Funding and Measures from a Region 8 Perspective

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Funding and Measures from a Region 8
Perspective

• Western Regions Pesticide Meeting
• Linda Himmelbauer, USEPA R8
• May 16, 2006

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Acknowledgments

• Tim Osag, Technical Enforcement Program, USEPA
  Region 8
• Judy Bloom, Pesticides program, USEPA Region 8
• Ron Kendall, OPP FEAD

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CHALLENGE 1 Funding

• How to provide the best FIFRA
• coverage in Indian country
• with the current available
• resources.

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CHALLENGE 2 Measures

• How to stay afloat amidst the sea of new measures.

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Topics to be Covered

• Background
• Current Funding Situation
• Measures how theyve changed business
• Need for New Thinking

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Background R8 Tribal Program...

• 27 Tribal Nations on 26 reservations.
• Population 208,000.
• Combined 46,490 square miles, about size of
  Mississippi.
• Approx 40 of all lands that constitute Indian
  country in the US are contained within Region
  8.

Mississippi
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BackgroundR8 Pesticides Program

• Pesticide duties are housed in four R8 Offices
• Pollution Prevention, Pesticides Toxics
  Program (P3T)
• Pesticides core field programs WPS, Endangered
  Species, C T, SAI, Imports, Water Quality as
  well as IPM in Schools, POs for State PPGs
  /Continuous grants, program oversight, direct
  implementation.
• Technical Enforcement Program (TEP)
• Inspectors
• Compliance Assistance
• Tribal Assistance Program (TAP)
• Tribal POs for PPGs / Continuous grants
• Policy, Information Mgmt. Env. Justice
  Program (PJ)
• FTTS/NCDB Database management

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In addition to National priorities every Region
also has priorities.Region 8 Priorities

• Agriculture
• Direct Implementation
• Energy
• Homeland Security
• Revitalization

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Current Funding Situation..R8 Tribal Pesticides
Program

• From 3 sources
• OPP 55.2 K
• OECA 372.6 K
• AIEO 100 K over 3 years
• 3 Pots of Money3 Sets of Measures

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OPP/OECA Funding comparison..
Mississippi
427.8 K
393.5 K
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Whats being funded in R8

• Five Tribal Pesticide programs Cheyenne River
  Sioux, Fort Peck, Oglala, Standing Rock, Three
  Affiliated.
• One Pesticide Tribal Circuit Rider (for SD
  reservations, currently Lower Brule and Crow
  Creek).
• Special project from the National OPP RFP
• Sisseton Wahpeton Water Quality.

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Additional Funding available via the OPP Special
Project RFP.

• This RFP will be released soon.
• A total of approx 400K available for tribal
  pesticide related special projects.
• Contact
• Ron Kendall, OPP
• 703-305-5561
• kendall.ronald_at_epa.gov

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An additional funding challenge for
FY07...Indirect Cost (IDC) Rates

• This is a national push - includes all Regions.
• Not a new requirement.
• OMB is holding EPA accountable for implementing
  the requirement.
• The IDC rate must be approved by IHS for every
  tribe (every year or some may have multi-year
  approvals).
• Before the IDC is approved, the financial papers
  of the tribe must be audited by a single
  independent auditor that the tribe hires.

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An additional funding challenge for
FY07...Indirect Cost (IDC) Rates

• Rates vary between 9-50 and are not determined
  by EPA AT ALL.
• All indirect costs in new grants, and new money
  added to existing grants, are affected.
• Getting approval is entirely directed by the
  tribe.
• As Tribal Pesticide Program contacts it may be a
  good idea to check with your financial office to
  see where they are in getting the rate approved.

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Measures.

• Have the OMB PART reviews and new measures
  affected the way Region 8 runs its pesticides
  program?
• You bet.

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Measureshow theyve changed business in R8

• R8 moved to a base program funding approach
• For OPP money.
• Base tribal program approx 9-14K per year
• Work plan activities support the national (or
  regional) program measures.
• For OECA money.
• Base tribal program approx 65K
• Work plan activities support the national
  measures inspection-based, obtaining federal
  credentials, etc.

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Measurescontinued how theyve changed business
in R8

• GAP money used for pesticide code development.
• Funding decisions are based on need and
  performance (including progress in meeting
  measures).

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Need for New Thinking.

• Resources are flat..so
• Are we funding the right things??
• Are we putting our money in the best places to
  maximize FIFRA coverage in Indian country??

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FIFRA Coverage in Indian country

• Whats currently in the toolbox.
• Cooperative Agreements with Tribes
• Grants with Tribes (Special Projects)
• Direct Implementation (EPA)
• Circuit Riders
• ?
• ?
• We need more tools in the toolbox.

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• The right things to fund .
• Ensuring pesticides are used safely to protect
  public health and the environment.

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• Improving FIFRA coverage in Indian Country
• In 2005, R8 assessed FIFRA coverage needs in
  Indian country focusing on collecting data for
  agriculture acreage, number of farms ranches,
  population, etc., all indicators of possible
  pesticide use.
• Purpose of the assessment to help EPA best
  target its resources.

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Assessment Methodology

• Looked at the factors used in HQ formula funding
  for States. Specifically, state grant allocation
  factors from the CFR (40 Part 35 Part A Section
  35.115 (j) (k).
• population
• private applicators
• commercial applicators
• farms
• farm acreage
• production establishments
• Not all factors applicable or readily available
• Information provided to R8 tribes for comment
• Information presented at ROC mtg

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Assessment Conclusions

• The five tribes receiving continuous cooperative
  agreement grants ranked high in population,
  farms/ranches, agricultural acreage.
• Greater FIFRA coverage needed in SD (initiated
  the circuit rider program)
• Greater FIFRA coverage needed in MT (Montana EPA
  Office)

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Questions or Comments?