[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13303-13306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6576]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7469-9]


Notice of Request for Initial Proposals (IP) for Projects To Be 
Funded From the Water Quality Cooperative Agreement Allocation (CFDA 
66.463--Water Quality Cooperative Agreements)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA Region 6 is soliciting Initial Proposals (IP) from State 
water pollution control agencies, interstate agencies, other public or 
nonprofit agencies, institutions, organizations, and other entities as 
defined by the Clean Water Act (CWA) interested in applying for Federal 
assistance for Water Quality Cooperative Agreements under the CWA 
section 104(b)(3) in the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, 
Oklahoma and Texas. Region 6 EPA will award an estimated $1 million to 
eligible applicants through assistance agreements ranging in size, on 
average, from $40,000 up to $200,000 (Federal) for innovative projects/
demonstrations/studies that can be used as models relating to the 
prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. From the IPs 
received, EPA estimates up to10 to 12 projects may be selected to 
submit full applications. The Agency reserves the right to reject all 
IPs and not make awards. A request for proposals for tribal governments 
will be issued under a separate notice.

DATES: EPA will consider all proposals received on or before 12 p.m. 
midnight central standard time May 5, 2003. IPs received after the due 
date will not be considered for funding.

ADDRESSES: IPs should be mailed to: Terry Mendiola (6WQ-AT), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, Water Quality Protection 
Division, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733. Overnight 
delivery may be sent to the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Mendiola by telephone at 214-
665-7144 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of This Request for Initial Proposals

    EPA Region 6's Water Quality Protection Division is requesting 
proposals from State water pollution control agencies, interstate 
agencies, other public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, 
organizations, and other entities as defined by the CWA for unique and 
innovative projects that address the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) program with special emphasis on 
concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) permitting, sanitary 
sewer overflow (SSO) impact studies, watershed integration through 
NPDES, homeland security, and promotion of ``good data'' efforts to 
support NPDES decisions, as well as, water quality projects relating to 
water quality standards, assessment methods, and reporting, ecoregion 
and subregion delineation, and improved approaches to total maximum 
daily load (TMDL) modeling.
    An organization whose IP is selected for Federal assistance must 
complete an EPA Application for Assistance, including the Federal SF-
424 form (Application for Federal Assistance, see 40 CFR 30.12 & 
31.10). Organizations who have an existing agreement under this program 
are eligible to compete for new awards.

EPA Region 6 Has Identified the Following High Priority Areas for 
Consideration

    WQCAs awarded under section 104(b)(3) may only be used to conduct 
and promote the coordination and acceleration of activities such as 
research, investigations, experiments, training, education, 
demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, 
extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. 
These activities, while not defined in the statute, advance the state 
of knowledge, gather information, or transfer information. For 
instance, ``demonstrations'' are generally projects that demonstrate 
new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches and the 
results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit 
from the knowledge gained. A project that is accomplished though the 
performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a 
project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than 
transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however 
worthwhile the project may be, is not a demonstration. Research 
projects may include the application of the practices when they 
contribute to learning about an environmental concept or problem.
    EPA Region 6 has identified several subject areas for priority 
consideration. EPA will award WQCAs for research, investigations, 
experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys and studies related to 
the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination

[[Page 13304]]

of water pollution in the following subject areas:

CAFO Permitting Support

    Demonstration of treatment/reuse/disposal technologies and controls 
that are designed to reduce CAFO-based nutrients in watersheds, with a 
demonstration of amount of loading reductions from those technologies, 
e.g., handling phosphorus-rich poultry litter in northwest Arkansas/
northeast Oklahoma; efficacy of wetlands to polish runoff or overflow 
from ponds and/or land application processes.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Demonstrate treatment/reuse/disposal technologies and 
controls through testing and/or modeling.
    [sbull] Report on the efficiencies.
    Demonstration of nutrient indicator tracing in CAFO dominated, 
nutrient impaired watersheds, e.g., ribo-typing study to determine 
source of bacteria and pathogens, or nitrogen-ion study to determine 
source of nitrogen in waters, or hormone or antibiotic study to 
determine sources of excreted waste material.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Demonstrate nutrient indicator tracing in CAFO dominated, 
nutrient impaired watersheds, with identification and differentiation 
of sources of animal/CAFO wastes from human wastes.

Sanitary Sewer Overflow Studies

    Impact studies and/or innovative implementation processes to 
control SSOs. Innovative pilot projects associated with collection 
systems and treatment facilities at the headworks for POTWs, to 
demonstrate the impact to water quality in receiving waters from 
control technologies on SSOs, e.g., control technologies to reduce 
pollutant loads from SSOs with emphasis on innovation.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Overall cost analysis of technologies or controls to 
implement on a full or larger scale, estimated O&M costs, and a 
technical evaluation of treatment, based on mass and volume. 
Biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and pathogen 
evaluations are essential, along with other pertinent pollutant 
identification and evaluation.

Watershed Integration of Water Programs Under the CWA Through NPDES

    Development of innovative permit tool(s) supporting watershed-based 
permitting activities for specific parameters. Establish a technique 
for identifying all dischargers and their respective contribution 
levels for parameter(s) of concern within an impaired watershed. Should 
determine the overall impact of point and non-point dischargers on 
receiving waters. Pollutant data for water quality parameters, such as 
nutrients, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, etc., could be used in the 
development of a model (such as self-implementing general permits) for 
permitting activities. The model may incorporate unique permitting 
approaches including effluent trading scenarios (in accordance with the 
Water Quality Trading Policy, January 13, 2003), which may be 
implemented in the general permit for specific water quality 
parameters.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Include consideration of all waterbodies in a watershed.
    [sbull] Include consideration of all point sources.
    [sbull] Consider net contribution of non-point sources in aggregate 
effects.
    [sbull] Provide aggregate water quality modeling which determines 
aggregate affects in the watershed.

Homeland Security for NPDES

    Studies of ability of conventional or innovative wastewater 
treatment plant processes to effectively treat, remove, or render 
harmless biological, chemical, or radiological agents, which could be 
introduced into the collection or treatment system.
    Development of models for hardening of collection systems, lift 
stations, and wastewater treatment plant processes to prevent 
introduction of harmful biological, chemical, or radiological agents.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Actual performance data of processes vs. technical 
predictions of performance.
    [sbull] Enhanced security procedure models and development of model 
emergency operating plans.

Promotion of ``Good Data'' Efforts of EPA and State Agencies To Support 
NPDES Decisions

    Survey of laboratories to identify inconsistencies, errors, and 
adherence to appropriate QA/QC for whole effluent toxicity (WET) 
testing and test organism culturing.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Surveying a sampling of the major laboratories in Region 6, 
which perform whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing for NPDES 
permittees.
    [sbull] A minimum of six laboratories shall be surveyed/audited.
    [sbull] Investigation shall be performed in accordance with 
``Manual for the Evaluation of Laboratories Performing Aquatic Toxicity 
Testing EPA/600/4-90/031'', all sampling and testing conditions 
normally required in NPDES permits issued in EPA Region 6, and 
requirements contained in 40 CFR part 136 for purposes of ensuring 
compliance with State narrative criteria for the protection of aquatic 
life.

Indicators of Ecological Condition

    Estimation of the extent of waters supporting their designated 
beneficial uses, and determination of causes of impairment, based on a 
core set of indicators of ecological condition and environmental 
stressors. Biological measures should form the primary basis for 
assessing attainment of the aquatic life use with chemical, physical, 
and watershed measurements used to assess and rank the relative 
importance of stressors.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Mechanisms to evaluate the interrelationships between 
biological assemblages, ambient water chemistry, fish tissue 
contaminants, physical habitat, and/or watershed characteristics.
    [sbull] Offer the potential to improve a State's approaches to make 
decisions about whether or not water quality standards are being 
attained.
    [sbull] Apply a probabilistic approach to site selection to support 
estimates of conditions across an entire study area.
    [sbull] Result in the ability to compare environmental indicator 
data across State and regional boundaries for ambient and reference 
conditions.
    [sbull] Offer the potential to improve a State's approach to 
estimate the extent of waterbody impairment statewide.

Nutrient Criteria

    Development of effects based nutrient criteria and assessment 
methods, based on the relationship(s) between evidence of impairment of 
biological integrity, and/or other response indicators, and instream 
nutrient concentrations observed at reference waterbodies.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Demonstrate approaches or provide tools that may be applied 
in other areas.
    [sbull] Apply the latest scientific approaches or innovative 
techniques to establish and validate the relationship(s) between 
elevated nutrient concentrations and indicator response.
    [sbull] Result in recommendations for numeric water quality 
criteria standards

[[Page 13305]]

or criteria that can be applied to a class of waters (rather than 
individual waters).
    [sbull] Include mechanisms for technology transfer.

Improved Approaches to TMDL Modeling

    Development of best management practice (BMP) performance equations 
and/or statistical tools to assist in evaluation of waterbody recovery, 
based on a study of the physical, chemical, and biological processes 
governing the stochastic properties of pollutants in the environment. 
The project may lead to TMDL development, implementation, and/or water 
quality trading on a watershed basis.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Description of methods to be used to quantify the 
uncertainty in load estimates and load allocations, and/or the 
effectiveness of individual BMPs.
    [sbull] Development of tools that may be transferred to meet the 
needs of others faced with developing TMDLs or monitoring waterbody 
recovery.

Ecoregion and Subregion Delineation

    Ecoregion and subregion delineation providing an improved basis for 
waterbody classification, supporting definition of water quality 
management goals and expectations, development of water quality 
standards, and water quality monitoring and assessment.
    The following specific criteria will be used to evaluate this 
priority area:
    [sbull] Conducted in Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma.
    [sbull] High degree of coordination among natural resource and 
environmental management agency scientists.
    [sbull] Result in completion of ecoregion and subregion boundaries 
and descriptions for an entire state.
    [sbull] Conducted using methods comparable to those employed in 
other states by the EPA Office of Research and Development, National 
Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, to achieve level 
IV subregionalization.
    [sbull] Result in a nationally consistent set of subregion 
management units.

Statutory Authority, Applicable Regulations, and Funding Level

    Funding is authorized under the provisions of the CWA sec. 
104(b)(3), 33 U.S.C. 1254(b)(3).
    The regulations governing the award and administration of Water 
Quality Cooperative Agreements are in 40 CFR part 30 (for institutions 
of higher learning, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations) and 
40 CFR part 31 (for States, local governments, and interstate 
agencies).
    Applicants requested to submit a full application will be required 
to comply with Intergovernmental Review requirements (40 CFR part 29) 
and the Quality Assurance requirements (40 CFR part 30.54 and 31.45) if 
projects involve environmentally related measurements or data 
generation.
    Total funding available for award by Region 6 is dependent on EPA's 
appropriation for Fiscal Year 2003; however, it is estimated that $1 
million, including the tribal allocation, will be available for funding 
approved projects. The average size of an award is anticipated to be 
approximately $100,000. A minimum match of five percent will be 
required for all approved projects and should be included in the total 
funding requested for each proposal submitted.
    Construction projects, except for the construction required to 
carry out a demonstration project, and acquisition of land are not 
eligible for funding under this program. New or on-going programs to 
implement routine environmental controls are not eligible for funding 
under this program.

Proposal Format and Contents

    IPs should be no more than three pages with a minimum font size of 
10 pitch in Wordperfect/Word or equivalent. Failure to follow the 
format or to include all requested information could result in the IP 
not being considered for funding. Full application packages should not 
be submitted at this time. It is recommended that confidential 
information not be included in this IP. The following format should be 
used for all IPs:
    Name of Project:
    Priority Area Addressed: (i.e., CAFO Permitting Support, SSO 
Studies, Homeland Security for NPDES, etc.)
    Point of Contact: (Individual and agency/organization name, 
address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address.)
    Is this a Continuation of a Previously Funded Project: (If so, 
please provide the status of the current grant or cooperative 
agreement.)
    Proposed Federal Amount:
    Proposed Non-Federal Match (Minimum of 5%):
    The match is based on the total project cost not the Federal 
amount. To determine a proposed minimum match of 5%, use the following 
example:

Federal amount = $25,000.
Total Project Cost = T.

    The Federal amount is 95% of T, therefore:

$25,000 = T x 0.95;
$25,000 / 0.95 = T;
$26,316 = T (round the decimal).

    If the total project cost is $26,316, then:

$26,316 x 0.05 = $1,316 non-Federal match.

    Proposed Total Award Amount:
    Description of General Budget Proposed to Support Project:
    Project Description: (Should not exceed two pages of single-spaced 
text.)
    Expected Accomplishments or Product, with Dates, and Interim 
Milestones: This section should also include a discussion of a 
communication plan for distributing the project results to interested 
parties.
    Describe How the Project Meets the Evaluation Criteria Specified 
Below:

EPA IP Evaluation Criteria

    EPA Region 6 will award WQCA on a competitive basis and evaluate 
IPs based on the specific criteria listed in each priority area and the 
following general criteria:
    [sbull] Adequacy of proposal, including the relationship of the 
proposed project to the priorities identified in this notice, 
innovation of project proposal and level of multi-organizational 
support, if needed. (10 points)
    [sbull] Compliance with proposal format/guidance, including how 
well the proposal follows the solicitation notice, clearly defined 
milestones/schedule and clearly identified deliverables. (5 points)
    [sbull] Cost effectiveness/likelihood of success of the proposal, 
including adequacy of resources committed to project/realistic budget, 
realistic implementation schedule and clearly defined measures of 
success that are reasonably attainable. (5 points)
    [sbull] Applicant's past performance, if applicable. (3 points)
    The IPs will be evaluated by regional staff in a two phased 
approach. Initially, each IP will be evaluated against the specific 
criteria listed under the priority area for which it was submitted. In 
order for the IP to be considered in the second evaluation phase, it 
must address, at a minimum, ALL the specific criteria listed under the 
priority area. In the second phase, each IP will be evaluated against 
the general criteria listed above for a possible total score of 20. 
Points will be taken away for poor past performance if knowledge of 
applicant's past performance is available to EPA.

IP Selection

    Final selection of IPs will be made by the Director of Water 
Quality Protection Division, EPA Region 6. Selected

[[Page 13306]]

organizations will be notified in writing and requested to submit full 
applications. Applications, including workplans, are subject to EPA 
review and approval.
    It is expected that unsuccessful applicants will be notified in 
writing.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants for assistance agreements under section 
104(b)(3) of the CWA are State water pollution control agencies, 
interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, 
organizations, and other entities as defined by the CWA. IPs received 
for projects outside of Region 6 will not be considered.

Application Procedure

    Please mail three copies of the IP(s).

Dispute Resolution Process

    Procedures located in 40 CFR part 30.63 and 30.70 apply.

Type of Assistance

    It is expected that all the awards under this program will be 
cooperative agreements. States and interstate agencies meeting the 
requirements in 40 CFR part 35.504 may include the funds for WQCA in a 
Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) in accordance with the regulations 
governing PPGs in 40 CFR part 35, subparts A and B. For States and 
interstate agencies that choose to do so, the regulations provide that 
the workplan commitments that would have been included in the WQCA must 
be included in the PPG workplan.
    A description of the Agency's substantial involvement in 
cooperative agreements will be included in the final agreement.

Schedule of Activities

    This is the estimated schedule of activities for submission, review 
of proposals and notification of selections:
    May 5, 2003--Proposals due to EPA.
    July 2, 2003--Initial approvals identified and sponsors of projects 
selected for funding will be requested to submit a formal application 
package.
    A list of selected projects will be posted on the Region 6 Water 
Quality Protection Division, Assistance Programs Branch Web site http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/at/sttribal.htm. This Web site may also 
contain additional information about this request. Deadline extensions, 
if any, will be posted on this Web site and not in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: March 10, 2003.
Miguel I. Flores,
Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 03-6576 Filed 3-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P