In recent years, Regional Geographic Initiative and Environmental Priority Program funding has primarily supported work on water quality issues involving small communities to ensure community systems provide water that meets all applicable health-based drinking water standards through effective treatment and source water protection; nitrate levels are reduced and community awareness is increased to prevent water pollution. Funding has been provided for air quality issues including reduction of truck congestion, idling and safety concerns caused by the large number of grain trucks in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Funding supported the Blue Skyways Collaboratives work for Cargill and other area industries to provide alternatives to truck idling in a main area of downtown Cedar Rapids. On-farm assistance has also been provided to address energy efficiency and air pollution reductions in the central plains and to fund and support an Environmental Finance Center to assist small communities, businesses and organizations with the environmental protection and regulatory compliance activity funding challenges. Thirteen applications have been received with funding provided to nine projects (FY 07 3 proposals were funded and FY 08 6 proposals have been funded).

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, studies, and special purpose assistance plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations.

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." "Geospatial Information" includes: Information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the Earth, or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information.

This information may be derived from, among other things, GPS, remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Assistance under this program is generally available to States, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia; public and private universities and colleges; hospitals; laboratories; other public or private nonprofit institutions; for-profit groups; and individuals which submit applications proposing projects with significant technical merit and relevance to EPA's mission.

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.

Nonprofit organizations must be able to demonstrate that they are eligible through documentation of nonprofit status provided the U.S.

Internal Revenue Service or their state of incorporation.

However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State and local governments, U.S. territories and possessions, Indian Tribes, universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public and private nonprofit institutions, and individuals.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments and Indian Tribes, OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions, OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit institutions, and FAR Part 31 for profit makers. Applicants may be requested to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. EPA may ask applicants or principle investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. Nonprofit organizations must be able to demonstrate that they are eligible through documentation of nonprofit status provided the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or their state of incorporation.

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.

If an applicant submits an unsolicited proposal it will be reviewed and evaluated in accordance with Agency policy and procedures.

For more information regarding the procedures for submitting unsolicited proposals, applicants may 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

EPA requires eligible applicants to submit Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance. Application kits should be requested from and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants Administration Office, 901 N. 5th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66101. Detailed information and assistance, including Standard Form 424 are available at http://www.epa.gov/region07/economics/index.htm. For competitive awards, Requests for Initial Proposals, Requests for Proposals, or Requests for Applications will specify application procedures. 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. While applicants may submit unsolicited proposals, such proposals are funded only under very limited circumstances and in accordance with Agency procedures. Unsolicited proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on criteria including but not limited to (i) the extent the proposal is unique or innovative, (ii) whether the proposal was independently originated and developed by the applicant, (iii) and the extent the proposal supports regional priorities and/or efforts to protect the environment and public health.

Deadlines

For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in Request for Applications or Request for Initial Proposals. Unsolicited proposals may be submitted at any time.

Authorization

Clean Water Act, Section 104; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20; Clean Air Act, Section 103; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 180 days.

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

None. A standard grant application should be prepared and submitted as a new grant, which will be reviewed in the same manner as the original application and will compete for available funds. EPA can incrementally fund grants and cooperative agreements for investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, studies, and special purpose assistance. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grants and cooperative agreements are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual) and will be paid electronically utilizing automated funds transfer. The total approved project period may not exceed 5 years for competitive awards.

Post Assistance Requirements

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 financial, equipment, and invention reports.

Reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations Part 30 and Part 31.

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

Recipients must keep financial 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. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports. 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.

Financial Information

Account Identification

68-0108-0-1-304 and 68-0103-0-1-304.

Obigations

Funds awarded for: FY 07 $392,100; FY 08 $114,900 and FY 09, $100,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

In fiscal year 2007, projects funded from Regional Geographic Initiative and Environmental Priority Program funding ranged from a low of $14,900 to a high of $100,000, with an average of $57,450 per project. No project have been funded thus far for FY 08.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, studies, and special purpose grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's General Grant Regulations (40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

EPA encourages potential applicants to communicate with the EPA Region 7 located at 901 N. 5th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101, Wendy Lubbe, Telephone: (913) 551-7551; Fax: (913) 551-9551, E-mail: lubbe.wendy@epa.gov.

Headquarters Office

Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

EPA selects proposed projects for funding based on factors such as relevancy to EPA's mission, technical merit, and the likelihood of success. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement.