Water Quality Cooperative Agreements (66.463)

Program

66.463 Water Quality Cooperative Agreements

Federal Agency

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Water

Authorization

Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3), Public Law 92-500, 33 U.S.C 1254(b)(3).

Program Number

66.463

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To assist States, Indian Tribes, interstate agencies, and other public or nonprofit organizations in developing, implementing, and demonstrating innovative approaches relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution through both permitted and non-permitted areas. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: Funding priorities include, but are not limited to: watershed approaches for solutions to wet weather activities (i.e., combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflows, storm water discharge, and animal feeding operations); pretreatment and biosolids (sludge) program activities, decentralized systems; and alternative ways to enhance or measure the effectiveness of point source programs. Trading, water efficiency, asset management, and sustainable infrastructure are also areas of consideration. No appropriation authority was provided for FY 2006 or later. However the above funding priorities will be used if unobligated carryover funds are available in FY 2009. Any awards made with carryover funds will be in accordance with the Agency's competition policy.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

These grants are intended to encourage efforts to improve water quality by promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. Projects must attain tangible results. EPA may award grants to fund internships for high school students to work at wastewater treatment plants under the Youth and the Environment sub-program in EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. In the case of Regional competitions, eligible projects may be limited in geographic scope to benefit the citizens of States, Tribes, or Territories within those Regions. Other specific uses of funds will be described in Requests for Proposals for this program. EPA will not award grants to fund ongoing State, Tribal, or local program activities, construction, or to purchase land. 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, Tribes, colleges and universities, individuals, and other public or nonprofit organizations. 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

Individuals and organizations affected by water pollution, including State Water Pollution Control Agencies, interstate agencies, Tribes, colleges and universities, and other public or nonprofit organizations.

Credentials/Documentation

Nonprofit applicants may be asked to provide documentation that they meet the definition of a non-profit organization in OMB Circular A-122. Interstate organizations may be asked to provide a citation to the statutory authority which establishes their status. Intertribal consortia must meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 35.504. 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. 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. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Competition procedures vary by Region and Headquarters Office. EPA will generally publish a Request for Proposals (RFP), evaluate the proposals under the criteria contained in the RFP, and requests that selected applicants submit a full application. RFPs are synopsized at www.fedgrants.gov, and may be posted on Agency websites or in the Federal Register. All competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policy for competing assistance agreements. For Headquarters competitions, applicants submit a proposal, and EPA evaluates and scores the proposals and invites selected applicants to submit a formal applications. Regional procedures may vary, in accordance with the terms of Regional Request for Proposals.Application forms and completed applications may be requested from and submitted to the appropriate EPA Headquarters or Regional Office. The standard Federal application forms must be used for this program. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.

Award Procedure

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

Regional or Headquarters review will normally be done within approximately 60 days following the deadline for submissions.

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

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The terms of the assistance shall be determined at the time of 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 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

Record keeping requirements are specified 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31 as applicable. 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 until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: There were two awards made in FY 08 to develop methods for utilities to use to quantify environmental benefits and costs, to develop a tool to help communities apply the principles and best practices of asset management to maintain, upgrade, and operate physical assets cost-effectively while protecting public health and safety. Funding was also provided to develop a training and certification program that teaches transportation professionals and others to design stormwater management facilities for projects that address regulatory requirements through a watershed approach. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

68-0103-0-1-304.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $445,300; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $0

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Projects have historically ranged from $15,000 to $270,000/fiscal year. The average Regional award in FY 08 was approximately $95,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

For grants and agreements with States, local governments, and Indian tribal governments, the procedures and requirements shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 31 "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments," 40 CFR Part 35, "Environmental Program Grants-State, Interstate, and Local Governments Agencies," OMB Circular Nos. A-87 "Cost Principles for State and Local Governments," and A-102 "Grants and Cooperative Agreements for States and Local Governments." For grants and agreements with other entities the procedures shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 30, "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations," and OMB Circular Nos. A-122 for Non-Profit Organizations and A-21 for Educational Institutions.

Related Programs

66.419 Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support; 66.454 Water Quality Management Planning

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Contact the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog for information on the grants administration process or the Regional WQCA Coordinator shown at http://epa.gov/owm/mab/indian/104coord.htm.

Headquarters Office

Barron Benroth Office of Wastewater Management (4201M)
U.S. EPA, Room 7126, EPA East
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: Benroth.Barry@epa.gov Phone: (202) 564-0672

Web Site Address

http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/index.htm

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Development of software tool for preparation of industrial stormwater pollution prevention plan; calculating utility avoided cost and environmental values of urban water efficiency programs; characterizing the quality of effluent and other contributory sources during peak wet weather events; Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations producer outreach and development of a system for improved poultry manure management; and nonpoint source pollution reduction through water quality trading. 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.