Marine Minerals Activities (15.424)

 

Program

15.424 Marine Minerals Activities

 

Federal Agency

MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 

Authorization

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1331.

 

Program Number

15.424

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To evaluate OCS sand deposits for coastal restoration and beach nourishment needs, and to foster good working relationships regarding OCS mineral issues with coastal States.

 

Types of Assistance

Project Grants.

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

The funds must be spent for OCS sand activities and not inside State waters. These cooperative agreements are awarded to assist States in order to find sand supplies for beach nourishment projects.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Proposals are received from coastal States in need of coastal restoration.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State agencies and organizations participating in the project, as well as the general public.

Credentials/Documentation

States submit proposals to the MMS which furnish evidence of the applicant's qualifications for performance of the proposed research.

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Applicants attend a workshop held by MMS, and define their requirements for the upcoming year. At this time the applicants and the MMS decide which projects will be funded for the upcoming year. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Applicants should consult the office of official designated as the single point of contact in their State to find out if the State has selected this program for review and for information on the process the State requires when applying for Federal assistance.

Application Procedure

This program is subject to the Department of the Interior regulations at 43 CFR Part 12, Subparts C and D, or any subsequent revisions. The standard SF-424 application forms must be used for this program. Applicants will be asked to submit their proposals electronically through Grants.gov.

Award Procedure

An internal MMS review of the State's proposal is conducted including convening a panel to discuss the proposals and making the final decision on the funding for the project. A notification of a cooperative agreement award is issued so the project can begin.

Deadlines

November of each year or as soon as the MMS is given funding.

 

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Projects that were approved and funded during the previous fiscal year may be submitted as renewals for subsequent years.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

The Leasing Division Marine Minerals Activities encourages a 1-to-1 match of each Federal dollar with a nonfederal dollar.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Cooperative agreements will normally be awarded in 12-month budget periods.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Annual and final technical and financial reports using the OMB SF-269 form are required.

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 receive 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 or more in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

All records must be maintained for 3 years after submission of the final financial report.

 

Program Accomplishments

Sand resources identified and evaluated by this program have been used in 3 beach nourishment projects in the State of Maryland, 4 projects in Virginia, and 4 in Florida.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-1917-0-1-302.

Obligations

FY 05 $0; FY 06 est $500,000; and FY 07 est $500,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$30,000 to $100,000.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Regulations include the OCS Lands Act, Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the Coastal Zone Management Act.

 

Related Programs

None.

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

New Orleans Office: MMS, GOM OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Blvd., New Orleans, LA., 70123-2394; Pacific Office: MMS, 770 Paseo Camarillo, 2nd Floor, Camarillo, CA., 93010.

Headquarters Office

MMS, 381 Elden Street, MS-4021, Herndon, VA., 20170.

Web Site Address

http://www.mms.gov/sandandgravel

 

Examples of Funded Projects

Offshore Cooperative Sand Programs with the following States: Delaware, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and California.

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Cost of the project is the most important criteria followed by relevance to State and Federal needs, and technical ability of the State agency.