FY22 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP), a division of the Office of Response and Restoration, leads national efforts to address marine debris. The mission of the NOAA MDP is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. This mission is achieved through research, prevention, and removal activities that aim to conserve and protect our nation's marine environment and coastal economy, as well as ensure navigation safety.

Marine debris is defined as "any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes" (15 C.F.R. 909.1). This funding opportunity focuses on the removal of marine debris from coastal and marine waters (including the Great Lakes and coastal riverine systems) of the United States, territories, and Freely Associated States.

The overall objective of this funding opportunity is to make tangible, beneficial impacts to coastal and marine habitats and communities across a broad geographic scale, through a variety of marine debris removal methods as described in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). While there are a number of effective ways to address the sources and impacts of marine debris, this funding opportunity focuses on two distinct priorities aimed at making the largest measurable impact:

PRIORITY 1: the development of large scale and high-value marine debris removal programs (hereafter partnerships ) that can be responsive to local and regional marine debris removal needs, with a focus on large marine debris. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, large debris is defined as abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs), derelict fishing gear (DFG), and other debris that is generally unable to be collected by hand. Applicants may apply for funding to execute a plan for a particular marine debris removal project or to administer a competition for subawardees that will propose marine debris removal projects.

PRIORITY 2: the implementation of projects that use proven interception technologies that capture marine debris at or close to known marine debris sources or pathways.

These two priorities will be reviewed as separate, parallel tracks under this funding opportunity, and they have different application requirements, described in this NOFO, that applicants must adhere to. Applicants wishing to compete under both priorities must submit separate applications for each. Funding will be split across the two priorities. While NOAA anticipates a greater portion of funding going to Priority 1, the specific funding split will depend on the merit of submitted applications.

NOAA expects to support organizations with the technical and administrative ability to successfully carry out the objectives of this funding opportunity.

This funding opportunity meets NOAA's mission to prevent and mitigate the adverse impacts of marine debris through the conservation and management of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. To be competitive, applicants to this competition should demonstrate clear connections to this mission and benefits to NOAA trust resources. NOAA trust resources generally refer to marine habitats and resources in which NOAA has a stewardship interest. This includes resources associated with National Marine Sanctuaries, Marine Monuments, National Estuarine Research Reserves, and areas under state coastal management programs, including Areas of Concern within the Great Lakes. NOAA trust resources also include commercial and recreational fishery resources (marine and Great Lakes fish and shellfish); coastal habitats; diadromous fish species; endangered and threatened marine species; marine mammals and marine turtles; marshes, mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, other coastal habitats; Essential Fish Habitat (EFH); and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs). For the purposes of this competition, NOAA trust resources may also include foreign, transient, or transboundary marine species.

Funding of up to $56,000,000 is expected to be available for this grant solicitation. The minimum federal request for Priority 1 is $1,000,000. The maximum federal request for Priority 1 is $15,000,000. The minimum federal request for Priority 2 is $100,000. The maximum federal request for Priority 2 is $1,000,000. Cost sharing, leveraged funds, and in-kind support will make projects more competitive. Applicants are strongly encouraged to combine NOAA federal funding with formal matching contributions and informal leverage from a broad range of sources in the public and private sectors. To this end, applicants should note that cost sharing and leverage of other funds is an element considered in the evaluation criteria.

This funding opportunity will support organizations that will collaborate with diverse entities and groups. These include (but are not limited to) collaborations with public and nonprofit organizations, community and watershed groups, anglers, boaters, industry (e.g., commercial and recreational fishing industries, other marine industries, and plastic and waste management industries), corporations and businesses, youth groups, students, landowners, academia, tribal governments, and local and state government agencies.

To further support effective collaborations, and in alignment with the Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, the NOAA MDP encourages applicants and awardees to support the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility when writing their proposals and performing their work. Ensuring these principles means paying particular attention to the most vulnerable or underserved communities, which are often low-income, those already overburdened by pollution, those who lack economic or social opportunity, and people facing disenfranchisement.

In alignment with the Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, all applicants are asked to describe how their proposed project will advance equity and inclusion (see Section IV.B.4).

For this funding competition, the following definitions from Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government are being included:

-The term equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment.

-The term underserved communities refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

The term accessibility means the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them. NOAA defines diversity as a collection of individual attributes that together help organizations achieve objectives. Inclusion is defined as a culture that connects each person to the larger organizing structure. Promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion improves the creativity, productivity, and vitality of communities in which the program engages. All applicants are asked to describe how their proposed partnership or project will advance these principles.