Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program
The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) tribal grant program funds projects and activities that address emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in drinking water systems serving small tribal communities. Funding is allocated to EPA’s Regional Offices, which award funds to eligible recipients for emerging contaminants projects and activities.
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Background
The EC-SDC tribal grant program provides funds for projects and activities that have the primary purpose of addressing emerging contaminants in tribal drinking water systems or source water, with a focus on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Projects that address any contaminant listed in any of EPA’s Contaminant Candidate Lists are eligible for funding.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $5 billion in funds for the EC-SDC national program. Of these funds, $100 million have been designated for the EC-SDC Tribal Grant Program, which funds activities to address emerging contaminants in water systems serving federally recognized tribes. There is no cost-share/match applicable for the funding made available under this grant program.
Funding Allotments
EPA allocates funding to the EPA Regional Offices based on a formula that takes into account the number and size of public water systems serving tribes in each region. Regional Offices will award funds to eligible entities for projects and activities that address emerging contaminants.
Information about current Regional allotments of EC-SDC Tribal funds can be found in the Tribal Funding Allotment Memorandum, June 28, 2023
Information about the allocation formula for this program can be found here: Regional Allocation Formulas for Non-Competitive Tribal Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants: An Amendment to the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants – Tribal Set-Aside Program Revised Guidelines (pdf)
Eligible Recipients
Established as a noncompetitive grant program, eligibility to apply for and receive funds from the tribal allotment of this grant program is limited to public water systems serving tribal communities that have a population of less than 10,000 individuals and that lack the capacity to incur sufficient debt to finance the project, pursuant to SDWA section 1459A(c)(1)(C)(2)(B).
Eligible public water systems include existing privately- and publicly owned community water systems and non-profit non-community water systems, including systems utilizing point of entry or residential central treatment. EPA also has the authority to award grants to the State of Alaska on behalf of public water systems serving Alaska Native Villages (ANVs).
Eligible Projects
Projects and activities eligible for funding under the EC-SDC tribal grant program include activities in the following categories:
- Scoping and identification
- Testing or sampling for baseline assessment
- Research and testing
- Planning and design
- Treatment of Emerging Contaminant(s) (e.g. construction or upgrading of treatment facilities etc.)
- Source Water Activities Related to Emerging Contaminant(s)
- Storage (e.g. Construction or rehabilitation of water storage structures)
- Water system restructuring, consolidation, or creation
- Providing households access to drinking water services
- Technical assistance
- Public communication, engagement, and education
Examples of eligible activities include (but are not limited to):
- Research and investigations to identify the presence, source, or extent of emerging contaminant contamination in water systems or source water, including non-routine monitoring and testing;
- Developing emerging contaminant action plans;
- Source water protection activities (e.g., developing source water protection plans, monitoring source waters for emerging contaminants, implementing watershed protection measures to mitigate EC contamination, etc.);
- Technical assistance to help public water systems plan, develop, administer, or perform any other eligible activity or use;
- Upgrading existing treatment facilities to add new treatment processes such as activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis
Implementation
Regional offices will select projects to fund under the EC-SDC Tribal Grant Program and work with tribes in their region to help identify needs. The implementation manual for the EC-SDC tribal grant program serves as a guide for EPA’s Regional offices and external stakeholders as they implement this program.
Contact Information
EPA Headquarters Program Contact: neusner.gabriella@epa.gov
EPA Regional Program Contacts: Tribal Drinking Water Regional Coordinators