98T52301

DESCRIPTION:
This agreement provides funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC). The EFCs provide finance-related training, education, and analytical studies to help regulated parties develop solutions to the difficult 'how-to-pay' issues associated with meeting environmental standards. The EFCs educate state, tribal, and local governments and businesses on lowering environmental costs, increasing environmental investments, improving financial capacity, identifying appropriate revenue-generating mechanisms, and evaluating environmental financing options.

THIS AWARD PROVIDES PARTIAL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,485,176. SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. PREAWARD COSTS APPROVED BACK TO 1/1/2023.

ACTIVITIES:
The activities include direct technical assistance and training to communities within EPA Region 9 to strengthen their technical, financial, and managerial capacity to identify, access, and manage clean water and drinking water state revolving funds, bipartisan infrastructure law, and other water infrastructure funding.

SUBRECIPIENT:
Moonshot Missions (MM) will assist the R9 RWI EFC to identify community needs and build local technical, managerial, and financial capacity to meet those needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist RCAC to enable communities to gain access to federal and state funding under the BIL by providing planning, permitting, design review, and application assistance.
- Assist RCAC to identify capital improvement projects and operational efficiency improvements that can be undertaken to help utilities adopt best practices, achieve improved environmental and public health results, and lower costs.

OUTCOMES:
The anticipated deliverables include in-person trainings and webinars as well as direct assistance to communities summarized in quarterly reports.

The expected outcomes include increased access to infrastructure funding, especially for disadvantaged communities, resulting in cleaner and safer water for communities.

The intended beneficiaries include residents of the states, tribes, and Pacific Island territories in EPA Region 9.

Rural Community Assistance Corporation

1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.2 - EMBED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS INTO EPA’S PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND ACTIVITIES 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.2 - REDUCE WASTE AND PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION 3 - GREATER CERTAINTY, COMPLIANCE, AND EFFECTIVENESS 3.3 - PRIORITIZE ROBUST SCIENCE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 1 - A CLEANER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT 1.4 - ENSURE SAFETY OF CHEMICALS IN THE MARKETPLACE 2 - MORE EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS 2.2 - INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 3 - GREATER CERTAINTY, COMPLIANCE, AND EFFECTIVENESS 3.2 - CREATE CONSISTENCY AND CERTAINTY 3.5 - IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 1 - A CLEANER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT 1.3 - REVITALIZE LAND AND PREVENT CONTAMINATION 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRON

66.203 - Environmental Finance Center Grants

EPA Region 9: San Francisco [EPA - RO]

California United States

State-Wide

ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER GRANT PROGRAM (EPA-I-OW-OWM-22-01)

Infrastructure $1,485,176 (40%) percent this Cooperative Agreement was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Act.
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 152% from $1,485,176 to $3,750,000.