USDA/Forest Service Pilot Grant for Innovative Regional Wastewater Treatment Solutions

Funds must be used to identify and evaluate economically feasible innovative regional solutions to wastewater treatment concerns for historically impoverished communities in areas which have had difficulty installing traditional wastewater treatment systems due to soil conditions. The work product must be related to the aforementioned purpose and be related to a proposed project that meets the following requirements: 1) MUST be regional in scope; and be for one of the following: 2) to construct, enlarge, extend or otherwise improve rural wastewater facilities; or 3) to construct or relocate public buildings, roads, bridges, fences, or utilities; and to make other public improvements necessary for the successful operation or protection of facilities authorized in paragraph 2) of this section; or 4) to relocate private buildings, roads, bridges, fences or utilities, and to make other private improvements necessary for the successful operation or protection of facilities authorized in paragraph 2) of this section.

Funds may not be used to: 1) fund political or lobbying activities; 2) pay for work already completed; 3) purchase real estate or vehicles, improve or renovate office space, or repair and maintain privately owned property; 4) construct or furnish a building; 5) intervene in the Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings; 6) sue the Federal Government or any other government entities; 7) pay for any other costs that are not allowable under 2 CFR part 200, as adopted by USDA through 2 CFR part 400; 8) make contributions or donations to others; 9) fund projects that duplicate technical assistance given to implement action plans under the National Forest Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act of 1990(7 U.S.C 6613). Applicants cannot receive both grants made under this part and grants that the Forest Service makes to implement the action plans for five continuous years from the date of grant approval by the Forest Services; 10) to pay an outstanding judgment obtained by the United States in a Federal Court (other than in the United States Tax Court), which has been recorded. An applicant will be ineligible to receive a grant until the judgment is paid in full or otherwise satisfied; and 11) any project that creates a conflict of interest of an appearance of a conflict of interest.