Compliance Assistance Support for Services to the Regulated Community and Other Assistance Providers

 

Since 1996, in partnership with industry associations, universities and other government agencies, EPA has supported the development and maintenance of the Compliance Assistance Centers and Center resources. Each Center is targeted to a specific industry, group of industries, local government, or Federal facilities, and explains in plain language the environmental regulations that apply to that sector and offers technical assistance on compliance. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2023: Funding will support the web-based Compliance Assistance Centers. Through Internet Websites, e-mail discussion groups and more, the Centers will help businesses, local governments, and federal facilities understand federal environmental requirements and save money through pollution prevention techniques.

Active 66.305 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 Results are not yet available for FY16. Center Website content continued to be updated. Other examples include: Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center continues to partner with AGC; Healthcare Environmental Resource Center seeks third party partnerships; Transportation Environmental Resource Center created a greenhouse gas calculator; the Center Platform created a hazardous waste portal.
Fiscal Year 2017 Center Website content continued to be updated. Other examples include: Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center continued to partner with AGC; Healthcare Environmental Resource Center sought third party partnerships; Transportation Environmental Resource Center created a greenhouse gas calculator; the Center Platform created a hazardous waste portal.
Fiscal Year 2023 The Compliance Assistance Centers typically receive 4 to 5 million page views per year to provide compliance assistance information to regulated entities and the public. For other accomplishments associated with this assistance listing, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers. Clean Air Act, Section 103
Clean Water Act, Section 104
Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001
Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10(a), Public Law 106-74
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Section 20(a) & Appropriations Act of 2000 (PL 106-74) Applicants must be nonprofit organizations as that term is defined in 2 CFR Part 200. 1. Institutions of higher education as defined at 2 CFR 200.1 are also eligible. EPA will also accept applications from state, tribal and local governments. For-profit firms, including for-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. Additionally, nonprofit 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 to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. The primary beneficiaries are small businesses, local governments and colleges/universities that are being serviced by the grantees. Other beneficiaries include state and local governments, the general public, and the regulated business community. EPA may request that applicants document their nonprofit status. The Agency may also request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, experience in the field, organizational capacity and necessary equipment to carry out projects. Preapplication coordination is required. Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Agency Contacts" in the competitive announcement. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. For competitive awards, Requests for Applications (RFA) will specify application procedures. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications 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. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant. For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the Request for Applications. Approximately 60 days from the date of submission of the application. 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). To view these procedures please visit the following website: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. Not applicable. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement. Non-competitive applications are judged for (a) technical merit in terms of: (1) strengths and weaknesses of the project; (2) adequacy of overall project design; (3) competency of proposed staff; (4) suitability of applicant's available resources; (5) appropriateness of the proposed project period and budget; and (6) probability that the project will accomplish stated objectives; and, for (b) program interest in terms of: (1) the need for the proposed project; and (2) relationship to program objectives. Funds support ongoing Center work, with an emphasis on maintaining and updating the existing Center Websites. It is expected that common communications channels used by the industry/government will continue to quickly distribute information to the targeted audience. The sector entry pages will serve as portals to relevant information developed by the Centers and other organizations as appropriate (e.g., EPA). Individual sector entry pages will use navigation structures specific to the sector thereby providing easy access to relevant environmental content. EPA funding must be used only for activities specified in the approved scope of work. Performance Reports: Reporting requirements shall be determined at the time of award. 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. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200.334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. Although EPA may not require matching funds, applicants may be encouraged to provide information regarding resources (cash/in-kind services) that they would commit to manage a Compliance Assistance Center.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. EPA generally funds grants and cooperative agreements on a 12-month basis. However, EPA can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. EPA generally limits project periods to 5 years. EPA will incrementally fund each budget period and will consider funding the balance of budget requests contingent upon satisfactory progress as certified by the EPA Project Officer, the availability of funds, and EPA priorities. None/Not specified. Matthew Cooke
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code: 2221A)
Washington, DC 20460 USA
Cooke.Matthew@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-2472 https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers 68-0108-0-1-304 (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 22$350,000.00; FY 23 est $325,000.00; FY 24 est $350,000.00; FY 21$400,000.00; FY 20$455,000.00; FY 19$0.00; FY 18$350,000.00; FY 17$220,000.00; FY 16$220,000.00; - There was no funding in FY21 or FY22. The last Cooperative Agreement was awarded in FY20. One new and one existing cooperative agreement were funded in the total amount of $455,000. Cooperative agreement funding is typically distributed over a five-year period. 2 CFR 200 and 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards); 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs). Additional information pertinent to the Centers program can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers. Fiscal Year 2016 Center Website content continued to be updated. Other examples include: Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center continues to partner with AGC; Healthcare Environmental Resource Center seeks third party partnerships; Transportation Environmental Resource Center created a greenhouse gas calculator; the Center Platform created a hazardous waste portal. Center Website content continued to be updated. Other examples include: Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center continues to partner with AGC; Healthcare Environmental Resource Center seeks third party partnerships; Transportation Environmental Resource Center created a greenhouse gas calculator; the Center Platform created a hazardous waste portal.
Fiscal Year 2017 Center Website content continued to be updated. Other examples include: Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center continues to partner with AGC; Healthcare Environmental Resource Center seeks third party partnerships; Transportation Environmental Resource Center created a greenhouse gas calculator; the Center Platform created a hazardous waste portal.
Fiscal Year 2018 For examples of funded projects, visit: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers
Fiscal Year 2023 Examples of the type of projects that are funded under this assistance listing include, but are not limited to: websites targeted to industry and government sectors; virtual plant tours; telephone assistance; "ask the expert"; email discussion groups; Next Generation Compliance; and State Resource Locators (https://www.envcap.org/srl/index.php) that offer state-specific environmental compliance information for a wide range of topics. For more information on the types of projects funded under this assistance listing, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers.