Water Security Training and Technical Assistance Grant Program (66.478)

Program

66.478 Water Security Training and Technical Assistance Grant Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Water

Authorization

Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act of 2002, Public Law 107-117; The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, Title 4, Public Law 107-188; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1433&1434.

Program Number

66.478

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The objective of these grant programs are (1) for financial assistance that is awarded under SDWA Section 1433, to improve water infrastructure security through both training and technical assistance for water utilities and (2) for cooperative agreements that are awarded under SDWA Section 1434, to address the risk of intentional contamination of drinking water distribution systems. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2009: For Section 1433 financial assistance for Fiscal Year 2009, EPA's funding priority is to provide assistance to eligible non-profit organizations that provide training, technical support or other assistance to water utilities. Specifically, EPA is seeking to utilize the ability of non-profit organizations to provide water security technical support and training. For Section 1434 cooperative agreements for Fiscal Year 2009, EPA's funding priority is to provide assistance to community water systems for drinking water contamination warning system pilot projects. Financial assistance awarded under both of these programs support Goal 2, Clean and Safe Water, of EPA's 2006 - 2011 Strategic Plan. Specifically, awards will enhance public health protection by securing critical infrastructure through support for counter-terrorism preparedness.

Types of Assistance

Cooperative Agreements

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funded activities for financial assistance awarded under Section 1433 of the SDWA include: (1) training to gain competence and expertise in the process of developing or completing vulnerability assessments; (2) training to gain competence and expertise in the process of developing, amending, or updating emergency response plans; (3) training to gain competence and expertise in various security enhancements; and (4) providing competent training and technical assistance in the aforementioned areas to help states, tribes, and local authorities in their water infrastructure security efforts. Funded activities for cooperative agreements awarded under Section 1434 of the SDWA may include: (1) demonstration of contamination and warning system monitoring and surveillance components; (2) contamination warning system consequence management plan; and (3) evaluation and transfer of results. Specific uses and restrictions on funds will be described in detail in the competitive announcements for each program. 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

Financial assistance awarded under Section 1433 of the SDWA is available to public non-profit institutions/organizations and private non-profit institution/organizations, capable of providing training, technical support and/or assistance to drinking water systems. Cooperative agreements awarded under Section 1434 of the SDWA will be limited to local governments or institutions (either public or private nonprofit organizations) that operate community water systems (as defined in 40 C.F.R. �141.2). Note that 501(c)(4) non-profit organizations that lobby are not eligible. 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

For financial assistance awarded under both Sections 1433 and 1434 of the SDWA, the beneficiaries are the drinking water systems, the water programs of the State or Tribe, and the public which will benefit from these programs through safer and more secure drinking water.

Credentials/Documentation

EPA may request that applicants demonstrate their eligibility. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

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 excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Section 1434 cooperative agreements are a new grant program that has not been included in the agency's list of programs subject to Intergovernmental review. However, EPA recommends that applicants for these cooperative agreements should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in its 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. This program also does not require an environmental impact statement or assessment. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants must submit an "Application for Federal Assistance," SF 424, "Budget Information: Non-Construction Programs," SF 424A, "Assurances: Non-Construction Programs," SF 424B, "Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters," "Certification Regarding Lobbying," "Pre-Award Compliance Review Report," EPA 4700-4, and other required forms to complete the application process. Application kits should be requested from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, Mail Code 3903R, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington , DC 20460 or the appropriate EPA Regional Office identified in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Detailed information and assistance, including an application kit, required forms, and a check list, may also be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/index.htm. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA. Applications should be submitted in accordance with the procedures stated in the competitive announcement.

Award Procedure

Applications are reviewed by EPA, where subsequent grant awards are made to successful applicants. 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

Approximately 30 to 90 days after deadline for application submittal.

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

Any continuation of funding will be described in the terms of the assistance agreement.

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 term of the grant shall be determined at the time of grant 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

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

Fiscal Year 2008: Competitions are held at Headquarters and in the Regions based on available funds and Agency priorities. The number of applications and the number of awards made is dependent on the competitive announcement issued. The announcement will include the number of anticipated awards. In FY 08, for Section 1433 awards, no competitive announcements were issued and no new awards were made. Grantees with existing awards continued to provide direct technical assistance to drinking water systems nationwide for the completion of vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans. The immediate outcome was that drinking water systems were able to address federal requirements for the completion and submission of vulnerability assessments and the creation or revision of emergency response plans. The long-term outcome is that drinking water systems have improved their security through an analysis of their vulnerabilities and preparation to address these vulnerabilities. Currently for FY 09, EPA has no funds available; however, should funding become available, projects that will improve the security of drinking water systems will be the focus of the awards. For Section 1434 awards, this was a financial assistance pilot program. In FY 07, EPA issued a competitive announcement to award up to four cooperative agreements to support drinking water contamination warning system demonstration pilots. These pilots are part of the Agency's Water Security Initiative, which seeks to develop a warning system that achieves timely detection of and appropriate response to drinking water contamination incidents. The pilots include specified monitoring and surveillance components, a consequence management plan, and an evaluation plan. The anticipated outcome is that these pilots will generate information that allows community water systems nationally to practice effective techniques to detect and respond to possible contamination events. Drinking water consumers will experience a reduction in risk associated with drinking water contamination and improved water quality. In FY 08 and FY 09, cooperative agreements were awarded to four pilots with the expectation that the project will demonstrate and review the effectiveness of drinking water contamination warning systems for community water systems, through reviewing multiple monitoring and surveillance components designed to provide timely detection of contamination in the drinking water distribution systems. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

68-0107-0-1-304; 68-0108-0-1-304.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $20,119,149; FY 09 est $11,500,000; FY 10 est $7,500,000 - For financial assistance awarded under Section 1433 of the SDWA, FY 08 $0; FY 09 est. $0; and FY 10 est. $0. For cooperative agreements awarded under Section 1434 of the SDWA, FY 08 $20,119,149; FY 09 est. $11,500,000; and FY 10 est. $7,500,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

For financial assistance awarded under Section 1433 of the SDWA, no funding was provided in FY 08 and FY 09 and none is anticipated for FY 10. For cooperative agreements awarded under Section 1434 of the SDWA, the estimated range is $3,000,000 to $12,000,000 per agreement. For FY 08 and FY 09, the actual range was a low of $2,000,000 and a high of $11,999,999, for an average of $6,999,999.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Safe Drinking Water Act, Sections 1433 and 1434; "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-profit Organizations," 40 CFR Part 30, and. "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to States and Local Governments," 40 CFR Part 31.

Related Programs

66.474 Water Protection Grants to the States

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Contact the Grants Management Office of the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office

Nancy Muzzy EPA
Water Security Division, Mail Code 140
26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 Email: muzzy.nancy@epa.gov Phone: 513-569-7864

Web Site Address

http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity.cfm

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: EPA has supported the following types of projects under financial assistance awarded under Section 1433 of the SDWA: 1. A private non-profit organization obtains training for approximately 120 of its members to become security trainers who will assist state and local agencies with drinking water security; 2. A private non-profit organization obtains training on the use of vulnerability assessment software and provides additional training for non-profit groups and state, tribal, and local agencies; 3. A private non-profit organization provides security training on the completion of vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans to drinking water systems serving populations between 50,000-100,000 people; 4. A private non-profit organization provides follow-up technical support to drinking water systems serving populations between 50,000-100,000 people on the completion of vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans; and 5. A private non-profit organization provides direct technical assistance to drinking water systems nationwide serving populations between 3,300 and 10,000 people for the completion of vulnerability assessments and emergency response plans. For cooperative agreements to be awarded under Section 1434 of the SDWA, EPA funded four contamination warning system demonstration pilots (i.e., designing, installing, and operating) that include monitoring and surveillance components of the Water Security design, a consequence management plan, and an evaluation plan. 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.