To support Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations and Special Purpose assistance relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and control of air pollution to include such topics as air quality, acid deposition, climate change, global

credit: Global Environmental Matters

programs, indoor environments, radiation, mobile source technology and community-driven approaches to transportation and emissions reduction.

Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2008: (1) Indoor Environments.

This activity will support surveys, studies, research, and/or investigations or demonstrations, performed by concerned, national, non-profit organizations that lead to effective outreach strategies to educate key audiences about indoor air pollutants and their associated health risks, and convince them to adopt effective mitigation and control strategies.

Currently, the Program focuses on several critical aspects of indoor air quality that pose significant risks to public health, and in particular, to children and to other disproportionately impacted segments of society.

These include: reducing the exposure of children and others with asthma to indoor triggers that worsen their condition; promoting the adoption of operation and maintenance practices in schools throughout the nation to reduce the harmful effects of poor indoor air quality on the health of students and staff; promoting voluntary radon testing by homeowners to identify elevated levels and fix them when they are found, as well as working with homebuilders to incorporate radon resistant construction features into new homes; and encouraging adult smokers to protect their children from the adverse health effects of environmental exposure to secondhand smoke by making a conscious decision to smoke outside and keep their homes and cars smokefree.

(2)Radiation.

This activity currently manages a national environmental radiation monitoring program, is prepared for and responds to incidents involving nuclear or radiological material, oversees the safe disposal of radioactive waste, maintains two laboratories that allow for radiological sampling and analyses, and provides standards for protecting human health and the environment from radioactive material.

Activities could include performance testing and evaluation, analytical procedures, radiation laboratory equipment.

This demonstration pilot activity supports and enhances state radiological laboratory capability and capacity to reduce the gap in capability to analyze environmental samples following a significant national radiological incident.

Key activities include audits and proficiency testing, provision of radiological instrumentation, supplies, training, and limited facilities upgrades.

(3) Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring (CSATAM).

The CSATAM Grant Program results in discreet two-year projects designed to assist state, local and tribal communities in identifying and profiling air toxics sources, characterizing the degree and extent of local air toxics problems, and tracking progress of air toxics reduction activities in specific local areas without reliance on often uncertain estimates of emissions and air dispersion models.

Further, these grants typically allow the recipient state, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies to establish or enhance hazardous air pollutant monitoring networks, thus providing long term capability to investigate and assess specific local air quality scenarios of concern.

Note that from year to year, this program may establish categories of projects and funding targets within those categories.

(4) Mobile Sources Technologies.

Grants will encompass studies and investigations utilizing state-of-the-art experimental techniques in advanced engine development technology, including hydraulic hybrid drivetrains, to optimize fuel economy, reduce exhaust emissions (including PM and NOx), and improve performance.

Additional grants will support studiesidentifying barriers to technological innovation, analyzing innovative strategies for overcoming these barriers, and encouraging the development and adoption of new vehicle and fuel technologies for the control of emissions.

(5) Heavy Duty Truck Fuel Consumption and Emissions Reductions.

This program will study and analyze fuel consumption and emissions reductions associated with the use of innovative technologies for heavy duty diesel trucks.

Studies and evaluations will involve truck fleets that operate under varying conditions, so as to evaluate the effectiveness of the various technologies.

(6) National Internet-based On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) Information Exchange.

This program will support activities that maintain, update, and improve the Internet-based information clearinghouse to facilitate the accurate and timely exchange of technical information related to on-board diagnostic (OBD) between state inspection/maintenance programs, the automotive industry, and the general public.

(7) Climate Change.

This is a voluntary program that supports activities relating to improving economic, technical and programmatic understanding of climate change.

The Climate Change Division supports projects relating to technical, outreach, and education about climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation options so that the private and public sectors may more effectively and comprehensively address their climate goals.

The Climate Change Division supports projects that break down market barriers that limit investment in technologies that reduce methane and non-CO2 greenhouse gases; projects that address the technical issues surrounding sequestration and carbon storage; projects that address collection and analyses of economic data relating to climate change; and programs such as Methane to Markets that support climate technology transfer in developing and transition countries.

(8) Climate Protection Partnerships.

This is a voluntary government/industry partnership program designed to capitalize on the opportunities that consumers, businesses, and organizations have for making sound investments in efficient equipment, policies, and practices.

During FY 2008, the Global Climate Change program managed a number of efforts to remove barriers in the marketplace and to deploy technology faster in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy.

Our programs work by overcoming widely acknowledged barriers to energy efficiency: lack of clear, reliable information on technology opportunities; lack of awareness of energy efficient products and services; lack of financing options to turn lifecycle energy savings into initial cost savings for consumers; low incentives to manufacturers for efficiency research and development.

In addition, our Global Climate Change programs provided technical assistance, training, information exchange and other forms of cooperation to enhance the capabilities of governments and other stakeholders to protect human health and the environment regionally and globally.

Data Not Available. This CFDA is utilized by EPA Headquarters and the regions. Specific program accomplishments are unavailable. Prospective applicants may contact the individual listed in "Headquarters Office," below for more information. Conference is devoted to the sharing of information about current and ongoing research into alternatives to methyl bromide for the agricultural sector, for both pre-plant and post-harvest uses. Conference proceedings are available at http://www.mbao.org. The 2004 conference took place in Orlando, Florida, and had about 400 attendees. MBAO is jointly sponsored in cooperation with EPA, the Department of Agriculture, and the Crop Protection Coalition.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations and Special Purpose plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations.

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.

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Eligibility Requirements

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, international organizations, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions, which submit applications proposing projects with significant technical merit and relevance to EPA's Office of Air and Radiation's mission.

Eligibility for projects awarded or competed exclusively with State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) funds is limited to air pollution control agencies, as defined in section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act that are also eligible to receive grants under section 105 of the Clean Air Act, and/or federally recognized tribes.

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

State and local governments, U.S. territories and possessions, Indian Tribes, universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public and private nonprofit institutions.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments and Indian Tribes, OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions, and OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit institutions. Applicants may be requested to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. EPA may ask applicants or principle investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications.

Aplication 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.

Application Procedures

EPA requires final applications to be made on Standard Form 424. Requests for application kits must be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, 3903R, Washington, DC 20460 or through the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.

Award Procedures

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

None, unless applications are submitted in response to calls for proposals or requests for applications which include deadlines.

Authorization

Clean Air Act of 1963, Section 103, as amended, Public Law 95-95, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2)(F),Public Law 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4332.

Range of Approval/Disapproval 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 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable.

Renewals

None. Generally, EPA incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements for Surveys, Studies, Research, and Investigations. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, availability of funds, and Agency policy on the competitive grant process.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

None.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

EPA normally funds grants and cooperative 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 5 years. Grants are generally fully funded or on an incremental funding basis. Successful applicants will be notified either via U.S. mail or electronically. Such notification is contingent upon information contained in the resulting solicitation.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements.

Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and financial, equipment, and invention reports.

Reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations Part 30 and Part 31.

Audits

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 Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal 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. 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 OMB Circular No. A-133.

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 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.

Financial Information

Account Identification

68-1810-0-1-304. Resulting awards are
funded using the following accounts: Environmental Program & Management
(EPM), Science & Technology (S&T), and State & Tribal Air Grants (STAG).

Obigations

FY 07 $45,783,177; FY 08 $18,001,650; and FY 09 est $21,305,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

EPA generally award grants ranging in value from $5,000 to $750,000 per fiscal year. The average value of each grant is $150,000 per fiscal year.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Surveys, Studies, Research, and Investigations grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's General Grant Regulations (40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

EPA encourages potential applicants to communicate with the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog, and the Headquarters program contacts listed below.

Headquarters Office

For information on grant applications and procedures, contact: Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Code 3903R, Washington, DC 20460. For program information contact: Office of Air and Radiation, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460, Mail Code: 6102A. Courtney Hyde, Telephone: (202) 564-1227, hyde.courtney@epa.gov, Fax: (202) 564-1327.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

EPA selects proposed Surveys, Studies, Research, and Investigations 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 CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement.