Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants (66.472)
Program
66.472 Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants
Federal Agency
OFFICE OF WATER, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Authorization
Clean Water Act, Section 406, as amended; Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000; Public Law 106- 284.
Program Number
66.472
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To assist Coastal and Great Lakes States, territories and Indian Tribes eligible under Section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act, as amended, in developing and implementing programs for monitoring and notification for coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public. Funding Priority: EPA's funding priority is to award grants to those applicants whose proposals clearly demonstrate an increase in a state's, tribe's, or local government's ability to monitor recreational waters, notify public of risks, manage programs and communicate among environmental and public health agencies and the public.
Types of Assistance
Project Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
These grants are intended to support the initial development and implementation of recreational water monitoring and notification programs or support enhancement of an existing program. Grant funds can be used for operational support or implementation of recreational water monitoring and notification programs. EPA encourages grantees to use development funds to test various approaches for meeting BEACH Act program requirements. For development grants, programs must clearly demonstrate an increase in a state's, tribe's, or local government's ability to monitor recreational waters and notify public of risks, manage programs and communicate among environmental and public health agencies and the public. To be eligible for implementation grants, programs must also demonstrate that they meet the program performance criteria listed in the National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants (EPA-823-B-02-004).
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Coastal and Great Lakes states, territories (the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) and Tribes eligible under Section 518(e) of the Clean Water Act, as amended. The Administrator may make a grant to a local government under this subsection for implementation of a monitoring and notification program only if, after the one- year period beginning on the date of publication of performance criteria under Section 406 (a)(1), the Administrator determines that the State is not implementing a program that meets the requirements of Section 406(a)(1), regardless of whether the State has received a grant under Section 406(a)(1). Interstate agencies and intertribal consortia are no eligible for Beach grants.
Beneficiary Eligibility
States, U. S. territories, Federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments, environmental and public health agencies and local governments involved in implementing monitoring and notification programs.
Credentials/Documentation
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State, tribal, and local governments. Recipients must show compliance with 40 CFR Part 31.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination with appropriate EPA Regional Office is encouraged. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under Executive Order 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 Procedure
Requests for application forms should be made to the appropriate EPA Regional Grants Management Office identified in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Completed applications should be sent to the appropriate Regional or Headquarters Contact. All proposals or work statements should be developed in response to the criteria identified in criteria for selecting proposals.
Award Procedure
Grant applications are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office and EPA Headquarters Office, and if approved, is awarded by the Regional Administrator.
Deadlines
The deadline to submit a complete application is 45 days from the date of the program announcement in the Federal Register. Please contact the Headquarters Contact for more information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
As described in 40 CFR Part 31, Subpart F.
Renewals
Renewals are subject to approval by the appropriate EPA Regional or Headquarters Contact. Please contact the appropriate EPA Regional or Headquarters Contact for guidance.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Beach grants are normally funded on a 12-month basis (yearly).
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Semi-annual or annual reports, as required by the specific terms of the Agreement. Financial Status Reports must be submitted for each project at the end of each fiscal year.
Audits
Grants are subject to inspections and audit by representatives of the Comptroller General of the United States and EPA or any authorized representative. Periodic audits should be made as part of the recipient's systems of financial management and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants and other agreements. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more within the State's fiscal year shall have an audit made for that year. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 1997. The Circular implements the Single Audit Act amendments of 1996. The Circular requires nonfederal entities that expend more than $300,000 in Federal award dollars, to have an audit conducted in accordance with the Circular's provisions. With the revised Circular, the previous OMB Circular No. A-128 for single audits of State and local governments was rescinded and the single audit requirements for these entitieswere incorporated among the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133.
Records
Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accountingrecords and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained for 3 years from the date of submission of the annual financial status 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.
Program Accomplishments
Program benefits from funding include: development and implementation of recreational water quality monitoring protocol (sampling design, indicator organism); decreasing swimmer exposure by improving communication outreach and education to public on swimming advisories; establishing more efficient and timely management decision process for posting swimming advisories; constructing database to provide government and public access to data and information.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0103-0-1-304.
Obligations
FY 02 $10,000,000; FY 03 $7,000,000; and FY 04 est not available.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
FY 02 Est.: $150,000 to $535,643.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments (40 CFR Part 31).
Related Programs
None.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Region I - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island Matt Liebman USEPA Region 1, One Congress St. Ste. 1110 - CWQ, Boston, MA 02114-2023; T: 617-918- 1626; F: 617-918-1505; liebman.matt@epa.gov Region II - New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands Helen Grebe USEPA Region 2, 2890 Woodbridge Ave. MS220, Edison, NJ 08837-3679; T: 732-321-6797; F: 732-321-6616; grebe.helen@epa.gov Region III - Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia Nancy Grundahl USEPA Region 3, 1650 Arch Street 3ES10, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029; T: 215-814-2782; F: 215-814-2729; grundahl.nancy@epa.gov Region IV - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina Joel Hansel USEPA Region 4, 61 Forsyth St. 15th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303-3415; T: 404-562- 9274; F: 404-562-9224; hansel.joel@epa.gov Region V - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin Holly Wirick USEPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Blvd. WT-16J, Chicago, IL 60604-3507; T: 312-353-6704; F: 312-886-0168; wirick.holiday@epa.gov Region VI - Louisiana, Texas Mike Schaub USEPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Ave. 6WQ-EW, Dallas, TX 75202-2733; T: 214-665-7314; F: 214-665-6689; schaub.mike@epa.gov Region IX - American Soma, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, California, Guam, Hawaii Terry Fleming USEPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne St. WtR-2, San Francisco, CA 94105; T: 415- 744-1939; F: 415-744-1078; fleming.terrence@epa.gov Region X - Alaska, Oregon, Washington Rob Pedersen USEPA Region 10, 120 Sixth Ave. OW-134, Seattle, WA 98101; T: 206-553-1646; F: 206-553-0165; pedersen.rob@epa.gov.
Headquarters Office
Charles Kovatch USEPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 4305T, Washington DC 20460; T: 202-566-0399; F: 202-566-0409; kovatch.charles@epa.gov.
Web Site Address
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches
Examples of Funded Projects
None.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
To be eligible for program implementation grants, applicants must meet program performance criteria outlined in National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants (EPA-823-B-02-004). The performance criteria set forth implementation grant requirements for monitoring and assessing recreation waters and promptly notifying the public of exceedances of water quality for pathogens. As a condition of receipt of a program Implementation Grant under Section 406(b) of the Clean Water Act, a State or local government program for monitoring and notification under this section shall identify (1) lists of coastal recreation waters in the State, including coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public; (2) in the case of a State program for monitoring and notification, the process by which the State may delegate to local governments responsibility for implementing the monitoring and notification program; (3) the frequency and location of monitoring and assessment of coastal recreation waters based on (A) the periods of recreational use of the waters; (B) the nature and extent of use during certain periods; (C) the proximity of the waters to known point sources and nonpoint sources of pollution; and (D) any effect of storm events on the waters; (4)(A) the methods to be used for detecting levels of pathogens and pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health; and (B) the assessment procedures for identifying short-term increases in pathogens and pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health in coastal recreation waters (including increases in relation to storm events); (5) measures for prompt communication of the occurrence, nature, location, pollutants involved, and extent of any exceeding of, or likelihood of exceeding, applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators to (A) the Administrator, in such form as the Administrator determines to be appropriate; and (B) a designated official of a local government having jurisdiction over land adjoining the coastal recreation waters for which the failure to meet applicable standards is identified; (6) measures for the posting of signs at beaches or similar points of access, or functionally equivalent communication measures that are sufficient to give notice to the public that the coastal recreation waters are not meeting or are not expected to meet applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; and (7) measures that inform the public of the potential risks associated with water contact activities in the coastal recreation waters that do not meet applicable water quality standards.
