EPA-R-OAR-APS-24-02.pdf

Revised January 24, 2024

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: Grant Funding to Address Indoor Air Pollution at Schools Action: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Amendment NO. 1 ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Applications (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-R-OAR-APS-24-02

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.034

Date: January 24, 2024

Summary: This Notice makes amendments to the above referenced funding opportunity to update information about the budget detail, budget narrative, and page limit.

Specifically, amendments are made on the following pages:

Page 29. The Mandatory Documents was revised to remove ‘Budget Narrative’ from the attachments list, while a budget narrative should still be included it should not be a separate attachment outside of the 10-page project narrative.

Page 41. Section a. Budget Detail was revised to strike language indicating the budget detail and budget table are not part of the 10-page limit, and language was added clarifying that these items should be included in the project narrative and are part of the 10-page limit.

Page 45. The Example Budget Table heading was revised to strike language stating it is not part of the 10-page limit.

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: Grant Funding to Address Indoor Air Pollution at Schools

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Applications (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-R-OAR-APS-24-02

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.034

IMPORTANT DATES:

January 11, 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Opens January 25, 2024 Information Session I February 22, 2024 Optional Intent to Apply February 12, 2024 Information Session II March 5, 2024 Final Date to Submit Questions March 19, 2024 NOFO Closes – Application Deadline May 2024 Anticipated Notification of Selection October 2024 Anticipated Awards

Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than March 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to be considered for funding.

To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests electronic submittal of an Optional Notice of Intent to Apply by February 22, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) to iaqschools@epa.gov. Submission of an Optional Notice of Intent to Apply email (that announces an organization’s intent to submit an application by providing a project title, project areas, the applicant’s name, and the expected funding amount that will be requested) will help EPA better anticipate the total staff time required for efficient review, evaluation, and selection of submitted applications.

NOTE: Prior to naming a contractor (including consultants) or subrecipient in your application as a “partner,” please carefully review Section IV.d. of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses that are incorporated by reference in this announcement and discussed in relevant part here. Applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 2 CFR Part 200. Applicants are not required to identify subrecipients and/or contractors (including consultants) in their grant application. However, if they do, the fact that an applicant selected for award has named a specific subrecipient, contractor, or consultant in the application EPA selects for funding does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with subaward and/or competitive procurement requirements as described in Section IV.d. of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses. Please note that applicants may not award sole source contracts to consulting, engineering, or other firms assisting applicants with the application https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:iaqschools@epa.gov?subject=Notice%20of%20Intent%20To%20Apply:%20Grant%20Funding%20to%20Address%20Indoor%20Air%20Pollution%20at%20Schools https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses solely based on the firm's role in preparing the application or based on an assertion that the individual or firm has “unique qualifications.”

EPA will not consider the qualifications, experience, and expertise of named subrecipients and/or named contractor(s) during the application evaluation process unless the applicant provides documentation that it has complied with these requirements.

For additional guidance, applicants should review EPA’s Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements, EPA’s Subaward Policy, and EPA’s Subaward Policy Frequent Questions. EPA expects recipients of funding to comply with competitive procurement contracting requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 as well as EPA’s rule on Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in EPA Programs in 40 CFR Part 33. The Agency does not accept justifications for sole source contracts for services or products available in the commercial marketplace such as consulting, data analysis, or project management.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/gpi-16-01-subaward-policy_attachments.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/epa_subaward_policy_frequent_questions.pdf

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE: Grant Funding to Address Indoor Air Pollution at Schools

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Summary

B. Program Goals and Objectives

C. Environmental Justice, Low-Income, Disadvantaged, and Tribal Communities

D. Environmental Results and Strategic Plan Information

E. Statutory Authority

F. Human Subjects Studies

G. Minority Serving Institutions

H. Requirements for Increasing Access to Results of EPA-Funded Extramural Scientific Research

I. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A. Amount of Funding Available

B. Number and Amount of Awards

C. Partial Funding

D. Additional Awards

E. Award Funding and Incremental/Full Funding

F. Period of Performance

G. Funding Type

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

C. Threshold Criteria

D. Ineligible Activities

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. How to Register to Apply for Grants under this Competition

Step 1. Register Your Organization in SAM.gov

Step 2. Create a User Account and Applicant Profile in Grants.gov

Step 3. Create Individual Grants.gov Accounts for Organization Members

Step 4. Learn How to Use Workspace in Grants.gov

B. Application Process

C. Project Narrative Instructions, Format, and Content

D. Coalition Coverage

E. Releasing Copies of Applications

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

C. Other Factors

D. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Reporting Requirement

C. Build America, Buy America (BABA) Requirements

D. FOR IAQ Research and Demonstration Projects selected for award ONLY – Scientific Data Management Plan (SDMP)

VII. CONTACT INFORMATION

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Summary

Summary

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announces the availability of grant funds under Section 60106 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides funding “for grants and other activities to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other air pollutants at schools in low-income and disadvantaged communities under subsections (a) through (c) of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7403(a)–(c)) and Section 105 of that Act (42 U.S.C.

7405).”

The NOFO solicits applications from Tribes, states, territories, local governments/educational agencies, and nonprofit organizations to enable more low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) schools and/or school districts0F

1 across rural, suburban, and/or urban areas to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and indoor air pollutants through the development and adoption of comprehensive indoor air quality (IAQ) management plans consistent with EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit and Framework, Energy Savings Plus Health Guidance, Preventive Maintenance Guidance, and other EPA recommended IAQ best practices (hereafter collectively referred to as “EPA best practices”).

Entities with experience conducting national, regional, or multi-state IAQ management capacity building programs, providing IAQ training, executing IAQ research in school settings, or disseminating IAQ standards/policies that have achieved positive outcomes (especially with schools and Tribal entities) are encouraged to apply.

The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $32,000,000. EPA anticipates awarding four to six grants of $5,000,000 to $8,000,000 to support five years of IAQ and GHG reduction activities. Grants will fund activities at the state, multi-state, regional, and national level. The final number and value of grants awarded through this NOFO will be subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Eligible applicants may submit only one grant application to fund activities in two or more of the four project areas listed below:

1 K-12 public schools and school districts” in this program are inclusive of state and local education agencies, charter schools, and Tribally controlled schools (excepting for-profit schools, which are not eligible under this grant). A directory of school districts can be found at:

https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/

Tip: Federally operated Tribal schools, like those managed by the Bureau of Indian Education, are not eligible to apply for and receive funding through this NOFO, but they can participate in and benefit from the activities funded by this NOFO.

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/edge/Geographic/LocaleBoundaries https://nces.ed.gov/programs/edge/Geographic/LocaleBoundaries https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/indoor-air-quality-tools-schools-action-kit https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/framework-effective-school-iaq-management https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-10/documents/energy_savings_plus_health_guideline.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-10/documents/energy_savings_plus_health_guideline.pdf https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/indoor-air-quality-tools-schools-preventive-maintenance-guidance-documents https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/

1. IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building targeting facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

2. Tribal IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building targeting facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools in Tribal communities.

3. IAQ and GHG Reduction Training and Education Campaign for facility management staff and health officers at K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities, and/or the development of qualified K-12 school staff necessary to execute comprehensive IAQ and GHG Reduction Plans.

4. IAQ and GHG Reduction Research and Demonstration Projects in K-12 schools located in low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities.

Background

EPA and the broader scientific community have identified and characterized significant risks to public health and the environment from GHG emissions that fuel climate change. EPA and the broader scientific community have also identified and characterized significant risks to public health from indoor environmental contaminants that are commonly found in homes, schools, offices, and nonindustrial commercial buildings where Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time. Levels of air pollution are often two to five times higher indoors and occasionally are 100 times higher than outdoor levels.1F

2 Indoor air contaminants include (but are not limited to):

radon, viruses/bacteria, cleaning chemicals, asbestos, and environmental asthma triggers, such as secondhand smoke, dust, mold, particulate matter, combustion byproducts, and volatile organic compounds.

Exposure to poor IAQ has been linked to decreased work productivity and academic performance, shortened lifespan and reduced effectiveness of facility systems and equipment, the spread of airborne bacteria and viruses like COVID-19, missed work, absenteeism in school, and health effects from coughing, eye irritation, and headaches to more serious issues like severe allergic/asthma reactions, lung and heart disease, cancer, and death. In the United States (U.S.), poor IAQ is estimated to cost $36-$92 billion a year in adverse health and productivity effects.2F

Approximately one-sixth of the U.S. population attends or works in roughly 130,000 school facilities3F

4 around the country. Fifty percent of K-12 students attend schools that do not have IAQ management plans or programs in place.4F

5 This is concerning because a child's developing organ systems are often more sensitive to environmental stressors, and children are frequently

2 Wallace, Lance A., et al. Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) Study: Personal exposures, indoor-outdoor relationships, and breath levels of volatile organic compounds in New Jersey. Environ. Int. 1986, 12, 369-387. LINK 3 William J. Fisk and Arthur H. Rosenfeld, Estimates of Improved Productivity and Health from Better Indoor Environments. Indoor Air Volume 7, Issue 3 1997. LINK Note: the IAQ health and productivity costs were adjusted for inflation from 1996 to 2023 dollars with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator.

4 National Center for Education Statistics: LINK A and LINK B 5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), School Health Policies and Practices Study, 2016. LINK https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0160412086900516 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1600-0668.1997.t01-1-00002.x https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372 https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=84 https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/shpps/pdf/shpps-results_2016.pdf#page=63 more heavily exposed to toxic substances in the environment than are adults. 5F

6 Also, children and individuals with asthma (one in five of which are under 18 years old), 6F

7 allergies, chemical sensitivities, heart or respiratory diseases, suppressed immune systems, and even contact lens wearers are more susceptible to effects of indoor air contaminants that are common at schools.

For example, exposure to common allergens at schools like dust mites, pests, and molds can trigger severe asthma symptoms or allergic reactions, while exhaust from school buses or other nearby vehicles has been associated with asthma onset in children and adults. 7F

In addition to children’s higher health risks and higher exposure to IAQ pollutants, children in minority, low-income, and other underserved populations, as well as children with disabilities, are more likely to experience higher exposures to multiple environmental contaminants where they live, learn, and play and are at a higher risk for the associated health effects.8F

9 & 9F

10 This is due, in part, to the fact that high poverty districts spend on average 37% less per school on capital investments (including maintenance) than in low-poverty districts.10F

11 This means that students that attend schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities are more likely to be learning in classrooms with pest problems, legacy toxics, poor IAQ, and a lack of adequate heating and air conditioning. Properly addressing IAQ and GHG emissions at K-12 schools across the country is vital, especially in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities that have more environmental challenges and less resources available to address them.

Implementing actions that diminish risks through energy efficiency measures is a well-documented method of reducing GHG emissions in schools. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure good IAQ and provide optimal ventilation and filtration to achieve healthy, productive learning environments for students and staff. To lower GHG emissions and reduce indoor air pollutants, school facilities must manage the delicate balance between reducing energy use while still maintaining good IAQ.

There is substantial evidence that proper management of IAQ in schools improves student academic performance, reduces absenteeism by improving health and reducing the spread of airborne illnesses like COVID-19, lengthens the lifespan of building systems, and lowers GHG emissions from school facilities while providing significant savings through lower energy consumption.

6 American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health. (2003). Developmental toxicity: Special considerations based on age and developmental state. In Etzel, R., & S. Balk (Eds.), Pediatric Environmental Health (Second ed., pp. 9–36). Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health.

7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Most Recent Asthma Data. 2021. LINK 8 Health Effects Institute, Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Selected Health Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution. 2022. LINK 9 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). America's Children and the Environment: Measures of Contaminants, Body Burdens, and Illnesses (176pp, 1.1M). Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA/240/R-03/001.

10 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Your Child’s Environmental Health. 2002. LINK 11 21st Century School Fund, Inc., International WELL Building Institute pbc, and National Council on School Facilities. 2021 State of Our Schools Report. LINK https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_national_asthma_data.htm https://www.healtheffects.org/publication/systematic-review-and-meta-analysis-selected-health-effects-long-term-exposure-traffic https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-05/documents/acereport2_21final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-05/documents/acereport2_21final.pdf https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Folder1/Folder47/ATSDRChildrensHealthhandoutsFS.pdf?rev=e338334bee8e47ec8b2d95ff9d41267d https://www.wellcertified.com/state-of-our-schools

B. Program Goals and Objectives

Primary Goal:

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Comprehensive Indoor Air Risk Reduction for K-12 Schools and School Districts in Low-Income, Disadvantaged, and Tribal

Communities to Improve Children’s Health, Wellbeing, and Educational Achievement

GHGs (such as carbon dioxide and methane) and common indoor air contaminants (e.g., radon, secondhand smoke, wildfire smoke, mold, particulate matter, asbestos, combustion byproducts, volatile organic compounds, and airborne viruses or bacteria) are often best addressed holistically through policies and programs. GHG reductions and IAQ improvements in buildings can be obtained through: 1) better facility design, construction, operation, maintenance, and renovation practices; 2) policies and programs that support behavior change among occupants, such as updating or adopting new building codes, local and state ordinances, and IAQ standards of practice; 3) training programs; 4) air quality monitoring programs; and 5) and education campaigns.

Applications from eligible entities (as described in Section III.A.) must include activities in two or more of the four project areas detailed below. These project areas are intended to build capacity and improve state, regional, and national IAQ systems, enabling K-12 schools and/or school districts located in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities to sustainably reduce GHG emissions and address IAQ problems through the development and adoption of comprehensive IAQ management plans consistent with EPA best practices.

Applications will be placed in separate Tracks depending on which project areas are addressed in the application. Applications that only address combinations of project areas 1 through 3 will be placed in Track A. Applications that include project area 4 (in addition to at least one of project areas 1 through 3) will be placed in Track B. Track B will be evaluated by an additional criterion, as described in Section V. Track A and Track B applications will be ranked separately.

The EPA selection official intends to make selections from top ranked applications in each ranking list.

1. IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building targeting facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income and disadvantaged communities. IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building project area activities could include: coalition building; multisector discipline convening; providing support to a diverse mix of IAQ network(s); and any other activities that build sustainable long-term national, regional, or multi-state capability and intent of K-12 schools and/or school districts (especially among facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers) to develop and adopt comprehensive IAQ and GHG reduction plans and programs for school facilities, during school rehab projects, and during new construction.

2. Tribal IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building targeting facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools in Tribal communities. Tribal IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building activities could include: coalition building;

multisector discipline convening; providing support to a diverse mix of IAQ network(s);

and any other activities that build sustainable long-term national, regional, or multi-state capability and intent of K-12 schools and/or school districts (especially among facility management staff, health officers and key decision makers) to develop and adopt comprehensive IAQ and GHG reduction plans and programs for school facilities, during school rehab projects, and during new construction.

3. IAQ and GHG Reduction Training and Education Campaign for facility management staff and health officers at K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities, and/or the development of qualified K-12 school staff necessary to execute comprehensive IAQ and GHG reduction plans in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

a) Training activities could include classes (in person or virtual), development of educational materials, mentorship programs, Registered Apprenticeship Programs, and other activities/content/trainings that provide K-12 facility management staff and health officers with the necessary training to develop, sustainably fund, and adopt comprehensive IAQ management plans and/or programs in K-12 schools.

b) IAQ and GHG Reduction Education Campaign activities could include sustained efforts to deliver communications (press releases, emails, social media content, public service announcements, radio/podcast content, etc.), advertisements, events, and educational materials that are designed to increase school facility management staff and health officer awareness and knowledge of IAQ and GHG issues, their impacts, practical solutions, and local/state/federal resources (funding, guidance, training, technical assistance, etc.) to help address IAQ and GHG issues.

4. IAQ and GHG Reduction Research and Demonstration Projects in K-12 schools located in low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities. Research and Demonstration Project activities could include testing different IAQ and GHG reduction intervention strategies in buildings to identify the most effective, sustainable, and replicable options in particular indoor spaces, measurement/monitoring of IAQ variables (e.g., carbon dioxide [CO2], particulate matter [PM]), and/or GHG emissions before and after interventions to improve indoor air quality through activities addressing ventilation or filtration, and/or displaying real-time results or before-and-after intervention results as part of education or stakeholder outreach efforts with school staff, students, and/or the community. Applications may include research components such as building blocks for demonstration, training, education and/or outreach projects. In such cases, proposals should clearly articulate this link, explain why the research is necessary for the project’s success, and ensure that such research does not already exist.

Activities in these four project areas should achieve one or more of the objectives detailed below:

• All project areas should:

o Reduce GHG emissions and comprehensive indoor air risks in K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities. 11F o Increase low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal K-12 school and school district facility managers’, health officers’, and key decision makers’ awareness of the scientifically validated IAQ interventions that provide the most educational and health benefits at reasonable cost (and with the best energy efficiency/GHG emission reductions), and the most practical ways to implement those interventions as part of a K-12 school or school district’s comprehensive IAQ management plan.

• IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building Projects: Increase the number of K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income and disadvantaged communities that develop and adopt comprehensive IAQ and GHG management plans and/or IAQ and GHG reduction programs consistent with EPA best practices.

• Tribal IAQ and GHG Reduction Capacity Building Projects: Increase the number of K-12 schools and/or school districts in Tribal communities that develop and adopt comprehensive IAQ and GHG management plans and/or IAQ and GHG reduction programs consistent with EPA best practices.

• IAQ Training and Education Campaign Projects:

o Increase and promote the number of well-trained and qualified facility management staff and health officers at K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities with the necessary training and skills to develop, sustainably fund, and adopt comprehensive IAQ management plans and/or programs consistent with EPA best practices.

▪ If applicants propose K-12 staff training programs: Increase the availability of skilled, trained K-12 facility and health staff in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities that are necessary to execute IAQ activities in K-12 schools and school districts through high-quality training models such as Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

o Increase the awareness and knowledge of IAQ and GHG issues, their impacts, practical solutions, and local/state/federal resources (funding, guidance, training, technical assistance, etc.) to help address IAQ and GHG issues among key decision makers, facility management staff, and health officers at K-12 schools and school districts located in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

• IAQ Research and Demonstration Projects:

o Increase the number of high-quality peer-reviewed IAQ scientific publications and data on 1) which IAQ and GHG reduction interventions and monitoring activities provide the most educational and health benefits at reasonable cost (and with the best energy efficiency) and 2) the most practical ways to

12 Tip: measures of GHG emissions and indoor air risk reduction can be 1) numerical like a comparison between the pre-intervention and post-intervention amounts of measured pollutants and 2) qualitative like evidence of an improved filter change protocol or a visible decrease in dust, mold, or other contaminants in rooms and ventilation systems implement those interventions as part of a K-12 school or school district’s comprehensive IAQ and GHG reduction management plan.

o Increase awareness of IAQ management and GHG reduction scientific, technical, and demonstration project information among facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

In addition to achieving one or more of the objectives above, applicants may also choose to include activities (in two or more of the four project areas) that build and/or improve state, regional, and national scale capacity or systems to:

• Increase the capacity of state, Tribal, and community programs to comprehensively address improvements to IAQ and GHG reductions in K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

• Expand development and adoption of local, state and, national policies and standards of practice that address improvements to IAQ and reduce GHG emissions in K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

• Increase the quality and availability of GHG/IAQ monitoring data in K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities to the public and research community.

C. Environmental Justice, Low-Income, Disadvantaged, and Tribal Communities

This program is responsive to the Administration’s call for agencies to advance environmental justice in Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All. Environmental Justice is the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability in agency decision making and other Federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:

a) are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and

b) have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and investments.

Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or policies. Meaningful involvement means people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and decision makers will seek out and facilitate https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all the involvement of those potentially affected. EPA will evaluate environmental justice issues under criterion 4 of Section V.A. of this NOFO.

Disadvantaged communities are more likely to suffer from the disproportionate and adverse environmental, human health, climate-related, and other cumulative impacts, and their adverse economic consequences. These disproportionate and adverse impacts may include:

• Differential proximity and exposure to environmental hazards;

• Greater susceptibility to adverse effects from environmental hazards (due to genetic predisposition, age, chronic medical conditions, lack of health care access, or poor nutrition);

• Unique environmental exposures because of practices linked to cultural background or socioeconomic status (e.g., subsistence fishing or farming);

• Cumulative effects from multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors;

• Reduced ability to effectively participate in decision-making processes due to language barriers, inability to access traditional communication channels, or limited capacity to access technical and legal resources; and

• Degraded physical infrastructure, such as poor housing, poorly maintained public buildings (e.g., schools), or lack of access to transportation.

For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, K-12 schools and school districts targeted by and benefitting from activities enabled by this funding should be A) located in a low-income, disadvantaged, or Tribal community, as described below or B) have 50% (or more) of the served student population residing in a low-income, disadvantaged, or Tribal community.

A community is defined as either a group of individuals living in geographic proximity to one another, or a geographically dispersed set of individuals (such as migrant workers or Native Americans), where either type of group experiences common conditions. In addition, for disadvantaged communities that are geographically defined, “low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities” means a geographic area meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. Any census tract that is included as disadvantaged in V 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).12F

2. Any census block group that is at or above the 90th percentile for any of V 2.2 of

EJScreen’s supplemental indexes when compared to the nation or state.13F

13 CEJST has an interactive map and uses datasets that are environmental and socioeconomic indicators of burdens. Percentiles show how much burden each Census tract experiences compared to other tracts. To qualify as a disadvantaged community in the CEJST, one of the burden indicators must be above the 90th percentile. In addition, lands within the boundaries of Federally Recognized Tribes are also considered to be disadvantaged communities.

14 EJScreen is the EPA's environmental justice mapping and screening tool that uses national datasets for environmental and socioeconomic indicators to show how a selected area compares to the state, the EPA region, or the nation. EJScreen operates at a finer geographic scale of Census block groups than the CEJST, allowing EJScreen Supplemental Indexes to identify smaller areas that may be disadvantaged within a https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/ https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/ https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen/ej-and-supplemental-indexes-ejscreen

3. Any census block group which scores at or above the 90th percentile for low-income in V 2.2 of EJScreen.

4. Any geographic area within Tribal lands as included in V 2.2 of EJScreen.14F

5. Any K-12 school or school district located outside of a low-income, disadvantaged, or

Tribal community that serves a student population of 50% or more residing in a low-income, disadvantaged, or Tribal community identified by criteria 1-4 in this section.15F

NOTE: Applicants should prioritize K-12 schools and school districts in communities identified by criteria 1-4 above.

CEJST and EJScreen display lands within the boundaries of Federally Recognized Tribes on the map in order to designate those areas as disadvantaged communities. However, regardless of whether a Federally Recognized Tribe has land, all Federally Recognized Tribal entities are considered disadvantaged communities for the purposes of the Justice40 Initiative.

Justice40 Initiative: The goal of the Justice40 Initiative is to ensure that “…40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.” This grant program is considered a “covered program” in the Justice40 Initiative. The EPA is committed to meeting the objectives of the Justice40 Initiative set forth in Executive Order 14008. In addition, the EPA is committed to accelerating environmental justice in communities overburdened by pollution through its IRA investments, including through this grant program.

D. Environmental Results and Strategic Plan Information

Pursuant to Section 6.a. of EPA Order 5700.7A1, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed grants agreements with the Agency’s Strategic Plan. EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental, public health, and educational improvement results of the proposed project(s) in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the Strategic Plan goals listed below.

larger non-disadvantaged area. To identify areas in EJScreen that meet one of the above definitions of a disadvantaged community, applicants should use the “Supplemental Indices” option under the tool’s map layers.

15 As set forth in M-23-09, the Addendum to the Interim Implementation Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative, M-21-28, on using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), “all Federally Recognized Tribal entities are considered disadvantaged communities for the purposes of the Justice40 Initiative.” The CEJST uses the Bureau of Indian Affairs Land Area Representation dataset to depict American Indian land areas for Federally Recognized Tribes. The Tribal Lands category in EJScreen to use for this purpose includes Alaska Native Allotments (EPA Metadata Record), Alaska Native Villages (EPA Metadata Record), American Indian Reservations (EPA Metadata Record), American Indian Off-reservation Trust Lands (EPA Metadata Record), and Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (EPA Metadata Record).

16 Students who attend K-12 schools are a geographically dispersed population. This means that students from disadvantaged, low-income, and/or Tribal communities could be attending a school that is located outside of a CEJST and/or EJScreen identified low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal community boundary (based on census tract data which does not always align well with school and school district boundaries).

Criteria 5 is designed to help address this mapping challenge by helping ensure that more of the benefits from activities funded by this grant opportunity will be delivered to a greater number of students who live in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/ https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan: The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support:

a. Goal 1, “Tackle the Climate Crisis;” Objective 1.1, “Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate

Change;”

b. Goal 2, “Take Decisive action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights;”

Objective 2.1, “Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels;” and Objective 2.2, “Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA’s Programs, Policies, and Activities;” and

c. Goal 4, “Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities;” Objective 4.1, “Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts;” and Objective 4.2, “Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air.”

All applications must be for projects/activities that support the EPA Strategic Plan goals and objectives above. For more information see EPA’s FY 2022 - FY 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.

2. Outputs: The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative and/or qualitative but must be measurable during a grant funding period.

Examples of some potential outputs from activities funded under this announcement may include, but are not limited to:

• X (X to be proposed by applicant) Number of regional or national IAQ conference(s) focused on GHG reduction and IAQ intervention best practices, school IAQ plan development, or other relevant IAQ topics for facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers from K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities.

• X (X to be proposed by applicant) Number of IAQ and GHG reduction management plan development course(s) and associated educational materials developed for facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers from K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities.

• X (X to be proposed by applicant) Number of evidence-based peer-reviewed IAQ scientific publications and data on 1) which IAQ and GHG reductions interventions provide the most educational and health benefits at reasonable cost (and with the best energy efficiency/GHG reductions) and 2) the most practical ways to implement those interventions as part of a K-12 school or school district’s comprehensive IAQ management plan.

• A website, database, or other tool/product that allows the public to freely access the research publications and underlying data/monitoring data produced through funding from this grant in an easily accessible format.

• Report(s) on the IAQ and GHG reduction research and demonstration projects.

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

• A document or guide for facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers from K-12 schools and/or school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and/or Tribal communities that summarizes (existing and new) evidence-based, peer-reviewed research on 1) which IAQ interventions provide the most educational and health benefits at reasonable cost (and with the best energy efficiency/GHG reductions) and 2) the most practical ways to implement those interventions as part of a K-12 school or school district’s comprehensive IAQ management plan.

• A report that details the estimated number of and geographic distribution of schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities with comprehensive GHG reduction and IAQ management/monitoring plans in place before activities funded by this grant take place.

• Report(s) on how many new schools and school districts (as well as their locations) have adopted new IAQ and GHG reduction/monitoring plans or programs because of the grant activities.

• Report(s) that detail the educational and health impacts and GHG reductions, as well as facility improvements or policy changes resulting from adoption of IAQ management plans due to grant activities and the geographic distribution [via National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) School ID and District ID numbers] of low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal schools and school districts that benefited from grant activities/projects.

All recipients will be required to produce:

• A detailed project plan for all activities/outputs and communication with the media/public prior to starting work.

• Periodic progress reports and a final report will also be required as specified in Section VI.B. “Reporting Requirement” of this NOFO.

3. Outcomes: The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but should also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

The primary outcome of activities funded by this NOFO is expected to be significant GHG emission and comprehensive indoor air risk reductions for K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities enabled by IAQ capacity building, Tribal IAQ capacity building, IAQ training and education, and IAQ research and demonstration activities.16F

17 Additional expected outcomes from the activities and projects funded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

17 Applicants should propose qualitative and quantitative measures to show the GHG and indoor air reductions. Pre and post intervention measures could include sensor readings of GHG emissions or IAQ pollutants like PM2.5 and change in the number of mold or animal droppings seen in rooms and ventilation systems.

• A significant increase in the number of schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities that develop and adopt or improve existing comprehensive IAQ management and GHG reduction plans and programs consistent with EPA best practices.

• Increased awareness and knowledge of IAQ and GHG issues, their impacts, practical solutions, high quality air monitoring options, and resources that are available from states and the Federal government to help address IAQ/GHG issues among facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

• Increased number of K-12 school and school district facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers with the necessary training and skills to develop then sustainably fund and adopt comprehensive IAQ management and GHG reduction plans and programs consistent with EPA best practices.

• Increased number of high-quality, evidence based, peer-reviewed IAQ research publications that identify which IAQ interventions provide the best, most cost effective, energy efficient/GHG reductions, and sustainable health and educational improvements in K-12 schools and what the most practical actions/policies are to implement them.

• Increased awareness of high-quality, evidence based, peer-reviewed IAQ research publications among facility management staff, health officers, and key decision makers at K-12 schools and school districts in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

• Expanded state, regional, and national networks of IAQ professionals dedicated to improving IAQ and reducing GHG emissions in schools through the adoption of comprehensive IAQ management plans and programs consistent with EPA best practices during and after expiration of grant funding provided via this NOFO.

• Improved educational outcomes for K-12 students.

• Improved health outcomes of K-12 students, teachers, and school/school district employees.

• Reduced absenteeism among K-12 students and sick days taken by teachers and other K-12 school and school district employees.

• Lowered energy and maintenance costs for K-12 schools and school districts.

• Lowered healthcare costs and improved economic outputs in communities with K-12 schools and school districts that adopt comprehensive IAQ management plans and programs consistent with EPA best practices during and after expiration of grant funding provided via this NOFO.

• Increased number of highly skilled IAQ K-12 staff in areas with workforce shortages necessary for executing IAQ plans in K-12 schools and school districts located in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities.

E. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this action is the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Section 60106(a)), which provides funding “for grants and other activities to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants at schools in low-income and disadvantaged communities under subsections (a) through (c) of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7403(a)-(c)) and Section 105 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 7405).”

Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, §103(b)(3) authorizes EPA to award grants for research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies related to the causes, effects, (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and the control of air pollution.

Note: Demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project.

F. Human Subjects Studies

Human subject studies will not be funded through this NOFO. If you are unsure whether a proposed research and demonstration activity would be considered human subject research, contact EPA at IAQSchools@epa.gov.

G. Minority Serving Institutions

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III. “Eligibility Information,” including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C.

§ 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities…