[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 84 (Monday, May 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20459-20464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10166]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 090424759-9760-01]
RIN 0648-ZB55
Ocean Education Grants for AZA Aquariums
AGENCY: Office of Education (OED), Office of the Under Secretary
(USEC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
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SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Education (OEd) is issuing a request for
applications to support education projects designed to engage the
public in activities that increase ocean and/or climate literacy and
the adoption of a stewardship ethic. Funded projects will be between
one and five years in duration and will support ocean education
projects led by eligible applicants. Eligible applicants are only
501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that are either aquariums accredited
by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or have a legally
sanctioned
[[Page 20460]]
affiliation with an AZA-accredited aquarium. There is a required 50
percent non-Federal cost-share of the total Federal request, e.g., if
the Federal request is $1,000,000, the applicant is required to submit
a non-Federal match equal to $500,000. This solicitation meets NOAA's
mission goal to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and
ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management. It is
anticipated that recommendations for funding under this announcement
will be made by August 30, 2009, and that projects funded under this
announcement will have a start date no earlier than October 1, 2009.
Note: A PDF version of this announcement is available at http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html.
DATES: The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. EDT on June 9, 2009.
Applications submitted through Grants.gov are automatically date/time
stamped when they are validated and submitted to the Agency. Paper
applications must be provided to an expedited shipping service by the
deadline and proof of this must be provided by the applicant.
Please Note: When submitting through Grants.gov, you will
receive 2 e-mails. An initial e-mail will be sent to confirm your
attempt to submit a proposal. This is NOT a confirmation of
acceptance of your application. It may take Grants.gov up to two (2)
business days to validate or reject the application and send you a
second e-mail. Please keep this in mind in developing your
submission timeline.
ADDRESSES: The application package is available through Grants.gov
(http://www.grants.gov). If an applicant does not have Internet access,
please contact one of the Program Officers, Carrie McDougall or Sarah
Schoedinger, for information on how to submit an application. See
Section VII. Agency Contacts of the federal funding opportunity (FFO)
announcement for the Program Officers' contact information. Grants.gov
requires applicants to register with the system prior to submitting an
application. This registration process can take several weeks and
involves multiple steps. In order to allow sufficient time for this
process, you should register as soon as you decide you intend to apply,
even if you are not yet ready to submit your application. If submitting
a collaborative project (see section B.1. below) each submitting
institution has to be registered in Grants.gov. If an applicant has
problems downloading the application forms from Grants.gov, contact
Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please visit the OEd Web site for
further information at http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html or
contact the Program Officers: Carrie McDougall at 202-482-0875 or
[email protected]; or Sarah Schoedinger at 704-370-3528 or
[email protected]. For those applicants without Internet
access, hard copies of referenced documents may be requested from
NOAA's Office of Education by contacting Carrie McDougall at 202-482-
0875 or Sarah Schoedinger at 704-370-3528 or sending a letter to:
Carrie McDougall, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Office of Education, 1401
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 6863, Washington, DC 20230; Telephone:
202-482-0875.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) provides support to improve environmental
literacy among our Nation's citizens and promote a diverse workforce in
ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, weather, and climate sciences in order to
encourage stewardship and increase informed decisionmaking for the
Nation. NOAA defines an environmentally literate person as someone who
has a fundamental understanding of the systems of the natural world,
the relationships and interactions between the living and non-living
environment, and the ability to understand and utilize scientific
evidence to make informed decisions regarding environmental issues.
Improving environmental literacy and the public's understanding of how
our Nation's natural resources are managed and the importance of these
resources is critical to meeting the Agency's stewardship mission. To
address this mission, NOAA engages in informal science education
activities at local, state, regional, and national levels, with
particular emphasis on reaching communities that are underrepresented
in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The
goal of this funding program is to support projects that engage the
public in educational activities that increase ocean and/or climate
literacy and the adoption of a stewardship ethic. This program supports
Goal 1 of NOAA's Education Strategic Plan (http://www.education.noaa.gov/plan), specifically Focusing on:
Outcome 1.2: Educators understand and use environmental
literacy principles.
Outcome 1.3: Educators, students, and/or the public
collect and use ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, weather, and climate data
in inquiry and evidence-based activities.
Outcome 1.4: Lifelong learners are provided with informal
science education opportunities focused on ocean, coastal, Great Lakes,
weather, and climate topics. This program also supports the President's
priorities to create a transparent and connected democracy and improve
America's competitiveness by preparing our Nation's children for the
21st Century economy by: Making math and science education a national
priority; increasing the number of science and math graduates;
expanding the number of high-quality afterschool opportunities; and
investing in climate-friendly energy development and deployment (http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/).
In keeping with Outcome 1.1 of NOAA's Education Strategic Plan
highly successful projects will employ effective educational methods
that promote stewardship and associated environmental problem-solving.
Project activities should be based on established best practices. In
particular, the four key recommendations in the National Research
Council report on ``Learning Science in Informal Environments: People,
Places, and Pursuits'' (Bell, et al., 2009), excerpted below,
incorporate such best practices and should be utilized as appropriate:
Recommendation 1: Exhibit and program designers should create
informal environments for science learning according to the following
principles. Informal environments should:
Be designed with specific learning goals in mind (e.g.,
the strands of science learning).
Be interactive.
Provide multiple ways for learners to engage with
concepts, practices, and phenomena within a particular setting.
Facilitate science learning across multiple settings.
Prompt and support participants to interpret their
learning experiences in light of relevant prior knowledge, experiences,
and interests.
Support and encourage learners to extend their learning
over time.
Recommendation 2: From their inception, informal environments for
science learning should be developed through community-educator
partnerships and whenever possible should be rooted in scientific
problems and ideas that are consequential for community members.
Recommendation 3: Educational tools and materials should be
developed through iterative processes involving learners, educators,
designers, and experts in science, including the
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sciences of human learning and development.
Recommendation 4: Front-line staff should actively integrate
questions, everyday language, ideas, concerns, worldviews, and
histories, both their own and those of diverse learners. To do so they
will need support opportunities to develop cultural competence, and to
learn with and about the groups they want to serve.
Proposed projects may include (but are not limited to) the
following types of activities: Outdoor/Hands-on Experiential Learning;
citizen science programs; civic engagement programs (as discussed
below); Integration of emerging and advanced educational technologies
(as discussed below); demonstration projects promoting conservation of
energy and other natural resources; educational games; youth and
community programs; and professional development of informal science
education staff. In addition, this program supports the development of
permanent and traveling exhibitions and films, television and radio
series. These categories of activities (exhibitions, films, television,
and radio series) should play a supporting role in the proposed
educational projects, rather than be the sole focus of the project.
Civic Engagement Projects: NOAA is specifically interested in
experimental programs involving civic engagement activities surrounding
locally significant environmental change and hazard resilience. Because
aquariums are recognized as places where visitors are prompted ``to
reconsider their role in environmental problems and conservation
action, and to see themselves as part of the solution,'' (Falk et al.,
2007), aquariums provide a unique learning setting that allows them to
serve as a connector between their communities and NOAA resources.
Civic engagement programs supported by this grant opportunity should
enable aquariums to ``seek out issues related to science and society
where the voices of citizens should be heard and ensure that dialogue
occurs'' (Toronto Declaration, 2008). Successful projects will engage
local citizens in public deliberations of major environmental issues
affecting their lives and empower them to find solutions for those
issues as well as contribute to future deliberations occurring on those
issues at regional, state, national and even global levels (see
recommendations in ``Americans and Climate Change: Closing the Gap
Between Science and Action: A Synthesis of Insights and Recommendations
from the 2005 Yale Conference on Climate Change,'' Abbasi, 2006). These
projects will build local capacity for sustained civic engagement on
these issues beyond the duration of the project. Specific emphasis
should be placed on involving traditionally under-represented
communities in civic engagement projects and employing innovative
collaborations with other aquariums, other institutions and/or networks
of institutions.
Emerging and Advanced Technologies Projects may focus on the use of
alternative, emerging or advanced technologies or digital interactive
media to reach new audiences, e.g., virtual worlds, You-Tube, social
networking tools (Twitter, MySpace, Facebook), webcams, kiosks, and
Earth-viewing platforms. Earth-viewing platforms include, but are not
limited to, the following: NOAA's Science On a Sphere, Magic Planet,
Omniglobe, PufferSphere, and immersive cave or dome technologies, or
virtual globes, such as Google Earth and NASA's World Wind. Projects
involving installations of Science On a Sphere require consultation
with John McLaughlin ([email protected], 202-482-2893) prior to
submission.
Successful projects will exhibit as many of the following
characteristics as is relevant and/or feasible:
--Increasing public understanding and appreciation of the
interconnectedness of people and the environment, especially with
reference to climate change;
--Involving collaborations/partnerships with other aquariums, other
types of institutions and/or networks of institutions. Partnerships
with science institutions that will be able to provide scientific
knowledge and expertise to inform the development of exhibits and/or
program content are strongly encouraged. Partnerships with NOAA
programs are also encouraged whenever possible. (A summary of NOAA
programs and activities sorted by the state or territory in which they
are based or focused is available at: http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS0107/noaainyourstate.html);
--Extending the learning experience beyond a single visit to an
aquarium or the simple acquisition of knowledge;
--Assisting participants in increasing their conservation behaviors;
--Employing the strategies of the Citizen Science Tool Kit (see http://www.citizenscience.org);
--Engaging members of populations traditionally underrepresented in
STEM fields and provide appropriate cultural contexts for their
learning;
--Addressing, as appropriate, recent findings of the Ocean Project's
2009 public literacy survey (http://www.theoceanproject.org/ocean_education_grant_program);
--Aligning activities to principles in ``Ocean Literacy: Essential
Principles of Ocean Sciences'' (http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf) and/or
``Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science''
(http://www.noaa.gov/climateliteracy.html);
--Having clearly stated outcomes/objectives that are measurable and
appropriate to the target audience(s) (see Evaluation below for further
guidance); and/or
--Sharing information on project impacts and design with NOAA and the
broader environmental education community.
Target Audiences:
--Public audiences: including youth, families, adult learners, and
community groups; and
--Professional audiences: informal education professionals.
NOAA is supportive of informal education projects that complement
formal K-16 education. Toward that end, projects funded through this
opportunity shall focus on activities that will occur outside of
school.
Project Evaluation: Project activities should be evaluated for
their effectiveness in meeting proposed project goals and objectives as
well as the goal of the program, which is to engage the public in
educational activities that increase ocean and climate literacy and
facilitate the adoption of a stewardship ethic. Projects should be
based on an existing front-end evaluation/needs assessment and there
should be some discussion in the project description of that needs
assessment. Plans for formative and summative project evaluations
should be well constructed and specific to the project type. For
example, projects involving the design of new or modification of
existing digital interactive media should consider evaluating the
interface design as well as the educational impacts of the proposed
project. Discussion of front-end, formative and summative evaluations
should be included in both the project description and budget sections.
Lastly, potential impact of the project beyond the award period should
also be described. Overall, project evaluation should be handled by
external professional evaluators or by internal staff who have
significant
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experience with evaluation and are not otherwise substantively involved
with the project. Additionally, some projects may require specialized
evaluation expertise, for example, in the evaluation of the interface
of digital interactive media. Project evaluation should include
assessment of changes in the target audiences' attitudes, knowledge,
awareness, and/or behaviors as a result of the activities undertaken.
Principal Investigators should consider sharing evaluation results and
project impacts through presentations and peer-reviewed publications of
relevant professional organizations such as the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA), Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC),
North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE), National
Marine Educators Association (NMEA), etc. Also, summative evaluation
reports should be posted to http://www.informalscience.org to further
inform the broad field of informal science education about what was
learned from the project. It is anticipated that recommendations for
funding under this announcement will be made by September 30, 2009 and
that projects funded under this announcement will have a start date no
earlier than October 1, 2009. Funded projects will be one to five years
in duration. This solicitation meets NOAA's Mission Goal to Protect,
Restore, and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources through an
Ecosystem Approach to Management (http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/PPI_Capabilities/Documents/Strategic_Plans/FY09-14_NOAA_Strategic_Plan.pdf).
References Cited
Abbasi, D., 2006. Americans and Climate Change: Closing the Gap
Between Science and Action: A Synthesis of Insights and
Recommendations from the 2005 Yale Conference on Climate Change.
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. (http://environment.yale.edu/climate/americans_and_climate_change.pdf)
Falk, J.H.; Reinhard, E.M.; Vernon, C.L.; Bronnenkant, K.; Deans,
N.L.; Heimlich, J.E., 2007. Why Zoos & Aquariums Matter: Assessing
the Impact of a Visit. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Silver
Spring, MD. (http://www.aza.org/ConEd/MIRP/index.html)
The Toronto Declaration of the 5th Science Centre World Congress,
2008. (http://www.5scwc.org/TheTorontoDeclaration/tabid/133/Default.aspx)
Bell, P, Lewenstein, B, Shouse, A.W., Feder, M.A. (eds), 2009.
Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and
Pursuits. Committee on Learning Science in Informal Environments, A
REPORT OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES,
The National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Electronic Access: The full text of the full Federal funding
opportunity announcement for this program can be accessed via the
Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. The announcement will
also be available by contacting the program officials identified under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Applicants must comply with all
requirements contained in the full federal funding opportunity
announcement. Statutory Authority: Authority for this program is
provided by the following 33 U.S.C. 893a(a).CFDA: 11.469,
Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects. Funding Availability:
Approximately $7,500,000 of total Federal financial assistance is
available for Ocean Education Grants for AZA Aquariums. Funding for
these projects is provided by Public Law 111-8 FY 2009 Omnibus
Appropriations Act. There will be no funding from the Public Law 111-5
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Approximately 5 to 10
awards in the form of grants or cooperative agreements will be made.
For Priority 1, the total Federal amount that may be requested from
NOAA shall not exceed $3,000,000 for all years including direct and
indirect costs. The minimum Federal amount that must be requested from
NOAA for all years for the direct and indirect costs for this priority
is $1,000,000. Applications requesting Federal support from NOAA of
more than $3,000,000 total for all years will not be considered for
funding. For Priority 2, the total Federal amount that may be requested
from NOAA shall not exceed $1,000,000 for all years including direct
and indirect costs. The minimum Federal amount that must be requested
from NOAA for all years for the direct and indirect costs for this
priority is $300,000. Applications requesting Federal support from NOAA
of less than $300,000 total for all years will not be considered for
funding. Up to two applications total per institution may be submitted
through this funding opportunity, either one application to each
priority or two applications to the same priority. Publication of this
notice does not oblige DOC/NOAA to award any specific project or to
obligate any available funds. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to
receiving an award agreement from an authorized NOAA Grants Officer,
the applicant would do so solely at one's own risk of such costs not
being included under the award.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants are only 501(c)(3) non-profit
organizations that are either (1) aquariums accredited by the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or (2) have a legally
sanctioned affiliation with an AZA-accredited aquarium. AZA
accreditation must be current at the time of submission. Note: Non-AZA-
accredited aquariums, non-U.S. institutions, and for-profit entities
may be partners on applications but cannot be the lead institution. An
eligible applicant may submit up to two applications through this
funding opportunity, either one application to each priority or two
applications to the same priority.
Cost Sharing Requirements
There is a 50 percent required non-Federal cost-share of the total
Federal request, e.g., if the Federal request is $1,000,000, the
applicant is required to submit a non-Federal match equal to $500,000.
Applicants are instructed to review the guidance provided in 15 CFR
24.24 related to cost-sharing (http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/fundingopportunities/15CFR_Sec_24_24_match_costshare.pdf) and the
related circular pertaining to cost principles (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a122/a122.html). Cost-share or match
can come from a variety of public and private sources and can include
in-kind goods and services such as private boat use and volunteer
labor. Federal sources cannot be considered for matching funds, but can
be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional
leverage. Applicants are permitted to combine contributions from
multiple non-Federal partners in order to meet the 50% match
requirement, as long as such contributions are not being used to match
any other funds.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures
The general evaluation criteria and selection factors that apply to
full applications to this funding opportunity are summarized below.
Further information about the evaluation criteria and selection factors
can be found in the full federal funding opportunity announcement.
Evaluation Criteria for Projects:
(1) Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed
project to the program goals (30%):
This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed
work and/or relevance to NOAA's Federal, regional, or local activities.
The application should describe how well the proposed project addresses
NOAA's stated objectives and priorities. Reviewers will evaluate:
[[Page 20463]]
How well the project addresses the goals and objectives of
this funding program;
How well the project is aligned with NOAA education goals
and strategies as described in the NOAA Education Strategic Plan
(http://www.education.noaa.gov/plan);
For projects focusing on the ocean as a part of the Earth
system, the extent to which the project will infuse the ``Ocean
Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences'' (http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitConcepts_10.11.05.pdf) into the project activities;
For projects focusing on climate change, the extent to
which the project will infuse ``Climate Literacy: The Essential
Principles of Climate Science'' (http://climate.noaa.gov/climateliteracy) into the project activities; and
The extent to which members of traditionally
underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) fields are involved. A listing of groups traditionally
underrepresented in STEM fields can be found in the 2008 NSF Science
and Engineering Indicators Report at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind08/c3/c3s1.htm#c3s116.
(2) Technical/scientific merit (30%):
This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and/or
innovative, if the methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear
project goals and objectives. Reviewers will evaluate:
The completeness and adequacy of detail in the project
description including clearly stated goals and measurable objectives;
The overall technical feasibility of the project,
including whether the proposed approach is educationally and
technically sound, is based on best practices and/or needs assessments,
uses appropriate methods to achieve project outcomes and is likely to
be implemented on the scale described;
The likelihood of meeting milestones and achieving
anticipated results in the time proposed;
The appropriateness of the identified target audience(s)
and proposed methods to impact the stated audience(s);
Whether there is a clear delineation of responsibilities
of the project's key personnel and whether there are adequate
communication mechanisms in place for coordinating among project
partners;
The value and appropriateness of proposed collaborations;
The extent to which the project leverages other resources
or investments to achieve its objectives;
The likelihood the project can be sustained beyond the
duration of the grant;
The likelihood the impacts of the project on the target
audience will be long-lasting; and
Whether there are appropriate mechanisms to evaluate the
success of the project in meeting the anticipated outcomes.
(3) Overall Qualifications of Applicants (15%):
This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary
education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative
resources to accomplish the project. Reviewers will evaluate:
The qualifications and demonstrated ability within their
areas of expertise of the applicants, of key personnel who would
receive funds from this program, and of key personnel of the project
partners;
The applicant's previous experience in managing,
designing, and implementing educational programs;
The evaluators' previous experience in managing, designing
and implementing evaluations appropriate for the target audiences and
proposed activities;
The likelihood that the participating institution(s) have
the appropriate resources to carry out the proposed activities and that
applicant(s) have the ability to complete the proposed project
successfully;
The level of collaboration with other programs, minority-
serving institutions (MSIs), NOAA entities, or other educational or
research institutions; and
The extent to which all partners are contributing
meaningfully to the project, including articulation of activities in
letters of commitment.
(4) Project Costs (15%):
The budget is evaluated to determine if it is realistic and
commensurate with the project needs and time-frame. Reviewers will
evaluate:
The adequacy of the proposed resources to accomplish the
proposed work within the indicated time-frame;
If there are additional funds that provide additional
leverage; and
The adequacy of detail in the budget narrative to allow an
informed determination of how well all costs associated with the
project are justified.
(5) Outreach and Education (10%):
This criterion ascertains whether this project provides a focused
and effective education and outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission
to protect the Nation's natural resources. Reviewers will evaluate:
How the outcomes and results of the proposed project will
be disseminated to audiences beyond those participating directly in the
project. These may include publications, conferences, community events,
media, etc. associated with professional organizations such as AZA,
ASTC, NAAEE and NMEA; and
The likelihood that the project will increase awareness
and use of NOAA resources among target audiences.
Review and Selection Process
Upon receipt of a completed application by NOAA, an initial
administrative review is conducted to determine compliance with
requirements and completeness of the application. Minimum requirements
include all of the following:
Applicant is a 501(c)(3) non-profit aquarium or
organization associated with an aquarium;
Application was received on time;
All required elements of the application are present and
follow format guidance;
Requested budget is no less than $300,000 and no more than
$3,000,000 for all years of the project;
50% non-Federal match is included in project budget; and
Project duration is 1 to 5 years.
All applications that meet the eligibility and minimum requirements
and that are ascertained to be complete will be evaluated and scored by
a panel of independent reviewers. The reviews will be conducted by
panel review. Reviewers may be Federal or non-Federal experts, each
having expertise in a separate area so that the reviewers as a whole
cover the spectrum of applications received. The reviewers will score
each application using the evaluation criteria and relative weights
provided above. The individual review ratings shall be averaged for
each application to establish rank order. No consensus advice will be
given by the review panel. The Program Officer will neither vote nor
score applications as part of the review process. The Program Officer
will make his/her recommendations for funding based on rank order and
the selection factors listed in the next paragraph to the Selecting
Official, the Director of NOAA Education, for the selection of
applications.
Selection Factors for Projects
The panel review ratings shall provide a rank order to the
Selecting Official for final recommendation to the NOAA Grants Officer.
The Selecting Official will select applications based on the evaluation
criteria and rank order established by each panel unless the
application is justified to be selected out
[[Page 20464]]
of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors:
1. Availability of funding;
2. Balance/distribution of funds:
a. Geographically
b. By type of institutions
c. By type of partners
d. By research areas
e. By project types
3. Whether this project duplicates other projects funded or
considered for funding by NOAA or other Federal agencies;
4. Program priorities and policy factors;
5. Applicant's prior award performance;
6. Partnerships and/or participation of targeted groups;
7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA
determination and draft necessary documentation before recommendations
for funding are made to the Grants Officer. Selected applicants may be
asked to modify objectives, project plans, time lines, or budgets, and
provide supplemental information required by the agency prior to the
award. When a decision has been made (whether an award or declination),
anonymous copies of reviews and summaries of review panel
deliberations, if any, will be made available to the applicant.
Intergovernmental Review
Applications submitted to this funding opportunity are not subject
to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
Limitation of Liability
In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal preparation costs if these programs fail to receive
funding or are cancelled because of other agency priorities.
Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any
specific project or to obligate any available funds.
National Environmental Policy Act
NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects
or proposals which are seeking NOAA Federal funding opportunities.
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the
following NOAA NEPA Web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality
implementation regulations, http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm. Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under
their description of their program activities, applicants are required
to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted,
locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals,
introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and
threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef
systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve
as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an
application. In some cases if additional information is required after
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on
the environment.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696), are applicable to this
solicitation.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This document contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms
424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL and CD-346 has been approved by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control numbers
0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to,
nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with,
a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA
unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
Executive Order 12866
This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical
requirements for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not
been prepared.
Dated: April 28, 2009.
Mitchell J. Ross,
Director, Acquisition and Grants Office.
[FR Doc. E9-10166 Filed 5-1-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P