Lake Champlain Basin Program (66.481)
Program
66.481 Lake Champlain Basin Program
Federal Agency
REGION 1 AND REGION 2, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Authorization
Section 120 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended by Public Law 107-303.
Program Number
66.481
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To implement the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin, and to assist the states of New York and Vermont in protecting and preserving the Lake Champlain ecosystem. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2005: Efforts in Lake Champlain will continue to support the successful interstate, interagency, and international partnership undertaking the implementation of "Opportunities for Action," a plan designed to address various threats to the Lake's water quality, including phosphorus loadings, invasive species, and toxic substances. Grants under this program shall be made for assisting research, surveys, studies, modeling, technical, field, restoration, and other supporting work necessary for the development and implementation of the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan. Funding priorities include phosphorus control and blue green algae (cyanobacteria) research.
Types of Assistance
Project Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
As described in Section 120 of the CWA, funds may be used to implement elements of the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan, Opportunities for Action. Projects outside of the Lake Champlain Basin are not eligible for funding under this program. Grant awards must be made in consultation with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, and must support activities consistent with the goals of Opportunities for Action. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies, and public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations are eligible to receive grants from EPA through this program. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA program, 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
Assistance under this program generally benefits State environmental, health, and agriculture agencies; interstate water pollution control agencies; public nonprofit institutions and organizations; sponsored organizations; Federal agencies; local agencies; intrastate agencies; public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations; private organizations; small businesses; and quasi-public nonprofit institutions.
Credentials/Documentation
Nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations may be required to provide documentation of their organizational status upon application.
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. A pre-application form is not required. Informal pre-application discussions or conferences with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, and EPA Regions 1 and 2 are required. 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 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
The Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, in conjunction with EPA Regions 1 and 2, develops the annual budget and task list. This budget and task list is then divided between the States of Vermont and New York and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. From this information, these three organizations then prepare grant applications and workplans for submittal to EPA Region 2 or Region 1. The standards application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 and A-110, must be used for this program. EPA requires final applications to be made on Standard Form 424. Application kits should be requested from the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants Administration Division, (3903R), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W., Washington, DC 20460 or the appropriate EPA Regional Office identified in "Regional or Local Office" section for information contacts. Detailed information and assistance, including and application kit, required forms, and a checklist may also be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/. Applications must be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Office identified in "Regional or Local Office" section for information contacts.
Award Procedure
Each federal assistance application and final work plan will be evaluated by EPA Region 1 or Region 2 to determine the adequacy of the application under the established EPA grants program requirements and guidelines, including, but not limited to, the requirements set forth in 40 CFR Parts 30 and 31. Technical merit and the relevance of the project to the priorities and objectives established in Opportunities for Action will also be considered. Each application will also be subject to an administrative review by the EPA Region 1 or 2 grants management office as appropriate to determine whether all administrative requirements have been met. The workplan is submitted to the EPA Region 1 and 2 Regional Administrators for approval prior to the award of any assistance agreement. Once a Regional Office approves the annual workplan, funds are awarded by the EPA Region 1 or 2 Regional Administrator as appropriate. Grantees will receive an award package from the appropriate EPA Regional grants management office that must be accepted and signed by an authorized official of the recipient organization and returned to the grants management office within 30 days. Awards may be made on an advance or reimbursement basis. Awards that are not signed and returned by the deadline may be subject to cancellation. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the announcement of the competitive funding opportunity. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.
Deadlines
Deadlines for annual funding for the Lake Champlain Basin Program will vary from year to year, but will generally be in late winter or early spring. Please contact the EPA officials listed in the "Regional or Local Office" section below for further information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
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 competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable.
Renewals
No cost extensions and amendments may be available subject to the approval of EPA. Approval of subsequent funding is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds, and the Agency policy on the competitive grant process.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has a statutory matching requirement; see CWA section 120 (f)(3). For all assistance (grants and cooperative agreements) agreements made under this program, federal costs shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the agreement. This program has no statutory funding formula.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Assistance agreements are generally made for a multi-year period at the discretion of EPA. Start dates for assistance agreements are variable and are established at the discretion of EPA. Generally however, it is intended that start dates closely follow award dates of the assistance agreement.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Quarterly, interim, and final progress and/or financial status reports; program evaluation and other reports (such as equipment and invention reports) as required by the specific terms of the Agreement. Financial Status Reports on the standard federal form must be submitted. MBE/WBE quarterly reports are also required. Quality Management Plans and Quality Assistance Project Plans may also be required.
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 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 that arose as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.
Program Accomplishments
Since 1991, EPA's funding of the Lake Champlain Basin Program has led protection and restoration of the Lake Champlain basin through coordination with federal, provincial, state, and municipal agencies and local citizens. The main program goals, as laid out in the Lake Champlain Management Plan Opportunities for Action, are as follows: reducing phosphorus inputs to Lake Champlain; decreasing toxic contamination; minimizing the risks to humans from water-related health hazards; and controlling the introduction, spread, and impact of nonnative nuisance species. Specific examples of accomplishments in 2004 include: monitoring for toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Lake Champlain; conducting professional and lay monitoring for a variety of classic limnological parameters on Lake Champlain and other lakes with the Lake Champlain basin; controlling water chestnuts through mechanical removal and hand-pulling; tracking implementation of best management practices designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution from agriculture, and estimating the pollution reductions realized through use of those practices; initiating a study of herbicides on green and blue-green algae to help understand the recent dominance of toxic blue-green algal communities; and completion of a comprehensive phosphorus reduction policy plan. EPA works with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee to determine funding priorities and distributes funds accordingly. The following three entities receive funding on an annual basis as directed by statute: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. They may choose to compete all or part of the funds. Competitive announcements typically include the number of anticipated awards. In FY 05, funds will continue to support protection and restoration of Lake Champlain Basin through monitoring, invasive species control, nonpoint source best management practices implementation, pollution reduction, and phosphorous reduction.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0108-0-1-304; EPM.
Obligations
FY 04 $406,897; FY 05 est $2,480,100; and FY 06 est $954,800.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$75,000 to $1,199,300/fiscal year; $637,150/fiscal year.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Lake Champlain program grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's general grant regulations, 40 CFR Part 30 or 40 CFR Part 31. All assistance agreements must support the goals and objectives of the Lake Champlain Management Plan, Opportunities for Action. A copy of this document is available on request from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458, Phone 802-372-3213 and is also available online at http://www.lcbp.org.
Related Programs
12.100, Aquatic Plant Control; 66.419, Water Pollution Control State and Interstate 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; 66.463, Water Quality Cooperative Agreements.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Erik Beck, US EPA New England, 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100-CWN, Boston, MA 02114-2023. Phone: (617) 918-1606; FAX: (617) 918-0606; e-mail: beck.erik@epa.gov. Mario DelVicario, US EPA Region 2, 290 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866. Phone: (212) 637-3779; FAX: (212) 637-3889.
Headquarters Office
None. Contact one of the regional offices listed above.
Web Site Address
http://www.epa.gov/NE/eco/lakechamplain/index.html
Examples of Funded Projects
Grants and cooperative agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations are for implementation of the Lake Champlain Management Plan. Grants awarded to States of Vermont and New York and NEIWPCC generally cover multiple tasks and projects per grant. Examples of work carried out by these grants include: (1) Coordination: Funding for the overall program coordination, and the full-time New York and Vermont Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinators employed by their respective states. (2) Monitoring: Annual lake and tributary monitoring for phosphorus and other parameters by professional limnologists; lay monitoring of Lake Champlain and other lakes in the basin for phosphorus and other water quality parameters. (3) Phosphorus reduction: Research on phosphorus carried downstream by eroding stream banks, research on policy options for further phosphorus reduction from point and nonpoint sources. (4) Invasive Species: Funded removal of water chestnuts, research on non-chemical alternatives to sea lamprey control. (5) Toxins: Funded studies on cyanobacteria dynamics in Lake Champlain.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The Steering Committee recommends projects to EPA for funding based on the technical merit of the proposal and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan. EPA approves applications after Steering Committee recommendation based on the technical merit of the application and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan.
