This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued pursuant to Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319(h), which authorizes the EPA to award grants to eligible Tribes and intertribal consortia to implement approved Nonpoint Source (NPS) management programs developed pursuant to CWA Section 319(b)(1) “for
controlling pollution added from nonpoint sources to the navigable waters” and “improving the quality of such waters.”2 NPS management programs must identify “best management practices and measures which will be undertaken to reduce pollutant loadings resulting from each category, subcategory, or particular nonpoint source” identified in the Tribe’s NPS assessment report developed pursuant to CWA Section 319(a).
After allocating CWA Section 319 Tribal funds for Tribal base grant work plans, the EPA allocates the remaining CWA Section 319 Tribal funds to eligible entities according to the competitive procedures in this NOFO.
The funding available through this NOFO will support Tribal projects primarily focused on implementing on-the-ground best management practices (BMPs) that will help protect or restore waters from sources of NPS pollution.
All applications must include an on-the-ground project to implement NPS BMPs.
As described in the NOFO, applicants may also use up to 25 percent of requested federal funds to support other eligible project activities, including the development of a nine-element watershed-based plan (i.e., up to $31,250 of a $125,000 federal grant request).
Tribal staff time supporting the implementation of NPS BMPs is not included in this 25 percent cap.