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Ambient Air Quality/EPA/NTAA/Tribes

EPA OMS National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program – $8 million

Application extended to: April 10, 2020

An amended version of the FY2020 Exchange Network Solicitation Notice is available on our website.

Eligible Entities: territories, tribes, and inter-tribal consortia, states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribes

The EPA Exchange Network Grant Program is soliciting project applications using the Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) to:

Facilitate sharing of environmental data, especially through shared and reusable services.
Streamline data collection and exchanges to improve its timeliness for decision making.
Increase the quality and access to environmental data through discovery, publishing, outbound and analytical services so it is more useful to environmental managers.
Develop foundational EN shared services to reduce burden and avoid costs for co-regulators and the regulated community.
Expand and improve participation in the EN by strengthening the requisite information management and technology capabilities for interested parties to fully participate in the EN.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

EPA OAR Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring – $5 million

Applications Due: May 1, 2020

Eligible Entities: A state, interstate, local, or tribal air pollution control agency

EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) is soliciting applications from eligible entities for projects designed to assist state, local, and tribal air agencies in identifying and characterizing air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), through work that falls into one of four categories. Those categories are:

characterizing the impacts of air toxics in a community (community-scale monitoring);
assessing impacts of toxics emissions from specific sources (near-source monitoring);
evaluating new and emerging testing methods for air toxics; and,
analyzing existing air toxics data and developing or enhancing analytical, modeling, and/or implementation tools.

Air toxins of particular interest to EPA in this solicitation include ethylene oxide, chloroprene, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and metals such as hexavalent chromium, nickel, and arsenic. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

DOI BOR Native American Affairs: Technical Assistance to Tribes for FY20 and FY21 – $1 million

Applications Due: October 28, 2020 for FY21

Eligible Entities: federally recognized tribes or tribal organizations of the 17 Western States identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902

The objective of this opportunity is to invite federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations to submit proposals for financial assistance for projects and activities that develop, manage, and protect tribal water and related resources. Through this opportunity, Reclamation provides funding for projects that increase water reliability consistent with sections 3 and 4 of the October 19, 2018, Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

To view and/or receive ITEP’s American Indian Air Quality Training Program newsletter, Native Voices, click here!

Climate Change/Energy

USDA RUS Assistance to High Energy Cost Communities – $10 million

Applications Due: April 27, 2020

Eligible Entities: Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Special district governments, County governments, State governments

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the availability of up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where the average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275% of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. Projects cannot be for the primary benefit of a single household or business. Grant funds may not be used for the preparation of the grant application, operating costs, or for the purchase of any equipment, structures, or real estate not directly associated with the provision of community energy services. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

NEW! DOE Announces Up To $15 Million for Tribes to Deploy Energy Technology

Deadline to Apply: July 1, 2020

Informational webinar: April 7, 2020, 3pm ET

DOE is soliciting applications to install energy technology on tribal lands. Specifically, the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs is soliciting applications to:

Install energy generating systems and energy efficiency measures for tribal buildings;
Deploy community-scale energy generating systems or energy storage on tribal lands;
Install integrated energy systems for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a single facility or multiple essential tribal facilities during emergency situations or for tribal community resilience; or
Deploy energy infrastructure or integrated energy systems to electrify tribal buildings.

Applications may also be submitted on behalf of an Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized Tribal Organization, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application. See the FOA for all eligibility requirements. Applications are due July 1, 2020. An informational webinar will be held April 7, 2020, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, to provide potential applicants with information on the FOA. Register for the webinar.

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Toxics/Mobile Sources

EPA Announces Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Grant Competition

Deadline Extended to: May 1, 2020

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for funding for air toxics monitoring projects under the Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring grants competition. As part of the Agency’s mission to protect human and environmental health, EPA periodically awards these grants to help state, local and tribal air agencies conduct air quality monitoring projects to address localized air toxics issues. EPA anticipates awarding up to $5 million from this competition to fund projects that fall into four categories:

Characterizing the impacts of air toxics in a community (community-scale monitoring);
Assessing the impacts of air toxics emissions from specific sources (near-source monitoring);
Evaluating new and emerging testing methods for air toxics; and
Analyzing existing air toxics data and developing or enhancing analytical, modeling, and/or implementation tools.

Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are linked to cancer or other serious health effects. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA regulates 187 listed air toxic pollutants. While grant applications may address any air toxic pollutant, air toxics of particular interest to EPA in this competition include ethylene oxide, chloroprene, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and metals such as hexavalent chromium, nickel and arsenic.

To receive the grants, applicants must be air pollution control agencies as defined by Section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act that also are eligible to receive grants under Section 105 of the Clean Air Act. Funding for the grants comes from State and Tribal Assistance (STAG) funding. Congress appropriates STAG funds for state, local and tribal air agencies to use in implementing and maintaining environmental programs.

Agencies applying for the air toxics monitoring grants may partner with or provide “subgrants” to other organizations for their monitoring projects. The Agency expects to award grants for 10 to 20 projects, depending on funding availability and the quality of applications received. The amount for each grant may vary; however, no grant may be for more than $750,000. Click here for additional information, and to download the Request for Application.