Geographic Programs – Lake Champlain Basin Program

The goal of this program is to implement the Lake Champlain Basin Management Plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin 2022 (Opportunities for Action), and to assist the states of New York and Vermont in protecting, restoring and preserving the water quality and ecological health of the Lake Champlain ecosystem. In FY 2026 efforts in Lake Champlain will continue to support the successful interstate, interagency, and international partnership undertaking the implementation of Opportunities for Action, a plan designed to protect and where necessary restore the lake's water quality, sustain healthy ecosystems in the basin, support thriving communities and inform and involve the public in lake issues and activities. Non-competitive financial awards under this program are made to the States of Vermont and New York, and to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) to implement Opportunities for Action. Congress directed EPA to allocate $25,000,000 for the Lake Champlain program via the Appropriations Act of 2024. These funds shall be allocated through the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), other than $8,000,000, which shall be directed to support significant, impactful projects identified in the state implementation plan that will make measurable progress towards meeting the phosphorus reduction targets of the EPA's 2016 Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load Plan for Lake Champlain. Funding priorities include phosphorus reduction, cyanobacteria control, water quality monitoring to track progress and alerts to the public if unsafe conditions exist, implementation of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Invasive Species Program as authorized by the Vessel Incident Discharge Act (Public Law 115–282), aquatic invasive species prevention and control, habitat protection and restoration, and environmental education and outreach. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the LCBP received approximately $8 million annually from FY23 through FY25 under CWA Section 120. The final allocation is expected to be made in FY26. The Lake Champlain priorities for funding include increased technical assistance, capacity, and implementation funding to support aquatic organism passage, floodplain restoration and flood mitigation, use of natural infrastructure, and habitat restoration and conservation programs. IIJA funding will also be prioritized to support significant, impactful projects identified in the state implementation plan that will make measurable progress towards meeting the phosphorus reduction targets of the EPA’s 2016 Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load Plan for Lake Champlain, and to implement the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Invasive Species Program as authorized by the Vessel Incident Discharge Act (Public Law 115–282) to address invasive species in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.

For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency’s Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements. In accordance with Section 120 of the Clean Water Act, EPA may provide non-competitive funding to the states of Vermont and New York and to NEIWPCC for the implementation of the LCBP. In addition, EPA may choose to solicit applications from other state, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies, and public or nonprofit agencies, institutions, and organizations that are eligible to receive competitive grants from EPA through this program.

Assistance under this program generally benefits State environmental, health, and agriculture agencies; interstate water pollution control agencies; public nonprofit institutions and organizations; sponsored organizations; Federal agencies; local agencies; intrastate agencies; public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations; private organizations; small businesses; and quasi-public nonprofit institutions.

Each federal assistance application and final work plan will be evaluated by EPA Region 1 or Region 2 to determine the adequacy of the application under the established EPA grants program requirements and guidelines, including, but not limited to, the requirements set forth in 2 CFR 1500. Technical merit and the relevance of the project to the priorities and objectives established in Opportunities for Action will also be considered. Each application will also be subject to an administrative review by the EPA Region 1 or 2 grants management office as appropriate to determine whether all administrative requirements have been met. The workplan is submitted to the EPA Region 1 and 2 Regional Administrators for approval prior to the award of any assistance agreement. Once a Regional Office approves the annual workplan, funds are awarded by the EPA Region 1 or 2 Regional Administrator or his/her delegate as appropriate. Grantees will receive an award package from the appropriate EPA Regional grants management office that must be accepted and signed by an authorized official of the recipient organization and returned to the grants management office within 30 days. Awards may be made on an advance or reimbursement basis. Awards that are not signed and returned by the deadline may be subject to cancellation. For any competitive awards under this assistance listing, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the NOFO. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

Notification of action on applications varies depending on the timing of funds release to the EPA Regional Offices from Headquarters. Interval from submission to notification may vary from two months to eight months.