Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) and Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) Program
EPA will award cooperative agreements to study the ecological response to pollution reduction and emissions control programs. The programs will assist in understanding biogeochemical changes in sulfur, nitrogen, aluminum, and carbon in streams and lakes in relation to changing pollutant emissions and deposition, as well as other factors, such as potential environmental changes (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and storm frequency and intensity). Clean Air Act section 103(b)(3) authorizes EPA to conduct and promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention and control of air pollution. Clean Water Act section 104(b)(3) authorizes EPA to award grants to conduct and promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2019: The LTM program will support initiatives that demonstrate the potential for tracking and understanding the ecological response to air pollution reduction programs in acid-sensitive regions of the U.S. Funding will be available for applicants that demonstrate the ability to provide consistent, reliable, quality-assured data from lakes and streams for a variety of surface water chemistry parameters (e.g., pH, sulfate and nitrate concentrations, acid neutralizing capacity, aluminum concentrations, base cations). Initiatives supporting the Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) program, specifically, are not anticipated to be supported in FY2019.
General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
66.042
Federal Agency/Office
Environmental Protection Agency
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016 The two grantees continue to successfully fulfill their assistance agreement project performance and financial obligations. The two grantees continue to successfully fulfill their assistance agreement project performance and financial obligations.
Fiscal Year 2018 Grantees continue to successfully fulfill their assistance agreement project performance and financial obligations monitoring small headwaters streams in undeveloped watersheds; monitoring of lakes smaller than four hectares with low acid neutralizing capacity levels in acid-sensitive regions; and monitoring of lake and stream sulfate and nitrate concentrations in acid-sensitive regions of the eastern U.S. The LTM program is responsible for one of the longest continuous water quality data records in EPA history and constitutes a unique resource for environmental science. Data collected from these programs are used to characterize how the most sensitive aquatic systems in each region are responding to changing air pollution, as well as giving information on seasonal and episodic chemistry and environmental change.
Authorization
Clean Air Act, Section 103
National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F)
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Assistance under this program is generally available to States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia); public and private universities and colleges; hospitals; laboratories; public or private nonprofit institutions; intertribal consortia; and individuals. Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. An intertribal consortium must meet the definition of eligibility in the Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Final Rule, at 40 CFR 35.504 (66 FR 3782. January 16, 2001) (FRL-6929-5) and be a non-profit organization within the meaning of OMB Circular A-122, found at Uniform Grants Guidance 2 CFR 230. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, 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
State and local governments in acid-sensitive regions of the U.S., institutions of higher education, scientific research community, general public.
Credentials/Documentation
Not applicable.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. 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. 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 in the competitive announcement.
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.
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 location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Approximately 180 days.
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 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
EPA selects proposed TIME/LTM projects for funding based on factors such as relevancy to EPA's mission, technical merit, and the likelihood of success. If EPA issues a solicitation for applications for a particular project or group of projects, the solicitation will identify specific criteria. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement.
How may assistance be used?
EPA will implement this grant authority by awarding cooperative agreements to state and local governments, institutions of higher education, and quasi-public and non-profit organizations that demonstrate the capability to perform the sampling, measurement, and parameter characterization of the lakes and streams in this long-term ecological system response program.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: Grantees are required to perform performance monitoring in accordance with Agency policy and requirements stated in Federal Grant Regulations 2 CFR 200.328, as applicable.
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
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 or 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
EPA normally funds assistance agreements on a 12-month basis. However, EPA can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. EPA limits project periods to 7 years. Assistance agreements may be incrementally (quarterly) or fully (lump sum) funded.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
None/Not specified.
Headquarters Office
Jason Lynch
US Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Code: 6204M
Washington, DC 20460 US
lynch.jason@epa.gov
Phone: 202-343-9257
Website Address
https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-markets-monitoring-surface-water-chemistry
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0107-0-1-304
Obligations
(Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 18$130,000.00; FY 19 est $130,000.00; FY 20 FY 17$130,000.00; FY 16$3,775,411.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
There is no minimum amount of assistance. EPA anticipates annual awards ranging in value of $100,000 to $205,000, with an average award of $150,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
TIME/LTM assistance agreements are subject to EPA's General Grant Regulations (Uniform Grants Guidance 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 1500.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2016 Projects consisted of monitoring of small headwaters streams in undeveloped watersheds; monitoring of lakes smaller than four hectares with low acid neutralizing capacity levels in acid-sensitive regions; monitoring of lake and stream sulfate and nitrate concentrations in acid-sensitive regions of the eastern U.S. Projects consisted of monitoring of small headwaters streams in undeveloped watersheds; monitoring of lakes smaller than four hectares with low acid neutralizing capacity levels in acid-sensitive regions; monitoring of lake and stream sulfate and nitrate concentrations in acid-sensitive regions of the eastern U.S.
Fiscal Year 2017 Projects consisted of monitoring of small headwaters streams in undeveloped watersheds; monitoring of lakes smaller than four hectares with low acid neutralizing capacity levels in acid-sensitive regions; monitoring of lake and stream sulfate and nitrate concentrations in acid-sensitive regions of the eastern U.S.
Fiscal Year 2018 Projects consisted of monitoring of small headwaters streams in undeveloped watersheds; monitoring of lakes smaller than four hectares with low acid neutralizing capacity levels in acid-sensitive regions; monitoring of lake and stream sulfate and nitrate concentrations in acid-sensitive regions of the eastern U.S.