Learn the Issues
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Does funding through this grant include municipalities within the Chicago River watershed?
Yes, including the historic Chicago River watershed.
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Appendix B to Information Quality Act Request for Correction 14002, Regarding the Libby Amphibole Asbestos IRIS Assessment
Summary of Information Quality Act Requests for Correction regarding the Libby Amphibole Asbestos IRIS Assessment.
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Does EPA have a minimum threshold/definition for the Regional scale program? In other words, what does Regional mean or is it open to applicants to determine at any scale?
GLNPO wants to be extremely flexible and encourage PRs to think about which regions they could expect to effectively cover when creating their application. There are no additional criteria from EPA on how big or small the Project RFA should be.
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Will basin wide PR serve areas without a designated PR for smaller part of the region, or will their service areas overlap?
If the Project RFA will be serving the entire basin, I.e., a basin-wide GLEJGP, this could be delegated within a coalition (if it is a coalition that has applied). Otherwise, the PR organization will be serving the entire basin. If there is a basin-wide PR as well as a smaller…
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Can the application also include program admin support for various coalition partners outside of the principal recipient?
Yes. Coalitions are allowable. Applicants should reflect related admin-related costs in the budget narrative. Please see Question 2 under this section for additional information.
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Can EPA give some clarity on the 6-year timeframe and additional potential years of funding as it relates to project timeline(s)? For example, is the timeframe intended to expect multiple years of RFAs released by the prime under the initial application to the EPA, or one RFA with extended time for project completion and reporting?
The design and overall program approach toward the Project RFA should be decided by the applicant. However, all subawards under the Project RFA must be completed and closed out within the 6-year window.
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Is the grant reimbursement-based or can money be requested up front incrementally?
The cooperative agreement will be funded incrementally and with the award, there will be an initial increment of funding made available. EPA will be looking to the applicants to budget for that. Applicants will estimate funds needed for that first year and will then work with their assigned EPA project…
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Will the recipient have to front the money to sub recipients? Or how would the initial year of funding be determined?
The cooperative agreement will be funded incrementally, which means that it will be up to the principal recipient to plan for and budget that first year of funding and all additional years if funds are awarded. Please reference EPA General Terms and Conditions #5. If awarded, funds will be disbursed…
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Will there be a non-federal cost share or match required of grants made by the principal recipient?
No, non-federal cost share is not required. If an applicant proposes voluntary cost share, they should carefully review section III.B on page 21, description of Supporting Materials in section IV.D on page 27, and section V.B.
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Funding amounts are for the entire project period and not annually, correct?
Yes, that is correct. Funding amounts are for the entire 6-year period and not annual amounts.
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Where can residents get the most accurate and up-to-date information on the East Avenue Study Area?
This www.epa.gov/EastAveStudyArea website has the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding EPA’s investigations in the Erie community. For up-to-date information regarding the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection investigation at the former coke facility, please visit the Erie Coke Corporation Investigation website.
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How can residents communicate with EPA about activities happening in the East Avenue Study Area?
This EPA website (www.epa.gov/EastAveStudyArea) is dedicated to the investigations in the Erie community. We encourage you to use the site and submit any questions you might have through the form that appears on the website. We also welcome any feedback you might have on the webpage.
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What are the health risks for people who have lived in this area for many years?
EPA does not have information on what community members could have been exposed to during the coke facility’s operational years. EPA’s current investigation focuses on contaminants that may still remain in the community that could cause future impacts. If you have health concerns or questions, please contact your primary care…
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Was the community surrounding Erie Coke affected by historic site operations?
EPA is currently investigating whether the former Erie Coke facility impacted the surrounding community. This East Avenue Study Area website will be updated throughout the process to provide up-to-date information. Sampling results from individual homes will not be provided on this website due to privacy. All personal information will be…
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National Air Toxics Assessment
NATA is an ongoing thorough evaluation of air toxics in the U.S. Intended as a screening tool, it helps air agencies learn which pollutants, emission sources and places they may wish to study further to better understand possible public health risks.
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Will EPA do any testing or risk evaluations related to pets?
EPA does not have any screening levels to assess for risk to pets related to environmental contaminants. It is recommended to contact your veterinarian for specific information regarding your pet’s health.
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Is it safe for children to play outside in residential yards?
EPA will need to conduct residential soil samples in order to know more information about the current condition of yards. Please refer to the EPA Growing Gardens in Urban Soils Guide (PDF) for more general information about safety with soil activities.
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Can Erie residents be exposed to contamination if we grow and eat vegetables from residential gardens?
EPA will not know if there is contamination in residential yards until the soil samples are validated. Please keep in mind, current research recommends hand washing after play or contact with urban soils where concentrations of contaminants may be higher than soils in rural areas. In addition, all fruits and…
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How do we know our drinking water has not been affected during Erie Coke’s operation?
Residents in the community are provided drinking water through public water that is routinely tested according to the Safe Drinking Water Act.
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Why is it difficult to establish a link between cancers and other illnesses to environmental exposures?
The complex nature of cancer makes it inherently challenging to identify, interpret, and address cancer clusters. Cancer is a term describing different diseases that share a similar characteristic: uncontrollable cell growth and division. As a group, cancers are very common. Cancers are the second leading cause of death in the…