Hydrofluorocarbon Reclaim and Innovative Destruction Grants

 

Section 60109(a)(3) of the Inflation Reduction Act provided EPA with $15 million for competitive grants for reclaim and innovative destruction technologies consistent with subsections (a) through (i) and subsection (k) of section 103 division S of Public Law 116-260 (also known as the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act). Enacted in 2020, the American Manufacturing and Innovation (AIM) Act authorizes EPA to address climate-damaging greenhouse gases called Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by: phasing down their production and consumption, maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases from equipment, and facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions on HFCs. For more information on the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, please visit https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction. The objectives of these grants are to support and contribute to addressing HFCs under the AIM Act by funding three project areas: (1) Reclaim Technologies - pilot projects or proofs of concept for new/better technologies to increase the reclamation of HFCs by expanding access to reclamation and improving the reclamation process; (2) Reclaim Market Dynamics - programs or pilot projects for innovative strategies that address market dynamics to increase HFC reclamation by lowering barriers; and (3) Innovative Destruction Technologies - pilot projects/proof of concept for innovative technologies or innovative deployment of technologies to destroy unusable and unwanted HFCs. Successful implementation of these funds by grantees will result in the advancement of improved technologies and/or deployment of technologies for HFC reclamation and destruction and identification of successful mechanisms to address barriers to HFC reclamation. In addition, successful projects will thoughtfully engage with, provide benefits to, and mitigate any potential negative impacts to low income and disadvantaged communities in project design and implementation. Finally, any projects that propose to build fixed infrastructure will have to comply with the Build America Buy America Act requirements. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2024: EPA intends to fund projects in three project areas: (1) reclaim technology (2) reclaim market dynamics, and (3) innovative destruction technologies. EPAs funding priorities are to make awards to applicants that can demonstrate the highest impact (pounds of HFCs recovered or destroyed, as appropriate) with the funding provided. EPA will prioritize projects that are leveraged with other sources of funding, to increase the impact of the grants and increase the amount of reclaimed or destroyed HFCs. EPA also will prioritize projects that thoughtfully engage with communities, especially those that are underserved or overburdened, in project design and implementation and work to actively mitigate any unintended negative impacts to those communities.

Active 66.047 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2024 Once awarded, grants will be listed at https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/aim-act-grants. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Section 60109(a)(3) 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. Not applicable. Not applicable. 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 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, EPA will review and evaluate applications 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: https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements. For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the competitive announcement. 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 found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Not applicable. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement. AIM Act Grants will be used to support and contribute to addressing HFCs under the AIM Act by funding three project areas: (1) reclaim technology (2) reclaim market dynamics, and (3) innovative destruction technologies. Performance Reports: Grantees are required to conduct performance monitoring in accordance with Agency policy and requirements stated in the Uniform Grants Guidance 2 CFR 200. Reporting requirements are also identified in 2 CFR Subpart D - Post Federal Award Requirements. 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 requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. EPA expects only one round of funding for this grant program. Awards are expected to fund projects for up to five years. Assistance agreements are anticipated to be fully funded at the beginning of the project period. None/Not specified. Chris Orvin
Environmental Protection Agency, WJC Building South, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460 USA
orvin.chris@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-0430 https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/aim-act-grants 68-0103-0-1-304 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $14,250,000.00; - EPA expects to award grants ranging in value from $450,000 to $5,000,000, and an approximate average of $2,000,000 . 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). Not applicable.