Lower Colorado River Basin Conservation and Efficiency Program

 

The LC Conservation Program is intended to provide new opportunities to fund system conservation and efficiencies in the Lower Colorado River Basin that lead to more durable long-term solutions for the Colorado River System. These opportunities shall result in additional volumes of water remaining in Lake Mead.

Active 15.575 Bureau of Reclamation, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2023 Not applicable, first projects to be selected by end of FY 2023. Pub. L. 117-169 – Inflation Reduction Act of August 16, 2022, Part 3 – Drought Response and Preparedness, Section 50233 – Drought Mitigation in the Reclamation States, Public Law 117-169, Statute 136,2053 Colorado River water delivery contract or entitlement holders and Central Arizona Project (CAP) water delivery contract or sub-contract holders, including partnerships with such entities, are eligible to apply. In the case of partnership proposals, the entitlement holder must be the applicant. Not applicable. (1) A detailed written technical proposal including background data regarding the applicant, such as location, total project water savings, and relevant water use efficiency measurements, a detailed scope of work separating the work into major tasks, including any engineering or design work already completed, and describing data responsive to the evaluation criteria listed in the funding opportunity. (2) When applicable, a funding plan showing how the applicant will pay for its cost share. (3) A detailed project cost proposal, including a budget with the annual estimated project costs, including salaries and wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, and indirect costs, an estimate of annual operation & maintenance costs, and the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental compliance for this program may be required depending on the scope of the specific project funded. This may result in the need for an environmental impact assessment or environmental impact statement prior to the commencement of project activities. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Selections under this statutory authority may be made competitively or non-competitively. Funding opportunity project requests may be distributed to eligible applicants in lieu of posting on grants.gov. Proposals received in response to the funding opportunity are reviewed on the basis of the technical proposal considerations outlined in the funding opportunity. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 60 to 90 days. None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award. Not applicable. Not applicable. Selection considerations vary, see funding opportunity. The LC Conservation program provides grants to carry out projects that results in water conservation benefitting the lower Colorado River system, and its water users. Reclamation may provide financial assistance for these types of water conservation projects under this Assistance Listing using this statutory authority, either competitively or non-competitively. Performance Reports: All recipients of Federal awards shall maintain project records in accordance with 2 CFR 200.333 Retention requirements for records. Performance Reports: Unless otherwise stated in the agreement document, recipients shall submit Program Performance Reports, on a semi-annual basis. Upon completion of the agreement, recipients shall submit a final Program Performance Report. 2 CFR 200 UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS All recipients of Federal awards shall maintain project records in accordance with 2 CFR 200.333 Retention requirements for records. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report or, for Federal awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, from the date of the submission of the quarterly or annual financial report, respectively, as reported to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient. Federal awarding agencies and pass-through entities must not impose any other record retention requirements upon non-Federal entities, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.333. 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. Projects are generally awarded for no more than 5 years. Applications requiring more time will be considered. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Payment terms vary by agreement awarded under this program. http://www.usbr.gov/main/regions.html LC Conservation Program Team
P.O. Box 61470
Boulder City, NV 89006 USA
LCBEfficiency@usbr.gov
Phone: LCBEfficiency@usbr.gov 14-0680-0-0-301 (Project Grants) FY 22 Estimate Not Available FY 23 est $4,000,000,000.00; FY 24 Estimate Not Available - Funded in total by IRA; additional appropriations in upcoming FYs are unknown Range: $50,000 to $10,000,000 Average: Unknown since this is program's first year 2 CFR 200 UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS and the applicable OMB Circulars. These documents may also be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation Office listed below. Fiscal Year 2023 Eligible projects for first year of funding include, but are not limited to: 1. Projects that line canals, including projects that rehabilitate aging or functionally compromised water conveyance systems.  2. Agricultural upgrades and innovations. 3. Urban water efficiency projects. 4. Non-functional turf replacement. 5. Water storage projects that allow for operational flexibilities or capturing new sources of water i.e., re-regulating reservoirs or basins.   6. New technology, or existing technology used in new ways.