Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention (CEPP) Technical Assistance Grants Program

 

To provide financial assistance to States, Local agencies, and Indian Tribes for chemical accident prevention activities that relate to the Risk Management Program under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r). To provide financial assistance to Tribes for chemical emergency planning, and community right-to-know programs which are established to prevent or eliminate unreasonable risk to the health and environment of communities within the State.

Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2013: To be similar to previous years, with focus on Capacity Building at the State, Tribe, or local level to implement and enforce the Chemical Accident Prevention provisions of the Clean Air Act Section 112(r) and to address community issues such as development of model technical assistance materials for use by States/Tribes or Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) to evaluate potential chemical risks to their communities. Additionally, funding will focus on strengthening partnerships among States/Tribes and Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), industry, emergency responders, and the general public to foster collaboration and build credibility for chemical prevention and preparedness activities. This program will be offered in EPA's Region 1.

Deleted 02/05/2016 (Archived.) 66.810 Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Cooperative Agreements Fiscal Year 2012: Region 7 had an RFP announced that closed, in May 2012. The Region awarded $60,000 in grant funds to two state agencies. The accomplishments for Region 7's FY12 grant activities is estimated that a total of 100 RMP compliance assistance visits will be conducted within two states (Missouri and Iowa) and stronger Federal and State partnerships with the Emergency Response Commissions will be established. Also 2 RMP outreach seminars will be held in the State of Iowa and both states will update and maintain Risk Assessment Databases.

Region 1 has not published their RFP. Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3); Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10(a)&28(a), Public Law 94-469, 15 U.S.C 2601; Clean Air Act, Section 103(I)(4). States, Local agencies and Federally Recognized Indian Tribes located within EPA Region 1. This includes for Region 1 the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

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. States, Tribes, Local Emergency Planning Committees, and local emergency responders. OMB Circular No. A-87 is required for this program. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program. 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. Potential applicants should contact the CEPP Regional contact listed below to determine if grants are available in a specific Region. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. 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. OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. States, Local agencies, and Indian Tribes must submit the original completed application package and one copy to the appropriate EPA Regional Office. The Regional office will review the application package to ensure completeness. States must comply with all applicable requirements. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA. 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. Grant applications will undergo the following review process: EPA Regional Office staff will evaluate each application and, based on the criteria established will select proposal(s) for funding. EPA Regional offices will be awarding the grants. The review process will concentrate on choosing the best project concepts. Once the grant is awarded to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Tribal Emergency Response Commission (TERC), directly to the local agencies such as the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), or other State agency with SERC coordination as appropriate, the recipient will be notified by phone or email. EPA will monitor the work in progress and provide project guidance and oversight to the State, Local agencies, and Tribes. Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Approximately 180 days. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable. Not Applicable. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. Innovative Technical Assistance Grants are offered to improve the ability of States, Tribes and local communities to protect public health and safety and involve the development of technical assistance or similar materials that could be used directly or adapted by other States/Tribes or Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). Projects which address implementing the Risk Management Program under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r) are especially of interest. The grant money may not supplant State or Tribal funds already being spent. 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: http://geodata.epa.gov.

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. Reports will be required on a quarterly basis to describe applicant's progress. Annual program reports are conducted. Final financial status report is required. Quarterly and final reports are required. Expenditure reports are part of the annual financial status report. Performance monitoring is accomplished through the quarterly progress reports, ongoing EPA involvement with recipient, and on-site reviews as needed. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. 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. Financial reports, including all documents to support entries on the accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant or cooperative agreement must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant recipient accounts. All records must be maintained for 3 years from the date of the submission of the annual financial status report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved. This program has no statutory formula.
Matching Requirements: There is a 25 percent match requirement for assistance agreements awarded to States under the Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 28.
This program does not have MOE requirements. Grants will normally be funded on a 12 to 24 month basis. Total approved project period should not exceed 2 years for a particular project. A call for letters of intent and applications will be advertised annually via the Regions notifying States, Local agencies, and Tribes. Recipients will be notified by phone call or email that their proposal will be funded. The grants may be awarded in a lump sum. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. See Regional Agency Offices. Tina Wilkins, Lead EPS, R7/AWMD/IO, 901 North 5th St., Kansas City, Kansas, 66101 telephone 913-551-7964 fax 913-551-7065 email: wilkins.tina@epa.gov

Len Wallace, Environmental Scientist, R1/OES/ERFF, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109 telephone 617-918-1835 fax 617-918-0835 email:wallace.len@epa.gov. Sherry Fielding, OSWER/OEM/POCD (5104A), EPA HQ, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: fielding.sherry@epa.gov Phone: (202) 564-6174. http://www.epa.gov/emergencies 68-0108-0-1-304. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 12 $145,000; FY 13 est $145,000; and FY 14 est $0 For Region 1 the amount is $60,000 with the range from $20,000 to $60,000.

Region 7 will not award any grants in FY13. Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to States and Local Government (40 CFR Part 31). Fiscal Year 2012: Region 7 grants that were awarded in FY12 consist of the following:

1) Update the State's databases and cross-reference them with the RMP chemical list to compare facilities and determine which facility should file an RMP. Any facility that falls under the RMP regulations will be scheduled for an on-site compliance visit and those facilities who do not fall under RMP regulations will receieve assistance in deregistering. A total of 50 compliance assistance visits will be conducted and list of the facilities and checklist will be given to EPA.

2) Conduct a multi-component project including: risk management program compliance assistance outreach, ANSI K61.1 changes and effect on RMP will be updated to State's database and provided to the regulated community. Under this, 5 RMP CAO's will be conducted, with follow-up regarding RMP submit. In addition, partner with the Iowa Emergency Response Commission (IERC) to hold 4 outreach workshops for LEPCs and the regulated community. Materials developed will be distributed to attendees as well as to every LEPC in the State of Iowa. A list of facilities will be given to EPA. Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available