount.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Fiscal Year 2008: The REMAP program has made significant advances and contributions in the development of monitoring and assessment tools and protocols. The technical support and collaborative expertise with ORD has enabled regions to integrate these scientific advances into stakeholder programs. With this assistance and partnership the regions have been able to provide the agency with defensible credible data on environmental condition in a more cost effective and timely manner. REMAP emphasizes that project designs employ the EMAP probabilistic approach. This allows for a statistically-valid and defensible framework to report on the condition of resources which is consistent with EPA's long term goal 1 "Developing statistically-valid and defensible frameworks to assess status and trends of ecosystem condition at national scales". In 2007, 12 eligible applications were received and 4 projects were funded. In FY 2008 no RFA was issued and thus no new applications were received or funded. FY 2008 obligations were placed against those projects approved and funded initially in FY 2007. Current awards, projects, progress reports and any outputs are available on REMAP's home page (www.epa.gov/emap/remap). Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

EPA's General Grant Regulations, 40 CFR Part 31; EPA's Interim Regulations, Research and Demonstration Grants, 40 CFR Part 40. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments and Indian Tribes and OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions. Regional or Local Office:

See Regional Agency Offices. Individuals are encouraged to communicate with the appropriate ORD or Regional Office listed on REMAP's website at www.epa.gov/emap/remap, and listed in the RFA for this program. Headquarters Office:

Jo Thompson U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mid-Continent Ecology Division

6201 Congdon Boulevard, Duluth, Minnesota 55804 Email:
Thompson.jo@epa.gov Phone: 218-529-5198
Website Address:

http://www.epa.gov/emap/remap/

RELATED PROGRAMS:

Not Applicable.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Fiscal Year 2008: 1. Designing and Implementing a Program to Evaluate New

England's Lakes and Ponds: Currently, there is not a statistically-valid design in place to perform a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of New England lakes and ponds. This study is addressing that need in order to meet 305b reporting requirements and provide information on status and trends of these ecosystems. 2. Validation and Sensitivity Analysis for Rapid Wetland Assessment using Comprehensive Wetland Assessment Data: This project is addressing the need for methods to assess and report on the ecological condition of wetlands in the State of Delaware. 3. A Biological Assessment of the Large Rivers of the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Basins in Region 5: There is currently no statistically valid method to assess large rivers. This study is developing calibrated biological assessment tools and designing a systematic and standardized approach for the assessment of these large river systems. 4. Developing rigorous assessments for large Pacific Northwest rivers. The purpose of this project is to document the feasibility, logistics, and costs to states of using EMAP indicators and designs to assess the ecological condition, major stressors, and likely human disturbances of entire main-stem rivers in the Pacific Northwest in Region 10. 5. Development of Benthic Indicators for Nearshore Coastal Waters of New Jersey. This study is Developing of an indicator of ecosystem health for the benthic community in the estuarine and nearshore waters of New Jersey in Region 2. 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. Competitive applications and proposals will be selected in accordance with announced criteria. Generally, the proposals will be judged for (A) Extent to which projects addresses Regional priority areas identified in the announcement, partnerships and transferability of project results to Regional, State and Tribal stakeholders, and consistency with REMAP objectives and EPA's strategic goals; and (B) Technical issues including the identification of plan for tracking outputs and environmental outcomes and evaluating the applicant's past performance in reporting on outputs and outcomes. Specific criteria and weight of criteria are listed in the annual announcement.

66.513 GREATER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES (GRO) FELLOWSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY FEDERAL AGENCY:

Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency
AUTHORIZATION:

Clean Air Act, Section 103, 42 U.S.C 7403; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001, 42 U.S.C 6981; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, 7 U.S.C 136r; Clean Water Act, Section 104, 33 U.S.C 1254; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, 42 U.S.C 300j-1; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2)(F); Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, 15 U.S.C 2609.

OBJECTIVES:

The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) offers undergraduate fellowships to students in environmentally related fields of study. This program is intended to strengthen the environmental research capacity of institutions of higher education that receive limited funding to build such capacity. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: The Greater Research Opportunities Fellowship Program will support undergraduate fellowships in the following areas: Natural and Life Sciences; Environmental Science and Interdisciplinary; Engineering; Social Sciences and Decision-making; Physical Sciences; Mathematics and Computer Science. The planned course of study must focus on one or more of these areas of environmental significance and must describe the relationship of these topic areas to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control.

Graduate fellowships will no longer be offered.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

PROJECT GRANTS

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Fellowship awards are made in response to competitive solicitations. Funds are to provide resources to allow for fellowships related to environmental issues. No matching funds are required. 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.

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. Applicants must attend a fully accredited U.S. college or university (located in the U.S. or its territories). Individuals must be citizens of the U.S. or its territories or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Resident aliens must include their green card number in their pre-application. Resident aliens must have their green card at the time of application to be eligible for this Fellowship opportunity. EPA may verify this number with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service of the Department of Homeland Security.

The GRO Undergraduate Fellowship is intended for students entering their last two years of study before obtaining a bachelor's degree. The term is for 2 academic years (9 months each) with a required internship during the summer between years. Thus, only students who will be entering their last two years of college will be considered eligible.

Applicants attending fully accredited four year U.S. institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. These schools must be among those that are not highly funded for development of environmental research capacity. For the purposes of this CFDA, EPA considers such institutions to be those listed in the National Science Foundation's publication "Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: FY 2006," Table 12. Institutions identified as receiving $35 million or less in annual federal research and development funding as designated in column 2 of Table 12, are eligible. These data can be found at:

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf09310/pdf/tab12.pdf. Table 12 is a broad representation of institutions, and includes schools that also receive more than $35 million annually in Federal research assistance.

Applicants attending eligible institutions with substantial minority enrollment are particularly encouraged to apply. Examples of such schools are those that the U.S. Department of Education lists as "Accredited Postsecondary Minority Institutions" consistent with Executive Orders 13125 (Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs), 13230 (President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans), 13256 (White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and 13270 (Executive Order on Tribal Colleges and Universities), which seek to advance the development of the Nation's full human potential, advance equal opportunity in higher education, strengthen the capacity of these institutions to provide the highest quality education, and increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from Federal programs. Note however, that not all of these schools receive less then $35 million annually in Federal Research and Development expenditures. For specific information regarding Federal funding to minority-serving institutions, see The Extent of Federal S&E Funding to Minority-Serving Institutions, at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08316/.

Regarding students who are attending community college, note that only those that are either four-year baccalaureate-granting institutions with degree programs in one or more eligible academic fields, or two year institutions that grant associate degrees and participate in Articulation Agreements with four-year institutions, are eligible to participate in this fellowship program. An Articulation Agreement is a signed contract between a community or technical college and a four-year college or university that guarantees that a student who earns an associate degree at a participating two-year institution can transfer all of the general education core credits to the four-year institution toward the completion of baccalaureate degree requirements. More information can usually be obtained directly from the institution's Registrar.

Students must be pursuing a bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related field of specialization. Students must have two academic years remaining as of Fall 2010 before receiving a bachelor's degree. Students must have at least a "B" average overall.

Acceptance of this fellowship does not necessarily preclude acceptance of another scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or grant aid. However, this fellowship does preclude receiving other federal fellowships.

The term of the undergraduate fellowship is negotiated with the student and covers a period of nine months for each fellowship year. Students seeking a bachelor's degree may be supported for a maximum of two years.

Employees of the U.S. government must be able to prove separation from
Federal service before accepting this fellowship.
Beneficiary Eligibility:

Individual/Family; Student/Trainee.

Credentials/Documentation:

EPA may request that fellows document their affiliation with an eligible institution. The EPA may also request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, and experience in the field to carry out the fellowship. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

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. NCER invites pre-applications for undergraduate fellowships in academic disciplines including engineering, environmental science, and physical science. A pre-application provides the information needed for the review of its merit. Following the merit review, top rated applicants will be required to submit a brief formal application. 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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. For regular mail, completed paper pre-applications must be submitted to the following address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Peer Review Division (8725F); Funding Opportunity Number: (include appropriate number as shown in the solicitation), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. For express mail and couriers, completed paper pre-applications must be submitted to the following address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,Peer Review Division (8725F), Funding Opportunity Number: (include appropriate number as shown in the solicitation); 1025 F Street, NW (Room 3500), Washington, DC 20004,Phone: (202) 233-0686. 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. Deadlines:

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:

Approximately 210 days from the close of the solicitation.

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:

The term of the fellowship is negotiated with the student and covers a period of nine months for each fellowship year. Students seeking a bachelor's degree may be supported for a maximum of two years. If selected to receive a fellowship, the fellow will be contacted no later than seven months after the close of the solicitation and should subsequently receive official notification of award by no later than 9 months after the close of the solicitation for the fall term. Please note that this schedule may be changed without notification due to factors that were not anticipated at the time of announcement. The official notification of an award will be made by the EPA's Grants and Interagency Agreement Management Division. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Assistance is incrementally funded on an annual basis. Reports:

EPA includes reporting requirements for fellowships in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Reporting requirements are also identified in the fellowship regulations, 40 CFR Part 46. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. 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 46 are applicable. All records related to a fellowship agreement must be maintained for three years after the completion date inserted on the "Completion of Studies Notice" (EPA Form 5770-9). EPA, the Inspector General, Comptroller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, has the right of timely and unrestricted access to documents, papers, or other records related to a fellowship, in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, transcripts and copies of such documents. The rights of access in this paragraph are not limited to the required retention period, but shall last as long as records are retained. Account Identification:

68-0107-0-1-304.

Obligations:

(Project Grants) FY 08 $1,500,000; FY 09 est $1,900,000; FY 10 est $2,100,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:

The undergraduate fellowship provides up to $19,250 per year of academic support and $8,000 for internship support for a combined total of up to $46,500 over the life of the fellowship. Awards range from $31,000 to $46,500 total per fellowship and average $38,000 total.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Fiscal Year 2008: Applications received for the Greater Research Opportunities Fellowship Program (Undergraduate)- FY 08: 40; FY 09: 0;. New awards for the Greater Research Opportunities Fellowship Program (Undergraduate)- FY 08: 15; FY 09: 0.

Abstracts of awards and summary results of the research are available on the NCER homepage: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Fellowship Regulations, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 46). 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:

Georgette Boddie USEPA Headquarters

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.

Mail Code: 8723F, Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: boddie.georgette@epa.gov Phone: 202-343-9741

Website Address:

http://www.epa.gov/ncer

RELATED PROGRAMS:

66.514 Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship Program EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Fiscal Year 2008: 1. Determine if exposure to arsenic increases the capacity of chromium to cause human lung cancer. 2. Catalog bacteria present in the air and try to detect, if any, seasonal variations within the bacterial species assuming the types of bacteria in the air might change depending on the season, weather and other environmental changes. 3. Understand how Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) affects the foraging activity and efficiency of larval anurans with different life histories, how Bd is transmitted between individuals, and the effects of Bd at the population and community levels. 4. Examine TMDL implementation in mixed tribal/non-tribal watersheds. 5. Investigate the impact of septic systems on adjacent surface water quality by examining the ecology and persistence of fecal pollution indicators and pathogens through intensive surface water monitoring. See Web Page (http://www.epa.gov/ncer) for information on previously funded projects under the Greater Research Opportunities Fellowship Program. 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. See the Web page (http://www.epa.gov/ncer) for additional information on the evaluative criteria for the RFAS.

66.514 SCIENCE TO ACHIEVE RESULTS (STAR) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

FEDERAL AGENCY:

Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency
AUTHORIZATION:

Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, 15 U.S.C 2609; Clean Water Act, Section 104, 33 U.S.C 1254; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, 42 U.S.C 300j-1; 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); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, 7 U.S.C 136.

OBJECTIVES:

The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, offers graduate fellowships for master's and doctoral level students in environmentally related fields of study. The purpose of the fellowship program is to encourage promising students to obtain

advanced degrees and pursue careers in environmentally related fields. This goal is consistent with the mission of EPA, which is to provide leadership in the nation's environmental science, research, education, assessment, restoration, and preservation efforts. This program will benefit both the public and private sectors which will need a steady stream of well-trained environmental specialists if society is to meet the environmental challenges of the future. These fellowships are intended to help defray costs associated with advanced environmentally-oriented study leading to a master's or doctoral degree. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: The STAR Fellowship Program will support graduate fellowships in the following areas: Global Change; Clean Air; Drinking Water; Water Quality: Hydrogeology & Surface Water; Water Quality: Coastal & Estuarine Processes; Human Health: Public Health Sciences; Human Health: Risk Assessment & Decision Making; Ecosystem Services: Aquatic Systems Ecology; Ecosystem Services: Terrestrial Systems Soil & Plant Ecology; Ecosystem Services: Terrestrial Systems Animal Ecology; Pesticides & Toxic Substances; Land Protection; Science & Technology for Sustainability: Environmental Engineering & Green Chemistry/Materials Science; Science & Technology for Sustainability: Environmental Decision Making; and Emerging Environmental Approaches: Informatics. All projects must describe the relationship of these topic areas to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

PROJECT GRANTS

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

All STAR fellowship awards are made in response to a competitive solicitation. Funds are to provide resources to allow for fellowships related to environmental issues. No matching funds are required. 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.

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. Applicants must attend a fully accredited U.S. college or university (located in the U.S. or its territories). Individuals must be citizens of the United States or its territories or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Resident aliens must include their green card number in their pre-application. Resident alien applicants must have their green card at the time of application to be eligible for this Fellowship opportunity. EPA may verify this number with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service of the Department of Homeland Security. Applicants do not need to be enrolled in or formally accepted in a full-time graduate program at the time they apply for a fellowship, but proof of enrollment or acceptance must be produced prior to the award of the fellowship. Applicants must be pursuing a master's or doctoral degree in an environmental field of specialization at a fully accredited U.S. college or university (based in the U.S. or its territories). Applicants who are in a graduate program at the time of application and meet either of the following two criteria as of October 22, 2009 ARE NOT eligible to receive a fellowship: 1) have completed more than one year in their current master's program; or 2) have completed more than four years in their current doctoral program. However, applicants enrolled in a master's program who intend to pursue a doctoral degree beginning in the fall of 2010 may apply for a doctoral fellowship. This fellowship does preclude receiving other federal fellowships simultaneously. However, acceptance of this fellowship does not necessarily preclude acceptance of another private, state, regional, local, or non-profit scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or grant aid. Employees of the U.S. government may apply, but must be able to prove separation from Federal service before accepting this fellowship.

Beneficiary Eligibility:

Individual/Family; Student/Trainee and Graduate Student.

Credentials/Documentation:

EPA may request that fellows document their affiliation with an eligible institution. The EPA may also request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, and experience in the field to carry out the fellowship. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB

Circular No. A-87.

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. NCER invites pre-applications for graduate fellowships in academic disciplines relating to environmental research including engineering, public health, and ecological sciences. A pre-application provides the information needed for the review of its merit. Following the merit review, top rated applicants will be required to submit a brief formal application. 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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. For regular mail, completed paper pre-applications must be submitted to the following address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Peer Review Division (8725F), Funding Opportunity Number: (include appropriate number as shown in the solicitation), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. For express mail and couriers, completed paper pre-applications must be submitted to the following address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Peer Review Division (8725F), Funding Opportunity Number: (include appropriate number as shown in the solicitation), 1025 F Street, NW (Room 3500), Washington, DC 20004, Phone: (202) 233-0686. Specific details on the application process is described in the solicitation which is 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. Deadlines:

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:

Approximately 210 days from the close of the solicitation.
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:

The term of a graduate fellowship is negotiated with students and customarily covers a period of 9 to 12 months for each fellowship year. Students seeking a master's degree may be supported for a maximum of two years. Students seeking doctoral degrees may receive support for a maximum of three years, available over a period of four years. If selected to receive a fellowship, the fellow will be contacted no later than seven months after the close of the solicitation and should subsequently receive official notification of award by no later than 9 months after the close of the solicitation for the fall term. Please note that this schedule may be changed without notification due to factors that were not anticipated at the time of announcement. The official notification of an award will be made by the EPA's Grants and Interagency Agreement

Management Division. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Assistance is incrementally funded on an annual basis. Reports:

EPA includes reporting requirements for fellowships in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Reporting requirements are also identified in the fellowship regulations, 40 CFR Part 46. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. 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 46 are applicable. All records related to a fellowship agreement must be maintained for three years after the completion date inserted on the "Completion of Studies Notice" (EPA Form 5770-9). EPA, the Inspector General, Comptroller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, has the right of timely and unrestricted access to documents, papers, or other records related to a fellowship, in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, transcripts and copies of such documents. The rights of access in this paragraph are not limited to the required retention period, but shall last as long as records are retained. Account Identification:

68-0107-0-1-304.

Obligations:

(Project Grants) FY 08 $6,000,000; FY 09 est $6,800,000; FY 10 est $7,900,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:

A maximum of $74,000 will be provided for master's fellows (two years) and up to $111,000 (three years) for doctoral fellows. Awards range from $55,000 to $111,000 total per fellowship and average $80,000. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Fiscal Year 2008: Applications received for the STAR Fellowship Program- FY 08: 878; FY 09: 0. New Awards for the STAR Fellowship Program- FY 08: 32; FY 09: 17. Abstracts of awards and summary results of the research are available on the NCER homepage: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Fiscal Year 2009: Applications received for the STAR Fellowship Program- FY 08: 878; FY 09: 0. New Awards for the STAR Fellowship Program- FY 08: 32; FY 09: 17. Abstracts of awards and summary results of the research are available on the NCER homepage: http://www.epa.gov/ncer. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Fellowship Regulations, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 46). 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 contact listed in the solicitation. The solicitation is located at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer.

Headquarters Office:

Brandon Jones USEPA Headquarters

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.

Mail Code: 8726F, Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: jones.brandon@epa.gov Phone: 202-343-9850

Website Address:

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