Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program (SEJCA)
WHO: Texas A&M University faculty, including Agriculture, Engineering and TTI personnel.
WHY: EPA anticipates each award to be $160,000 in total costs for a three year period.
WHEN: Internal proposal deadline of March 2, 2009.
HOW: Faculty should submit internal proposal to osppc@tamu.edu for review by the internal selection committee.
THE FINE PRINT:
The funding agency, EPA, has limited the number of proposals to one per institution.
BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The EPA State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program (SEJCA) is designed to provide funding to eligible entities so that they may work collaboratively with an affected community(ies) to understand, promote and integrate approaches to provide meaningful and measurable improvements to the public health and/or environment in the community(ies), which then may be broadened to a more comprehensive approach.
The SEJCA Initiative goals are to: achieve measurable and meaningful environmental and/or public heath results in communities; build broad and robust, results-oriented partnerships, particularly with community organizations within affected areas; have pilot activities in specific communities that create models, which can be expanded or replicated in other geographic areas; reinforce connections to EPA Regional Environmental Justice (EJ) Action Plan and State’s participation in the design and implementation of EPA EJ Action Plan activities; and strengthen the development and implementation of specific approaches to achieve environmental justice.
Applications must be designed to address environmental and public health issues covered by laws implemented by EPA. Each project must include activities that are authorized under two or more of the following cited Federal environmental statutes: Clean Water Act Section 104(b) (3), Safe Drinking Water Act Section 1442 (c) (3) (c), Solid Waste Disposal Act Section 8001 (a), Clean Air Act Section 103 (b) (3), Toxic Substances Control Act Section 10 (a), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Section 20 (a), and Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act Section 203.
Awards are to be $160,000 in total costs for a three year period. Internal staffing shall not account for more than 25% of the budgeted expenses associated with the cooperative agreement. Funds cannot be used for any of the following: litigation against any government entity; construction; lobbying; matching funds for other federal grants; travel for federal employees; surveys; human health studies; activities covered by other appropriation accounts within the EPA Appropriation Act; or Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).
More information can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/publications/ej/grants/rfa-state-grant-2-12-09.pdf
Internal Selection Procedures and Deadlines
February 27, 2009: Deadline for an email of intent, including the names of the PI and co-PIs, title of internal proposal and a 1-3 sentence description of the project. Send email of intent to osppc@tamu.edu
March 2, 2009: Deadline to obtain signatures of approval from your department head and college dean to submit an internal proposal to the Research Policy and Development Support Office for review by the internal selection committee. The internal proposal should include:
(1) An executive summary, up to three pages, based on the proposal description as outlined in the EPA program announcement;
(2) Summary budget;
(3) Project and Management Plans (including team members);
The form for completing the internal proposal is at: http://researchpolicy.tamu.edu/limited-submission-proposals/internalselectionlspform.pdf
This completed form should be submitted electronically to osppc@tamu.edu for review by the internal selection committee.
*Once your internal proposal has been received with all of the necessary signatures, you will receive an email indicating it will be reviewed by the internal selection committee. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please call 5-1812.*
Please read the RFP carefully for specific requirements of the program at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/publications/ej/grants/rfa-state-grant-2-12-09.pdf
Selection of a proposal will be based on EPA guidelines. The needs of the university’s reinvestment plan will also be taken into account.
During the selection process, the internal selection committee may contact departments and colleges for their opinions and commitments. They may also request additional information from PIs.
March 13, 2009: The Internal Selection Committee will notify PIs of the result of the internal competition.
April 10, 2009: Deadline for full proposal.
