in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 ts, Cost Pripor r more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit program. The conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a al Administar year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that deral ageny year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Grants and cooperative agreements are for this pro subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United 4. Request States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized ction Agany representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer 200 Pemyhand the Grants Specialist may occur each year. as appl ar, the 68-0102; 68-0103. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Section 604(b) funding provides the financial source for States and territories to pursue water quality planning under Sections 205(j) and 303(e) of the Clean Water Act. This program provides a planning framework to support watershed restoration and protection activities. In FY 15, a total of 56 grants will be awarded to States and territories to support water quality planning activities. Outputs included new/updated water quality management plans, new/revised water quality standards, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), river planning projects, ambient monitoring data to support water quality assessments, and integrated 304(b)/303(d) reports. Fiscal Year 2016: Section 604(b) funding provides the financial source for States and territories to pursue water quality planning under Sections 205(j) and 303(e) of the Clean Water Act. This program provides a planning framework to support watershed restoration and protection activities. In FY 16, a total of 56 grants will be awarded to States and territories to support water quality planning activities. Outputs included new/updated water quality management plans, new/revised water quality standards, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), river planning projects, ambient monitoring data to support water quality assessments, and integrated 304(b)/303(d) reports. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Late a ater, fr Jess Et Grant regulations at 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, and 40 CFR Part 35, Subpart A. Website Address: http://water.epa.gov/aboutow/owow/funding.cfm RELATED PROGRAMS: 66.419 Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Grants are allocated to States for: 1) development of water quality management plans; 2) development of watershed plans; 3) development of waste load allocations for impaired waterbodies; 4) reviews and revisions of water quality standards; and 5) collection and analysis of ambient monitoring data. Fiscal Year 2016: Grants are allocated to States for: 1) development of water quality management plans; 2) development of watershed plans; 3) development of waste load allocations for impaired waterbodies; 4) reviews and revisions of water quality standards; and 5) collection and analysis of ambient monitoring data. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Funds are awarded to state agencies in accordance with Sections 205(j) and 303(e) of the Clean Water Act, 40 CFR 130.5-6, and EPA program guidance. 66.456 NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM (NEP) FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act, Title 3, Section 320, Public Law 94-117, 33 U.S.C 466; Clean The National Estuary Program (NEP) goal is to protect and restore the water quality and estuarine resources of estuaries and associated watersheds designated by the EPA Administrator as estuaries of national significance. The 28 estuaries of national significance, or NEPs, use an ecosystem-based management approach to help achieve their protection and restoration goals. For example, each NEP characterizes the priority problems in its estuary and surrounding watershed, develops a long-term plan known as a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) that identifies actions to address those problems, and identifies partners, including lead entities, who will implement those actions. Implementation of CCMPS can include the following actions: protecting and restoring habitat, including wetlands; supporting water quality protection and restoration, including Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan implementation; monitoring for, assessing the extent of toxics loadings and pathogen contamination, and taking steps to address excess loadings and contamination; implementing stormwater management, reducing non-point source pollution impacts, and promoting the adoption of green infrastructure approaches; preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and/or managing their impacts; developing and implementing nutrient reduction strategies; conducting climate vulnerability assessments and developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies and using adaptation tools to promote coastal resilience; and developing and implementing strategies to provide opportunities for residents of urban minority and/or under-served communities to have greater access to urban waters, participate in urban ecosystem restoration, and participate in capacity-building/educational activities Funding Priority - - Fiscal Year 2016: EPA's funding priority is to award assistance agreements that support the 28 National Estuary Programs' (NEPs) efforts to address their estuarine watersheds' priority problems identified in each of the 28 long-term management plans known as Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). EPA will provide focused support for NEPS to address priority problems identified by NEP management conferences and to document accomplishments and environmental results. NEP efforts address such problems as: (1) impacts on estuarine water quality and living resources of nutrients, toxics (chemical, heavy metals), pathogen contamination, and sediment attributable to excess loadings and non-point stormwater runoff; e.g., excess nutrient loadings can result in nutrient over-enrichment and hypoxic conditions in estuarine water bodies; (2) habitat loss/degradation; (3) need to assess risks to CCMP implementation due to climate change impacts, to build regional, local, and tribal officials' capacity to address climate change impacts on NEP watersheds, and to promote community resilience; activities that build capacity include conducting vulnerability assessments of communities and local development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies and programs; and 4) need to build the capacity of local public officials and managers in estuarine communities to implement sustainable land use, green infrastructure, and low-impact development best practices. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Project Grants USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: Section 320 authorizes issuance of assistance agreements used to meet Section 320 requirements to develop and implement CCMPs. Annual workplans, which address priority actions in the CCMPs, lay out projects to be undertaken during the fiscal year. They are developed and approved by each management conference. Twenty-eight estuaries have been designated as estuaries of national significance; those 28 are: Long Island Sound, Puget Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, New York-New Jersey Harbor, Delaware Bay, Delaware Inland Bays, Sarasota Bay, Galveston Bay, Santa Monica Bay, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds, San Francisco Estuary, Casco Bay, Massachusetts Bays, Indian River Lagoon, Tampa Bay, Peconic Bay, San Juan Bay, Coastal Bend Bays, Tillamook Bay, the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuarine Complex, Piscataqua Estuary Complex, Barnegat Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays, Charlotte Harbor, Mobile Bay, Morro Bay, and Columbia River Estuary. NEPs and their partners carry out such actions as: (1) protecting and restoring habitat; (2) identifying research needs and conducting research as needed to obtain new data to address priority problems; (3) monitoring estuarine conditions to detect changes in water quality and condition of ecosystem resources; and (4) providing technical assistance to States and local communities to address impacts from nutrient over-enrichment, stormwater, sedimentation, toxics, pathogens, and aquatic invasive species; to assess vulnerability from climate change impacts; and to develop climate change adaptation strategies and tools. 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: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial. Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or government-owned vehicles, or while driving privately-owned vehicles when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government. Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to conduct initiatives of the type described in section 3(a) of the Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving Executive Order that was signed on October 1, 2009. Generally this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office. Applicant Eligibility: Assistance agreements are issued only to those estuaries designated by the Administrator. The Administrator is authorized to make grants to State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies and entities; State coastal zone management agencies; interstate agencies; and other public and private nonprofit agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals (Section 320(g)(1)). Profit making organizations are not eligible for grants. 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. Beneficiary Eligibility: Anyone/General Public. Credentials/Documentation: Costs will be determined in accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication assistance may be obtained from the appropriate EPA Regional Office. 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. All work plans should be developed in response to the priority tasks identified in the management conference annual work plan. Work plans should also be developed in response to negotiated schedules for commitments to meet the purpose of a management conference outlined in the Act for the estuary. Each work plan will be considered by the appropriate management conference and the EPA Regional program. 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: 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, must be used for this program. EPA requires final applications to be made on Standard Form 424. Requests for application kits must be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mailcode (3903R), Washington, DC 20460 or through the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Additional information on the EPA grant package can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm. The completed application, including the final proposal approved by the estuary management committee, should be submitted to the appropriate Regional program office for processing. This program is subject to the provisions of 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov. Cost Pri gram. The s and ra gram. EPA ests for a gency,C certain types of projects. Payments will be on a letter of credit or advance basis. EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in Guidance. Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and expenditure/financial, equipment, and invention reports. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the grant regulations at 2 CFR 200 Pem and 1500, 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 t monitoring is required under this program. through the alog. A e complet anageme Audits: mofii In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit and 15 Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 y the or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit www.conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. 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 at records and to substantiate changes to each grant, must be kept available to ceof Personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until expiration of 3 years from the date of submission of the final A Apenditure 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: 68-0108-0-1-304. Obligations: (Project Grants) FY 15 $16,800,000; FY 16 est $16,800,000; and FY 17 est $16,800,000 - FY 15 $16,800,000; FY 16 est. $16,800,000; and FY 17 est. $16,800,000. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: For FY 15, each of the NEPs received base funding in the amount of $600,000. For FY 16, each of the NEPS received base funding in the amount of $600,000. TAFS Codes: 1868-0108. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Maintaining high-quality habitat is one way of ensuring the health of the nation's estuaries. Since 2000, the NEPs and their partners have protected and restored over 1.5 million acres of habitat in the 28 NEP estuarine watersheds. The acreage protected and restored by the NEPS and their partners enhances the 28 NEP's capacity to support healthy populations of wildlife and near-coastal and marine organisms, including many commercially-valuable shellfish and finfish. That acreage also enhances the 28 estuarine watersheds' capacity to support the economic and ecosystem services and aesthetic qualities provided by estuarine environments and on which coastal populations depend for their livelihoods and well-being. In FY 15, the NEPS and their partners protected and restored approximately 111,584 acres of estuarine habitat in their estuarine watersheds. Fiscal Year 2016: In FY 16, grants will support the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring up to 100,000 acres of estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target stormwater, excess nutrients, and pathogens and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or implementing climate adaptation strategies in over 50% of NEP study areas and collaborating with other EPA programs and with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build regional, local, and tribal coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to reach out to and involve urban community residents who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: General grant regulations and procedures (2 CFR 200 and 1500, as applicable). Federal Register, Vol. 59, 61124, November 29, 1994, Technical Amendment Financial Assistance Requirements for the National Estuary Program (40 CFR, Part 35). Saving Bays and Estuaries, a Primer for Establishing and Managing Estuary Projects, EPA/503/8-89-001, is available from the Oceans and Coastal Protection Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (4504T) EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. Forms and instructions for filing are included in an application kit available from the Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division (3903R), Office of Grants and Debarment, EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC. 20460. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Office of Ecosystem Protection, EPA, Region I, 1 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114-2023; Telephone: (617) 918-1511. Division of Environmental Planning and Protection, EPA, Region II, 290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007-1866; Telephone: (212) 637-3724. Water Protection Division, EPA, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 191103-2029; Telephone: (215)814-2989. Water Management Division, EPA, Region IV, 61 Forsyth St., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303; Telephone: (404) 562-9345. Water Quality Protection Division, EPA, Region VI, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, TX 75202-2733; Telephone: (214) 665-7101. Water Division, EPA, Region IX,75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105; Telephone: (415)744-1860. Office of Ecosystems, Tribal, and Public Affairs; and Office of Water & Watersheds, EPA Region X, 1200 Sixth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101; Telephone: (206) 553-4181. Program Descriptions Development Grants EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Assistance agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). Activities associated with CCMP implementation include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) reach out to and build local capacity of urban community residents to participate in estuarine urban waters protection and restoration; those residents may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration. Fiscal Year 2016: Assistance agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). Activities associated with CCMP implementation include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) reach out to and build local capacity of urban community residents to participate in estuarine urban waters protection and restoration; those residents may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration. Fiscal Year 2017: 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. Grants are awarded to the NEPs that satisfy the requirements outlined in the application procedure section. 1.628 available to each State for the purpose of establishing a Clean Water SRF for providing assistance for: (1) construction of publicly owned wastewater treatment works; (2) implementing nonpoint source management activities included in State Plans developed pursuant to Section 319; and (3) developing and implementing an estuary comprehensive conservation and management plan under Section 320. The 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) included amendments to the Clean Water SRF. The amendments included additional types of assistance available in the SRF, changed the amount of funding that is available for administering the SRF and provided the opportunity for States to offer additional subsidy. In addition to the assistance mentioned above, SRF may now provide assistance for:(1) the construction, repair, or replacement of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage; (2) measures to manage, reduce, treat or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water, (3) any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works capacity through water conservation, efficiency or reuse; (4) the development and implementation of watershed projects meeting the criteria set forth in section 122; (5) any municipality or interrmunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the energy consumption needs for publicly owned treatment works; (6) reusing or recycling wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface drainage water, (7) measures to increase the security of publicly owned treatment works; and (8) any qualified nonprofit entity, as determined by the Administrator, to provide assistance to owners and operators of small and medium publicly owned treatment works. The capitalization grant is deposited in the State's SRF, which is used to provide loans and other types of financial assistance, to local communities and intermunicipal and interstate agencies. 4 percent of the grant amounts, $400,000 each year or 1/5 percent per year of the current valuation (net profit) of the fund may be used by the States for the cost of administering the SRF. States determine priorities for funding within their State in accordance with the CWA. A portion of the funding must be used to provide additional subsidy in the form of grants, principal forgiveness or negative interest loans. The maximum percentage that may be provided as additional subsidy will range from 0 percent to 30 percent based on the amount of the total appropriation. For example, if the total appropriation is less than or equal to $1 billion, no additional subsidy would be authorized; if the total appropriation is greater than or equal to $1.3 billion, additional subsidy up to 30 percent of the grant would be authorized; but, if the total appropriation is greater than $1 billion but less than $1.3 billion, a percentage equal to the percentage by which the appropriation exceeds $1 billion would be authorized. Additional subsidy may only be provided to a municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency and used to benefit a municipality who meets the SRF affordability criteria, benefits individual ratepayers in residential user rate class or to implementa process, material, technique, or technology to address water efficiency goals, energy efficiency goals, mitigate stormwater runoff or encourage sustainable project planning, design and construction. In addition to the above, the FY 2016 Appropriation required that ten percent of the capitalization grant be used as additional subsidy in the form of principal forgiveness, negative interest or grants. The program supports the Agency's strategic goal of ensuring Clean and Safe Water. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: FORMULA GRANTS USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: Capitalization grants are available to each State for the purpose of establishing a Clean Water SRF for providing assistance for: (1) construction of publicly owned wastewater treatment works; (2) implementing nonpoint source management activities included in State Plans developed pursuant to Section 319; and (3) developing and implementing an estuary conservation and management plan under Section 320;(4) the construction, repair, or replacement of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage: (5) measures to manage, reduce, treat or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water; (6) any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works capacity through water conservation, efficiency or reuse; (7) the development and implementation of watershed projects meeting the criteria set forth in section 122; (8) any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the energy consumption needs for publicly owned treatment works; (8) reusing or December 2011 al subió 319 and 320. Up to 4 percent of the grant amounts, $400,000 each year or 1/5 ide assiste percent per year of the current valuation (net profit) of the fund may be used by waste the States for the cost of administering the SRF. States determine priorities for sewagenfunding within their State in accordance with the CWA. Assistance agreement surface awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. e ageny in Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by scan viewing the following website: http://geodata.epa.gov. the Applicant Eligibility: ede Their Ste onal s States and Puerto Rico are eligible to receive capitalization grants under Title of municipal wastewater facilities. The District of Columbia, territories, possessions of the U.S. are eligible to receive grants from Title VI for the construction of municipal wastewater facilities (see CFDA 66.418). Beneficiary Eligibility: For loans and other financial assistance (but not grants) for wastewater treatment facilities: local communities, intermunicipal, State, interstate Sit agencies, and Indian tribes. For nonpoint source management programs and testuary activities in approved State Nonpoint Source Management Programs and Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans: the public agencies listed above, individuals, and programs. Credentials/Documentation: To receive a capitalization grant, a State shall enter into an agreement with the EPA Regional Administrator which shall include, but not be limited to, the 10 specifications set forth in Section 602(b) of the CWA. 2 CFR 200 Subpart E applies to the program. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: An applicant (State) should seek preapplication assistance from the appropriate EPA Regional Office. The State is required to prepare and provide for public comment a plan identifying the intended uses of the funds in the SRF (an intended use plan) and how those uses support the goals of the SRF. The plan is to be submitted no later than the application. An environmental impact statement is not required prior to grant award; however, a State environmental review process must be applied to all subsequent state assistance for wastewater facilities. 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: 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The standard application for EPA non-construction grant assistance (SF424-A and B) is submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Office. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities Program Descriptions under this CFDA. The State must certify in its application that it has the legal, managerial, technical, and operational capabilities to administer the SRF program competently and that it will comply with Federal anti-discrimination laws and other applicable Federal statutes. Regulations at 2 CFR 200 and 1500, as applicable, applies to the State. Establishment of the SRF is a prerequisite for a grant award. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov. Award Procedure: A grant application is reviewed by the appropriate Regional Office and, if approved, the grant is awarded by the Regional Administrator under a delegation of authority from the Administrator of EPA. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Appeals: Disputes will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. For those portions of the State program that do not change from year to year, a subsequent grant application may incorporate by reference relevant portions of the previous year's application which have not changed or an operating agreement approved by the region. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory Formula: Title Clean Water Act. Matching Requirements: The Regional Administrator may award capitalization grants from funds appropriated for this purpose. Allotments to the States are determined by a table of decimal fractions ("formula") in Section 205(c)(3) of the CWA. The required State match is 20 percent of the amount of each Federal grant payment. For Recovery Act funds, the required State match of 20 percent of the amount of each Federal grant payment was waived. This program does not have MOE requirements. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Funds are available for EPA's obligation to the State during the fiscal year in which they are allotted and during the following year. The State must agree to enter into binding commitments with recipients to provide financial assistance from the SRF in an amount equal to 120 percent of each quarterly grant payment. The State is also required to agree to expend all funds in the SRF in an expeditious and timely manner. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award. Reports: Beginning the first fiscal year after receiving payments, the State shall provide an annual report to the Regional Administrator in accordance with the schedule established in the grant agreement (generally not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year in which the payments were received). The annual report shall describe how the State has met the goals and objectives for the preceding fiscal year, as identified in its intended use plan, including identification of loan recipients, loan amounts, and loan terms and similar details on other forms of financial assistance provided from the SRF. For Recovery Act funds, States are required to input loan information into the CWSRF Benefits Reporting (CBR) database within one week of finalizing the loan. For base funds, loan information is required to be put into CBR in the quarter in which the loan is made. CBR includes data elements as prescribed by Public Law 111-5, Section 1512 and OMB Guidance. Inputing loan data into CBR is 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: |