In fiscal year 2003, there were a total of 33 new competitive awards. It is anticipated that there will be 33 noncompetitive continuation awards in fiscal year 2004 and 2005.

Uses and Use Restrictions

The uses are to strengthen State health agency environmental health programs.

Services include public health assessments, consultations, exposure investigations, health education, and follow-up health investigations/studies.

Funds may be expended for reasonable program purposes, such as personnel, travel, supplies and services.

Funds for contractual services may be requested.

However, the awardee, as the direct and primary recipient of PHS grant funds, must perform a substantive role in carrying out project activities and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provide funds to an ineligible party.

Equipment may be purchased with cooperative agreement funds; however, the equipment must meet applicable Federal requirements.

These funds may not be used by the recipient to conduct activities at any Federal site where the State is a party to litigation at the site.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible applicants are the official public health agencies of States or their bona fide agents or instrumentalities, to include the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Northern Marina Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, and the Federally- recognized Indian tribal governments.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries are individuals and/or families living in communities near or in proximity of Superfund sites.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

No preapplication is required.

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.

12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs".

An applicant should contact 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

Applicants must use application Form PHS 5161-1. Application packets are available from: Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Rd,. Room 3000, Mailstop K-75, Atlanta, GA 30341. By formal agreement, the CDC Procurement and Grants Office will act for and on behalf of ATSDR on this matter.

Award Procedures

The Assistant Administrator, ATSDR, determines applications to be approved and the priorities for funding. When an application is approved for funding, the Grants Management Officer, CDC, acting as the agent for ATSDR, will prepare a Notice of Award.

Deadlines

Contact the Headquarters Office identified below for application deadlines.

Authorization

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, Sections 104(i)(1)(E), (4), (6), (7), (9), (14) and (15), as amended; Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 9604; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Section 3109(b) and (c), as amended; Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, 42 U.S.C. 6939 (b) and (c).

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 60 to 90 days.

Appeals

None.

Renewals

Awards are made for project periods from one to five years. Renewal awards cannot be made beyond the project period without competition.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The annual awards are for a 12 month budget period within a three to five year project period. Noncompetitive continuation awards within the project period are made on the basis of satisfactory progress and availability of funds.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Annual progress and financial status reports are required no later than 90 days after the end of each budget period.

An original and two copies of the final financial status and performance reports are due no later than 90 days after the end of the project period.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal 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 Circular No. A-133.

Records

Detailed and accurate records of travel expenditures, personnel hours and all other costs will be retained for at least 10 years in accordance with EPS's "Superfund Financial Management and Recordkeeping Guidance for Federal Agencies". Such documents may be required to provide the basis of cost recovery actions or other litigation. Additionally, this documentation must be available for audit or verification upon request of the office of Inspector General.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-8252-0-1-551.

Obigations

(Grants) FY 07 $10,894,064; FY 08 $12,681,515; and FY 09 est $11,500,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$150,627 to $700,000; $350,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Regulations governing this program are set forth in 45 CFR 92 and 40 CFR 35, Subpart O. Guidelines are available in the application kits. PHS Grants Policy Statement (Revised, April 1, 1994).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Not applicable.

Headquarters Office

Ms. Joan Flesner, Public Health Analyst, Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop F-59, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Telephone: (770) 488-0739 Fax: (770) 488-1544. E-mail address: JFlesner@cdc.gov. Grants Management Contact: Mildred Garner, Grants Management Officer, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: (770) 488-2745. Fax: (770) 488-2777.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications for core activities only were reviewed and evaluated based on the following criteria: (1) Proposed Program: (a) Merit scientific and technical merit of the proposed project to perform public health assessments, consultations, exposure investigations, health education and public health studies consistent with ATSDR guidance and in a timely manner. Applicant's ability to evaluate the public health impact of hazardous waste sites using health, environmental, and demographic data, and health-related concerns from the local community. (b) Requirements Applicant's understanding of the requirements, objectives, and complexities of the interactions required for a successful program. c) Collaboration Applicant's plan to collaborate with political and private subdivisions of Federal, State, and local health and environmental agencies and community groups to obtain information needed for evaluating the public health impact of hazardous waste sites, disseminate results of findings, and prevent exposure if identified. (2) Program Personnel: The principal investigator or project director and his/her ability to devote time and effort to provide effective leadership, and the qualifications of the support staff. (3) Applicant Capability: Adequacy and commitment of institutional resources, facilities, space, and equipment necessary for conducting the project are available and sufficient. (4) Program Budget: Extent to which the budget is reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent with intended use of funds. The priority order for funding cooperative agreements was as follows: (a) Number of proposed and/or listed National Priority List (NPL) sites (Federal and nonfederal) based on the most current EPA list, (b) number of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) sites (Federal and nonfederal) based on the most current EPA list; (c) applicants who applied for both Core Activities and optional Activities; and (d) geographic distribution across the United States. (5) Human Subjects: Applicant's plan for adequate protection of human subjects. Applications for conducting Core Plus Optional Activities were reviewed and evaluated based on the following criteria: Proposed Program: In addition to the criteria outlined above for Core Activities, the applicant had to indicate an understanding of and capability for conducting human health studies as contained in the proposed site-specific protocol which had to include: (a) The approach, feasibility, adequacy, and rationale for the proposed study design, (b) the technical merit of the proposed study, (c) the proposed timeline, including measurable objectives, (d) proposed method for disseminating the results of the study.