presentations by graduate students and young professionals, and 11 research sketches in this year's schedule. The workshop features faculty mentors who provided constructive feedback to presenters, and also presented an overview of their current research interests. In addition to featured mentors, Camp Resources normally enjoys support from an outstanding community of environmental and resources economists at NC State, Duke, RTI International, and throughout North Carolina and the Southeast who regularly attend and participate in the workshop. The outcomes of the workshop normally included (1) providing a forum for the students and young professionals to present research at its early stages and receive significant feedback from senior researchers; (2) giving the young researchers opportunities to expand their research and presentation skills by interacting in a small, less-formal workshop setting with top scholars in the field of environmental economics; (3) creating a network for future interactions and collaborations among those who have attended; and (4) providing attendees with a concentrated learning experience on cutting edge methods within environmental and resource economic research (e.g., the tutorial session). The workshop serves to improve the capabilities of young environmental economists to conduct state-of-the-art research, thus advancing our knowledge on a wide array of environmental economics principles and tools that lead to improved protection of human health and the environment. A second workshop series - the "Occasional California Workshop on Environmental and Resource Economics" - is hosted by University of California-Santa Barbara and has been supported under this CFDA. This series of workshops - held roughly every 12-18 months - focuses on supporting new dissertations and are designed for junior scholars, graduate students and junior faculty. The primary objective is to help such scholars develop better research ideas and programs, as well as assist in communication among colleagues. Thus efforts are made to facilitate attendance and participation by PhD students from around California and the rest of far Western North America (Washington, Oregon, BC, Nevada, Arizona, northwest Mexico, Hawaii). The typical workshop draws approximately 100 participants for the 1-2 day event. Presentations are of two types short 5-10 minute presentations for which no papers are involved and longer (30 minute) presentations with discussants. In terms of results, organizers expect the field of environmental and resource economics to be strengthened by this effort, attracting economists and graduate students to the field of environmental economics through participation in the workshop. Fiscal Year 2016: Most of the environmental economics research grants awarded under this CFDA have ended, and the few that remain are wrapping up in FY2016 One environmental economics research project funded under this CFDA that concluded this year sought to develop a series of complementary analyses for understanding the economic efficiency, environmental effectiveness, and distributional effects of overlapping policies, accounting for how different policy instruments interact with one another, and how they perform in the presence of induced technological change. The methods were applied to the two sectors of greatest import for GHG and conventional pollutant emissions: electricity generation and transportation. The first objective was to conduct a comprehensive review of existing policies and major proposals for reducing emissions and promoting clean technologies in these sectors. The second goal was to develop an analytical model of consumer, supplier, and overall market responses to these kinds of policy interventions, in order to develop intuition about interactions among policies. Importantly, in addition to an emissions externality, the model would incorporate two types of market imperfections that often motivate technology- specific policies: undervaluation of energy efficiency by consumers and spillovers from knowledge accumulated by producers. The third goal was to develop numerical models following the conceptual analysis, and carefully parameterize them for our two sectoral applications. The ultimate goal was to provide a comprehensive guide for policymakers on how the existing abundance of policies and policy options should be understood, coordinated, and possibly reformed. Development of a simple unifying model to analyze interactions among overlapping environmental policies, particularly those that involve tradable credit mechanisms. The model was extended to allow for both more and less mature renewable energy sources (e.g., wind versus solar), differentiating the innovation market failures among these different classes, and by incorporating demand-side market failures e.g., the undervaluation of energy efficiency improvements). It demonstrates that the value of a given policy change depends on the extent to which any and all of these market failures are internalized. The model was further adapted to allow for the peculiarities of the transportation fuels sector. This included modeling the nested targets in the Renewable Fuels Standard, a low-carbon fuel standard, and different forms of CAFE standards, including size-based incentives. It highlights how each of these policies can be modeled as combinations of implicit taxes and subsidies and reveals how they interact. The research led to parameterization of a new analytical model for the electricity sector. This permitted quantitative analysis about the optimal policy combinations. A significant focus was on the optimal deployment subsidies for wind and solar and their sensitivity to a variety of assumptions regarding the potential for learning-by-doing, the degree of spillovers, and the stringency of the emissions target. Central estimates for these values were in the range of 1 cent for wind (mature renewable technologies) and 5 cents/kWh for solar. While they rise somewhat as emissions reduction targets get more stringent, the carbon price in the optimal carbon policy combination is what rises most significantly. The development and parameterization of this model proved more challenging than expected. The baseline involves a large pre-existing suite of policy incentives and mandates, for which implicit values must be calculated. Incorporating realistic fuel economy strategies required calibrating both technological and size-based opportunities for fuel economy improvements. Trying to maintain an overall calibration strategy of relying on EIA data (projections generated from the much more complex NEMS model), while being consistent with other empirical evidence on innovation and renewable fuels, required significant innovations in terms of the model and solution strategies. The results emphasize the inefficiency of current federal renewable fuel standards and size-based fuel economy standards relative to direct taxes on carbon or gasoline. We find that the current mix of state and federal fuel taxes, fuel economy standards, and renewable fuel blending mandates leads to a 13% reduction in domestic carbon emissions from this sector relative to a no-policy baseline at an average private welfare cost of $18/tCO2. These policies induce behavioral changes that are highly cost-ineffective, however, as evidenced by a marginal cost of carbon abatement that varies widely across competing abatement options: $0/tCO2 to $736/tCO2 for options based on fuel switching (e.g., from gasoline to ethanol) and negative $45/tCO2 to positive $73/1C02 for options based on conservation (i.e., driving fewer miles or improving fuel economy). Negative abatement costs for conservation arise in this setting due to consumer undervaluation of fuel economy and due to existing policies that implicitly subsidize ethanol well beyond the point where its marginal cost exceeds its energy value. In contrast, the optimal carbon policy a carbon tax combined with corrective subsidies for cellulosic ethanol production and fuel economy improvementscan achieve the same 13% reduction in carbon emissions, but at an average private welfare gain of $15/CO2 relative to no policy. For awards related to smart growth, program accomplishments involved supporting activities of current grant recipients: December 2016 EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: No new environmental economic research grants were unded in FY2015. This is due to reductions in appropriations that have limited mount of available funding to be used for these purposes. Fiscal Year 2016: No new environmental economic research grants were funded in FY2016. This s due to reductions in appropriations that have limited amount of available Funding to be used for these purposes. Fiscal Year 2017: No content available. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. Non-competitive proposals are judged for: (a) technical merit in terms of: (1) strengths and weaknesses of the project; (2) adequacy of overall project design; (3) competency of proposed staff; (4) suitability of applicant's available resources; (5) appropriateness of the proposed project period and budget; and 16) probability that the project will accomplish stated objectives; and, for (b) program interest in terms of: (1) the need for the proposed project; and (2) elationship to program objectives. 6.612 SURVEYS, STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, TRAINING DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION AND THE RELEASE OF TOXIC Program Descriptions CHEMICALS Increasing community awareness and use of environmental information through TRI education and outreach. FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Environmental Information, Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act, Section 103; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide OBJECTIVES: The program objectives supported through this program are: To provide funding in support of surveys, studies, investigations, training/demonstrations, educational outreach and special purpose assistance as they relate to environmental information and the release of toxic chemicals. The purpose is to educate the public on how to obtain access to and effectively use environmental information, including information about toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities. Through this grant program, EPA intends to enhance the public's understanding of environmental data, in general, and the potential risks and hazards of releases of toxic chemicals to communities as they relate to facilities covered under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program; support efforts to assist state, tribal and local governments improve management of environmental information; identify priorities and opportunities for the public and state, tribal and local governments to work with industry to reduce toxic chemical disposal or other releases and potential risks associated with them; and establish reduction targets and measure progress toward reduction goals. Other program objectives are to access TRI and other toxic chemical information to other organizations so they can help facilitate and manage activities that will further promote analysis, understanding, and use of TRI and other toxic chemical data to prevent pollution, improve environmental performance, and reduce the hazards/risks associated with toxic chemical releases within communities. Also through this grant program, EPA intends to enhance public understanding of environmental information generally and the potential risks and hazards of releases of toxic chemicals to their communities; support efforts to assist interested stakeholders (e.g., members of the public, industry, community organizations, academic institutions, state, tribal and local officials, non-governmental organizations, etc.), to improve the management, access, understanding and use of TRI and other toxic chemical information; and to utilize TRI and related information to prioritize community action and develop opportunities for interested stakeholders to work with industry to achieve beneficial outcomes such as improved data quality, environmental compliance, and reduced toxic chemical disposal or other releases and associated potential risks. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2015: Topics and activities include, but are not limited to the following: - Expansion of TRI stakeholder education and outreach; - Use of various avenues to deliver TRI related training to interested stakeholders such as online seminars, and a regional training workshop; - Engagement with new communities and organizations that could benefit from increased awareness, understanding and use of TRI; - Promotion of access and use of TRI and other related data among grass roots community organizations such as producing analyses or training community leaders; - Exploration and development of a TRI-focused mobile application; and - Planning activities for a fall 2016 National Training Conference. 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 under this program is generally available to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories (for example, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), federally recognized Indian tribes, intertribal consortia of federally recognized tribes, public and private colleges and universities, and other public or private nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for financial assistance. 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: State, territory, city, town, county, and regional governments; federally recognized Indian tribes and intertribal consortia of federally recognized tribes, public institutions and industries subject to EPA regulatory reporting requirements; and the public. Credentials/Documentation: Applicants must demonstrate that they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. EPA will ask applicants or principle investigators to provide curricula vitae and relevant publications. EPA may ask for documentation of nonprofit status.2, CFR 200, Subpart E- Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: EPA awards grants and cooperative agreements supporting surveys, studies and investigations, demonstrations, educational outreach and special purpose projects that consider the relevance to EPA's mission and the likelihood of the success of proposed projects. 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. 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. 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: This 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements. Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 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: December 2016 frin 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. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-federal entities that expend $750,000 or more in a year in Federal awards shall 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. Records: The record retention requirements of 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 are applicable depending upon the identity of the recipient. Recipients must keep financial Program Descriptions records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. All records must be maintained until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions, such as those raised as a result of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Account Identification: 68-0108-0-1-304. Obligations: (Cooperative Agreements) FY 15 Not Available; FY 16 est $200,000; and FY 17 est $175,000 - FY 16 $200,000; FY 17 $175,000. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Estimated $175,000 to $225,000 with an average of $200,000 annually. 68-0108. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2015: In FY2015 TRI completed a successful workshop, and several speakers, including two from EPA, provided the audience of over 100 people with information regarding TRI. Positive feedback was provided. Four webinars were conducted in each quarter of FY 2015, and the presentations are posted on the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. Meetings were held to assist the grantee in the development of a TRI app. Fiscal Year 2016: Planned and scheduled a TRI national training conference. Fiscal Year 2017: No content available. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Surveys, studies, and investigations grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's General Grant Regulations 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 Costs will be determined on accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E Research and demonstration projects are subject to 40 CFR Part 40. Training grants are subject to 40 CFR Part 45. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. EPA encourages potential applicants to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in http://www.epa.gov/tri/contacts_regional.htm or in Appendix IV of the Catalog, and the Headquarters program contacts listed below. EPA has communicated with Cynthia Peurifoy, Region 4 Environmental Justice Coordinator to ask assistance in engaging a speaker, Representative Harold Mitchel. Region 4 was also made aware of this grant. Headquarters Office: Margaret Conomos EPA Headquarters, EPA West, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, http://www.epa.gov/oei RELATED PROGRAMS: 66.034 Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Special Purpose Activities Relating to the Clean Air Act; 66.424 Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Training Grants - Section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act; 66.436 Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Training Grants and Cooperative Agreements - Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act; 66.510 Surveys, Studies, Investigations and Special Purpose Grants within the Office of Research and Development EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2015: Workshop in Houston, four webinars, development of TRI App, and initial planning discussions for fall 2016 TRI National Training Conference. Fiscal Year 2016: No content available. Fiscal Year 2017: No content available. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. EPA selects proposed Surveys, Studies, and Investigations projects for funding based on factors such as relevancy to EPA's mission, technical merit, and the likelihood of success. If EPA issues a solicitation for applications for a particular project or group of projects, the solicitation will identify specific criteria. 66.700 CONSOLIDATED PESTICIDE ENFORCEMENT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FEDERAL AGENCY: Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Environmental Protection Agency AUTHORIZATION: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 23, Public Law 92-516, 7 U.S.C 136; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 23, Public Law 94-140, 7 Stat. 136; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 23, Public Law 95-396, 7 U.S.C 136. OBJECTIVES: State, territorial, and tribal agencies participating in this cooperative agreement program receive funds to support and strengthen their pesticide compliance programs, including pesticide compliance monitoring, inspection and enforcement activities. To: (a) assist states, territories and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia and Indian tribes, in developing and maintaining comprehensive pesticide programs that address all aspects of pesticide enforcement, and special pesticide initiatives; (b) sponsor cooperative surveillance, monitoring and analytical procedures; and (c) encourage regulatory activities within the states, territories, and tribes. Funding Priority 2016 Grantees must conduct activities related to: (1) basic pesticide program; (2) pesticide worker safety: Worker Protection Safety; (3) pesticide worker safety: pesticide applicator certification; (4) pesticide container and containment regulations; (5) soil fumigation and soil fumigants; and (6) pesticides in water. Grantees also must chose two additional programmatic areas from the following: (1) endangered species protection; (2) bed bugs; (3) pollinator protection; (4) spray drift; (5) state and tribal coordination and communication; (6) supplemental distributors; (7) contract manufacturers; and (8) imports. These activities include inspections and observations at pesticide application sites to ensure user compliance with label directions and acceptable use practices; inspections of pesticide products at producing facilities and in the retail marketplace to ensure industry compliance with registration, classification and labeling requirements; and initiation of appropriate enforcement action when violations are detected including civil and criminal prosecution, stop sale orders, seizures, recalls and warning notices. Funding Priority 2017 Grantees must conduct activities related to: (1) basic pesticide program; (2) pesticide worker safety: Worker Protection Safety; (3) pesticide worker safety: pesticide applicator certification; (4) pesticide container and containment regulations; (5) soil fumigation and soil fumigants; and (6) pesticides in water. Grantees also must chose two additional programmatic areas from the following: (1) endangered species protection; (2) bed bugs; (3) pollinator protection; (4) spray drift; (5) state and tribal coordination and communication; (6) supplemental distributors; (7) contract manufacturers; and (8) imports. These activities include inspections and observations at pesticide application sites to ensure user compliance with label directions and acceptable use practices; inspections of pesticide products at producing facilities and in the retail marketplace to ensure industry compliance with registration, classification and labeling requirements; and initiation of appropriate enforcement action when violations are detected including civil and criminal prosecution, stop sale orders, seizures, recalls and warning notices. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Cooperative Agreements USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: Available for costs specifically incurred in purchasing inspectional supplies and equipment; reimbursing State travel and per diem expenses associated with the performance of grant outputs; purchasing essential laboratory equipment and supplies; paying salaries for personnel performing inspectional, analytical and/or managerial functions related to grant activities, and for administrative costs associated with the performance of grant outputs. Funds also can be used for training. Each program must have at least one federally credentialed inspector pursuant to the September 2004 Guidance for Issuing Federal EPA Inspector Credentials to Authorize Employees of State/Tribal Governments to Conduct Inspections on Behalf of EPA. 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. There are no specific restrictions on the use of this assistance. 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: State agencies having pesticide compliance program responsibilities in each state, territory and possession of the United States, including the District of Columbia and Indian Tribes. Beneficiary Eligibility: States, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia. Credentials/Documentation: The application must supply evidence of legal authority to conduct pesticide compliance activities contemplated under the grant and a workable program officially adopted for the agency. Costs will be determined in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200 Subpart E. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication Coordination: Discussions or informal meetings with Regional program offices concerning program preparation are advisable. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500 must be used for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Requests for application form and completed applications should be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Office (see Appendix IV of the Catalog). The enforcement program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200 and 1500. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov. Award Procedure: Each application shall be subjected to administrative coordination to determine adequacy in relation to grant regulations, and to technical and program evaluation to determine merit and relevancy of the project. States will be notified of Federal Assistance Awards through the Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS). Applicants may use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: About 60 days. Appeals: Disputes will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. December 2016 |