Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves

To assist States in establishing and operating National Estuarine Research Reserves as natural field laboratories for monitoring, research, and public education on the natural and human processes occurring within coastal estuaries.

Grants may be used to cover the costs of land acquisition, development, research, education, operation and facilities construction for National Estuarine Research Reserves. Development and operation costs may include the administrative expenses necessary for implementing reserve programs. Grants are available to states for education projects at reserves. Competitive research grants are also available.

Land acquisition, development, operation, and facilities construction grants are available to any coastal State and, in some cases, public or private person, including those bordering the Great Lakes. For the purposes of the Coastal Zone Management Act, the coastal State also applies to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Governor shall designate the State agency or entity to be the applicant. Competitive research grants are available to any coastal State or qualified public or private person. Education grants are available to any coastal State entity.

Any coastal State including those bordering the Great Lakes, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible for reserve operation, land acquisition, or construction awards where a reserve has been designated and for development awards for designating new reserves. Also qualified students are eligible to apply for research fellowship grants.

Grants may be used to cover the costs of land acquisition, development, research, education, operation and facilities construction for National Estuarine Research Reserves. Development and operation costs may include the administrative expenses necessary for implementing reserve programs. Grants are available to states for education projects at reserves. Competitive research grants are also available.

Assistance is typically available to formula recipients for 12 to 18 months with a possible extension not to exceed a project period of 3 total years. Assistance is typically available to competitive recipients for 1 to 5 years. The maximum time that may be granted for recipients to expend and drawdown funds is 5 years. Extension requests will be considered by the federal program office only if the recipient has submitted all required performance reports. At least sixty days prior to the end of the award, recipients must discuss with their federal program officer expected reprogramming and extension requests. After preliminary negotiation on proposed projects and extensions, formal written reprogramming and extension requests must be submitted to the NOAA at least 30 days prior to end date. Recipients should make every effort to submit one extension request for all projects needing an extension (when possible, multiple extension requests should be avoided). With sufficient justification, the federal program office will recommend approval of an extension up to 1 year for the first extension request. First time or cumulative extension requests for more than six months but less than 12 months, will need more compelling justification as to why the project was not completed on time or could not be completed within the first six-month extension. Although the federal program office discourages extensions of more than 12 months, the federal program office will recommend approval in cases where the funds are already obligated. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the Department.

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

There are five types of awards to coastal States under the National Estuarine Research Reserve Program: (1) land acquisition; (2) development; (3) operation, education, monitoring; (4) research; and (5) facilities construction. Detailed criteria for the State's development of these awards and criteria for reviewing each award are provided in the regulations for the National Estuarine Research Reserves Program (15 CFR Part 921). Final regulations were published in the Federal Register, July 15, 1993.

Applications are ranked, selected, and submitted to the Grants Management Division for processing and approval. Once a review of the application is completed and a risk assessment is done on the applicant. If there are no outstanding issues the application is approved by the Grants Officer.

From 90 to 150 workdays.

No formal procedure. If application is unacceptable the applicant is fully informed and may revise application.