Surveys, Studies, Investigations and Special Purpose Grants within the Office of Research and Develo
Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2008: FY 2008 Priorities include conducting air pollutants research, risk assessment, water quality research, drinking water research, research to improve human health (including children's) research related to Homeland Security.
Surveys, studies, and investigations to determine the environmental effects of air quality, drinking water, water quality, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides will also be funded under this category.
This funding priority also provides support for conferences relating to the areas above.
Examples of Funded Projects
(1) To investigate methods to manage large floodplain rivers in ways that achieve multiple, sustained benefits by restoring hydrogeomorphic river channel processes in carefully selected locations.
(2) This assistance agreement will support a meeting to foster collaborative research among researchers in different States on the effects of ozone on plants, and to find ways to reach out to the public to inform them of the results of this research.
(3) This project, through distribution of Pollution Prevention and linked life cycle cost accounting tools, will enable small and medium size businesses located in greater New England to reduce their emission of toxic substances, which will in turn lead to reduced environmental health risks.
(4) The goals of this project are to develop and apply a methodology for benchmarking curricula in sustainability engineering and to identify individuals active in sustainability engineering education.
The information collected in this project will be available as a resource for faculty at institutions of higher education to enhance the engineering curricula with lessons focused on the environmental impacts associated with the design of products, processes, or systems.
(5) This grant studies environmental sustainability issues concerning the need to balance the use of water to meet both human and environmental demands.
Funding will support a decision support system (DDS) that will integrate scientific models of ecological water flow needs, water demand management, and water supply planning into a decision-oriented optimization framework that promotes preventive approaches.
- Support the National Environmental Monitoring Conference (NEMC) as Part of the Environmental Measurement Symposium
- San Luis Basin Sustainability Project
- SUPPORT TO MANAGE THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING CONFERENCE (NEMC) AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENT SYMPOSIUM
- SUPPORT TO DEVELOP MEASUREMENT TOOLS, ACCREDITATION STANDARDS, AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
- State Biosolids Coordinators and Stakeholders Technology and Management Workshop
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
An estimated 50 grants/cooperative agreements are made each year. Data of the number of applications received and the exact number of awards made in the last three fiscal years is not available. Summary results of the research are available on http://www.epa.gov/researchaccomplishments/.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Funds awarded via grants/cooperative agreements are available for allowable direct cost expenditures incident to performance plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institutions, in accordance with the established policies 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: http://geodata.epa.gov.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
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.
These programs are available to each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, for public and private State universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and in some cases, individuals or foreign entities who have demonstrated unusually high scientific ability.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations and private nonprofit institutions/organizations; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; U.S. territories or possessions; anyone/general public; education professionals; students/trainees; graduate students; scientists/researchers; hospitals; foreign entities; and individuals.
Credentials/Documentation
The Agency may request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training experience in the field, and the necessary equipment to carrt out the research. EPA may ask applicants or principal investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. EPA may ask principal investigators for information documenting past performance. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments, OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions, and OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations.
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.
When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Research and Development as required by the National Environmental Protection Act.
The standard application forms as furnished by the EPA and required by OMB Circulars No.
A-102 and No.
A-110 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.
Application Procedures
Competitive RFAs (requests for applications) for grants in these areas are announced widely through the Federal Register, Internet, university and scientific organizations, among other mechanisms. Although the programs identified are the formal assistance programs that ORD funds, there are periodic RFAs disseminated on other topics that are not part of the formal program. These new programs are also part of 66.510 but cannot be presently identified. Funds may be available to support activities including but not limited to experiments, surveys, studies, investigations, public education programs, and monitoring where authorized by specific statutes, in both science and engineering disciplines. Please check the Federal Register or the EPA/ORD website http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm for an updated listing of these programs. Completed applications must be submitted to the appropriate Grants Management Office at the Environmental Protection Agency or as shown in the specific RFAs, which are accessible through the EPA/ORD website at http://www.epa.gov/ord/htm/grantopportunity.htm. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA. 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.Customarily, applicants are notified about award decisions within six months of the solicitation deadline. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract, and may be requested to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, past performance documentation, and/or make appropriate revisions. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters office for application deadlines or review the RFAs for specific deadlines.
Authorization
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2)(F); Clean Air Act, Sections 103, as amended, Public Law 95-95, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.; Clean Water Act, Section 104, as amended, Public Law 95-217, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001, 42 U.S.C. 6981; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended, Public Law 94-580, 42 U.S.C. 6981 et seq.; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, as amended, Public Law 93- 523; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Public Law 92-516, 7 U.S.C. Sections 136r and 136 u; Public Laws 94-140 and 95-396, 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, as amended, Public Law 94-469, 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 Section 311.
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.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual). Total approved project period may not exceed 5 years.
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, 40 CFR Parts 30 and 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
Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until 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.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0107-0-1-304.
Obigations
FY 07 $4,300,000; FY 08 est $6,700,000; and FY 09 est $6,700,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
New grants/cooperative agreements range from $5,000 to $500,000 and average $100,000.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
General Grant Regulations and Procedures, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31). "EPA Assistance Administration Manual," available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161 on a subscription basis and "EPA and the Academic Community, Solicitation for Grant Proposals."
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Individuals are encouraged to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog or the contact listed on the RFA.
Headquarters Office
For administrative questions on grant applications and procedures, contact Mark J. Thomas, at the following address: Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 564-4763, Fax: (202) 565-2903, E-mail: Thomas.Mark @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. A proposal is judged for (A) scientific merit in terms of quality and originality of the proposed work, the qualifications of the investigator(s), the adequacy of the quality assurance plan, the responsiveness of the proposed needs identified in the RFA, the appropriateness of the proposed budget, and the probability that the project will accomplish stated objectives, and (B) program interest in terms of the need for the proposed work and a balanced ORD research portfolio. See the Web page for specific criteria.
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