Since 1991, EPA's funding of the Lake Champlain Basin Program has led protection and restoration of the Lake Champlain basin through coordination with federal, provincial, state, and municipal agencies and local citizens. The main program goals, as laid out in the Lake Champlain Management Plan Opportunities for Action, are as follows: reducing phosphorus inputs to Lake Champlain; decreasing toxic contamination; minimizing the risks to humans from water-related health hazards; and controlling the introduction, spread, and impact of nonnative nuisance species. EPA works with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee to determine funding priorities and distributes funds accordingly. The following four entities receive funding on an annual basis: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Lake Champlain Science Center. They may choose to compete all or part of the funds. Competitive announcements typically include the number of anticipated awards. In FY 07, funds were used to support protection and restoration of the Lake Champlain Basin. Specific examples of accomplishments in FY 07 include: Developed 17 new wayside interpretive exhibits, three new bikeways guides, and one new water trail guide; awarded 11 new local subgrants to watershed organizations; obtained and processed 3,836 water chemistry samples as part of a long-term water quality monitoring program; trained teachers and educated students through 26 classroom visits and field days; provided information about Lake Champlain to 14,000 resource room visitors; serviced 31,000 website visits; developed 12 new resource room exhibits; prepared 12,000 brochures on using lawn fertilizer without phosphorus; distributed 127,315 newspaper inserts about Lake Champlain restoration successes and challenges; and hired four seasonal boat stewards to reduce the spread of invasive species.In FY08, a key expected accomplishment includes creation and distribution of a "State of the Lake" report detailing current water quality and other ecosystem conditions. Further accomplishments planned include: conducting water quality monitoring programs; a boat inspection and education program to reduce the spread of invasive species, extensive watershed mapping to better plan for BMP installation, removal of invasive water chestnuts, and other tasks.

Uses and Use Restrictions

As described in Section 120 of the CWA, funds may be used to implement elements of the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan, Opportunities for Action.

Projects outside of the Lake Champlain Basin are not eligible for funding under this program.

Grant awards must be made in consultation with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, and must support activities consistent with the goals of Opportunities for Action.

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.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies, and public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations are eligible to receive grants from EPA through this program.

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

Assistance under this program generally benefits State environmental, health, and agriculture agencies; interstate water pollution control agencies; public nonprofit institutions and organizations; sponsored organizations; Federal agencies; local agencies; intrastate agencies; public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations; private organizations; small businesses; and quasi-public nonprofit institutions.

Credentials/Documentation

Nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations may be required to provide documentation of their organizational status upon application.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

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.

A pre-application form is not required.

Informal pre-application discussions or conferences with the Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, and EPA Regions 1 and 2 are required.

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

The Lake Champlain Basin Program Steering Committee, in conjunction with EPA Regions 1 and 2, develops the annual budget and task list. This budget and task list is then divided between the States of Vermont and New York and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. From this information, these three organizations then prepare grant applications and workplans for submittal to EPA Region 2 or Region 1. The standards application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 and A-110, must be used for this program. EPA requires final applications to be made on Standard Form 424. Application kits should be requested from the Environmental Protection Agency, Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division, (3903R), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W., Washington, DC 20460 or the appropriate EPA Regional Office identified in "Regional or Local Office" section for information contacts. Detailed information and assistance, including and application kit, required forms, and a checklist may also be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/. Applications must be submitted to the appropriate EPA Regional Office identified in "Regional or Local Office" section for information contacts. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.

Award Procedures

Each federal assistance application and final work plan will be evaluated by EPA Region 1 or Region 2 to determine the adequacy of the application under the established EPA grants program requirements and guidelines, including, but not limited to, the requirements set forth in 40 CFR Parts 30 and 31. Technical merit and the relevance of the project to the priorities and objectives established in Opportunities for Action will also be considered. Each application will also be subject to an administrative review by the EPA Region 1 or 2 grants management office as appropriate to determine whether all administrative requirements have been met. The workplan is submitted to the EPA Region 1 and 2 Regional Administrators for approval prior to the award of any assistance agreement. Once a Regional Office approves the annual workplan, funds are awarded by the EPA Region 1 or 2 Regional Administrator as appropriate. Grantees will receive an award package from the appropriate EPA Regional grants management office that must be accepted and signed by an authorized official of the recipient organization and returned to the grants management office within 30 days. Awards may be made on an advance or reimbursement basis. Awards that are not signed and returned by the deadline may be subject to cancellation. 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

Deadlines for annual funding for the Lake Champlain Basin Program will vary from year to year, but will generally be in late winter or early spring. Please contact the EPA officials listed in the "Regional or Local Office" section below for further information.

Authorization

Section 120 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended by Public Law 107-303.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Notification of action on proposals varies depending on the timing of funds release to the EPA Regional Offices from Headquarters. Interval from submission to notification may vary from two months to eight months.

Appeals

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.

Renewals

No cost extensions and amendments may be available subject to the approval of EPA. Approval of subsequent funding is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds, and the Agency policy on the competitive grant process.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has a statutory matching requirement; see CWA section 120 (f)(3). For all assistance (grants and cooperative agreements) agreements made under this program, federal costs shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the agreement. This program has no statutory funding formula.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Assistance agreements are generally made for a multi-year period at the discretion of EPA. Start dates for assistance agreements are variable and are established at the discretion of EPA. Generally however, it is intended that start dates closely follow award dates of the assistance agreement. Awards are fully funded, recipients draw down funding as cost are incurred, typically monthly.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Quarterly, interim, and final progress and/or financial status reports; program evaluation and other reports (such as equipment and invention reports) as required by the specific terms of the Agreement.

Financial Status Reports on the standard federal form must be submitted.

MBE/WBE quarterly reports are also required.

Quality Management Plans and Quality Assistance Project Plans may also be required.

Audits

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. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non-federal entities that expend $500,000 or more in a year in Federal awards shall have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-federal 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 OMB Circular No. A-133.

Records

Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained for three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those that arose as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.

Financial Information

Account Identification

68-0108-0-1-304; EPM.

Obigations

FY 07 $997,000; FY 08 $2,707,000 and FY 09 $934,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$75,000 to $1,199,300/fiscal year; $637,000/fiscal year.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Lake Champlain program grants and cooperative agreements are subject to EPA's general grant regulations, 40 CFR Part 30 or 40 CFR Part 31. All assistance agreements must support the goals and objectives of the Lake Champlain Management Plan, Opportunities for Action. A copy of this document is available on request from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458, Phone 802-372-3213 and is also available online at http://www.lcbp.org.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Erik Beck, EPA New England, 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100-CWN, Boston, MA 02114-2023. Telephone: (617) 918-1606; Fax: (617) 918-0606; E-mail: beck.erik@epa.gov. Mario Paula, EPA Region 2, 290 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866. Telephone: (212) 637-3819; Fax: (212) 637-3889; E-mail: paula.mario@epa.gov.

Headquarters Office

None. Contact one of the regional offices listed above.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement. The Steering Committee recommends projects to EPA for funding based on the technical merit of the proposal and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan. EPA approves applications after Steering Committee recommendation based on the technical merit of the application and its relevance to the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan.