66.461: Regional Wetland Program Development Grants

66.461

Active

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Sept. 16, 2022

Sept. 16, 2022

To assist state, territory, tribal, and/or local government (S/T/LG) agencies in building programs which protect, manage, and restore wetlands. The primary focus of the grants is to build state, territory, and tribal wetland programs. A secondary focus is to build local (e.g. county or municipal) programs. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2021: Under the Regional Wetland Program Development Grant (WPDG) competition, EPA has identified the following four Core Elements for improving state/tribe/local governments' (S/T/LGs) ability to protect and restore their wetlands: (1) Monitoring and Assessment; (2) Voluntary Restoration and Protection; (3) Regulatory Approaches Including CWA 401 Certification; and (4) Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards. EPA will include a website in each Regional Request For Applications (RFA) where potential applicants can find a list of actions and activities under each Core Element that will develop or refine a S/T/LG's wetlands program. In addition, EPA has identified two funding Tracks. Track One is for states and tribes that propose to develop a Wetlands Program Plan (WPP) as described at https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/developing-wetland-program-plan or carrying out projects from an EPA-approved WPP. WPPs can be found on-line at https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/state-and-tribal-wetland-program-plans#r1 . Track Two is for states, tribes, local governments, interstate agencies, intertribal consortia, and universities that are agencies of a state that submit proposals that are consistent with the Four Core Elements as described above. Regions may add additional Region specific priorities that are compatible and consistent with the core element(s) and action(s) in the Appendix of development and refinement actions found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/documents/wpdg_cef_appendix.pdf. Under the National Tribal competition EPA has identified the following four Core Elements for improving a tribe's ability to protect and restore their wetlands: (1) Monitoring and Assessment; (2) Voluntary Restoration and Protection; (3) Regulatory Approaches Including CWA 401 Certification; and (4) Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards. EPA will include a website in the National Tribal RFA where potential applicants can find a list of actions and activities under each Core Element that will develop or refine a tribe's wetlands program. In addition, EPA has identified two funding Tracks. Track One is for tribes that propose to develop a WPP as described at https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/developing-wetland-program-plan or carrying out projects from an EPA-approved WPP. WPPs can be found on-line at https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/state-and-tribal-wetland-program-plans#r1 . Track Two is for tribes and intertribal consortia that submit proposals that are consistent with the Four Core Elements as described above.

B - Project Grants (Discretionary)

States, Territories, Tribes, local government agencies, interstate agencies, and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply to the Regions. Past recipients include, but are not limited to, wetland regulatory agencies, water quality agencies (Section 401 water quality certification), planning offices, wild and scenic rivers agencies, departments of transportation, fish and wildlife or natural resources agencies, agriculture departments, forestry agencies, coastal zone management agencies, park and recreation agencies, non-point source or storm water agencies, and city or county and other S/T/LG governmental agencies that conduct wetland-related activities. In order to be eligible for WPDG funds, Tribes must be federally recognized, although Treatment as a State status is not a requirement. The term interstate agency is defined in CWA Section 502 as an agency of two or more States established by or pursuant to an agreement or compact approved by the Congress, or any other agency of two or more States, having substantial powers or duties pertaining to the control of pollution as determined and approved by the Administrator. Intertribal consortia that meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 35.504 are eligible for direct funding. Intertribal consortia projects must be broad in scope and encompass more than one State, Tribe, or local government. Universities that are agencies of a State government are eligible to receive funds through these competitions. Universities must include documentation showing that they are chartered as a part of a State government in their proposal. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Applicants need not be located within the boundaries of the EPA regional office to be eligible to apply for funding but must propose projects that affect the States, Tribes, and Territories within the Region.

State, Territory, Tribal, and local governments involved in administering wetlands protection, restoration and/or management programs, or programs related to or that complement wetlands protection programs.

66.419 - Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support

66.462 - National Wetland Program Development Grants and Five-Star Restoration Training Grant

66.454 - Water Quality Management Planning

66.458 - Clean Water State Revolving Fund

https://sam.gov/fal/4887575c83c74808a374bf534c1e19fb/view