Water Quality Cooperative Agreements
Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2008: Funding priorities include, but are not limited to: watershed approaches for solutions to wet weather activities (i.e., combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflows, storm water discharge, and animal feeding operations); pretreatment and biosolids (sludge) program activities, decentralized systems; and alternative ways to enhance or measure the effectiveness of point source programs.
Trading, water efficiency, asset management, and sustainable infrastructure are also areas of consideration.
No appropriation authority was provided for FY 2006 or FY 2007.
However the above funding priorities will be used if unobligated carryover funds are available in FY 2008.
Any awards made with carryover funds will be in accordance with the Agency's competition policy.
Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: Funding priorities include, but are not limited to: watershed approaches for solutions to wet weather activities (i.e., combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflows, storm water discharge, and animal feeding operations); pretreatment and biosolids (sludge) program activities, decentralized systems; and alternative ways to enhance or measure the effectiveness of point source programs.
Trading, water efficiency, asset management, and sustainable infrastructure are also areas of consideration.
No appropriation authority was provided for FY 2006 or later.
However the above funding priorities will be used if unobligated carryover funds are available in FY 2009.
Any awards made with carryover funds will be in accordance with the Agency's competition policy.
- Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support
- Water Quality Management Planning
Examples of Funded Projects
Development of software tool for preparation of industrial stormwater pollution prevention plan; calculating utility avoided cost and environmental values of urban water efficiency programs; characterizing the quality of effluent and other contributory sources during peak wet weather events; Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations producer outreach and development of a system for improved poultry manure management; and nonpoint source pollution reduction through water quality trading.
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
Program Accomplishments
There were a total of eight awards in FY 2007, and two awards pending for FY 08 to develop methods for utilities to use to quantify environmental benefits and costs, to develop a tool to help communities apply the principles and best practices of asset management to maintain, upgrade, and operate physical assets cost-effectively while protecting public health and safety. Funding was also provided to develop nutrient management plans that will eliminate or reduce the quantity of polluted runoff from the land application of animal residuals.
Uses and Use Restrictions
These grants are intended to encourage efforts to improve water quality by promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution.
Projects must attain tangible results.
EPA may award grants to fund internships for high school students to work at wastewater treatment plants under the Youth and the Environment sub-program in EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
In the case of Regional competitions, eligible projects may be limited in geographic scope to benefit the citizens of States, Tribes, or Territories within those Regions.
Other specific uses of funds will be described in Requests for Proposals for this program.
EPA will not award grants to fund ongoing State, Tribal, or local program activities, construction, or to purchase land.
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.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
State water pollution control agencies, interstate agencies, Tribes, colleges and universities, individuals, and other public or nonprofit organizations.
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
Individuals and organizations affected by water pollution, including State Water Pollution Control Agencies, interstate agencies, Tribes, colleges and universities, and other public or nonprofit organizations.
Credentials/Documentation
Nonprofit applicants may be asked to provide documentation that they meet the definition of a non-profit organization in OMB Circular A-122. Interstate organizations may be asked to provide a citation to the statutory authority which establishes their status. Intertribal consortia must meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 35.504.
Aplication and Award Process
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.
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
Competition procedures vary by Region and Headquarters Office. EPA will generally publish a Request for Proposals (RFP), evaluate the proposals under the criteria contained in the RFP, and requests that selected applicants submit a full application. RFPs are synopsized at www.fedgrants.gov, and may be posted on Agency websites or in the Federal Register. All competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policy for competing assistance agreements. For Headquarters competitions, applicants submit a proposal, and EPA evaluates and scores the proposals and invites selected applicants to submit a formal applications. Regional procedures may vary, in accordance with the terms of Regional Request for Proposals.Application forms and completed applications may be requested from and submitted to the appropriate EPA Headquarters or Regional Office. The standard Federal application forms must be used for this program. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.
Award Procedures
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
Specific deadlines are established by the terms of the Request for Proposals.
Authorization
Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3), Public Law 92- 500, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1254(b)(3).
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Regional or Headquarters review will normally be done within approximately 60 days following the deadline for submissions.
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.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The terms of the assistance shall be determined at the time of award.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Progress report requirements will be a part of each assistance agreement.
Headquarters issued agreements will normally require quarterly and annual reports.
A schedule showing interim milestones and the outputs and outcomes that will be completed by the end of the project period will also be included, as will any specific requirements included in the assistance agreement.
Audits
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 OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non-federal entities that expend $500,000 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 $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in OMB Circular No. A-133.
Records
Record keeping requirements are specified 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31 as applicable. 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 until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0103-0-1-304; STAG.
Obigations
FY 07 $1,258,100; FY 08 $500,000; and FY 09 $0.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Projects typically range from $15,000 to $270,000/fiscal year. The average grant awarded by Headquarters is approximately $62,000/fiscal year. The average Regional award is approximately $86,000/fiscal year.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
For grants and agreements with States, local governments, and Indian tribal governments, the procedures and requirements shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 31 "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments," 40 CFR Part 35, "Environmental Program Grants-State, Interstate, and Local Governments Agencies," OMB Circular Nos. A-87 "Cost Principles for State and Local Governments," and A-102 "Grants and Cooperative Agreements for States and Local Governments." For grants and agreements with other entities the procedures shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 30, "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations," and OMB Circular Nos. A-122 for Non-Profit Organizations and A-21 for Educational Institutions.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Contact the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog for information on the grants administration process or the Regional WQCA Coordinator shown at http://epa.gov/owm/mab/indian/104coord.htm.
Headquarters Office
Barron Benroth, Office of Wastewater Management (4201M), EPA, Room 7126, EPA East, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington DC, 20460. Telephone: (202) 564-0672; Fax: (202) 501-2399; E-mail: Benroth.Barry@epa.gov.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement.
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