EPA-R10-OW-CRBRP-2024-01_FINAL.pdf

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/R10/Water Division

Funding Opportunity Title: Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance

Program: Science and Monitoring Competition

Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Request for Applications

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R10-OW-CRBRP-2024-01

Assistance Listing Number: 66.962

Key Dates:

March 28, 2024 INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR May 10, 2024 DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING QUESTIONS May 17, 2024 NOFO CLOSES – APPLICATIONS DUE 11:59PM (ET) July 2024 ANTICIPATED NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION September 2024 ANTICIPATED AWARD

Application Submission All applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) as explained further in Section IV. Applications must be submitted no later than Friday May 17, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). Late applications will not be considered for funding.

http://www.grants.gov/

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Summary B. Background C. Scope of Work

Categories FY 2024 Program Priorities Other EPA Interests

D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes and Performance Measures E. Statutory Authority F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into The Solicitation

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

B. Incremental and Partial Funding C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition and what is the funding range?

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

E. Funding Type

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities B. Cost-Sharing C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures B. Submission Instructions C. Technical Issues with Submission D. Submission Date and Time E. Funding Restrictions F. Informational Webinar

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria B. Review and Selection Process C. Other Factors

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Reporting Requirements D. Disputes

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

APPENDIX A – Project Narrative and Attachments: Instructions, Format, and Content

1. Cover Page

2. Work Plan Budget Detail

3. Other Attachments Additional Resources

APPENDIX B – How to Fund Projects and Partnerships Additional Resources

APPENDIX C - Application Submission Checklist APPENDIX D – Location Description and Map

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve the understanding of toxics and their effects on water quality in the Columbia River Basin by increasing the number, type, and scientific rigor of toxics monitoring projects in the Columbia River Basin through specific actions in three program priority areas: 1) characterization and spatiotemporal trend analysis; 2) pathway identification; and/or 3) novel methods and approaches. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist Tribal, state, and local governments; nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the 2010 Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan - Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin.

Eligible activities must assist in addressing at least one of the following categories: monitoring to evaluate trends; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. Priority for funding will be given to applications which are consistent with federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 program priorities as described in the RFA.

INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR:

EPA will host an informational webinar. Potential applicants are encouraged to participate to learn more about the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program and the grant application process. Pre-registration is not required. A link to the webinar and dial-in information will be posted on our website: https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program

Thursday, March 28, 2024, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. (Pacific)

During the webinar, EPA will highlight any changes to the program, review eligibility criteria, funding limits and mandatory cost share requirements. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. If you are unable to attend, a recording may be available upon request by sending an email to ColumbiaRiverBasinGrant@epa.gov.

B. Background

The Columbia River Basin is one of the world’s great river basins in watershed size, river volume, and environmental, ecological, and cultural significance. Covering nearly 260,000 square miles – approximately the size of the state of Texas – the Columbia River Basin is the nation’s sixth largest watershed. The Basin drains portions of Canada’s British Columbia province and seven U.S. states, but mostly Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Within its boundaries lies multiple Tribal reservations and 45 million acres of Tribally co-managed land.

The Basin contains great geographic and land-use diversity, including alpine peaks, forested slopes, semi-arid grassland and rangeland, arable agricultural land, and an extensive estuary.

From its source in the Canadian Rockies, the mainstem Columbia River flows more than 1,200 miles to the Pacific Ocean. Its average annual flow – 270,000 cubic feet per second – makes it https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/columbia_river_toxics_action_plan_sept2010.pdf https://www.estuarypartnership.org/sites/default/files/CCMP%20Action%20Update%20Final%200212.pdf https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program mailto:columbiariverbasingrant@epa.gov the United States’ fourth largest river by discharge. Significant tributaries include the Kootenai, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Okanagan, Yakima, Snake, John Day, Deschutes, Willamette, and Cowlitz Rivers.

The Basin’s aquatic ecosystem is critical to supporting the fish and wildlife and over 8 million people who reside within the watershed and depend on its resources for their health and livelihood. There is concern about the health of the Basin’s aquatic ecosystem and the potential risk to human health due to the presence of toxics found in the fish, wildlife, water, and sediment. Toxic contamination is a human health and ecological risk factor and key environmental justice issue for Tribal people and other high fish-consuming populations.

Columbia River salmon and steelhead runs were once the largest in the world with as many as 16 million fish returning annually to spawn in the Basin. Columbia River Tribes have depended on native fish species, including (but not limited to) salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey for thousands of years for spiritual, cultural, and nutritional sustenance. Human activities including hydrologic modifications for flood control and power generation, industry, urban development, mining, and agricultural practices have affected fish spawning and rearing habitat, blocked or impeded fish passage, and contributed toxic contaminants that have impaired water quality.

Many scientists believe that recovery of salmon, steelhead, and other fish populations cannot be achieved without reducing toxics in water and sediment.

In 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Study of Chemical Residues in Fish found bioaccumulative toxics in Columbia River Basin fish tissue. Recognizing the historic importance of fish in the diets of Tribal people and the potential human health impacts of toxics, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) and EPA developed the 1994 Fish Consumption Survey of the Umatilla, Nez Perce, Yakama, and Warm Springs Tribes of the Columbia River Basin which found that Tribal people were consuming 9 to 12 times more fish than the average US resident. EPA and CRITFC followed up that study with the Columbia River Fish Contaminant Study 1996-1998 which found 92 pollutants in fish from 24 Tribal fishing sites, including contaminants with human health impacts such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin, mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and furans.

EPA convened the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group in 2005 to share information and collaborate on toxics reduction in the Columbia River Basin. The Working Group led the development of the 2009 Columbia River Basin State of the River Report for Toxics which addressed four contaminants: DDT, PCBs, mercury, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and the risk they pose to people, fish and wildlife, and highlighted successful efforts to reduce those contaminants. The 2009 report was followed by the 2010 Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan, which identified sixty-one actions needed across five categories: increasing public understanding to reduce toxics; increasing toxics reduction actions;

conducting monitoring to identify sources and reduce contaminants; developing a regional research program; and developing a shared data management system. In 2014, the Working Group released its Strategy for Measuring, Documenting, and Reducing Chemicals of Emerging Concern, providing an outline for a research and monitoring strategy and a characterization of the impacts of chemicals of emerging concern on human health, aquatic life, and terrestrial wildlife. An updated Columbia River Basin Toxic Contaminants Reference List and updated Contaminants of Concern Framework were developed in 2020. In May 2020, EPA released the https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/20003VSF.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1991+Thru+1994&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C91thru94%5CTxt%5C00000003%5C20003VSF.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/20003VSF.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1991+Thru+1994&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C91thru94%5CTxt%5C00000003%5C20003VSF.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL https://www.critfc.org/blog/reports/a-fish-consumption-survey-of-the-umatilla-nez-perce-yakama-and-warm-springs-tribes-of-the-columbia-river-basin/ https://www.critfc.org/blog/reports/a-fish-consumption-survey-of-the-umatilla-nez-perce-yakama-and-warm-springs-tribes-of-the-columbia-river-basin/ https://www.critfc.org/blog/reports/a-fish-consumption-survey-of-the-umatilla-nez-perce-yakama-and-warm-springs-tribes-of-the-columbia-river-basin/ https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-fish-contaminant-survey-1996-1998 https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-fish-contaminant-survey-1996-1998 https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/2009-state-river-report-toxics https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/2009-state-river-report-toxics https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-toxics-reduction-action-plan https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-toxics-reduction-action-plan https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/chemicals-emerging-concern-columbia-river https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/chemicals-emerging-concern-columbia-river https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-toxic-contaminants-reference-list https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-contaminants-concern-framework

Toxic-Impaired Waterbodies on 303d Lists in the Columbia River Basin report which identifies more than 50 toxic contaminants that are on 303(d) lists of impaired waters and provides links to EPA-approved TMDLs and implementation plans. EPA developed an interactive StoryMap, in November 2021, where the public can learn about collaborative efforts to reduce toxic pollution and protect people and the environment in the Columbia River Basin. In March 2022, EPA issued an update on efforts to reduce toxic contaminants in the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Report.

On December 9, 2016, Congress passed the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act (CRBRA) as part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), also known as the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016. The WRDA was signed into law by the President on December 16, 2016. The legislation focuses on the U.S. portion of the Columbia River Basin including the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Section 123 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) directs EPA to establish a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program which includes a Working Group that is representative of states, Tribal governments, industry, and other entities. Clean Water Act Section 123 (33 U.S.C. § 1275) also directs EPA to develop a voluntary, competitive grant program for “environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Basin.”

For further information about the program as well as examples of currently funded projects, please visit https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/about-epas-work-columbia-river-basin.

C. Scope of Work

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA) is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) for eligible entities to improve water quality by advancing scientific knowledge of sources, movements, exposures and effects of pollutants in the Columbia River Basin through enhancements to monitoring activities or tools and approaches. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist Tribal, state, and local governments;

nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the 2010 Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan - Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities under the CWA § 123 the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act.

Applicants can submit a total of one (1) application under this solicitation. EPA intends to only consider projects addressing the following categories listed in CWA § 123(b)(3)(C).

Categories

1. Monitoring to evaluate trends.

2. Promoting citizen engagement or knowledge by increasing engagement and communication with individual community members (such as local, state and Tribal environmental managers, and/or NGOs).

https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/toxic-impaired-waterbodies-303d-lists-columbia-river-basin https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/24979f1fd3124cc7bb4c85147d38eedc https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-program-report https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-program-report https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/about-epas-work-columbia-river-basin https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/columbia_river_toxics_action_plan_sept2010.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/columbia_river_toxics_action_plan_sept2010.pdf https://www.estuarypartnership.org/sites/default/files/CCMP%20Action%20Update%20Final%200212.pdf https://www.estuarypartnership.org/sites/default/files/CCMP%20Action%20Update%20Final%200212.pdf

FY 2024 Program Priorities In addition, priority for funding will be given to proposals which are consistent with FY 2024 Program Priorities as described below; and build off successful efforts in the Columbia River Basin to address toxics and that leverage or expand on existing partnerships.

Evaluation scores are contingent on one or more program priorities being addressed but scores will not depend on the number of priorities addressed, rather on the quality with which the priorities are addressed. Across all the priorities below, there is a focus on toxics and their impact on human health and fish and wildlife. See documents on the Columbia River Basin RFA website for reference.

1. Characterization and spatiotemporal trend analysis

a. For chemicals that are known to be toxic to humans or wildlife (i.e., have water quality standards or screening values), collect new or collate existing monitoring data to satisfy one or more of the following objectives: characterizing existing levels of or reductions in toxic pollutants, assisting with spatially refining the contaminants of concern within the Columbia River Basin, and informing future gaps analyses in the basin. Chemical measurement can occur in sediment, water, or biota, depending on study goals.

b. For chemicals that are emerging and for which biological effects are not well understood, collect new or collate existing monitoring data to document chemical exposure/occurrence. Because the biological risk of these chemicals is less known, preference will be given to projects in this category that simultaneously evaluate biological effects in species or surrogate species that form the prey base for juvenile salmon or resident species of importance to recreational and subsistence consumers, but other species groups (e.g., mussels) can be considered. Biological effects can be examined using established or novel approaches (see 3 below) and should often be directly paired (in space and time) with chemical analysis of toxics.

1) Traditional/established methods include the use of in situ with an evaluation of biological responses associated with fitness, surrogate measures of fitness, or established biomarkers. Other approaches may include the collection of water and subsequent exposure of laboratory animals or tissues (also see priority #3 below).

2. Pathway Identification

Use existing data and/or collect additional data to identify pathways to surface water or source areas for emerging and legacy chemical groups to aid in future prioritization of activities (e.g., Contaminants of Concern Framework) to reduce toxics in the Columbia River Basin.

3. Novel methods and approaches (aka expanding the toolbox)

Identify indicator chemicals for relevant sampling media (water, sediment, biota) that can be used to assess a broader suite of toxics while reducing sampling burden/costs.

Evaluate and deploy novel approaches for prioritization of chemicals based on https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-contaminants-concern-framework occurrence/predicted occurrence and biological effects (including bioactivity) or predicted biological effects/bioactivity. Examples of novel approaches include but are not limited to New Approach Methods (NAMs) such as in vitro and in silico based methods, and advanced sampling approaches including non-lethal methods, passive samplers, remote auto samplers; or developing and validating models of fate and transport of high priority compounds. Adverse outcome pathways and other approaches may be considered in designing and interpreting paired chemical and biological effects information.

For purposes of this RFA, EPA will NOT fund activities that:

• Duplicate the work efforts, or authorities, of other EPA funded clean-up programs including but not limited to CERCLA, RCRA, and Brownfields, or

• Address conventional pollutants that result in toxic effects (e.g., cyanotoxins or harmful algal blooms) as a primary purpose. Monitoring or reductions of such pollutants may occur as a secondary co-benefit of projects funded through this program.

Information on toxic contaminants covered by these priorities can be found on EPA’s Columbia River Basin website and include, but are not limited to, mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Working Group list of priority pollutants and the toxic pollutants listed by reference in Section 307(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 C.F.R.

401.15).

Other EPA Interests Environmental justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. 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 the involvement of those potentially affected.

For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” means people/communities of color, low income, Tribal and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those who have pre-existing medical conditions.

In addition, climate change poses risks to human health, the environment, cultural resources, the economy and quality of life. These changes are expected to create further challenges to protecting human health and welfare and the environment.

EPA is interested in proposals that: 1) mitigate for past environmental justice impacts and improve community health, resilience and/or sustainability; and 2) foster resilience and https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/prioritization-toxics-columbia-river https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=15e352a79a295dd3e0f1699119f82c04&mc=true&node=se40.31.401_115&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=15e352a79a295dd3e0f1699119f82c04&mc=true&node=se40.31.401_115&rgn=div8 adaptation to changing climate and environmental conditions.

For example, activities may:

• Address or facilitate the identification and reduction of threats to communities that have environmental justice challenges; or

• Improve community health, resilience and/or sustainability; or

• Address the disproportionate and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related and other cumulative impacts; or

• Address impacts resulting from industrial, governmental, commercial and/or other actions that have affected and/or currently affect underserved communities; or

• Foster coastal resilience or adaptation to changing climate and environmental conditions.

D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes and Performance Measures

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements with the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, 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 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 5, “Ensure clean and safe water for all communities” Objective 5.2, “Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds”. Under this goal and objective, “Clean and safe water is a vital resource that is essential to the protection of human health. Without clean water, communities and economies cannot thrive. EPA is committed to ensuring clean and safe water for all, especially for vulnerable communities of color, underserved communities, and Tribal communities.” Applicants must explain in their application how their activities will further this goal and objective.

Please read EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf) for more information.

Applicants should include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed activities in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the activities will contribute to the priorities described above. Specifically, the proposed activities must have outputs and outcomes related to monitoring to evaluate trends and/or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge.

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 http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable over the term of the grant funding period. Applications must include a description of outputs and the way in which recipients will track milestones throughout the grant period. Output examples may include, but are not limited to, number of presentations made, number of participants at an event, and draft and final reports produced.

Progress reports and a final report will be required outputs, as specified in Section VI.C “Reporting Requirement,” of this RFA.

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 qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Outcomes expected as a result of the awards under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Measurement of pollutant and sediment load reductions, attainment of water quality objectives, or other numeric indicators of water quality improvement.

• Understanding of ecological and/or human health benefits achieved.

• Increases in the quantity or quality of monitoring on the Columbia River and its tributaries.

• Improvements to the local economy, social conditions, and the welfare of residents in such communities.

Additional information regarding EPA's definition of environmental results in terms of "outputs" and "outcomes" can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf and https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/application-assistance#results.

4. Performance Measures: The term “performance measures” means the plan for tracking and measuring progress toward achieving the expected outputs and outcomes. The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

• What are the measurable short term and longer term results the activities will achieve?

• How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

E. Statutory Authority

The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) is authorized by 33 U.S.C. § 1275, amended by Pub. L. 115-270, title IV, § 4105, Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3875. CRBRP authorizes the award of grants for environmental protection and restoration of the Columbia River Basin.

EPA’s authority to obligate grant funds is subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

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 https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/application-assistance#results https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/application-assistance#results

F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into The Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to sections III, IV, V, and VI of this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses. These provisions are important for applying to this solicitation and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please contact the EPA point of contact listed in this solicitation (usually in Section VII) to obtain the provisions.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

EPA anticipates awarding up to $15,000,000 under this announcement. Awards will be issued and managed through EPA’s Region 10 Office, and are subject to the availability of funds, the quantity and quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. Applicants may request up to $3,000,000 per application. Approximately seven cooperative agreements, ranging from $300,000 to $3,000,000 will be awarded, and are subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Applicants can submit one (1) application overall under this solicitation. If an applicant submits more than one (1) application to EPA, the applicant will be contacted prior to EPA review of any of the applications to determine which application(s) the applicant will withdraw from the competition.

B. Incremental and Partial Funding

EPA intends to incrementally fund applications by funding phases of proposed activities over four years (FY24-27). EPA and the applicant will negotiate a final workplan, timeline and budget which has clearly delineated activities or phases with separate budget estimates for each activity/phase within the grant project period. A portion of the total requested funding will be awarded at the beginning of the project period for the specified activities/phases. Subject to the availability of funds, and other applicable considerations, additional funding may be awarded later (anticipate annual incremental funding each year through FY27) as an incremental budget amendment to fund the remaining activities/phases of the workplan.

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed activities. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition and what is the funding range?

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

Eligible applicants may request a maximum of $3,000,000 per application. Approximately seven cooperative agreements, ranging from $300,000 to $3,000,000 will be awarded.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and other applicable considerations, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections.

In addition, EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or to make fewer awards than anticipated.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for awards resulting from this solicitation is up to five years. The program activities are expected to begin around October 2024, with an expected completion date of no later than five years after award.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected applications will be in the form of a cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these activities may include:

• Close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

• Collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

• In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.317 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

• Approving qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient); and

• Review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Note: Additional provisions that apply to this section can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses.

A. Eligible Entities

Under this solicitation, only the following entities are eligible to apply for assistance, in accordance with 33 U.S.C. § 1275 and Assistance Listing 66.962:

State governments, Tribal governments, regional water pollution control agencies and entities, local government entities, nongovernmental entities, or soil and water conservation districts.

For the purposes of this announcement, EPA has determined that nongovernmental entities must be nonprofit organizations to be eligible for funding. Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization at 2 CFR § 200.1, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization.

Note that 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation.

While not considered to be a non-profit organization(s) as defined by 2 C.F.R. 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Hospitals operated by state, Tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are not eligible to apply.

Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or Tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611.

B. Cost-Sharing

1. Mandatory Cost Share Requirement: Projects under this RFA are subject to the following funding limitations and mandatory cost share requirements provided in CWA § 123(d)(2):

a. For non-Tribal applicants EPA will fund up to 75% of the cost of the overall project

(i.e., applicants are responsible for cost-sharing at least 25% of the cost with non-federal funds).

b. For Tribal applicants EPA may fund up to 75% of the cost of the overall projects (i.e., Tribal applicants are responsible for cost-sharing at least 25% of the cost with either non-federal and/or federal funds). Tribal applicants who are selected under this competition can ask EPA to fully waive this match requirement.

2. Any form of cost share must be included in the Budget Detail portion of the Work Plan, and the application must describe how and when the applicant will obtain the cost share and how the cost share funding will be used. Applicants may use their own funds or other sources for cost share if the standards of 2 C.F.R. 200.306, are met. If the proposed cost share is to be provided by a named partner, a letter of commitment is required. Only eligible and allowable costs may be used for cost share. Unless the applicant is a Tribal government other federal grants may not be used as cost share under this RFA unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant. Please note: CRBRP funds may not be used to meet mandatory cost-sharing requirements for activities funded with environmental mitigation funds. Further, environmental mitigation funds may not be used to meet non-federal mandatory cost share requirements of any CRBRP grant.

3. Applications to which these mandatory cost share requirements apply must demonstrate, by the application submission date, on the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, on the SF-424A Budget Information, and in the Project Narrative how the applicant will be able to meet these minimum mandatory cost share requirements if they are selected for an award, or the application may be disqualified during the threshold eligibility review.

Specifically, the mandatory cost share funds must be indicated in at least one of the following blocks in Section 18, Estimated Funding, on the SF-424: b. Applicant; c. State; d.

Local; or e. Other. The mandatory cost shared funds must also be indicated in Section A row 2.f, and Section B column (2) of the SF-424A.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible applicants (see Section III.A of this RFA) that meet these threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the ranking criteria in Section V.A of this RFA. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility questions prior to making an eligibility determination. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Substantial Compliance

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Sections III.A., B., and C. to be considered eligible.

a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and application content requirements set forth in Section IV and Appendix A of this RFA or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

b. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this solicitation (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this solicitation. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this solicitation to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submitting through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section IV, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

c. Applications submitted outside of Grants.gov will be deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was due to EPA https://www.grants.gov/ mishandling or technical problems associated with Grants.gov or SAM.gov. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a submission outside of Grants.gov.

2. Eligible activities must address monitoring to evaluate trends and/or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. (See Section 1.C.)

3. Applicants must request funding for activities that will be implemented in the United States portion of the Columbia River Basin is defined as the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean, including tidally influenced portions of tributaries of the Columbia River, mainstem of the Columbia River from the Bonneville Dam up to the Canadian Border including tributaries of the Columbia River in that region. (See Map in Appendix D).

4. Applications which request EPA assistance funds above or below the amounts specified in Section II.C of this RFA are not eligible and will not be reviewed.

5. Applicants can submit a total of one (1) application as the lead entity under this solicitation.

Applicants can also partner on other applications. If an applicant, as lead entity, submits more than one (1) application to EPA, the applicant will be contacted prior to EPA review of any of the applications to determine which applications the applicant will withdraw from the competition.

6. Applications that do not demonstrate compliance with the mandatory cost share requirements described in Section III.B.1 of this RFA are not eligible and will not be reviewed.

7. Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods. Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only are addressed in section C. Technical Issues with Submission below.

B. Submission Instructions https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement

1. SAM.gov (System for Award Management) Registration Instructions:

Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active SAM.gov registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov (1) to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization.

Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active.

SAM.gov requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization's legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Question on the difference for additional details.

Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov Registration and system functionality.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday - Friday 8am - 8pm ET.

2. Grants.gov Registration Instructions:

Once your SAM.gov account is active, you must register in Grants.gov. Grants.gov will electronically receive your organization information, such as EBiz point of contact email address and UEI. Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active Grants.gov registration. Grants.gov registration is FREE. If you have never applied for a federal grant before, please review the Grants.gov Applicant Registration instructions. As part of the Grants.gov registration process, the EBiz point of contact is the only person that can affiliate and assign applicant roles to members of an organization. In addition, at least one person must be assigned as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Only person(s) with the AOR role can submit applications in Grants.gov. Please review the Intro to Grants.gov-Understanding User Roles and Learning Workspace - User Roles and Workspace Actions for details on this important process.

Please note that this process can take a month or more for new registrants. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the application submission deadline.

Contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov to resolve technical issues with Grants.gov. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of https://sam.gov/content/home https://login.gov/ https://iae-prd-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/entity-checklist.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20221202T111414Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=86399&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAY3LPYEEX3RP4EDU2%2F20221202%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=ac761ca64f6318fcc87794e17e42d3e01e52fd270f7901dbf2129a909c4f536d https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLxg5Tu3qHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLxg5Tu3qHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPRj4ILn7Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPRj4ILn7Y mailto:support@grants.gov submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. The Grants.gov Support Center is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays.

3. Application Submission Process: To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click the red "Apply" button at the top of the view grant opportunity page associated with this opportunity.

The electronic submission of your application to this funding opportunity must be made by an official representative of your organization who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal financial assistance. If the submit button is grayed out, it may be because you do not have the appropriate role to submit in your organization.

Contact your organization's EBiz point of contact or contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1- 800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Applicants need to ensure that the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose UEI is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the UEI listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization's SAM.gov account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

4. Application Submission Deadline: Your organization's AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than Friday, May 17, 2024, 11:59 PM ET. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically.

Please note that successful submission of your application through Grants.gov does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award. Any application submitted after the application deadline time and date deadline will be deemed ineligible and not be considered.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the Grants.gov application package accessed using the instructions above.

5. Application Materials

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

2. Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

3. EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

4. EPA Form 4700-4 Preaward Compliance Review Report

5. Narrative Proposal (Project Narrative Attachment Form) - prepared as described in

Appendix A of this announcement

Optional Documents:

mailto:support@grants.gov

6. Other Attachments (Use “Other Attachments” Form), if applicable, prepared as described in Appendix A of this announcement

• Cost Share Commitment Letters

• Partnership Letters

• Resumes

• Indirect Cost…