Grant opportunity/Upcoming SRRTTF meetings

Terry Husseman Account (THA) Grants – Application Announcement

Application Period Opens: January 2, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.; Application Period Closes: February 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

Please visit the: Terry Husseman Account (THA) Website to review the 2020 Funding Guidelines.

Overview of the Terry Husseman Account (THA) Funding Opportunity

THA grants support locally sponsored on-the-ground projects that restore or enhance the natural environment. Typical projects address water quality issues and fish and wildlife habitat protection or enhancement in or adjacent to waters of the state, such as streams, lakes, wetlands, or the ocean.

Projects that develop and implement aquatic land geographic information systems (GIS) that support restoration or enhancement of the natural environment are also eligible and may be proposed.

On-the-ground projects that address an environmental emergency may be eligible. An environmental emergency is defined as a risk to the natural environment as a result of a natural or man-made disaster.

On-the-ground projects of statewide significance may be proposed that use innovative approaches or technologies that could be applied in multiple watersheds throughout Washington, and result in a significant improvement to the natural environment.

To be considered, projects must provide primary benefits to public resources (land or water stewardship) and affiliated infrastructure.

Grant Award Amounts
Grant awards are up to a maximum of $50,000. The typical grant award ranges from $10,000 to $25,000.

Available Funding
Funding levels vary. Awards depend on revenue from water quality penalties and available regional sub-account levels.

Match
There are no recipient match or cost-share requirements. THA grants provide 100 percent of the project Total Eligible Cost. However, contributing funds may be used to demonstrate stakeholder support and may increase competitiveness of an application. 

THA grant funds can be used to meet match requirements for other Washington State grant programs, such as:

  1. Ecology’s Water Quality Combined Financial Assistance Program Nonpoint Activity grants(Section 319 EPA federal fund source, and Centennial State Building Construction Account fund source).
  2. Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grants. 

Grant Timeline
Projects typically run 12 to 18 months.

Application deadline
Completed grant applications must be submitted via Ecology’s Administration of Grants and Loans (EAGL) online grant system by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, 2020. **

Application evaluation period and notice of award decision
Applications will be reviewed, evaluated, and scored by a team of regional Ecology evaluators. Regional priorities are established at the beginning of each funding cycle.

Applicants will be notified by a Regional Fund Coordinator (RFC) of the award decision, no later than Tuesday, March 31, 2020. If a project is chosen for funding, the anticipated start date of the agreement will be June 1, 2020, or thereafter.

2020 Funding Cycle Timeline

Date Program Milestone
Thursday, January 2, 2020 EAGL grant application opens at 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 EAGL grant application closes at 5:00 p.m.**
Wednesday, February 5 – Wednesday, February 12, 2020 Application screening.
Thursday, February 13 – Monday, March 16, 2020 Evaluation period for EAGL grant applications.
On or before Tuesday, March 31, 2020 Regional Fund Coordinators send funding decision notices to applicants.
On or before Friday, April 10, 2020 Regional Directors send award letters to applicants, identifying Ecology Project Manager (PM) and Financial Manager (FM) assignments.
April – May 2020 Ecology PM and FM work with grant recipients to develop the agreement.
June 1, 2020, or thereafter. Agreement start date of funded projects.

** Applications for on the ground projects that address an Environmental Emergency may be submitted at any time. An environmental emergency is a risk to the natural environment as a result of a natural or man-made disaster. The project must meet all of the application criteria.

** Applications for on the ground projects that have a Statewide Significance may be submitted at any time. A project of statewide significance is one that proposes innovative approaches or technologies that could be applied in multiple watersheds throughout Washington, and would result in a significant improvement to the natural environment. The project must meet all of the application criteria.

Questions
Please contact me, or a Regional Fund Coordinator, if you have additional questions after reading through the Terry Husseman Account (THA) Funding Guidelines.
Thank you.

Amy Krause
| Grants Technical Assistance Lead | Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) Program |
|WA State Department of Ecology | ( 360.407.7107 )
| Mailing Address: P.O. Box 47600; Olympia, WA  98504-7600 |
| Street Address: 300 Desmond Drive; Lacey, WA 98503-1274 |

Upcoming SRRTTF Meetings: (conf. call number 605-313-5141, 723394#)
TSCA conf. call: January 8, 2020 @ 10 am
Education & Outreach: January 21, 2020 @ 10 am – Spokane Regional Health District
The next SRRTTF meeting will be a conference call on January 22, 2020 @ 1:30 pm

August 22, 2018 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:

Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue Liberty Lake, WA 99019 
To attend by Webex and phone (all please register using the link below):
Register 

Ecology News: Ecology Water Quality Program State Fiscal Year 2019 Final Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan.

Ecology’s Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the publication of the State Fiscal Year 2019 Final Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Final List). The Final List describes how Ecology will use state and federal dollars to fund projects to improve and protect water quality.
 
Ecology is offering more than $155 million in financial assistance for 69 high-priority clean water projects across Washington state. The total includes roughly $12 million from the Centennial Clean Water Program, $1.5 million from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program, $27 million from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program, and $115 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
 
To ensure that funds were directed to the highest priority projects, our water quality specialists evaluated and scored all eligible project proposals. Scores were compiled, and a statewide priority list was developed. Projects offered funding are based upon the priority list, the type of project, and the funding source.
 
All applicants will receive a letter about their funding status from Ecology by next week. If your project is offered funding, the letter will list your Ecology contact(s).
 
For more information about the SFY19 Funding Cycle, including access to an interactive map of funded projects, please visit the Water Quality Combined Funding Program Funding Cycles Webpage. For more information about the Water Quality Combined Funding Program please visit Water Quality Combined Funding Program.
 

EPA NEWS: EPA Solicits Applications for Grants to Provide Businesses with Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance and Training

EPA Solicits Applications for Grants to Provide Businesses with Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance and Training

EPA is calling for grant proposals from state and tribal agencies, universities, colleges and other organizations to provide pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance or training to businesses.  These two-year projects are expected to be performed in each EPA region.

The solicitation for this grant competition can be found at www.Grants.gov and at www.epa.gov/p2/grant-programs-pollution-prevention (Funding Opportunity Number – EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-001).  Grant applications are due April 26.

If Congress appropriates Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and 2019 funds for this grant program at levels comparable to FY 2017 funding levels, individual federal government grant awards may potentially be in the range of $40,000-$500,000 for a two-year funding period (between $20,000 – $250,000 per year).  However, some EPA regions may have lower award caps.  P2 awards will be funded in the form of two-year grants or cooperative agreements.  The actual amount or availability of grant funding released each year is dependent on Congressional appropriation, the final EPA budget, and the quality of proposals received. P2 grant recipients (with the exception of tribes) must provide at least a 50 percent match of the total allowable project cost. 

Pollution Prevention (P2) means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.  In keeping with the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, EPA is encouraging P2 because implementing these approaches can result in reductions in pollutants, the use of water, energy and other raw materials, while also lowering business costs.  All grant awards will support the delivery of P2 technical assistance and/or training for businesses, and the identification, development, documentation and sharing of P2 best management practices and innovations.

Grant proposals should focus on one or more of the following P2 priority areas, referred to as National Emphasis Areas (NEAs):

NEA #1: Business-Based Pollution Prevention Solutions Supporting Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Priorities and Chemical Safety:  P2 technical assistance and projects that identify, test, implement and/or disseminate business-based P2 solutions for TSCA-regulated chemicals, with particular emphasis on chemicals identified in the TSCA 2014 Workplan for Chemical Assessments.

  • NEA #2: Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Processing:  P2 technical assistance and projects to support more sustainable food and beverage manufacturing and processing entities in North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes 311 and 3121 resulting in reduced toxic air emissions or water discharges, water or energy usage, hazardous materials generation and use, and/or business costs.
  • NEA #3: Hazardous Materials Source Reduction Approaches in States or Communities:  P2 technical assistance and projects to support state or community-based approaches to hazardous materials source reduction to reduce the generation and use of hazardous materials from business or industry sectors.  This NEA is intended to leverage governmental/business/economic/infrastructure resources within a geographically contiguous area to address local (community) or broader (state) environmental and public health issues using P2 approaches.

For further information, please contact:

 

Primary EPA HQ
Contact
Michele Amhaz
202-564-8857
amhaz.michele@epa.gov 
EPA Region 1
CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT
Lee Fiske
Phone: 617-918-1847
Email: fiske.lee@epa.gov 
EPA Region 2
NJ, NY, PR, VI
Alex Peck
Phone: 212-637-3758
Email address: peck.alex@epa.gov 
EPA Region 3
DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV
Mindy Lemoine
Phone: 215-814-2736
Email: lemoine.mindy@epa.gov 
EPA Region 4
AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
Daphne Wilson
Phone: 404-562-9098
Email: wilson.daphne@epa.gov 
EPA Region 5
IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI
Christine Anderson
Phone: 312-886-9749
Email: anderson.christineA@epa.gov 
EPA Region 6
AR, LA, NM, OK, TX
David Bond
Phone: 214-665-6431
Email: bond.david@epa.gov 
EPA Region 7
IA, KS, MO, NE
Lisa Thresher
Phone: 913- 551-7964
Email: thresher.lisa@epa.gov 
EPA Region 8
CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY
Melissa Payan
Phone: 303-312-6511
Email: payan.melissa@epa.gov 
EPA Region 9
AZ, CA, HI, NV, AS, GU
Jessica CountsArnold
Phone: 415-972-3288
Email: countsarnold.jessica@epa.gov 
EPA Region 10
AK, ID, OR, WA
Robert Drake
Phone: 206-553-4803
Email: drake.robert@epa.gov

 

February 28, 2018 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:

Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2017
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue Liberty Lake, WA 99019

Click here
 for a map
To attend by phone:
Call In Number: (509) 335-2277
Participant Code: 6456706
Meeting Materials:
Agenda:
 SRRTTF 02-28-18 agenda_V2
January 24, 2018 Meeting Summary (Decision: accept summary?)
SRRTTF 01.24.17 DRAFT meeting notes
TTWG February 7, 2018 DRAFT meeting Notes
SRRTTF TTWG 02.7.18 mtg notes
ACE Commitment Report:
ACE Commitment Report
ACE-Ecology Contract documents (Decision: Authorize detailed scopes development & work to begin?)
Task 4: 2018-2019 Green Chemistry workgroup proposals (1) ; NGC and L Heine bio_2018_02_14
Task 5: Spokane Waste Directory 2018 spring campaign scope of work
Task 5: LID community proposal (1) ;  Riverkeeper LID presentation
Task 5: Proposal_TF_Outreach_Website
Annual IRS – Addendum (Decision: accept addendum for the record?)
Impl.Review.Summary_Addenda-summaries-from-technical-advisor-facilitator-workgroups
Information -Funding: EPA Env Education Grant:
FW_ [King Co EcoNet] FW_ EPA Environmental Education grants RFP
Water Quality Assessment and Policy 1-11 Revisions: web link (should the SRRTTF submit in-river PCB Data for WQA?

Other information of interest: TSCA Work Group (informational only at this time)
EPA TSCA Response to SRRTTF_022415
2018 Plan of Activities
TSCA Solutions

Ecology News: State Fiscal Year 2019 Draft Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan

Ecology’s Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the availability of the State Fiscal Year 2019 (SFY19) Draft Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Draft List) for public review and comment. The Draft List describes how Ecology proposes to use state and federal grant and loan dollars to fund water quality improvement projects across the state.

Proposed water quality funding for 2019

Ecology evaluated more than 130 applications from local governments, tribes, conservation districts, other public entities, and qualified not-for-profit organizations. Funding requests totaled approximately $415 million. Ecology is proposing grants and loans for 69 projects totaling approximately $154 million based on the Governor’s proposed 2017-19 budget and federal funding estimates.

The total includes:

  • $115 million in low-interest loans from the Washington State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund
  • Approximately $27 million in grants from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program
  • Approximately $11 million in grants from the Centennial Clean Water Program
  • $1.5 million in grants from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program

The projects proposed for funding reflect the highest priority water quality projects across the state.

Projects proposed for funding include:

  • 20 nonpoint source pollution control activity projects
  • 2 local onsite sewage system repair and replacement projects
  • 1 stormwater control activity projects
  • 20 stormwater facility projects
  • 26 wastewater facility projects

Give us your feedback

A public review and comment period on the Draft List is open until 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 19, 2018. Ecology will hold a public information meeting to present the Draft List and discuss the project evaluation and Funding Cycle process.

Feb. 1 at 1:00 p.m.
Pierce County Library
3005 112 Street East
Tacoma, Washington

Please email, mail, or fax any written comments on the Draft List to:

Daniel Thompson

Department of Ecology
Water Quality Program – Financial Management Section
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Fax: 360-407-7151
Email: daniel.thompson@ecy.wa.gov

A Final Funding Offer List and Intended use Plan (Final List) will be developed and issued following the receipt of public comments, awarding of federal grants, and passage of the state 2017-19 Biennial Capital Budget. Note that the final budget numbers may result in changes to projects proposed for funding on the Final List. The Final List is expected to be published by June 29, 2018. Comments received on the Draft List will be addressed in the Final List.

 

EPA News: 2017-2018 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 Solicitation

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Solicitation Now Open Through Dec. 19, 2017

Open: Oct. 31, 2017 Close: Dec. 19, 2017

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the release of its 2017-2018 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Solicitation to develop innovative technologies that will help protect human health and the environment.

EPA is calling for small businesses to apply for Phase I awards up to $100,000 to demonstrate proof of concept in the following topic areas: air quality, manufacturing, clean and safe water, land revitalization, homeland security, and building construction materials. See the full solicitation posted on FedConnect to learn more about these topic areas, view specific subtopics for each area, and access instructions on how to apply.

EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR program enacted in 1982 to strengthen the role of small businesses in federal research and development, create jobs, and promote U.S. technical innovation from idea conception to commercialization. EPA’s SBIR funding boosts local economies by creating jobs and promoting collaborations among communities and small businesses. This funding also supports technologies aimed at creating cleaner manufacturing materials and better infrastructure in communities. Successful Phase I companies are eligible to apply for Phase II funding, which awards up to $300,000 for two years with a commercialization option of up to $100,000, to further develop and commercialize their technologies.

All applications must be submitted through FedConnect.  For more information on eligibility, application process and the SBIR program, visit the EPA SBIR website at www.epa.gov/sbir.

Missed the Sept. 28, 2017, informational webinar on how to apply for the 2017-2018 EPA SBIR Phase I Solicitation? View the presentation at https://www.epa.gov/sbir/us-epa-2017-2018-small-business-innovation-research-sbir-solicitation-webinar.

The EPA SBIR Program is part of EPA’s Sustainable and Healthy (SHC) research program.

October 25, 2017 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Click here for a map

To attend by phone:

Call In Number: (509) 335-2277
Participant Code: 5266916
Meeting Documents:
DES (Sundae Delgado) Presentations

Grant Opportunity! Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grants: 2018 Request for Proposals

The Healthy Watersheds Consortium (HWC), a partnership between the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, has called for 2018 Request for Proposals. The goal of the HWC Grant Program is to “accelerate strategic protection of healthy, freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds”, with primary focus on prevention of land deterioration in the watershed by:
  • Developing funding mechanisms, plans, or other strategies to implement large-scale watershed protection, source water protection, green infrastructure, or related landscape conservation objectives;
  • Building the sustainable organizational infrastructure, social support, and long-term funding commitments necessary to implement large-scale protection of healthy watersheds; and
  • Supporting innovative or catalytic projects that may accelerate funding for or implementation of watershed protection efforts, or broadly advance this field of practice.
Applications are due February 1, 2018 at 8 p.m. Eastern and up to $3 million is available.
Additionally, two webinars have been scheduled to help those interested to get more information about the HWC Grant Program. 
  • On September 26, 2017, 2-3 p.m. Eastern — Peaks to People Water Fund: Lessons learned in the proof of concept phase and demonstration of the Watershed Investment Tool. Learn about work to accelerate forest restoration in Colorado to reduce the threat of severe wildfire in watersheds. The Peaks to People Water Fund received a Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program award in 2016.
  • On October 19, 2017, 2-3 p.m. Eastern – An informational webinar that will provide an overview of priorities for the 2018 program and a forum to answer questions about the program and the application and selection process.
For more information on the Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program, resources that will help develop your proposal, and to register for the webinars, visit :http://www.usendowment.org/healthywatersheds.html

September 27, 2017 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:

Date: September 27, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm

Location:
 Spokane County Water Resource Center
1004 N. Freya Street
Spokane, WA 99202

Click here for a map

Call In Number: 509-335-2277
Participant Code: 5266916

In preparation for the Budget Summit at the SRRTTF meeting on 9/27, you all have homework! Please scroll down and review the document titled “Activities for SRRTTF Funding Consideration_prioritized by TTWG.” 
This document shows a consolidated list of PCB monitoring and control action projects (from longer lists compiled of ideas proposed in advance of the September Technical Track Work Group (TTWG) meeting). At that meeting, the TTWG discussed a broad range of options before agreeing to complete an online survey (after the options had been distilled into an actionable list) designed to provide a rough priority ranking. Individuals from 14 participating Task Force entities completed the survey, including nine of 13 SRRTTF voting member entities. The above mentioned document shows those activities, as ranked by the TTWG.
In August, the Task Force had a brief presentation covering some (Ecology-suggested) of the ideas, but the SRRTTF has not discussed the full list. Please take the time to read the document, thinking about best use of limited Task Force funds, and PENCIL in on it a High, Medium, or Low to denote your prioritization of each potential project. Add any discussion notes you’d like to bring up at the SRRTTF meeting on 9/27, where people will have a chance to advocate for or ask questions about these potential activities. It is worth keeping in mind that by the time a contract for the Washington state funding of $310,000 can be put in place, perhaps 18 months can be used for these funds (which must be used before June 30, 2019).
Please come to the 9/27 meeting having spent some time thinking about these ideas, and be ready to listen & discuss the potential activities. After dialogue on the activities at the meeting, the group will conduct a dot exercise to gain a visual representation, then hold discussion with the goal of reaching consensus on a list prioritized by the full Task Force.
Please review all other decision documents prior to the meeting as well.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to prepare, and see you on September 27th!

Meeting Documents:
–  SRRTTF 09.27.17 Meeting_FINAL Notes
 SRRTTF September 27_2017 Agenda_draft_V2
 Activities for SRRTTF Funding Consideration_prioritized by TTWG
  8.23.17 SRRTTF Meeting Notes Draft_2
–  TTWG_09-06-17_mtg_notes
–  ACE commitment report for 9_27_2017 TF meeting
–  SRRTTF_LimnoTech_09_27_2017_Fingerprinting
–  GroundwaterFingerprintingMemo_DRAFT_092517