FY21_TAG_RFA_final05-04-21.pdf

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: 2021 Targeted Airshed Grant Program

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NUMBER: EPA-OAR-OAQPS-21-03

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.956

IMPORTANT DATES:

May 4, 2021 RFA OPENS

May 21, 2021 OPTIONAL INTENT TO APPLY

June 24, 2021 RFA CLOSES – APPLICATIONS DUE

September 2021 ANTICIPATED NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION

November 2021 - January 2022 ANTICIPATED AWARD

Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than

June 24, 2021, at 11:59 PM, Eastern Time (ET) to be considered for funding.

To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests submittal of an informal notice of an Intent to Apply to Tim Roberts at roberts.timothy-p@epa.gov by May 21, 2021 or sooner. The notice should indicate how many applications you intend to submit and the type of project(s) (e.g., a diesel to battery-electric school bus replacement project). Submission of Intent to Apply is optional; it is a process management tool that will allow EPA to better anticipate the total staff time required for efficient review, evaluation, and selection of submitted applications.

COVID-19 UPDATE

EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of

EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

FUNDING/AWARDS

The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $59,000,000. EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately 8 – 13 assistance agreements from this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. This funding is limited to applications that cover activities in the eligible nonattainment areas included in Tables 1-3: “Eligible Nonattainment Areas Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas” described in the Summary section below. The total number of applications an eligible applicant may submit is listed in Table 4: “Maximum Number of

Applications Eligible Entities Can Submit per Nonattainment Area” in Section I.B. The maximum amount of requested federal funding shall not exceed $8,000,000 per application.

SUMMARY

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:roberts.timothy-p@epa.gov https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses compete for financial assistance through the Targeted Airshed Grant Program. This program will assist local, state, and/or tribal air pollution control agencies to conduct emission reduction activities to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that EPA determines are the top five most polluted areas relative to the ozone (O3), annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5), or

24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). To learn more about eligible entities, see Section III.A. The overall goal of the Targeted Airshed Grant Program is to reduce air pollution in the nation’s areas with the highest levels of ozone and PM2.5 ambient air concentrations listed in the three tables directly below. Area information, including maps and lists of the counties within each nonattainment area, is available at EPA’s Green Book.

Eligible Nonattainment Areas Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas for Ozone, Annual PM2.5, and 24-hour PM2.5 Standards based on 2017-2019 Air Quality

Measurements at

EPA’s Air Quality Design Values Website

Table 1: Ozone Nonattainment Areas (2015 8-hour standard of 70 parts per billion):

Area Design Value Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 108

Morongo Band of Mission Indians, CA 101

Los Angeles-San Bernardino Counties (W. Mojave), CA 95

Riverside County (Coachella Valley), CA 89 (tie)

Uinta Basin, UT 89 (tie)

Table 2: PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas (2012 annual standard of 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter):

Area Design Value San Joaquin Valley, CA 16.9

Plumas County, CA 14.2

Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 14.0

Allegheny County, PA 12.4

Imperial County, CA 12.0

Table 3: PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas (2006 24-hour standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter):

Area Design Value Klamath Falls, OR 78

Fairbanks, AK 69

San Joaquin Valley, CA 64

Sacramento, CA 54

Oakridge, OR 52

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Applicants are encouraged to review the questions and answers posted at https://www.epa.gov/grants/air-grants-and-funding for further information about this grant program and solicitation. EPA will respond to questions from applicants regarding threshold https://www.epa.gov/green-book https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-design-values https://www.epa.gov/grants/air-grants-and-funding eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the application, and requests for clarification about any of the language or provisions in the announcement through the questions and answers document. Please note that EPA will not respond to questions from applicants seeking help in drafting applications. Applicants may email written questions to Tim

Roberts at roberts.timothy-p@epa.gov. The deadline for submitting final questions via email is

May 26, 2021 at 4:00 PM, ET. The final posting of the questions and answers document will be

May 28, 2021.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE: 2021 Targeted Airshed Grant Program

FUNDING/AWARDS

SUMMARY

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background B. Maximum Number of Applications C. Scope of Work D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures . 10 E. Statutory Authority

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

B. Partial Funding C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

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

E. Funding Type

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities B. Voluntary Cost Sharing/Matching Funds and Leveraged Resources C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria D. Ineligible Costs or Activities and Other Considerations

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A) C. Content of Application Package Submission D. Submission Dates and Times E. Information Session F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria B. Review and Selection Process C. Other Factors D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Combining Applications into One Award C. Administrative and National Policy Requirement D. Reporting Requirement E. Disputes F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation G. Delays or Favorable Developments H. Final Approved Workplan and Modifications I. Equipment Use, Management, and Disposition

VII. AGENCY CONTACT

Appendix A – Grants.gov Submission Instructions Appendix B – Project Narrative Instructions, Format, and Content Appendix C – Further information Regarding Contracts, Subawards, and Participant Support Costs

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

EPA received previous funding for the Targeted Airshed Grant Program in 2010 and 2015 through 2020 for the purpose of reducing air pollution in the nation’s areas with the highest levels of ozone or PM2.5 exposure. Exposure to these pollutants are associated with numerous adverse human health effects, including increased respiratory illnesses and heart and lung diseases resulting in premature deaths. For more information about ozone and PM2.5 pollution standards, please visit EPA’s NAAQS website. A list of past grant recipients is available at the

Targeted Airshed Grant Program website.

Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Congress has again directed EPA to make funds available for competitive grants to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that the

Agency determines are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to the ozone, annual

PM2.5, or 24-hour PM2.5 standards.

B. Maximum Number of Applications

The maximum number of applications an eligible entity may submit per nonattainment area correlates with how often the nonattainment area is included on the three “Nonattainment Areas

Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas” tables in the Summary section. The maximum number of applications in Table 4 below apply to eligible entities as described in Section III.A.

For instance, if a nonattainment area has multiple eligible entities responsible for the prevention or control of emissions in that area, then each eligible entity can submit the maximum number of applications for that nonattainment area.

If an applicant is submitting multiple applications, each application must include a different project(s) and must be submitted separately. Applicants can include multiple types of projects within one application, but they cannot include the same project(s) in multiple applications. If an applicant submits multiple applications under this competition and EPA selects more than one application for award from the same applicant, EPA may award a single assistance agreement that combines the applicant’s selected applications, as noted in Section VI.B.

Table 4: Maximum Number of Applications Eligible Entities Can Submit per

Nonattainment Area

Nonattainment Areas Total Times on

Nonattainment Lists

Maximum Number of Applications

Allegheny County, PA 1 2

Fairbanks, AK 1 2

Imperial County, CA 1 2 https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-implementation-plans/targeted-airshed-grants-program

Nonattainment Areas Total Times on

Nonattainment Lists

Maximum Number of Applications

Klamath Falls, OR 1 2

Los Angeles-San Bernardino Counties (West

Mojave Desert), CA 1 2

Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 2 3

Morongo Band of Mission Indians, CA 1 2

Oakridge, OR 1 2

Plumas County, CA 1 2

Riverside County (Coachella Valley), CA 1 2

Sacramento, CA 1 2

San Joaquin Valley, CA 2 3

Uinta Basin, UT 1 2

C. Scope of Work

The Office of Air and Radiation’s (OAR) Targeted Airshed Grant Program is soliciting applications from eligible entities, as described in Section III.A., for emission reduction activities in the areas that the Agency has determined are the top five most polluted relative to the 8-hour ozone, annual PM2.5, or 24-hour PM2.5 standards, as listed in Tables 1-3 in the Summary section.

The goal of the Targeted Airshed Grant Program is to fund activities in applicable nonattainment areas that will achieve documentable reductions of emissions that contribute to ozone and/or

PM2.5 concentrations. Pollutants contributing to ozone concentrations are NOx and VOCs.

Pollutants contributing to PM2.5 concentrations are direct PM2.5 and PM2.5 precursors NOx, VOCs, SO2, and ammonia.

Projects should include detailed, well thought out emission reduction activities, including projects, programs, policies, approaches, and/or deploying technologies that achieve documentable emission reductions. Projects must be for emission reduction activities that will assist with attaining and/or maintaining the NAAQS for these pollutants, and that demonstrate the potential for inclusion in the affected jurisdiction’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) or Tribal

Implementation Plan (TIP) submission to EPA intended to meet or maintain those standards.

1. General Requirements

• Emission reduction activities must occur in the applicant’s respective nonattainment area(s) for the life of the project. Any EPA funded device(s), technology(ies) or equipment may not operate a majority of the time outside of the nonattainment area(s) for the entire life of the project.

• Emission reduction activities must meet or exceed the latest emissions standards for the respective pollutant(s). If no federal or state standard for the proposed activity exists, the applicant should propose the most stringent, least polluting option. Activities must be for projects to carry out emission reductions; applications that only include planning exercises will not be considered. Additionally, projects with primary activities that do not directly reduce emissions from a given source or support the reduction of air emissions are not eligible for funding.

• Projects may not include activities that replace the same device(s), technology(ies), equipment, or other activities that were funded by a previous EPA grant or cooperative agreement awarded in 2015 or later. Additionally, projects cannot include any costs that are included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally-financed grant, as required under 2 CFR 200.403(f). Projects can complement but cannot replicate activities funded under another federal assistance agreement(s). For instance, an applicant that has an existing targeted airshed or Diesel Emission Reduction

Act (DERA) grant to replace school buses may apply to replace additional school buses that are not already covered by one of their existing grants. However, that applicant cannot propose to fund the replacement of the same buses already covered by one of their existing EPA grants.

• Applications must include activities that address priority emission sources and emission-reducing activities that generate measurable, quantitative reductions of ozone, PM2.5, and/or precursor air emissions in the applicable nonattainment area.

Some examples of targeted airshed activities include, but are not limited to:

o Replacing vehicles, engines, or equipment;

o Replacing or retrofitting heat devices (e.g., wood burning stoves, fireplaces); or o Other projects that achieve quantifiable emission reductions for the applicable pollutant(s), such as road paving, providing dry seasoned wood, and other residential wood smoke reduction activities.

2. Specific Project Requirements

a. Replacement or Retrofit Projects. Activities may include retrofit or replacement projects that remove an inefficient, higher-polluting device and upgrade it with a cleaner device or technology, which may include, but are not limited to mobile on-and nonroad vehicles, engines or equipment; or heat devices. The following is required for projects that include replacement or retrofit devices:

• Replacement or retrofit projects must replace or retrofit device(s) that are fully operational and in service at the time of replacement.

• Replaced devices must be replaced with a more efficient, less polluting device.

• Targeted airshed funds cannot be used to purchase a cleaner device or technology without replacing a similar inefficient, higher-polluting device.

• Retrofit projects must reduce emissions of the retrofitted device.

• Every higher-polluting device that is replaced must be permanently removed from service in the respective air pollution nonattainment area.

• Devices that will be scrapped must be rendered inoperable to ensure the estimated air emissions reductions included in the proposed project are achieved and permanent. For engines, cutting a three-inch by three-inch hole in the engine block (the part of the engine containing the cylinders) is the preferred scrapping method. Other acceptable scrappage methods may be considered and will require prior EPA approval.

• Clear photographic documentation will be required to show proof that:

o Every higher polluting replaced and scrapped device was removed, scrapped, and rendered permanently inoperable or permanently removed from service in the respective air pollution nonattainment area; and o Every cleaner device was deployed or properly installed, which may include a purchase order and photograph of the new device installed or deployed.

• A device description tracking sheet which includes details on every replaced higher-polluting and deployed cleaner device is required for all replacement or retrofit projects. EPA will provide a template tracking sheet. For details on quarterly progress reports and detailed final report requirements, see Section

VI.D.

Projects that provide incentives to remove and render inoperable a fully operational high-polluting device without installing a less polluting device may be allowed, as long as the applicant can demonstrate the estimated emission reductions.

b. Projects involving Heat Devices or Mechanisms. These requirements are in addition to requirements of replacement or retrofit projects described in Section I.C.1 and I.C.2.a. above. Inefficient, higher-polluting devices providing heat may include, but are not limited to wood stoves, wood burning devices, open-hearth fireplaces, coal stoves, pellet stoves, wood fueled hydronic heaters, pellet fueled hydronic heaters, and masonry heaters. Cleaner, lower-polluting, more efficient devices may include but are not limited to EPA-certified wood-burning devices, EPA-certified pellet devices, certified masonry heaters, oil devices, ENERGY STAR-certified electric devices (e.g., heat pumps), propane heaters, natural gas and geo-thermal devices. Other activities to support the further reduction of emissions may be included, such as ensuring the burning of seasoned wood.

The following is required for projects that include replacement heat devices:

• Installation of new cleaner burning devices must be done by a certified or licensed professional or the equivalent.

• The replacement certified non-masonry wood or pellet devices must be included in the current list of EPA Certified Wood Heaters to be eligible as a replacement device.

• The replacement masonry heaters must be included in either the current list by the

State of Colorado or the State of Washington to be eligible as a replacement http://www.epa.gov/compliance/epa-certified-wood-heater-database http://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/approved-indoor-burning-devices http://www.ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Air-quality/Smoke-fire/wood-stove-info device.

• Applications must include training and education for all individuals (i.e., the program beneficiaries) that will receive targeted airshed-funded lower-polluting replacement devices (e.g., wood stove) on how to properly operate the cleaner replacement devices and store the fuel, including seasoned wood, as applicable.

• Applicants must require all individuals receiving a cleaner device or other funded project components (i.e., seasoned wood, woodshed) to use and retain these devices and components in the applicable nonattainment area during the life of the project.

c. Demonstration Projects. A demonstration project may 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. Demonstration projects may also include lessons learned or best practices from existing projects in order to achieve greater emission reductions or expand existing projects. Applicants must be able to quantify the anticipated emission reductions that are anticipated to occur during the life of the demonstration project.

3. Environmental Justice

Environmental justice 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.

Priority for funding is given to projects which promote environmental justice. EPA will evaluate this under criterion 2 of Section V.A. of this RFA.

Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which they demonstrate how the project will effectively address the disproportionate and adverse cumulative impacts

(human health, environmental, climate-related and others) that have affected and/or currently affect people/communities of color, low income, tribal, and indigenous populations, and if applicable other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Adverse impacts may be the result of industrial, governmental, commercial and/or other actions and include the accompanying economic challenges of such impacts.

In addressing these criteria, as applicable, applicants should describe how the project benefits these communities and/or populations including those that have experienced a lack of resources or other impediments to addressing the adverse impacts described above. Additionally, applicants should describe the extent to which the project addresses engagement with these communities and/or populations, especially local residents, to ensure their meaningful participation with respect to the design, planning, and performance of the project.

NOTE: Disproportionate and adverse environmental, human health, climate-related and other cumulative impacts, as well the accompanying economic challenges of such impacts, may result when greater pollution burdens or consequences, and the impact of them, are more likely to affect people/communities of color, low income, tribal and indigenous populations and vulnerable populations including those identified above. The impacts may result from various factors including but not limited to being a function of historical trends and policy decisions.

Factors that may indicate disproportionate and adverse impacts as referenced above 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 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.

Applicants are encouraged, as appropriate, to include data from EPA’s EJSCREEN tool

(or other EJ-focused geospatial mapping tools) as part of their application to help characterize and describe the affected communities/populations and area(s). Data from other sources (e.g., studies, census, and third-party reports) should also be included to give a more complete picture of the impacted communities and populations. Instructions, resources, and tutorials on how to use EJSCREEN are included at the hyperlink above.

Additional details on the contents of applications, including specifics on what should be included in the project narrative, are included in Section IV.B. and Appendix B.

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

Measures

Pursuant to Section 6.a. of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance

Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to 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 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements.

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan. The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1 “A Cleaner, Healthier Environment”; Objective 1.1:

“Improve Air Quality.” Under this objective, “EPA will conduct a wide range of activities https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf that contribute to improving air quality and protecting human health and the environment.”

Applications must be for projects that support this goal and objective. For more information see: EPA’s FY 2018-2022 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. Applicants must describe the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and well-defined outcomes. Specifically, the proposed activities must reduce emissions.

2. Outputs. The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to emissions reduction activities that will be realized or provided over time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative and/or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Examples of outputs from the project(s) to be funded under this announcement may include, but are not limited to:

• Number of wood-burning devices replaced;

• Number of replaced, retrofitted, or deployed engines/vehicles/equipment;

• Engaging affected communities about the design and performance of the project;

and/or

• Dissemination of project/technology information via list-serves, websites, journals, and outreach events.

3. Outcomes. The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that will achieve emissions reductions. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. Outcomes may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Projects funded under this announcement should achieve one or more of the following environmental outcomes:

• Tons of air pollutants reduced annually and over the lifetime of the project

(specifying the total years), including the emission reductions for each of the following pollutants, as relevant to the project:

o PM2.5, o NOx, o VOCs, o SO2, and/or o ammonia

• Annual and lifetime gallons of gasoline or diesel fuel saved;

• Annual and lifetime hours of engine idling reduced;

• Progress toward environmental justice objectives;

• Costs per ton of pollution reduced; and/or

• Benefits to the communities affected by the project, including improvements to human health and the environment, the local economy, social conditions, and the welfare of the residents in such communities.

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan

Other potential outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

• Documented improved ambient air quality;

• Contributions towards compliance with the NAAQS;

• As cobenefits, tons of toxic air pollutants reduced annually and over the lifetime of the project;

• As cobenefits, tons of greenhouse gases reduced annually and over the lifetime of the project;

• Emission reduction activities to help communities achieve greater emission reductions;

• Vehicle miles traveled reduced;

• Successful demonstration and/or deployment of the implemented technology; and/or

• Health benefits achieved, which may be measured by numbers of illnesses, health care costs, missed work/school days avoided, and/or reduced mortality from air pollution.

4. Estimated Emission Reductions. The outcomes and performance measures must include an estimate of emissions that will be reduced both annually and over the lifetime of the project, including the assumptions used to make those estimates. Pollutants contributing to ozone concentrations may include NOx and VOCs. Pollutants contributing to PM2.5 concentrations may include direct PM2.5 and PM2.5 precursors NOx, VOCs, SO2, and ammonia. Both annual and lifetime emissions estimates reduced from the project must be included, specifying the anticipated total number of years of the life of the project. The annual and lifetime emission reductions estimates must be provided for each of the relevant individual pollutants and not a sum of all pollutants. If the proposed project includes multiple emission reduction activities that achieve significantly different emission reductions (e.g., replacing diesel to battery-electric school buses, replacing non-EPA certified wood-burning devices to electric heat pumps), the anticipated emissions reduced must be provided separately for each activity.

If an applicant is unable to calculate estimates of emission reductions, include estimates of other quantifiable outputs that have a relationship with ozone and/or PM2.5 levels. Applicants may take advantage of existing EPA tools for estimating emissions reductions for each pollutant being addressed, which may include the Diesel Emissions Quantifier or Wood-

Burning Emissions Calculator. EPA recognizes that there is uncertainty in calculating emission reductions when replacing an old wood stove with an EPA-certified wood stove.

The EPA certification test performed for a wood stove is intended to demonstrate compliance with the Wood Heater New Source Performance Standard, which does not necessarily represent “real world” emissions. In addition, emission reductions will vary depending on various factors, such as proper installation and operation, stove and chimney maintenance, and best burn practices (e.g., burning seasoned, dry wood).

Additional information on the quantification used to calculate these emission reductions, including the key assumptions that were used for any existing calculator tool or the citations https://cfpub.epa.gov/quantifier/index.cfm?action=main.home https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/wood-burning-air-quality-tools-guidance-documents-and-resources https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/wood-burning-air-quality-tools-guidance-documents-and-resources of any studies or reports, must be included in a required attachment; see Section IV.C.

Content of Application Package Submission. The Estimated Emissions Reduction

Calculations is required but will not count towards the project narrative 15-page limit.

Questions about how to calculate emissions reductions estimates from other types of projects should be directed to the applicable EPA staff air emissions point of contact or the Agency contact listed in Section VII.

5. Performance Measures. The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in the application. These performance measures will be the mechanism to track outputs and outcomes progress .

Additional details on reporting requirements are included in Section VI.D. The description of the performance measures will directly relate to the project’s outcomes and outputs, including but not limited to:

• Overseeing subrecipients, and/or contractors and vendors;

• Tracking and reporting project progress on expenditures and purchases; and

• Tracking, measuring, and reporting accomplishments (emission reduction outcomes) and proposed timelines/milestones.

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

• What are the measurable short-term and long-term results the project 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 funds for the awards that will be made under this announcement were appropriated to the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021”

(Public Law 116-260). Public Law 116-260 authorizes EPA to award Targeted Airshed Grants for emission reduction activities deemed necessary for compliance with national ambient air quality standards and included in a SIP or TIP submitted to EPA. The law limits these awards to nonattainment areas that the Agency determined are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to ozone and the annual and 24-hour PM2.5 standards.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is approximately $59,000,000. Funding is dependent upon agency appropriations, funding availability, and other applicable considerations.

The maximum amount of requested federal funding shall not exceed $8,000,000 per application.

https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-inventories/air-emissions-points-contact

While each application can request up to the full funding amount of $8,000,000, the total amount of requested funding should be commensurate with the applicant’s proposed activities, considering the emissions inventory and emissions sources in the applicable nonattainment area.

Applicants should request less than $8,000,000 if the project(s) necessary to reduce emissions in the applicable nonattainment area does not warrant the full funding amount. As noted in Section

II.B., EPA reserves the right to partially fund selected applications or make no awards.

B. Partial Funding

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. The Other Factors, as listed in Section V.C., may be used to determine whether to award partial funding for a selected application. 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?

EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately 8 – 13 assistance agreements under this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. If EPA selects multiple applications from an applicant, EPA may combine the selected applications into one grant award for the successful applicant; see Section

VI.B.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with

Agency policy, 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 will begin by January

2022. Proposed project periods may be up to five years from the project start date.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant or cooperative agreement depending upon the nature of the proposed activity and the extent of EPA involvement.

Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA 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 cooperative agreements under the Targeted Airshed Program 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;

• EPA prior review or approval of project phases or the substantive provisions of proposed contracts found within the scope of the cooperative agreement;

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

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

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

Entities eligible to submit applications under this announcement are those air pollution control agencies, as defined by Section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act, that: (a) have responsibilities for development and/or implementation of a SIP or TIP to attain and/or maintain the NAAQS for either ozone and/or PM2.5 within one or more of the top five most polluted areas relative to O3, PM2.5, or 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS (see Summary section); and (b) have an active air program grant under Section 103 or 105 of the Clean Air Act to carry out those responsibilities.

B. Voluntary Cost Sharing/Matching Funds and Leveraged Resources

No cost sharing/matching funds or leveraged resources are required as a condition of eligibility under this competition. However, applicants may propose to provide voluntary cost share or leveraged resources as described below.

1. Voluntary Cost Sharing/Matching Funds

Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project when a cost share is not required. Applicants who propose to use a voluntary cost share must include the costs or contributions for the voluntary cost share in the project budget on the SF-424 and SF-424A. If an applicant proposes a voluntary cost share, the following apply:

• A voluntary cost share is subject to the applicable provisions of 2 CFR Part 200.306, Cost sharing or matching.

• A voluntary cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

• The recipient may not use other sources of federal funds to meet a voluntary cost share 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 or cooperative agreement.

The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during the performance period of the grant or cooperative agreement, EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Part 200.

2. Leveraged Resources

Leveraged resources or “leveraging” is when an applicant proposes to provide additional resources to support or complement the proposed project which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds they are requesting. These resources do not need to be eligible or allowable costs under the Targeted Airshed Grant program. Additionally, these resources should only be described in the applicant’s project narrative and should not be included in the project budget on the SF-424 or SF-424A. If applicants propose to leverage funds, EPA expects them to secure the leveraged resources described in their applications. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during the performance period of the grant or cooperative agreement, EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action authorized under 2

CFR Part 200.

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 entities (see Section III.A.) that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility questions prior to making an eligibility determination. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration due to the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Application Content and Submission

a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV. and Appendices A and B or else they will be rejected.

b. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV.A. (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. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV. and Appendices A and B to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling the application or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues.

Applicants’ 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 late submission.

https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

2. Applications must include projects with primary activities that directly reduce emissions from a given source.

3. Applications must include activities that address priority emission sources and emission-reducing activities that generate measurable reductions of ozone, PM2.5, and/or precursor air emissions in one or more of the designated nonattainment areas identified in the

Summary section.

4. Applications must be for emission reduction activities and/or activities that will lead to emission reductions that will assist in complying with or maintaining the NAAQS for the applicable pollutant(s), and that demonstrate the potential for inclusion in the affected jurisdiction’s SIP or TIP submission to EPA intended to meet those standards.

5. Applications must support Goal 1“A Cleaner, Healthier Environment”; Objective 1.1:

“Improve Air Quality” of EPA’s Strategic Plan described in Section I.D.1.

6. Applicants must describe the environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under their proposed projects; outputs and outcomes are defined in Sections I.D.2. and I.D.2. 3.

D. Ineligible Costs or Activities and Other Considerations

Any of the following may lead to a portion or all of the application not being reviewed:

1. Ineligible Costs or Activities. If an application is submitted that has ineligible items, tasks, or activities, that portion of the application will not be reviewed and will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding. Activities must meet the following requirements from Section I.C. to be eligible for funding:

a. Emission reduction activities set forth in the application must meet or exceed the latest emissions standards for the respective pollutant(s).

b. Proposed emission reduction activities must occur in the applicant’s respective nonattainment area(s) for the life of the project. Any EPA funded device(s), technology(ies) or equipment may not operate a majority of the time outside of the nonattainment area(s) for the entire life of the project.

c. Proposed activities must be for projects to carry out emission reductions; applications that are only for planning projects will not be considered.

d. Replacement/retrofit projects must meet the requirements under Section I.C.2.a.

e. Heating device replacement projects must meet the requirements of Section I.C.2.b.

f. Demonstration projects must include quantifiable anticipated emission reductions that will occur during the life of the demonstration project. A demonstration project must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches; see Section

I.C.2.c.

g. Projects may not include activities that replace the same device(s), technology(ies), equipment, or any other activity(ies) that were funded by a previous EPA grant or cooperative agreement awarded in 2015 or later. Any activities previously funded by an EPA grant in 2015 or later will not be reviewed or selected for funding.

h. Applications cannot include any costs that are included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally financed grant, as required under 2 CFR 200.403(f). If these costs are included in an application, the activities associated with these costs will not be reviewed or selected for funding.

2. Other Considerations:

a. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV.C. with respect to the project narrative, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. The page limit of the project narrative is 15 pages.

b. Applications requesting more than the specified maximum amount of $8,000,000 in federal funding will be considered at the maximum federal amount available as specified in the Funding/Awards section.

c. Applicants can submit no more than the total number of applications listed in Section

I.B. If an applicant submits more applications than what is listed, EPA will contact the applicant to determine which application(s) to withdraw.

d. If an applicant is submitting multiple applications, each application must include a different project(s) and must be submitted separately. Applicants can include multiple types of projects within one application, but they cannot include the same project(s) in multiple applications. If an applicant submits more than one application that requests funding for the same project, 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.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirements 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 Appendix A. under Technical Issues with Submission.

B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A)

An applicant’s Authorized Official Representative (AOR) must submit its complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than June 24, 2021, by 11:59 PM ET.

See Appendix A for full Grants.gov submission instructions.

C. Content of Application Package Submission

The application package must include all of the following materials except Number 6, Optional

Attachments. Number 5, Voluntary Cost Share Commitment Letter(s), is only required if applicable. Also see Appendices A and B.

1. Grant Application Forms (All Required). Please complete the forms as appropriate.

a. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance. Please note that the organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-

5711.

b. SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

c. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants

Requesting Federal Financial Assistance

d. EPA Form 5700-54, Key Contacts Form

e. Project Narrative Attachment Form- see Section IV.C.2.

f. Other Attachment Form, if applicable- see Section IV.C.3. through 6 below.

2. Project Narrative Attachment Form – see Appendix B (Required, part of the 15-page limit). Applicants may use the Project Narrative Attachment form in Grants.gov. The project narrative must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III.C., and address the evaluation criteria set forth in Section

V.A. The project narrative cannot exceed a maximum of 15 single-spaced typewritten pages, including the summary page, workplan, and budget table and detail. Excess pages will not be reviewed. Supporting materials identified below can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 15-page limit. The project narrative must substantially comply with the specific instructions, format and content as defined in

Appendix B.

3. Emissions Inventories – Other Attachment Form (Required, not part of 15-page limit).

Use the Other Attachments form in Grants.gov. Include quantitative data of the relevant https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://usepa.sharepoint.com/sites/oar_Work/targetedairshedgrants/Shared%20Documents/FY2021/RFA/Grants.gov https://usepa.sharepoint.com/sites/oar_Work/targetedairshedgrants/Shared%20Documents/FY2021/RFA/Grants.gov pollutants’ emissions inventories relating to the proposed project, including calculations and methodologies on how this data was derived. This information does not count towards the project narrative 15-page limit. See Appendix B.

4. Emissions Reduction Calculations – Other Attachment Form (Required, not part of the 15-page limit). See Section I.D. and Appendix B for calculating emissions reductions.

Use the Other Attachments form in Grants.gov. The applicant must thoroughly describe and document emissions reduction calculation methods. The applicant should provide additional information on the quantification used to calculate the anticipated emission reductions from the proposed project, including the key assumptions that were used for any existing calculator tool or citations of any studies or reports, such that EPA may reproduce the calculations. This information does not count towards the project narrative

15-page limit. See Section I.D. and Appendix B.

5. Voluntary Cost Share Commitment Letter(s) – Other Attachment Form (Required, if applicable. Not part of 15-page limit). Use the Other Attachments form in Grants.gov.

If any voluntary cost sharing/matching is to be provided by a project partner(s), and not directly by the applicant, a letter by the partner(s) demonstrating their specific commitment to provide the voluntary cost share is required. This letter(s) must include the specific amount of voluntary funding the project partner anticipates providing. See

Section III.B. and Appendix B.

6. Optional Attachments (Not required; not part of 15-page limit). Use the Other

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