Great Lakes Program (66.469)
Program
66.469 Great Lakes Program
Federal Agency
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Water
Authorization
Clean Water Act, Section 104&118, 33 U.S.C 1254; National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).
Program Number
66.469
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO), in concert with USEPA Regions 2, 3, and 5, leads a consortium of programs, agencies, and public and private institutions in attaining specific objectives and actions that will reduce contaminants, restore habitat, and protect the living resources of the basin. EPA and its partners will use the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration's strategy as a guide in activities supporting the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement goal of restoring the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. See http://www.glrc.us/strategy.html. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: (1) Remediation of contaminated sediments, including (a) sediment assessments; (b) evaluations of remedial alternatives; and (c) source identification/source control. (2) Pollution prevention, reduction, or elimination with an emphasis on substances which are persistent and toxic, especially those which bioaccumulate, in the Great Lakes basin. (3) Habitat (Ecological) Protection and Restoration, including demonstration of practices and tools for protecting and restoring aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland ecosystems. (4) Invasive (non-indigenous) aquatic and terrestrial species in the Great Lakes Basin, with an emphasis on prevention. (5) Strategic or emerging issues of basin-wide importance, including projects which: address assessment, causes, and/or effects of chemical or biological pollutants not in the regulatory mainstream; cut across or overlap two or more of the foregoing areas; support conferences regarding the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; address issues pursuant to the Great Lakes Executive Order or the Regional Collaboration; or address some other unanticipated area. (6) Lakewide Management Plan and Remedial Action Plan implementation and development, including de-listing of Areas of Concern and Beneficial Use Impairments. (7) Environmental protection related to Lake St. Clair. (8) Strategic Human Health issues. (9) Various aspects of Great Lakes monitoring including fish contaminants, atmospheric deposition, biology, and open water toxics. (10) Projects addressing contaminated sediments in Areas of Concern pursuant to the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Under the Legacy Act, EPA typically funds large projects in Areas of Concern using Project Agreements (not grants) and requiring a minimum 35 percent non-federal match. Funding Priority - Fical Year 2010: A proposed $475 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, guided by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, is a well-orchestrated, well-coordinated effort among EPA and the Great Lakes Federal Interagency Task Force to fund the highest priority activities in order to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Federal projects and over $250 million in grants and project agreements will be initiated through requests for proposals in the summer of 2009 to jump-start achievement of the following long-term goals: safely eating fish and swimming at our beaches, assuring safe drinking water, and providing a healthy ecosystem for fish and wildlife. Subject to appropriations from Congress, the multi-agency Initiative will fund activities addressing: toxic substances and areas of concern; invasive species; nearshore health and nonpoint source pollution; habitat and wildlife protection and restoration; and accountability, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and partnerships.
Types of Assistance
DISSEMINATION OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION; PROJECT GRANTS; USE OF PROPERTY, FACILITIES, OR EQUIPMENT
Uses and Use Restrictions
Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1254(b)(3), authorizes the awarding of assistance for programs established under the Clean Water Act. The Great Lakes National Program Manager is delegated authority to award assistance (for research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution) affecting the Great Lakes Basin and/or in support of the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Such activities include surveillance and monitoring of Great Lakes water quality and land use activities. Subject to appropriations from Congress, additional authorization may be available for implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in FY 2010. Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved activities plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Quality System Documentation is required for projects involving measurements or information that describe environmental processes, location, or conditions; ecological or health effects and consequences; or the performance of environmental technology. Section 118 (c)(12) authorizes contaminated sediment remediation in Areas of Concern pursuant to eligible projects under the Great Lakes Legacy Act; however, these will be done through project cooperation agreements, rather than assistance. Eligibility and other requirements for Legacy Act projects is being developed. 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, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations for the purposes stated in Section 104 (a)(1) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1254(a)(1). "For profit" organizations are not eligible. Colleges and universities which are subject to 40 CFR 30 or 31 are eligible. Since other federal agencies are public agencies or institutions, they are generally eligible to compete and would receive an interagency agreement if selected for an award. Additional eligibility may be authorized by Congress for implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in FY 2010. 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
State and local governments, interstate agencies, public and private nonprofit organizations, institutions, and Indian tribes are eligible; "for profit" organizations are not. Colleges and universities which are subject to 40 CFR 30 or 31 are eligible. Additional beneficiary eligibility may be authorized by Congress for implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in FY 2010.
Credentials/Documentation
The provisions of OMB Circular No. A-87 "Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments," OMB Circular No. A-21 "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions," and of OMB Circular No. A-122 "Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations" apply. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application 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. Preapplication assistance is available. Requests for Initial Proposals and Proposals will be accessible on the Internet from GLNPO's home page (http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/) and an announcement will be mailed to organizations which have registered with GLNPO.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. Environmental impact information is not required 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 Procedure
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. As specified in applicable requests for proposals. Application kits may be requested from USEPA – GLNPO (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604-3590. Application Packages should be submitted to the same address. Standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102, must be used. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.
Award Procedure
Proposals are evaluated by EPA reviewers to determine the adequacy of the application under Great Lakes objectives, including technical merit, relevance of the project, environmental outcomes, and cost. Administrative review is done by the Regional Assistance Branch. Funds are awarded by the Great Lakes National Program Office or Region 2, 3, or 5, as applicable. GLNPO assistance is approved by the GLNPO Director and awarded by the Great Lakes National Program Manager. 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
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Approximately 60 days after deadline for application submission.
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
Contact the Great Lakes National Program Office for information.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. Leveraging, including an applicant's match percentage, will be considered as part of the project selection process for grants and cooperative agreements; however, the program does not expect to require any minimum match requirement. Any such requirement will be specified in the individual Request for Proposals. A minimum 35 percent matching requirement will apply to Legacy Act projects (Section 103 of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002).
This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Generally 1-2 years; however, some incremental awards are made up to 5 years. The term of the grant shall be determined at the time of grant award. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Other. The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations at 40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31, as applicable. Program reports are required under this program. Cash reports are required under this program. Progress reports are required under this program. Expenditure reports are required under this program. Performance monitoring is required under this program.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit 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. 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 Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal 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. 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 OMB Circular No. A-133.
Records
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 for 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.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2008: The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) holds competitions throughout the year based on available funds and Agency priorities. The number of applications and the number of awards made is dependent on the competitive announcement issued. The announcement typically includes the number of anticipated awards. EPA's Great Lakes Program has been leading Federal, State, Tribal, local, and industry Great Lakes protection and restoration efforts. Accomplishments include: atmospheric deposition monitoring and open lake monitoring in each Great Lake for toxicant and nutrient loadings and concentrations (using EPA's research vessels); trend and baseline data to support and target remedial efforts and measure environmental progress; publishing results from monitoring the Lake Michigan air, water, sediments, and biota through the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study; study of Lake Erie "dead zone;" facilitating access to Great Lakes information; contaminated sediment assessments and remediation demonstrations to assist clean-up in Great Lakes Areas of Concern; protection and restoration of important Great Lakes habitats; promoting toxics reduction through the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy; advancing prevention and control of invasive species; and development and implementation of Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) and Remedial Action Plans (RAPs). In FY 08, four competitive grants announcements were issued resulting in the selection of 32 projects totaling $5,082,526 in the areas of Pollution Prevention, RAPs, LaMPs, and Habitat Protection and Restoration. To advance pollution prevention and reduction, 26 grants totaling just over $531,000 were awarded for collections of pharmaceuticals and electronic waste. Fiscal Year 2009: In FY 09, GLNPO expects to issue competitive requests for proposals or projects in areas supporting the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, including the priority areas of: Pollution Prevention and Toxics Reduction; Contaminated Sediments; Habitat Protection and Restoration; Emerging or Strategic Issues (including Invasive Species); LaMP and RAP priorities; and Monitoring. GLNPO also will issue non-competitive grants to States and Tribes for LaMP and RAP activities. Additional information is available from links at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/fund/glf.html. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0108-0-1-304.
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 08 $40,733,994; FY 09 est $43,300,000; FY 10 est $95,000,000 - Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 08 $6,377,994; FY 09 est. $6,300,000; and FY 10 est. $30,000,000. Legacy Act (Project Agreements) – FY 08 $34,356,000; FY 09 est. $37,000,000; and FY 10 est. $65,000,000. FY 10 estimates include the proposed Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: $9,680 to $777,496/fiscal year; $80,902/fiscal year.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Requests for proposals, examples, and other Great Lakes funding information is available from http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/. General regulations for EPA assistance programs are contained in 40 CFR Parts 30 through 47.
Related Programs
66.419 Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support; 66.436 Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Training Grants and Cooperative Agreements - Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act; 66.454 Water Quality Management Planning; 66.460 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. Mike Russ, EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604-3590. Telephone: (312) 886-4013; Fax: (312) 353-2018; E-mail: russ.michael@epa.gov.
Headquarters Office
Mike Russ, EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604 Email: russ.michael@epa.gov Phone: (312) 886-4013.
Web Site Address
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: Grants and cooperative agreements awarded to States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations for contaminated sediment assessment and remediation, pollution prevention and reduction, ecological (habitat) protection and restoration, invasive species, indicator development, strategic and emerging issues, assessment pursuant to the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study, contaminant monitoring of Lake and tributary waters and biota, and information management projects. Individual project summaries are available from http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. Proposals are approved by EPA according to technical merit and relevance to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Section 118 of the Clean Water Act, and the criteria established in the applicable request for proposals.
