(1)
Statutory Basis: O.C.G.A. Secs.
28-5-120 et seq. and Secs.
12-5-20 et seq.
(2) General Scope and Purpose of the Grant
Program: Under Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act, the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency awards a Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant to the State to
fund eligible projects that support the implementation of the most recent
revision of the Georgia Nonpoint Source Management Plan. Section 319(h)
Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant funds for the prevention, control and/or
abatement of nonpoint sources of pollution are made available to eligible
recipients in Georgia.
(3) General
Terms and Conditions of the Grant: The general terms and conditions of the
grant are:
(a) Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source
Implementation Grant projects must specifically identify the nonpoint sources
of pollution to be addressed and the activities proposed to prevent, control
and/or abate these nonpoint sources of pollution.
(b) Maximum Federal reimbursement for a
Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant project is 60 percent of
the total project cost.
Therefore, each recipient must provide non-Federal matching
funds or in-kind services for a minimum of 40 percent of the total project
cost.
(c) Types of
activities which are eligible under Federal rules include: regulatory or
non-regulatory programs for enforcement, technical assistance, financial
assistance, education, training, technology transfer, TMDL implementation
projects, watershed restoration projects, demonstration projects, update and
refinement of nonpoint source programs and assessments, monitoring to assess
the success of specific nonpoint source implementation projects, urban
stormwater control activities that are not specifically required by draft or
final NPDES permit, and certain ground water activities. Lake protection and
restoration activities are eligible provided that they are not used for
"in-lake" work such as aquatic macrophyte harvesting or dredging unless the
nonpoint sources of pollution will be remediated.
(d) Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source
Implementation Grant projects must conform to all applicable legal requirements
including, but not limited to, Section 319, 40 CFR Part
31, 40 CFR Part
35,
Subpart A, and 2 CFR Part
200, 2 CFR Part
1500, and the requirements of OMB
Circular A-87, A-102 and A-110, and must be consistent with the goals,
objectives and priorities in the most recent revision of the Georgia Nonpoint
Source Management Plan.
(4) Eligible Recipients of the Grant:
Eligible recipients of the Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant
funds include; local, regional and State units of government, local authorities
which operate local government service delivery programs, regional commissions,
resource conservation and development councils, local school systems, State
college and universities, and State agencies. Local government applicants must
have Qualified Local Government status, in compliance with the requirements of
the Georgia Planning Act of 1989 and Service Delivery Strategy Law of
1997.
(5) Criteria for the Award:
The Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant funds are limited.
Therefore, a competitive process is used to ensure that the most appropriate
projects are selected for funding. Each project proposal will be evaluated to
determine if the proposed project is an eligible activity, and all eligible
project proposals will be ranked based on the selection criteria below. Section
319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant awards are contingent upon review
and approval of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and funding by
Congress.
(6) Key Ranking Factors
for Competitive Project Selection: Project proposals must specifically identify
the nonpoint sources of pollution to be addressed and the activities proposed
to prevent, control and/or abate these nonpoint sources of pollution. Project
proposals must also demonstrate cost effectiveness. Project proposals must also
support the milestones and/or implementation activities described in the most
recent revision of the Georgia Nonpoint Source Management Plan. Finally,
project proposals must include an appropriate component to evaluate the
effectiveness (i.e., measure of success) of the project (e.g., water quality
monitoring, beneficial use assessment, environmental indicators).
If the project is implementing structural best management
practices, the project must ensure that the practices will be properly operated
and maintained for the reasonable lifespan of the project. In addition, the
project must provide (for nitrogen, phosphorus and/or sediment) estimates of
load reductions achieved by the project and (for streambank and wetlands
protection or restoration projects) the linear feet of streambank, or acres of
wetlands, protected or restored for the life of the project.
If a project proposal includes water quality monitoring, a
detailed Sampling and Quality Assurance Plan (SQAP) or Quality Assurance
Project Plan (QAPP) is required. The requirements for SQAP are contained in
EPD's Guidance On Submitting Water Quality Data For Use By The Georgia
Environmental Protection Division In 305(b)/303(d) Listing Assessments (SQAP).
The requirements for QAPP are contained in EPA QA/G-5, Guidance for Quality
Assurance Project Plans.
Project applications will be considered and based on the
following criteria. At a minimum, all applications must propose to implement an
existing watershed based plan that addresses USEPA's 9-Elements for Watershed
Planning and whose area is equal to a single Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 10 or
smaller. Those applications that do not meet this minimum requirement will
not be considered for funding.
(7) Additional criteria to be used to select
projects for funding:
The following selection criteria apply to all Section 319(h)
Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant project proposals:
(a) Project proposals implementing a
watershed-based plan that adequately address USEPA's 9-Elements for Watershed
Planning for waters listed as impaired under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water
Act, or,
(b) Project proposals
implementing a watershed-based plan that adequately address USEPA's 9-Elements
for Watershed Planning for waters listed as Category 1 under Section 305(b) of
the Clean Water Act that supports USEPA's Healthy Watersheds
Initiative.
(c) Project proposals
that implement watershed-based plans that will result in measurable (i.e.,
quantitative) improvements in water quality by implementing structural and/or
nonstructural best management practices to prevent, control and/or abate
nonpoint sources of pollution.
(d)
Project proposals implementing actions contained within watershed-based plans
that adequately address USEPA's 9-Elements for Watershed Planning to alleviate
the "criterion violated" identified in the Section 303(d) and Section 305(b)
lists of waters, which are not supporting designated or beneficial uses due to
nonpoint sources of pollution.
(e)
Project proposals that support a watershed management approach utilizing
cooperating partnerships and/or involving multi-governmental agencies. Emphasis
will be placed on projects conducted in conjunction with other nonpoint source
management activities within the watershed as well as projects conducted across
jurisdictional boundaries.
(8) Additional priority will be given to
projects that:
(a) Specifically target
waterbodies impaired for violating and/or addressing pathogens, dissolved
oxygen, sediment, and/or nutrients;
(b) Projects that propose implementing
management practices identified within the appropriate Regional Water
Plan;
(c) Demonstrate environmental
benefits beyond addressing NPS impairments. These benefits may include but are
not limited to: environmental justice, protection of healthy streams, air
quality, water conservation, energy conservation, stream flow profile, habitat
connectivity, and others;
(d)
Demonstrate a match commitment of 50% or higher;
(e) Are located in priority watersheds, as
determined by GAEPD and USEPA, and are focused on watershed-based
implementation and restoration;
(f)
Include administrative and/or managerial improvements that prevent and/or
correct the adverse hydrologic impacts of increased impervious surface in a
watershed. In order to receive this priority ranking, during the project period
grantees must develop and implement items such as, development ordinances,
stream buffer protections wider than state minimums, or other local mechanisms
to ensure long-term success in minimizing the potential future impacts of
hydrologic modifications; or
(g)
Partner with local Non-Profit watershed groups established prior to the
submittal of application.
(9) Additional priority may be given to
project proposals that carry out specific activities that address and/or
implement management measures, enforceable policies and mechanisms included in
Georgia's Coastal Nonpoint Source Management
Program.
(10) Projects
that have not demonstrated successful administration of
previous Section 319(h), Section 106, and/or Section 604(b) grant funded
projects where applicable may receive a reduction in points during project
review. Successful administration includes but is not limited to: completing
all project activities during the contract period, meeting all required
deadlines, completed the project on time and on budget, expending most or all
grant funds requested on project activities, and providing adequate
documentation as requested by GAEPD.
(11) Applications that do
not follow all instructions and guidelines as described in GAEPD's
General Guidelines: Section 319(h) Grant Nonpoint Source Implementation
Grant, may not be reviewed or considered for recommendation for
funding.
(12) Directions and
Deadlines for Applying: Requests for copies of the general guidelines for
preparing a Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant proposal should
be made to:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Protection Division
ATTN: NonPoint Source Program
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Suite 1462 East
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Additional grant information, application materials and staff
contact information may be found at the Division's website,
http://epd.georgia.gov/.
Deadline for submitting proposals: Applications
for grant award will be solicited via advertisement on the Division's website
no later than January of each year and applications will be due no later than
April. Specific application timeframes will be available via the Division's
website.
