The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently accepting applications for its Rhode Island Decentralized Wastewater Improvement Grant.
Donor Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
State: Rhode Island
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/02/2023
Size of the Grant: $310,000 and $465,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The objective of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) is to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.” Despite continuing progress in achieving these goals, coastal ecosystems are recognized as particularly vulnerable to upstream pollution sources, fragmented management, and the impacts of climate change. The coastal watersheds of southeast New England are prime examples of this vulnerability.
Goals
Improve the management and state of practice of decentralized wastewater infrastructure in Rhode Island to achieve improved coastal water quality and resilience in the SNEP region.
Within the above-mentioned broader goals, SNEP is seeking project proposals that address any, or multiple, of the following topics leading to the enhancement of decentralized wastewater treatment management.
- Development, expansion, or improvement of Responsible Management Entities (either through a third party or by a municipality) to administer, operate, and/or manage decentralized systems on a community-wide scale.
- Creation of or updates to data systems related to decentralized wastewater, such as performance monitoring, operation and maintenance monitoring, or location tracking.
- Examples may include developing ways to use data to optimize inspection and oversight or increase data driven planning and decision making.
- Creation or expansion of innovative financial mechanisms to upgrade old/failing traditional septic systems or cesspools, provide assistance to residents unable to replace old/failing systems, including planning/incentivizing upgrading to Alternative/Experimental (A/E) nitrogen reducing systems, especially, in nitrogen sensitive areas. This may include developing programs to assist non-residential wastewater treatment as well.
- Commercial district decentralized wastewater planning.
- Evaluation of climate change impacts on the performance of decentralized systems, impact timelines, and development of plans to act on that information. Potential impacts from climate change include, but are not limited to, changes in precipitation patterns, flooding, sea level rise, groundwater rise/ salt intrusion, and rising temperatures.
- Evaluation of where sewering needs to replace decentralized systems in light of climate change.
- Creation or updates of Onsite Wastewater Managements Plans.
- Execution of decentralized wastewater aspects identified in existing Hazard Mitigation Plans.
- Creation or updates to local ordinances regarding onsite wastewater management to reduce their impact on coastal water quality or withstand hazards projected by climate change.
- Development of sustained direct municipal capacity to more effectively manage decentralized wastewater operations in their jurisdiction. Examples could include development of fee systems, fund raising mechanisms, staffing, education, and efficiency tools.
- Evaluation of age, location, risk, and status of existing and planned decentralized systems.
Funding Information
EPA expects to award up to three (3) cooperative agreement for the activities under this RFA. The total estimated funding available for the awards under this competitive opportunity is up to $930,000, with individual awards between $310,000 and $465,000.
Project Period
For this RFA, it is EPA’s expectation that the award will have a maximum period of performance of up to three years (June 2023 – May 2026).
Criteria
In accordance with Assistance Listing 66.129, assistance under this SNEP RFA is available to state, local, and tribal governments; institutions of higher education; nonprofit institutions and organizations; and interstate agencies. Private businesses, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible to apply; however, they may work in partnership with eligible applicants on these projects.
For-profit organizations are not an eligible entity for this funding opportunity. Additionally, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.
Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization at 2 CFR § 200.1, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. The term includes tax-exempt nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. Note that 2 CFR 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of nonprofit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals
are ineligible.
Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
