This regulation codifies policy and procedures for the award of grants or cooperative agreements under section 6 of the NEEA. Specifically, this regulation defines eligible applicants, eligible activities, EPA priorities for selecting recipients, funding limits, and matching requirements. Projects funded under this part are also subject to 2 CFR parts 200 and 1500. Those regulations contain Federal audit and other general administrative requirements. This regulation does not apply to the programs implemented under sections 5 and 7 of the NEEA.

(a) Environmental education and environmental education and training mean educational activities and training activities involving elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students, as such terms are defined in the State in which they reside, and environmental education personnel, but does not include technical training activities directed toward environmental management professionals or activities primarily directed toward the support of noneducational research and development;

(b) Federal agency or agency of the United States means any department, agency or other instrumentality of the Federal Government, any independent agency or establishment of the Federal Government including any Government corporation;

(c) Local education agency means any education agency as defined in section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 3381) and shall include any tribal education agency, as defined in § 47.105(f);

(d) Not-for-profit organization means an organization, association, or institution described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which is exempt from taxation pursuant to the provisions of section 501(a) of such Code;

(e) Noncommercial education broadcasting entities means any noncommercial educational broadcasting station (and/or its legal nonprofit affiliates) as defined and licensed by the Federal Communications Commission;

(f) Tribal education agency means a school or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or nation, including any Alaska Native village, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;

(g) Refer to 2 CFR part 200, subpart A and 40 CFR 35.6015 for definitions for budget period, project period, cooperative agreement, grant agreement, and other Federal assistance terms.

Any local education agency (including any tribal education agency), college or university, State education agency or environmental agency, not-for-profit organization, or noncommercial educational broadcasting entity may submit an application to the Administrator in response to the solicitations described in § 47.120.

(a) Individual awards shall not exceed $250,000, and 25 percent of all funds obligated under this section in a fiscal year shall be for individual awards of not more than $5,000.

(b) The Federal share shall not exceed 75 percent of the total project costs. The non-Federal share of project costs may be provided by in-kind contributions and other noncash support. In cases where the EPA determines that a proposed project merits support and cannot be undertaken without a higher rate of Federal support, the EPA may approve awards with a matching requirement other than that specified in this paragraph, including full Federal funding.

Each fiscal year the Administrator shall publish a solicitation for environmental education grant proposals. The solicitation notice shall prescribe the information to be included in the proposal and other information sufficient to permit EPA to assess the project.

(a) Activities eligible for funding shall include, but not be limited to, environmental education and training programs for:

(1) Design, demonstration, or dissemination of environmental curricula, including development of educational tools and materials;

(2) Design and demonstration of field methods, practices, and techniques, including assessment of environmental and ecological conditions and analysis of environmental pollution problems;

(3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a specific environmental problem;

(4) Provision of training or related education for teachers, faculty, or related personnel in a specific geographic area or region; and

(5) Design and demonstration of projects to foster international cooperation in addressing environmental issues and problems involving the United States and Canada or Mexico.

(b) EPA shall give priority to those proposals which will develop:

(1) A new or significantly improved environmental education practice, method, or technique;

(2) An environmental education practice, method, or technique which may have wide application;

(3) An environmental education practice, method, or technique which addresses a skill or scientific field identified as a priority in the report which will be developed within two years of enactment pursuant to section 9(d) of the Act; and

(4) An environmental education practice, method, or technique which addresses an environmental issue which, in the judgment of EPA, is of a high priority.

(a) Each project shall be performed by the recipient, or by a person satisfactory to the recipient and to the EPA. Workplans shall accompany all applications, shall identify who will be performing activities, and shall be approved by EPA prior to funding.

(b) Budget periods normally will not exceed one year. Project periods may be longer, and additional funding may be awarded for continuations.

(c) Procurement procedures for all recipients are described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart D—Post Federal Award Requirements (2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327). These procedures include provisions for small purchase procedures.

Disputes arising under these grants shall be governed by 2 CFR part 1500 subpart E.