RESOURCES & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES!
Ambient Air Quality/EPA/NTAA/Tribes
NEW! Quality Assurance Training
The 2023 Quality Assurance Virtual Event hosted by the EPA’s Office of Mission Support, is July 24-26, 2023 (9:30 AM -1:30 PM PDT). It’s online for ease of attendance. With speakers, discussion opportunities and training. The optional pre-event has facilitated breakout sessions for 1) States/Territories/Interstates, 2) Tribes, and 3) EPA organizations so we can better understand your priorities and challenges.
If interested in attending – you must register at this link. You will be prompted to register for the main session separately from the individual caucus sessions. After registering, our contractor support will make sure you have the calendar invitations with Zoom logistics on your calendar. This may take a few days. If you have any questions about this process feel free to reach out to mramirez@rossstrategic.com. The deadline to register is July 19th.
EPA Resource: EPA’s Tracking Matrix
Does your community have climate goals to meet or brownfields that might be suitable for solar? Check out EPA’s Tracking Matrix to learn more about geothermal, biomass, solar and wind installations being built on contaminated lands across the country. EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative 2022 Tracking Matrix shows current trends in the development of renewable energy on contaminated lands. Project examples include successful community solar projects in Nashville, Tennessee; Schenectady County, New York; Morrisville, Vermont; and Spanish Fork, Utah.
Department of Energy (DOE) Announces $32 Million to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector
All interested applicants must register and submit application materials through Fed Connect; register here for an account. All questions must be submitted through FedConnect.
Climate Change/Energy
NEW! Climate Change Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Update
As part of the Administration’s commitment to move quickly to implement the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), EPA is sharing some additional information about initial thinking and timing on phase 2 of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG). The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is a $5 billion, two-phase grant program that kicked off on March 1, 2023, when EPA issued the program guidance for the first phase of the program – the $250 million planning grants phase. Phase 2 will consist of $4.6 billion in implementation grants that will be awarded through a competitive process. To ensure compliance with grants competition rules, we have posted some updates about scope and timing of phase 2 to our website. These updates include:
- Anticipated timing of all implementation grant details (NOFO): The notices of funding opportunity for the second phase of the program – the $4.6 billion implementation grants phase – are under development and anticipated for release in September 2023.
- Potential for two competitions for implementation grants: We intend to hold two competitions for the $4.6 billion in funding for the Climate Pollution Reduction implementation grants – a general competition, and a competition only for tribes and territories.
- For the general competition, EPA is looking to fund a wide variety of measures and is planning to fund individual grants ranging anywhere between $2 million and $500 million. These applications would likely be due on or around April 1, 2024.
- For the tribes and territories competition, we’re looking at funding measures with individual grants in the $1 million to $25 million range. These applications would likely be due on or around April 30, 2024.
- For both competitions, we anticipate having funding tiers that will facilitate competition between comparably sized applications.
- Priority Climate Action Plan due date for tribes and territories: EPA is extending the deadline for Priority Climate Action Plans for tribes and territories to April 1, 2024 (rather than March 1, 2024). This reflects the additional time we anticipate for applications in the tribes and territories implementation grant competition (likely due on or around April 30, 2024).
- Note that tribes and territories that want to participate in the general competition will still need to meet the March 1 plan deadline.
Further, as we start to receive Priority Climate Action Plans under phase 1 of the program in 2024, EPA will make them available on our web site.
More information on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
Sign up for notifications about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
More information about how to register to apply for a grant
Climate Nexus is dedicated to changing the conversation on climate change and clean energy. For climate updates, visit and sign up for climatenexus.org
Toxics/Mobile Sources
U.S. Department of Energy: Electric Vehicles with Final Assembly in North America
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) amended the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D), now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit, and added a new requirement for final assembly in North America that took effect on August 17, 2022. For more details on the credit, see Electric Vehicle (EV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Tax Credit. Also see the full list of alternative fuel vehicle incentives amended or created by the Inflation Reduction Act. Click Here for more information.
Indoor Air Quality
Resource for Healthy Indoor Air Quality:
Check out the website https://forhealth.org/ for many resources related to healthy homes and indoor air quality!
The Tribal Healthy Homes Network (THHN) has a webpage dedicated to Funding Opportunities! Additionally, THHN has developed a Funding Guide for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.
Environmental Justice
Newsletters, Calendars, and Recorded Webinars
Join NCAI’s Climate Action email listserv here!
Sign up for the Alliance for Green Heat’s newsletter!
To view and/or receive ITEP’s Climate Change newsletter, click here!
ITEP’s Tribal Air Quality Media Space Channel. Recent webinars include an Introduction to Air Quality Programs, Emissions Inventories, Remote Professional Assistance, and Woodstoves in Indian Country. Older classics include a series on Air Quality Planning for Wildland Smoke, Tribal Air Program and Grants, Data Management, and the Clean Air Act.
ITEP’s Tribes and Climate Change Calendar includes conferences, trainings, webinars, and other events related to Tribes and climate change.
ITEP’s American Indian Air Quality Training Program newsletter, Native Voices
EPA Tools and Resources Webinar Series
Click here to see all past and upcoming webinars hosted by the EPA.
Information for IRA and other competitive grants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DsRrod7XKk
EPA Rules from the Federal Register can be found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency
EPA’s Community and Tribal Programs Group – Tribal Actions and Events calendar
This calendar is also linked under the “Tribal Air and Climate Resources” webpage under the “Policy and Planning” heading available at https://www.epa.gov/tribal-air. The purpose of the calendar is to ensure that our Tribal partners are kept apprised of EPA activities that are relevant to them. If you have any questions about the calendars or any recommendations on how EPA can improve upon the calendars, please do not hesitate to reach out to Amanda Kaufman (Kaufman.Amanda@epa.gov) with any feedback.
To view and/or receive ITEP’s American Indian Air Quality Training Program newsletter, Native Voices, click here!
Recorded Webinars
Looking for more information check out the Tribal Air Quality Media Space Channel. Recent webinars include an Introduction to Air Quality Programs, Emissions Inventories, Remote Professional Assistance, and Woodstoves in Indian Country. Older classics include a series on Air Quality Planning for Wildland Smoke, Tribal Air Program and Grants, Data Management, and the Clean Air Act.
OLDER UPDATES!
The EPA OAQPS AirKnowledge team is pleased to announce the availability of new AirKnowledge air quality training materials!
The new materials include:
- A self-instructional (e-learning) course that explains the health and environmental effects of air pollutants,
- A self-instructional (e-learning) course that explains key concepts relating to air toxics, and
- A self-instructional (e-learning) course that provides an overview of the framework for human health air toxics risk assessments.
The e-learning courses are available to tribal, state, and local air agencies through the AirKnowledge Learning Management System (LMS) at: https://epaapti.csod.com/client/epaapti/default.aspx. To access the courses on the LMS, tribal, state and local air agencies and tribal and multijurisdictional organizations can register, log in, and refer to the “What’s New” section on the home page. The materials are available to all other users on the AirKnowledge website: airknowledge.gov
These new materials replace the following legacy courses, which have been retired from the AirKnowledge inventory:
- BASC106-SI: Basic Concepts in Environmental Sciences (formerly APTI RE-100)
- TOXC101-CI: Introduction to Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) (formerly APTI 400)
- TOXC103-SI: Risk-Based Air Toxics (formerly APTI SI-401)
- TOXC104-SI: Introduction to Air Pollution Toxicology (formerly APTI SI-300)
- TOXC107-SI: Risk Assessment (formerly APTI SI-400A)
In addition, two legacy courses for new hires have been retired from the AirKnowledge inventory:
- BASC101-SI: Introduction to Air Pollution Control (formerly APTI SI-105) – this course has been replaced by the new e-learning course for new hires BASC198-SI: Air Quality Management Under the Clean Air Act; available now!
- BASC197-CI: Principles and Practices of Air Pollution (formerly APTI 452) – this course will be replaced by a new instructor-led course for new hires BASC199-CI/VI: Air Quality Management Under the Clean Air Act; new course expected by 2024!
Updated Version of EPA’s Air Sensor Guidebook Released!
The U.S. EPA updated the popular Air Sensor Guidebook, originally published in 2014. The refreshed version, called “The Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook”, includes updated content and new topics that incorporate best practices, current knowledge, and recommendations to guide the use of air sensors.
The Guidebook can help sensor users:
- Learn the basics of air quality, air pollution monitoring, and air sensors
- Plan and conduct an air quality monitoring study
- Select, setup, and use air sensors
- Analyze, interpret, communicate, and act on results
- Understand the basics of air sensor performance
Find out more and access the Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook.
Visit EPA’s Air Sensor Toolbox.
Find out more about EPA’s Air Research.
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