Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water (SDWA 1464(d))
Funding is awarded to states, territories, and tribes to assist local educational agencies in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care facilities. The principal objective of the assistance to be awarded under this program is to test schools and child care facilities for lead contamination in drinking water, using EPA?s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water guidance or the at least equivalent applicable state regulations or guidance regarding reducing lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities (see: https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/3ts-reducing-lead-drinking-water-schools-and-child-care-facilities). EPA's 3Ts, Training, Testing, and Taking Action, provide tools for schools, child care facilities, states, and water systems to implement voluntary lead in drinking water testing programs. Funding supports: (1) reducing children?s exposure to lead in drinking water; (2) helping states and territories target funding toward schools unable to pay for testing; (3) using the 3Ts model, or at least equivalent model, to establish best practices for lead in drinking water prevention programs; (4) fostering sustainable partnerships at the state and local level to allow for more efficient use of existing resources and exchange of information among experts in various educational and health sectors; and (5) enhancing community, parent, and teacher cooperation and trust. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2019: The priority is to award funds to reduce lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities, and to support voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care programs that are in disadvantaged and low-income areas. Voluntary testing for lead in drinking water programs should use EPA?s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools guidance to develop and implement programs in schools and child care facilities, and to identify and correct sources of lead in drinking water.
General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
66.444
Federal Agency/Office
Environmental Protection Agency
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
A - Formula Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2018 In FY 18 grant funding was not awarded.
Fiscal Year 2019 In FY19 funding will support projects that encourage the voluntary testing for lead in drinking water primarily serving children in schools and child care facilities. Funding will support efforts to identify best practices for developing lead testing in schools and child care facilities nationally to reduce the lead exposure in drinking water for this vulnerable population. Funding will support the efforts to meet the priority of reducing lead in drinking water as part of their overall plans for maintaining healthy learning environments for vulnerable populations such as children in schools and child care facilities.
Authorization
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Section 1464(d), as amended by section 2107 of the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Public Law 114-322-
2018 American's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA), Section 2006, Public Law 115-270
The WIIN Act, Section 2107, amends SDWA Subsection 1464(d) to require EPA to establish a voluntary program for testing for lead in drinking water at schools and child care programs under the jurisdiction of local education agencies (LEAs) with a priority in disadvantaged or low-income communities.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Not applicable.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Not applicable.
Credentials/Documentation
Not applicable.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through https://www.grants.gov. Additional information on the EPA grant package can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants
Award Procedure
Applications are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office to determine the overall adequacy of the application to meet the statutory objectives. The awards are also subject to the requirements under 2 CFR part 200 (OMB Uniform Grant Guidance) and 2 CFR part 1500 (the EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) as they apply to the grant funding.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
From 60 to 90 days.
Appeals
Disputes will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Not applicable.
How may assistance be used?
Funding are available to eligible applicants to test for lead in drinking water using the Environmental Protection Agency’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools guidance or applicable state regulations or guidance. Funding should also be used for the administration of a testing program to include: (a) training, monitoring, and assessment of testing program; and (b) ensuring local educational agencies make available, if applicable, in the administration offices and, to the extent practicable, on the internet website of the local educational agency for inspection by the public, a copy of the results of any voluntary testing for lead contamination in school and child care facility drinking water program implemented with grant funds; and notify parent, teacher, and employee organizations of the availability of the results. Four percent of the funds can be used as a technical set aside for drinking water lead testing program training, assessment and monitoring. In accordance with the America’s Waters Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 §2006 which amended the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIN) of 2017 §2107, states or territories must assist in voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care programs that are in low-income areas.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: Reporting requirements and frequency shall be determined at the time of award. EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements.
Auditing
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.
Records
The record retention requirements of 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, apply. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants, available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports. If questions, such as those raised as a result of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The terms of the assistance agreement shall be determined at the time of award. The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
None/Not specified.
Headquarters Office
Victoria Ellenbogen
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code: 4606M)
Washington, DC 20460 USA
Ellenbogen.victoria@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-2053
Yvonne V. Gonzalez
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code: 4606M)
Washington, DC 20460 USA
Gonzalez.Yvonne@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-2912
Website Address
https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-grants
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0103-0-1-304
Obligations
(Formula Grants) FY 18$0.00; FY 19 est $43,729,000.00; FY 20 - The SDWA 1464(d) grant is a formula grant. In accordance with the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act or ?WIIN Act? of 2016, section 2107, EPA will award a combined grant total of FY18 and FY19 funds for $43,729,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
States/Territories Range: $122,000 to $3.331 million/fiscal year. Average: $401,118/fiscal year. Tribal allotment for the combined FY18/19 is $2,815,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Assistance agreement awards are subject to the grant regulations (2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable). For more information on the program, the program implementation document can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-06/documents/implementation_document_for_wiin_2107_testing_in_schools_june_19_2019_final.pdf
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2019 Examples of projects anticipated to be funded include: 1. providing training on conducting testing for lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities; 2. providing information on testing results to the states and public; 3. analyzing drinking water samples; 4. developing resources and tools to communicate the results of the testing to the community at large; and 5. developing and implementing state monitoring and maintenance plans that protect children from future lead exposure.