Formula Grant 02F72401

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES TO CARRY OUT ITS PROGRAM TO MAINTAIN, PROTECT, AND IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY OF ITS RIVERS, LAKES, STREAMS, GROUNDWATER, AND OTHER WATERBODIES. THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE PREVENTING DEGRADATION OF UNIMPAIRED WATERBODIES AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF IMPAIRED WATERBODIES IN THE STATE. THE PROJECT WILL BE PART OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 106 MONITORING PROGRAM'S COASTAL MONITORING SURVEY.ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT (NCCA) BY SAMPLING WATER QUALITY AT 81 SAMPLE SITES ALONG THE LOUISIANA COASTLINE AND ESTUARINE WATERS. LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES (LDWF) PERFORM SITE RECONNAISSANCE PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL SAMPLING EVENTS. AT A MINIMUM, FIELD CREW LEADERS WILL ATTEND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY- SPONSORED NCCA TRAINING EVENT; FIELD TEAMS WILL BE TRAINED IN THE NCCA STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. FIELD TEAMS WILL COLLECT SAMPLES AT 81 PREDETERMINED SITES ALONG THE COAST OF LOUISIANA FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THE NCCA FIELD MANUAL AND THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN (QAPP) PROVIDED BY THE EPA. REPORTS WILL BE SENT TO EPA AFTER EACH SAMPLING EVENT. EACH LDWF FIELD CREW LEADER WILL COORDINATE WITH EPA AND SCHEDULE AN ASSISTANCE VISIT (FIELD AUDIT) TO BE CONDUCTED BY EPA PERSONNEL OR CONTRACTOR IN EARLY SUMMER 2025. SAMPLES WILL BE DELIVERED TO AN EPA-APPROVED LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS. ALL DATA SHEETS WILL BE COMPLETED, REVIEWED BY THE CREW LEADER AND SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE EPA LAB FOR ANALYSIS.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE A QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN, SAMPLING WATER QUALITY AT 81 SITES ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST AND ESTUARY LOCATIONS AND DELIVERY OF THOSE SAMPLES TO EPA-APPROVED LABORATORIES FOR ANALYSIS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE ANALYZED DATA TO BE USED IN THE EPA NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT, CONDUCTED EVERY FIVE YEARS, FOR WATER QUALITY PROFESSIONALS TO DETERMINE IF WATER QUALITY PROTECTION MEASURES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THE DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THE AGREEMENT ARE THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.