las all Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive regulis funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally ng specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that ation will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional erfoma information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see zes Appendix IV of the Catalog. Preapplication assistance is available. Requests for clip Initial Proposals and Proposals will be accessible on the Internet from GLNPO's net home page (http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/) and an announcement will be e-mailed to organizations which have self-registered with GLNPO at https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-news-email-list. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review okers 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. 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. As specified in applicable requests for proposals. Application kits may be requested from USEPA GLNPO (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604-3590. Application Packages should be submitted to the same address. Standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500, must be used. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov. Award Procedure: Proposals are evaluated by EPA reviewers to determine their adequacy under Great Lakes objectives, including technical merit, relevance of the project, environmental outcomes, and cost. Administrative review is done by the Regional Assistance Branch. Funds are awarded by the Great Lakes National Program Office or Region 2, 3, or 5, as applicable. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative assistance is approved by the Director of the Great Lakes National Program Office. 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 two to four months after the deadline for application submission. Appeals: Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Program Descriptions Contact the Great Lakes National Program Office for information. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. This program has no matching requirements. This program has no statutory formula. Leveraging, including an applicant's match percentage, will be considered as part of the project selection process for grants and cooperative agreements; however, the program does not expect to require any minimum match requirement. Any such requirement will be specified in the individual Request for Proposals or Applications. A minimum 35 percent matching requirement only applies to Legacy Act projects (Section 103 of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002); Legacy Act projects are done through contracting, not grants or cooperative agreements. This program does not have MOE requirements. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Generally 1-3 years; however, awards can be made for up to 7 years. The term of the grant will be determined at the time of award. 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: 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 expenditure/financial, equipment, and invention reports. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the grant regulations at 2 CFR 200 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 monitoring is required under this program. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit 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 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 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 $40,800,000; FY 16 est $65,030,000; and FY 17 est $40,000,000 - Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 15 est. $46,800,000; FY 16 est. $65,030,000; and FY 17 est. $40,000,000. Legacy Act (Project Agreements) - FY 15 est. $50,000,000; FY 16 est. $40,173,000; and FY 17 est. $40,000,000. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Some awards are fully funded at award and others are funded incrementally over several years. Representative Award Range: $30,000 to $6,600,000/fiscal year; $680,000/fiscal year. TAFS Codes: announcement typically includes the number of anticipated awards. FY 2016 announcement information is not available. Additional information is available from links at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/fund/glf.html. Fiscal Year 2017: NA REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Requests for Applications, examples, and other Great Lakes funding information are available from http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/. General regulations for EPA assistance programs are contained in 2 CFR 200 and 1500 and 40 CFR Parts 32 through 47. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office Headquarters Office: Mike Russ, Mike Russ, USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604-3590. Telephone: (312) 886-4013; FAX: (312) 692-2415; E-mail: russ.michael@epa.gov, Chicago, Illinois 60604 Email: russ.michael@epa.gov Phone: (312) 886-4013. Website Address: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/ RELATED PROGRAMS: 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 EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Grants and cooperative agreements were awarded to governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Projects were funded within the focus areas of: (i) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern, including non-competitively selected projects with States and local governments for restoration of Areas of Concern; (ii) Invasive Species, including projects for prevention and control; (iii) Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health, including projects in urban and agricultural watersheds and green infrastructure grants to cities; (iv) Habitats and Species; and (v) Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, projects were also funded through contracts for remediation of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Project descriptions will be available from: http://greatlakesrestoration.us. Fiscal Year 2016: Grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded to governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Projects will be funded within the focus areas of (i) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern; (ii) Invasive Species; (iii) Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health; (iv) Habitats and Species; and (v) Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, projects will also be funded through contracts for remediation of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Project descriptions will be available from: http://greatlakesrestoration.us. 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. Proposals are approved by EPA according to technical merit and relevance to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Section 118 of the Clean Water Act, and the criteria established in the applicable Request for Proposals. 66.472 BEACH MONITORING AND NOTIFICATION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS BEACH Act Program FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency AUTHORIZATION: 1.646 December 2011 @These grants are intended to support the implementation of recreational water 312) 4 monitoring and notification programs or support enhancement of an existing program. EPA encourages grantees to incorporate tools such as sanitary surveys and monitoring frequencies tailored to beach conditions while meeting other BEACH Act program requirements. Grantees should strive to implement the most efficient and timely means of communicating advisory information from hul public health agencies to the beachgoing public. To be eligible for all implementation grants, programs must also demonstrate annually that they meet Cka iz the program performance criteria listed in the National Beach Guidance and iris Required Performance Criteria for Grants, 2014 Edition (EPA-823-B-14-001). 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. שה 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. Applicant Eligibility: Coastal and Great Lakes States, territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), and Tribes eligible under Section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act, as amended. The Administrator may make a grant to a local government under this subsection for implementation of a monitoring and notification program only if, after the one-year period beginning on the date of publication of performance criteria under Section 406 (a)(1), the Administrator determines that the State is not implementing a program that meets the requirements of Section 406(a)(1), regardless of whether the State has received a grant under Section 406(a)(1). Interstate agencies and intertribal consortia are not eligible for Beach grants. Beneficiary Eligibility: States, U.S. territories, Federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments, environmental and public health agencies, and local governments involved in implementing monitoring and notification programs. Credentials/Documentation: 2 CFR 200 Subpart E applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination with the appropriate EPA Regional Office is encouraged. The standard application forms as required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, must be used 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. 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. Requests for application forms should be made to the appropriate EPA Regional Grants Management Office identified in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Completed applications should be sent to the appropriate Regional or Headquarters Contact. All proposals or work statements should be developed in response to the criteria identified in CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov. Award Procedure: Grant applications are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office, and if approved, are awarded by the Regional Administrator. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: The deadline to submit a complete application is 60 days from the date eligible entities are notified by the EPA Regional Offices. Please contact the appropriate Regional contact for more information. Appeals: Disputes will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. Renewals are subject to approval by the appropriate EPA Regional or Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory Formula: Title Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000. EPA awards grants to all eligible States and territories who apply for funding based on an allocation formula that the Agency developed for allocating BEACH Act grant funds in 2002. The allocation formula uses three factors: (1) beach season length, (2) beach miles, and (3) beach use. This program has no matching requirements. This program does not have MOE requirements. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Beach grants are normally funded on a 12-month basis (yearly). However, EPA may negotiate the project period, grant continuations, and grant amendments with each applicant based on project requirements. 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: Recipients must submit annual performance reports and financial reports as required in 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable. The annual performance report explains changes to the beach monitoring and notification program during the grant year. It also describes how the grant funds were used to implement the program to meet the performance criteria listed in the National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants, 2014 Edition (EPA 823-B-14-001). The annual performance report required under 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, is due no later than 90 days after the grant year ends. Recipients must also submit annual monitoring and notification reports required by the National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants 2014 Edition (EPA 823-B-14-001). Sections 2.2.4 and 4.5 of the document contain the performance criterion requiring an annual monitoring report, and sections 2.2.8 and 5.5 contain the performance criterion requiring an annual notification report. This document can be found at http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/beachgrants/guidance_index.cfm. These reports are required to be submitted to EPA under CWA section 406(b)(3)(A) Program Descriptions and the National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants, and include data collected as part of a monitoring and notification program. As a condition of award of an implementation grant, EPA requires that the monitoring report and the notification report for any beach season be submitted not later than January 31 of the year following the beach season. 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 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit 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. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2015: In FY 15, EPA awarded grants to all 35 coastal and Great Lakes states and territories and three eligible tribes that qualified for the BEACH Act Grant program. Program benefits from funding in FY 15 include: development and implementation of recreational water quality monitoring protocol (sampling design, indicator organism); decreasing swimmer exposure by improving communication outreach and education to public on swimming advisories; establishing more efficient and timely management decision process for posting swimming advisories; and constructing databases to provide government and public access to data and information. Fiscal Year 2016: In FY 16, grants will continue to support the development and implementation of recreational water quality monitoring and notification programs or support enhancement of an existing program. FY 16 is a year when states provide schedules for the adoption of the 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria into their WQS and for implementing updated beach notification thresholds reflecting the content of the 2012 RWQC and the 2014 Beach Guidance. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Uniform Administrative Grant Guidance 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Development and implementation of beach monitoring programs; development of databases and websites; purchase of lab equipment for water quality monitoring; construction and posting of signs on beaches; and purchase of vehicles for monitoring. Fiscal Year 2016: Development and implementation of beach monitoring programs; development of databases and websites; purchase of lab equipment for water quality monitoring; construction and posting of signs on beaches; and purchase of vehicles for monitoring. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: To be eligible for program implementation grants, applicants must meet program performance criteria outlined in National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants, 2014 Edition (EPA-823-B-14-001). The performance criteria set forth implementation grant requirements for monitoring and assessing recreation waters and promptly notifying the public of exceedances of water quality for pathogens. As a condition of receipt of a program Implementation Grant under Section 406(b) of the Clean Water Act, a State or local government program for monitoring and notification under this section shall: (1) undertake a risk-based beach evaluation and classification process; (2) formulate a tiered monitoring plan based on the classification process; (3) select methods and assessment procedures that will be used in the monitoring program; (4) submit a report to the Administrator annually detailing the results of the monitoring program; (5) in the case of a state program for December 201 aldaking monitoring and notification, the process by which the state may delegate to local governments responsibility for implementing the monitoring program; (6) Vrkadevelop a plan for the prompt communication of the occurrence, nature, S2), location, pollutants involved, and extent of any exceeding of, or likelihood of 31 exceeding, applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; (7) take such actions as are required to notify the public of exceedances of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen na)Deindicators; (8) submit a report annually to the Administrator detailing the results hia PA of the monitoring and notification program for the previous year; (9) describe mail: the process by which the state may delegate to local governments responsibility for implementing the notification responsibilities under the grant; (10) provide schedules to the Administrator for the adoption of new or revised water quality thstandards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; and (11) conduct a public If evaluation of the program. 19 OBJECTIVES: Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements (DITCAs) enable EPA to award cooperative agreements to federally recognized Indian tribes and Seligible intertribal consortia to help carry out the Agency's function to implement directly, Federal environmental programs required or authorized by Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2016: The program provides another avenue for environmental results for the tribe and the Agency. Funding Priority-Fiscal Year 2017: The program provides another avenue for scope and pace of There are several limitations on DITCA awards. Among them are: (1) The statutory authority for DITCA is found in appropriations acts. In the event the appropriation authority is extended by continuing resolution(s), the DITCA authority will also be extended. (2) The project period of the DITCA may extend beyond the period of the appropriations act under which it was created, but all funds must be awarded prior to the expiration of the appropriations act authorizing the DITCA. (3) DITCA funded personnel may not perform inherently Federal functions. (4) EPA personnel can provide assistance to DITCA representatives based on the written DITCA work plan which may include daily direction. EPA cannot treat DITCA representatives as EPA employees by participating in hiring, disciplining, or firing decisions. (5) DITCA funded personnel cannot operate vehicles which are either owned or leased by the Federal government. 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: DITCAS may be awarded to: (1) Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government, and (2) intertribal consortia consistent with applicable provisions. In order for an intertribal consortium to be eligible to receive cooperative agreements under this authority, an intertribal consortium should be consistent with the provisions in 40 C.F.R. Part 35. See Notice of Guidance Issuance: Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements (DITCAs) Guidance, 70 Fed. Reg 1440 (2005). Beneficiary Eligibility: Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government and intertribal consortia consistent with applicable provisions. Credentials/Documentation: The provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart E apply. In order for intertribal consortium to be eligible to receive cooperative agreements under this authority, an intertribal consortium should be consistent with the provisions in 40 CFR Part 35. For additional information see also the Notice of Guidance Issuance, 70 Fed. Reg. 1440 (2005). 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles applies to this program. Program Descriptions |