Summer Watershed Intern (15.254)

Program

15.254 Summer Watershed Intern

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Office of Surface Mining

Authorization

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977; Public Law 95-87; 91 Stat. 445-532.

Program Number

15.254

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

Over the past ten years, Reclamation Support has created a direct watershed assistance program working with volunteer watershed groups in the Appalachian Coal Country and, more recently, in the Western Hardrock Country. The primary partners are a coalition of change-minded community improvement groups determined to repair the environmental degradation left from historic mining while creating economic stability needed in rural communities, the watershed/neighborhood residents call home. Goals: build local capacity, monitor waterway quality, enhance outreach and education, engage economic redevelopment and require professional development. The program is supported by an innovative partnership among AmeriCorps VISTA, concerned with poverty, and the Office of Surface Mining, concerned with environmental reclamation and safety, and watershed groups.

Types of Assistance

DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR A SPECIFIED USE

Uses and Use Restrictions

The OSM Summer Watershed Intern Program started in 1999, supporting college students working full-time for 10 weeks with coal country watershed groups. As many as 30 students have spent a summer working directly for watershed groups to conduct water monitoring, enhance outreach initiatives, develop school curricula and build stronger partnerships with agencies and industry.

The Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT) began in 2002 as an OSM/VISTA initiative, placing determined college-trained OSM/VISTA Volunteers in a year of service in rural coal-mining communities. Reflecting the needs and the determination of the communities served, the ACCWT has placed more than 36 OSM/VISTAs in the field and more waiting to support an OSM/VISTA. New OSM/VISTA recruits are applying in increasing numbers every day.

The Western Hardrock Watershed Team (WHWT) began is Colorado at the invitation of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety as an OSM/VISTA initiative in 2007, placing determined college-trained OSM/VISTA Volunteers in a year of service in rural mining communities. Over the past year the WHWT expanded from 4 to 18 positions in Colorado. Serious injuries are coming from other states (NM, UT, MT, NV) based on the board successes seen in Colorado, but cannot be filled at present. New OSM/VISTA recruits are also applying in increasing numbers.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

The OSM Watershed Intern Program recipients are required to be or to be in a position to support public or private non-profit institutions/organizations, established watershed organizations in following States to be eligible to participate: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Undergraduate and Graduate Students, throughout the United States, interested in helping to clean up the environment are also eligible.

OSM/AmericCorps VISTA requires qualified watershed groups to be non-profit organizations or be sponsored by a local group such as a Resource Conservation and Development District, a local historical society, or a Soil and Water Conservation Service. The program currently serves the following Appalachia States: Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Watershed organizations in communities impacted by streams polluted by acid mine drainage will benefit from this program.

Credentials/Documentation

Proof of not-for-profit, IRS 501(c)(3), status is required of nonprofit watershed organizations. Proof of student status is required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. The SF-424 application forms required by 2 CFR Part 215.12, and the Department of the Interior Code of Federal Regulations at 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, or its revisions, must be used. Guidelines and application procedures can be obtained from the OSM Website, www.osmre.gov. Paper copy of guidelines and application procedures can be obtained from the OSM Headquarters.

Award Procedure

Approval by the Director or his designee.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Not Applicable.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. Partners are encouraged to make monetary contributions or provide in-kind services.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The Watershed Intern Program is for 10 weeks of full-time work by an intern. This 10-week period can be split with two interns or worked part-time over several months. Each AmeriCorp VISTA position is awarded for a three year full-time period. Each AmeriCorp Vista Volunteer must make, at least, a one year commitment. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Information not available.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Quarterly programmatic reports are required. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Quarterly financial reports using the Federal Financial Report SF 425 is required. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

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.

Records

Records will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations.".

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008 alone, the ACCWT: 1. Formed 247 new partnerships among community groups, both state and federal agencies and industry; spreading commitment and adding new sources of support, enabling an expanded agenda for community improvement. 2. Logged 15,465 volunteer service hours from local citizens to monitor polluter water, plant trees on abandoned mine land sites, work with local schools and much more. 3. Average $23,000 in grants per community group that funded Brownfields redevelopment projects, purchased water monitoring equipment, enhanced community development projects, and supported educational research.

In the past year, with only the 4 founding members of the WHWT, we: 1. Formed 35 new partnerships among community groups, both state and federal agencies and local businesses; spreading commitment, adding new sources of support and enabling an expanded agenda for community improvement. 2. Secured $205,877 in cash resources to our communities with funding from 7 grants. 3. Logged 15,465 volunteer service hours from local citizens to monitor polluted water, plant trees on abandoned mine land sites, work with local schools and much more.

VISTA, a part of the Corporation for National Service, is spending more than $800,000 in support these positions annually, while OSM contributes a single FTE and a declining level of administrative support to first-year positions ($5000 in the first year only in previous fiscal years, $3000 in FY 08). For OSM Interns, support has declined from $60,000 to support 24 summer interns to $40,000 in FY 09, supporting only 16 OSM summer interns. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-5015-0-1-302.

Obligations

(Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 $30,000; FY 09 est $40,000; FY 10 est $50,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Each internship includes a $2,000 stipend for 10 weeks of full-time work by an intern and $500 for related expenses.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Section 404, Public Law 95-87.

Related Programs

15.253 Not-for-Profit AMD Reclamation

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses.

Headquarters Office

Director Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20240 Phone: (202)208-2585

Web Site Address

http://www.osmre.gov.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: While OSM does not directly fund "projects" the funding provided for these OSM Interns and OSM/VISTA Teams support non-profit, voluntary, community watershed associations whose projects engage their communities in identifying AMD problems as well as potential solutions and address related watershed/community projects. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Each proposed watershed project must clearly enhance the sustainability of the watershed organization and must contribute directly to the remediation of acid mine drainage. Candidates must be able to organize their work, work well with community groups and on their own, have an understanding of acid mine drainage remediation and the national Clean Streams program, and write well.