Today’s EPA State and Local Climate Action Newsletter sent is copied below, sharing webinars, events and major federal funding opportunities:
More than $889 million in funding and technical assistance is available for state, local, and tribal governments from the Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Transportation Authority (FTA), Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) that can be used to support climate and energy initiatives, including economic development, sustainable communities, green infrastructure, and water efficiency. For full eligibility and application details, please visit the links provided below.
In addition, please visit the calendar of 2016 EPA grant opportunities that may be of particular interest to communities.
DOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program – $500 million
- Applications Due: April 29, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments, metropolitan planning organizations
DOT is seeking funding for capital investments in surface transportation that increase environmental sustainability, economic development, and quality of life. Consideration will be given to projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate other environmental impacts. Consideration will also be given to projects that improve access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation for disconnected communities in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
For more information, visit the notice of funding opportunity.
EPA National Tribal Air Association Operations Program – $1 million
- Applications Due: May 4, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments
EPA is making available funding for entities to provide air quality policy and regulatory analysis support for tribes. Applicants must state how they will make progress in addressing climate change and improving air quality. The program is designed to help educate tribes about climate change and air quality impacts on the human and environmental health of tribal communities.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity announcement.
EPA FY 2016 and FY 2017 Pollution Prevention Grant Program – $8 million
- Applications Due: May 9, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State and tribal governments
EPA has announced funding to reduce the environmental footprints of local and regional businesses. Applicants should implement projects that achieve significant and measurable reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and increased energy efficiency through technical assistance to businesses. Example activities include reducing fuel consumption, installing renewable energy, and increasing appliance energy efficiency.
For more information, visit the request for proposals.
DOT Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program – $5 million
- Applications Due: May 13, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Tribal governments
DOT is making available funding to support planning, capital, and operating assistance for tribal public transit services. Proposals will be evaluated based on four factors: whether the project (1) improves transit efficiency or increases ridership, (2) maintains mobility or eliminates gaps in service for the tribes, (3) improves or maintains access to important destinations and services, and (4) results in other qualitative benefits such as greater access to jobs, education, and health care.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
DOE Cities-LEAP FOA for Data-Driven Decision Frameworks by Local and Tribal Governments – $1.25 million
- Concept Paper Submission Due: May 17, 2016
- Full Application Submission Due: June 17, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Local or tribal governments; entities such as academic institutions, technology companies, utilities, regional planning bodies, and non-governmental organizations may be included as part of a project team
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning (Cities-LEAP) project helps cities integrate energy analysis and data into their strategic decision making.
Cities-LEAP is making funding available to support the development and piloting of data-driven decision frameworks by local and tribal governments. These frameworks should advance model practices and processes that improve the ability of local and tribal governments to integrate, analyze, and understand varied datasets in order to pursue opportunities across all clean energy sectors. In order to develop these frameworks, local and tribal governments are strongly encouraged to partner with entities such as academic institutions, technology companies, utilities, regional planning bodies, and non-governmental organizations.
Successful applications will include or aim to produce strong evidence that proposed model practices and processes can:
- Increase the ability of local or tribal governments to make data-driven decisions regarding actions under their authority that affect energy intensity or energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at a reasonable cost; and
- Identify and support implementation of local or tribal government actions that can lead to significant and quantifiable reductions in community-wide energy intensity or energy-related GHG emissions.
Applicants are also encouraged to propose energy-related metrics beyond the primary GHG emissions and energy intensity metrics (e.g., air quality, climate change adaptation, quality of life indicators). While this FOA focuses on energy-related actions, other ancillary benefits may be necessary to stimulate action and may even serve as the stronger motivating factor for communities.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity announcement.
FTA Low or No Emission Program – $55 million
- Applications Due: May 13, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State and tribal governments
FTA is making available funding for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities such as recharging, refueling, and maintenance facilities. The program is designed to reduce carbon emissions and local air pollution. Examples of zero emission bus technologies include, but are not limited to hydrogen fuel-cell buses and battery-electric buses.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
EPA FY 2016 and FY 2017 Pollution Prevention Information Network (PPIN) Grants Program – $1.6 million
- Applications Due: May 17, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State and tribal governments
EPA has announced funding to support the development and delivery of pollution prevention information resources, tools, training, and related services. Pollution prevention refers to practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or reduce the amount of hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering any waste stream or released to the environment. One grant focus area includes greenhouse gas emission mitigation and energy efficiency.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
EPA FY 2016 and FY 2017 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program – $2.2 million
- Applications Due: June 6, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State and tribal governments
EPA is making available funding to support practical pollution prevention/source reduction tools or approaches to measurably improve the environmental footprints of businesses, municipal governments, and/or local communities. Proposed projects must carry out project activities using one or more of the following methods: surveys, studies, research, investigation, experimentation, education, training and/or demonstrations. One grant focus area includes greenhouse gas emission mitigation and energy efficiency.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
FEMA FY16 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program – $90 million
- Applications Due: June 15, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments
FEMA has announced funding to assist states, territories, federally recognized tribes, and local communities to implement a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program to reduce overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events, while also reducing reliance on federal funding in future disasters.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
FEMA FY16 Flood Mitigation Assistance Program – $199 million
- Applications Due: June 15, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments
FEMA has announced funding to implement and sustain cost-effective measures that reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Properties included in a project sub-application for flood mitigation assistance funding must be NFIP-insured at the time of the application submittal and prior to the period of availability or application start date.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
CDC Building Resilience Against Climate Effects: Enhancing Community Resilience by Implementing Health Adaptations Program – $4.5 million
- Applications Due: June 20, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State and local governments
CDC is making available funding to implement the Climate and Health Adaptation and Monitoring Program (CHAMP), which involves developing an Implementation and Monitoring Strategy (IMS) for interventions stated in climate adaptation plans. The IMS should utilize evidence-based public health interventions and incorporate monitoring and evaluation strategies and activities to achieve measurable health impacts and reduce the health burden of climate change. Expected program outcomes include increased community-level engagement in climate and health adaptation, as well as increasing resilience of public health systems and health infrastructure.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
FWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program – $17 million
- Applications Due: June 29, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State governments
FWS has announced funding to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal states through competitive matching grants to state agencies. Ranking criteria for proposals include describing how the proposed project addresses climate change concerns, how it will be affected by climate change impacts, and references to any relevant plans and models.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
BIA Energy and Mineral Development Program – $5 million
- Applications Due: July 8, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Tribal governments
BIA is making available funding for projects that assess, evaluate, or otherwise promote the processing, use, or development of energy and mineral resources on Indian lands, particularly feasibility studies of community-scale energy development projects that promote local economic benefits and stronger tribal economies. Eligible projects include renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass, hydro, and geothermal.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.