South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program

South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program is sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This program provides competitive grants to address immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to South Florida waters, including fresh waters, estuaries, bays, and coral reefs.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) was created through Public Law 101-605, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990. The Sanctuary includes 2,900 square nautical miles of nearshore waters and coral reefs extending from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas.

Recognizing the critical role of water quality in maintaining Sanctuary resources, Congress directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Florida, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the Sanctuary.

The Act directs the WQPP to develop corrective actions and compliance schedules to address point and nonpoint sources of pollution to maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Sanctuary. This includes restoration and maintenance of a balance, indigenous population of corals, shellfish, fish and wildlife, and recreational activities in and on the water.

In addition to corrective actions, the 1990 Act requires public participation developing and implementing the program.

Section 528(f) of the Water Resources and Development Act of 1996 establishes the Administrator (or designee) as a member of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and directs member agencies to “coordinate the development of consistent policies, strategies, plans, programs, projects, activities, and priorities for addressing the restoration, preservation, and protection of the South Florida ecosystem.

” In 1998, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was established by Executive Order 13089 to lead U.S. efforts to restore and protect coral reef ecosystems. In October 2002, the USCRTF implemented a National Action Plan to conserve coral reefs.

The Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) characterizes the existing condition of the coral reef ecosystem; quantifies and characterizes the land-based sources of pollution, identifies how sources of pollution impact the coral reef; develops strategies to reduce the impact of land-based sources of pollution; and increases public awareness and understanding of the effects of land-based sources of pollution on water quality and coral reefs.

The statutory authority for this action is the Clean Water Act (Section 104(b)(3)), which authorizes the award of assistance agreements for Water Quality and Watershed Management: Experiments, Studies, Surveys, Demonstrations, Research, Trainings, and Investigations.

A demonstration project must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the project.

A project that is accomplished through 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 might be, is not a demonstration.

The South Florida Program competitive grants are supported by the 2024 Congressional Explanatory Statement which provides the following: The Committees recommend at least $2,000,000 to monitor coral health in South Florida; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Lake Okeechobee discharges and harmful algal blooms; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Everglades Restoration projects and harmful algal blooms; and $1,000,000 for the expansion of the water quality and ecosystem health monitoring and prediction network which will use vetted, modern procedures for long-term monitoring of Florida waters, including Molecular, Algal, Ocean Floor, and Seagrasses.

Congress provided an additional $3. 1 million to the South Florida Program through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Funding Priorities – Fiscal Year 2025 The EPA South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to south Florida waters including fresh waters, estuaries, bays, and coral reef, central to south Florida’s economic and ecological wellbeing.

Aquatic ecosystems play a vital role supporting healthy and resilient estuaries, coastal, inland, and near-shore infrastructure by providing food, habitat, nutrient removal, water filtration, storm attenuation, carbon storage, shoreline stabilization, and other financial and tangible benefits.

South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to nearshore waters, bays, estuaries, beaches, and coral reefs central to South Florida’s economic well-being. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY - JK Water Pollution Control NATURAL RESOURCES - QL Water Conservation _These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending.

gov_ **This listing is funded for the current fiscal year. ** No Credentials or Documentation are required. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia), Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government, Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized), Other Local Government Consortium, Regional Organization (Intrastate), or Other Local Government Combination, County Government (inclusive of boroughs in Alaska, parishes and other governmental entities with geographic regional control and authority), Municipality or Township government (inclusive of cities, towns, boroughs (except in Alaska), and villages), Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility.

Specific Restrictions Determined at NOFO Level Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved cooperative agreements plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information.

Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www. epa. gov/geospatial).

Generally, this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement (“discretion”), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals.

A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office. Specific Restrictions Determined at NOFO Level Deadline determined at as part of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the NOFO.

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Opportunity Posted Location: Grants. gov Application Procedures Location: NOFO The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the NOFO.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant.

| | Determined at Time of Award | Determined at Time of Award | - | 1 Years | EPA normally funds grants and cooperative agreements on a 12-month basis. However, EPA can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. Proposed project/budget periods can range from one to three years, with a maximum of seven years.

Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump sum. Competitive and non-competitive funding annually. | Not Applicable.

A standard grant application should be prepared and submitted electronically as a new grant using Grants. gov, which will be reviewed in the same manner as the original application and will compete for available funds. Generally, EPA incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements.

Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds. Approval of no-cost extensions are determined after review of progress reports. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005).

Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www. epa. gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures.

Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: **Progress/Performance Reports :**Per 2 CFR 200.

328, Monitoring and Reporting requirements, grantees will be required to submit annual reporting on December 31, until the grant expiration. The reports shall consist of updates on progress toward work objectives, justification, approach, results to date, any problems encountered, actions taken to resolve problems, discussion of remaining tasks, and expenditures to date.

Expenditure reports may be submitted as part of the Progress Reports; however, these are not required. Recipients will be required to submit a final report that summarizes the objectives, methods, approach, results, and significant of each project or study. The final report will be due within 120 days of the project period end date.

, Frequency: Determined at Time of Award Frequency: Determined at Time of Award Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records.

Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200. 334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.

Retention Period: 3 Years **Additional Compliance Requirements:** Domestic Assistance Program that uses Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): USEPA Region 4, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, S. W. ( WD/GINPSB/WGAS), USEPA Region 4, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, S.

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