Water Protection Grants to the States (66.474)
Program
66.474 Water Protection Grants to the States
Federal Agency
OFFICE OF WATER, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA).
Authorization
Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act, 2002; Public Law 107-117.
Program Number
66.474
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To provide grant assistance to the States, Tribes, Territories, and possessions of the United States to support technical assistance, training, and communication activities on critical water infrastructure protection efforts that include work with drinking water systems as well as with Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies. Funding Priority: EPA's funding priority is to provide grant assistance to these entities to support technical assistance, training, and communication activities on critical water infrastructure protection efforts that include work with drinking water systems as well as with Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies.
Types of Assistance
Formula Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Funded activities include: 1) providing technical assistance, training, or distribution of tools that would lead to satisfactory vulnerability assessments of drinking water systems; 2) providing technical assistance, training, or distribution of tools that would lead to drinking water systems creating, amending or updating emergency response plans to meet new requirements or security threats; and 3) assistance to improve communications with drinking water systems and other agencies or organizations involved with security or emergency response.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Assistance under this program is available to States, Tribes, Territories, and possessions of the United States.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Water programs of States, Tribes, Territories, and possessions of the United States.
Credentials/Documentation
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Pre-application assistance is recommended and should be obtained from the Grants Management Office of the pertinent EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. 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. Given the need for States and Territories to expedite their assistance to drinking water systems in the face of the terrorist threat, the period for review of these grants is being shortened to 15 days. (Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Chapter 40, Section 29.8(a) provides that the period for this review may be shortened in exceptional circumstances.) This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
The standard application forms furnished by EPA and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program.. Requests for application kits may be directed to the Grants Management Office of the applicable EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Kits may also be obtained online at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm The completed application, including the final proposal, should be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Grants Management Office.
Award Procedure
Application is reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office and, if approved, is signed by the Regional Administrator or designated Division Director.
Deadlines
Application forms must be submitted according to dates established by the individual EPA Regional Offices.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
EPA does not have a formal appeals process for applicants whose proposals are not funded.
Renewals
None.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
No matching is required.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The project/budget period on these grants may exceed one year.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Recipients must submit the reports required in 40 CFR 31 and in accordance with Regional post-award monitoring plans.
Audits
Grants are subject to inspections and audit by representatives of the Comptroller General of the U.S. and any authorized USEPA representative. 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 non-federal entitiesthat expend more than $300,000 in Federal award dollars in a fiscal year, 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 entities were incorporated among the provisions of 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
In FY 2002 EPA awarded $21,008,400 in grants. EPA expects to award the remainder of the available FY 2002 funds and all FY 2003 funds in FY 2003.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0103-1-1-301; 68-0107-1-1-301.
Obligations
FY 02 $22,000,000; FY 03 est $4,996,800; and FY 04 est not available.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Funds are awarded by each Regional Office. The range of financial assistance available to States varies according to program and fiscal year. Contact the Grants Management Office of the pertinent EPA Regional Office, listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog, to determine the amount for which applicants are eligible.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
40 CFR Part 31, General Regulation for Assistance Programs; EPA Annual Program Guidance provided to States.
Related Programs
None.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Contact the Grants Management Office of the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office
For general information only on the program, contact Pat Minami or Andrew Bielanski at EPA; Water Protection Task Force, 4607M; 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.; Washington, DC 20460; phone 202-564-4654 (Pat Minami for State/Territorial assistance agreements) e-mail minami.patricia@epa.gov or 202-564-3824 (Andrew Bielanski for Tribal assistance agreements); bielanski.andrew@epa.gov . For specifics, contact the appropriate Regional Office (see above).
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Grants awarded under CFDA 66.476, 66.477 and 66.478. See those numbers for details.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Proposals are approved by EPA according to technical merit and relevance, and availability of funds.
