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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Great Lakes Program

GLNPO

Number: 66.469

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Water

Program Information

Program Number/Title (010):

Popular Name (020):

Federal Agency (030):

Authorization (040):

Objectives (050):

To restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. USEPA leads a consortium of programs, agencies, and public and private institutions in attaining specific objectives and actions that will address the most significant Great Lakes ecosystem problems and efforts in five major focus areas: Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern; Invasive Species; Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health; Habitats and Species; and Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. Funded activities will advance protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem in support of (i) the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative as described in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan II (available from: http://www.greatlakesrestoration.us/actionplan/index.html), (ii) the Great Lakes portion of Objective 2.02 (Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems) of EPA's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, and/or (iii) the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to Protect and Restore the Great Lakes (http://www.glrc.us/strategy.html).

Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2016: The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), guided by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, is a coordinated effort among EPA and the Great Lakes Federal Interagency Task Force to fund the highest priority activities in order to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

The President in 2009 announced a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), committing the federal government to significantly advance Great Lakes protection and restoration. EPA has since then led the Interagency Task Force in development of two Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plans, the second covering FY2015-FY2019 (Action Plan) that guide protection and restoration under the Initiative. This carefully coordinated interagency effort involves the cooperation of 16 federal agency partners. The goal of the GLRI is to restore and maintain the environmental integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem, in accordance with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Clean Water Act. Using funds appropriated to EPA to supplement their base funding, agencies fund work directly or through others such as states, tribes, cities, universities, and non-governmental organizations.

Projects will be funded in five focus areas: (i) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern; (ii) Invasive Species; (iii) Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health; (iv) Habitats and Species; and (v) Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. The GLRI places a special priority on cleaning up and de-listing Areas of Concern, reducing phosphorus contributions from agricultural and urban lands that contribute to harmful algal blooms and other water quality impairments, and invasive species prevention.

Types of Assistance (060):

Uses and Use Restrictions (070):

The statutory authority for awards is contained in appropriations acts, including the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2016, P.L. 114-113, including administrative provisions authorizing grants for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation for grants and/or cooperative agreements with governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions in furtherance of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative implementation, as described above, includes but is not limited to land use activities, governmental partnerships and informed public participation, technology development, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies to the extent consistent with the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration or Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan II.

The Statutory Authority to take action to implement the U.S. responsibilities under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, which these awards will support, is contained in Section 118(c) of the Clean Water Act. The principal goal of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Ecosystem. For projects with international aspects the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).

Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved activities plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Quality System Documentation is required for projects involving measurements or information that describe environmental processes, location, or conditions; ecological or health effects and consequences; or the performance of environmental technology. Section 118 (c)(12) authorizes contaminated sediment remediation in Areas of Concern pursuant to eligible projects under the Great Lakes Legacy Act; however, these will be done through project cooperation agreements, rather than assistance.

Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial.

Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or government-owned vehicles, or while driving privately-owned vehicles when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government. Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to conduct initiatives of the type described in section 3(a) of the Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving Executive Order that was signed on October 1, 2009. Generally this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Eligibility Requirements (080)

Applicant Eligibility (081):

Entities eligible to apply for grants include non-federal governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions. This includes state agencies; any agency or instrumentality of local government; interstate agencies; federally-recognized tribes and tribal organizations; colleges and universities; non-profit organizations; and other public or non-profit private agencies, institutions, and organizations. Non-profit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization which: (1) is operated primarily 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, and/or expand its operations. Non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible applicants. "For profit" organizations, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible applicants. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

Beneficiary Eligibility (082):

Beneficiaries include non-federal governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions. This includes state agencies; any agency or instrumentality of local government; interstate agencies; federally-recognized tribes and tribal organizations; colleges and universities; non-profit organizations; and other public or non-profit private agencies, institutions, and organizations. Non-profit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization which: (1) is operated primarily 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, and/or expand its operations. Non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible applicants. "For profit" organizations and individuals are not eligible applicants. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

Credentials/Documentation (083):

Application and Award Process (090)

Preapplication Coordination (091):

Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see Appendix IV of the Catalog. Preapplication assistance is available. Requests for Initial Proposals and Proposals will be accessible on the Internet from GLNPO's home page (http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/) and an announcement will be e-mailed to organizations which have self-registered with GLNPO at https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-news-email-list. 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. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. 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.

Application Procedures (092):

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. As specified in applicable requests for proposals. Application kits may be requested from USEPA GLNPO (G-17J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604-3590. Application Packages should be submitted to the same address. Standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500, must be used. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure (093):

Proposals are evaluated by EPA reviewers to determine their adequacy under Great Lakes objectives, including technical merit, relevance of the project, environmental outcomes, and cost. Administrative review is done by the Regional Assistance Branch. Funds are awarded by the Great Lakes National Program Office or Region 2, 3, or 5, as applicable. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative assistance is approved by the Director of the Great Lakes National Program Office. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

Deadlines (094):

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time (095):

Appeals (096):

Renewals (097):

Assistance Consideration (100)

Formula and Matching Requirements (101):

This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements. This program has no statutory formula. Leveraging, including an applicant's match percentage, will be considered as part of the project selection process for grants and cooperative agreements; however, the program does not expect to require any minimum match requirement. Any such requirement will be specified in the individual Request for Proposals or Applications. A minimum 35 percent matching requirement only applies to Legacy Act projects (Section 103 of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002); Legacy Act projects are done through contracting, not grants or cooperative agreements.
This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance (102):

Post Assistance Requirements (110)

Reports (111):

EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and expenditure/financial, equipment, and invention reports. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the grant regulations at 2 CFR 200 and 1500, as applicable. Program reports are required under this program. Cash reports are required under this program. Progress reports are required under this program. Expenditure reports are required under this program. Performance monitoring is required under this program.

Audits (112):

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year.

Records (113):

Financial Information (120)

Account Identification (121):

Obligations (122):

Range and Average of Financial Assistance (123):

Program Accomplishments (130):

Fiscal Year 2015: In FY 2015, GLNPO issued a competitive Request for Applications offering a total of $13.9 million for projects in the following five categories: Invasive Species Prevention; Invasive Species Control; Urban Watershed Management Implementation; Agricultural Watershed Management Implementation; and Maumee River Watershed Nutrient Prevention Pilot Project. In response, applicants submitted 87 applications requesting over $38.8 million and 28 awards were made totaling over $12.5 million.GLNPO also issued competitive grants for monitoring activities.

GLNPO also issued non-competitive grants to States, Tribes, and local governments for LaMP and RAP activities, including: state and tribal capacity, Great Lakes shoreline city green infrastructure, and Area of Concern restoration. Additional information is available from links at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/fund/index.html.

The EPA and its partners have achieved significant results since GLRI started in FY 2010, including:

- The Presque Isle (PA), Deer Lake (MI), and White Lake (MI) Areas of Concern (AOC) were delisted. Federal agencies and their partners have also completed management actions necessary for delisting four additional AOCs.

- 50 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) at 18 AOCs in the eight Great Lakes States have been removed, five times the total number of BUIs removed in the preceding 22 years.

- Over 3.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment has been remediated through GLRI associated projects.

- GLRI partners implemented invasive species control activities on over 100,000 acres.

- GLRI has been central to the Administration's coordinated efforts to keep self-sustaining populations of silver, bighead, and black carp out of the Great Lakes.

- Over 1 million acres of agricultural land in the Great Lakes watershed were put into conservation contracts to reduce erosion and loadings of nutrients and/or pesticides.

- More than 3,800 river-miles have been cleared for fish passage.

- More than 150,000 acres of wetland, coastal, upland, and island habitat have been protected, restored, or enhanced.

- For the first time, 100 percent of U.S. Great Lakes coastal wetlands have been assessed.

- Projects were implemented that lead to 15 populations of native aquatic non-threatened and non-endangered species becoming self-sustaining in the wild.

- GLRI partners implemented a coordinated, intensive science and monitoring plan for each Lake through the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative.

- In FY 2015, over 300 educators were given hands-on training in Great Lakes based education and stewardship. These educators will reach an average of over 50,000 students annually.

Descriptions of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects are available from: http://greatlakesrestoration.us. Fiscal Year 2016: GLNPO holds competitions and invites non-competitive applications throughout the year based on available funds and Agency priorities. The number of applications and the number of awards made is dependent on the competitive announcement issued. The announcement typically includes the number of anticipated awards. FY 2016 announcement information is not available. Additional information is available from links at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/fund/glf.html. Fiscal Year 2017: NA.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature (140):

Information Contacts (150)

Regional or Local Office (151) :

Headquarters Office (152):

Website Address (153):

Related Programs (160):

Examples of Funded Projects (170):

Fiscal Year 2015: Grants and cooperative agreements were awarded to governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Projects were funded within the focus areas of: (i) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern, including non-competitively selected projects with States and local governments for restoration of Areas of Concern; (ii) Invasive Species, including projects for prevention and control; (iii) Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health, including projects in urban and agricultural watersheds and green infrastructure grants to cities; (iv) Habitats and Species; and (v) Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, projects were also funded through contracts for remediation of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Project descriptions will be available from: http://greatlakesrestoration.us. Fiscal Year 2016: Grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded to governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Projects will be funded within the focus areas of: (i) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern; (ii) Invasive Species; (iii) Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health; (iv) Habitats and Species; and (v) Foundations for Future Restoration Actions. Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, projects will also be funded through contracts for remediation of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Project descriptions will be available from: http://greatlakesrestoration.us. Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals (180):

Contact Information

Website:

Regional or Local Office:

Headquarters Office:

General Information

Assistance Types:

Applicant Eligibilty:

11-Interstate/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
14-State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
15-Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
20-Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
22-Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
30-Non-Government - General/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)
36-Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)/ 36-Environment (water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation)

Beneficiary Eligibilty: