Federal grant programs / Environmental Protection Agency

Air Pollution Control Program Support (66.001)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$380 million
• Grant awards199
• Typical award$921,252
• Awarded in FY 2025$84.6 million
• Size rank435 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $73.5 million in fiscal 2021 to $84.6 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 435th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 75% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 29 states and territories.

What the program funds

The objectives of the §105 program are to assist state, tribal, municipal, intermunicipal, and interstate air pollution control agencies in planning, developing, establishing, improving, and maintaining adequate programs for the continuing prevention and control of air pollution, and/or in the implementation of national primary and secondary air quality standards. The continuing activities funded under Section 105 include: analysis and planning for attainment and maintenance of NAAQS; emission reduction measures; development and operation of air quality monitoring networks, and other air program activities. Specific expectations and deliverables are established through negotiations in grant agreements between regions and air pollution control agencies. EPA is prepared to work collaboratively with air agencies to adjust resources to meet changing priorities. The Office of Air and Radiation's National Program Guidance identifies key priorities and activities expected to be undertaken by EPA Headquarters and Regional offices and implementing air agencies in national areas of focus. OAR’s current NP Guidance can be found at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/national-program-guidances. The monitoring guidance outlines monitoring priorities, quality assurance programs, and funding projections. The monitoring appendix may be accessed at https://www.epa.gov/amtic/national-program-manager-npm-guidance-monitoring-appendix.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Municipal, Intermunicipal, State, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe, or Interstate or Intertribal with legal responsibility for appropriate air pollution planning, development, establishment, implementation, and maintenance of Clean Air Act air pollution control activities, including management of grant support for those activities, provided such organization furnishes funds for the current year that are equal to or in excess of its recurrent expenditures for the previous year for its approved section 105 air pollution control program. The determination of expenditures is subject to decisions based on provisions of the Clean Air Act and applicable grant regulations. This program is available to each state, territory and possession of the U.S., including the District of Columbia.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Grant funds may be used for costs specifically incurred in the conduct of a state/local/tribal air pollution control program in accordance with the purposes enumerated in the approved application. These include personnel costs, supplies, equipment, personnel training, travel, and other necessary expenditures during the approved project period. Funds may not be used for construction of facilities, nor for expenses incurred other than during each approved award period. Grant funds may not be used to subsidize the costs of Title V operating permit programs or to supplant otherwise available recipient resources.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. The Clean Air Act does not prescribe a specific statutory funding formula but does direct that the factors of population, the extent and severity of the air pollution problem, and financial need, be considered in the allocation of available resources by the Agency. State, interstate, and local programs may receive up to 60% federal funding for the total approved program costs. The non-tribal grantee must contribute a minimum of 40% as well as meet a maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement. The amount of federal share of grant costs should be determined by reference to the criteria set forth in Section 105 of the Clean Air Act and in 40 CFR 35.145, 40 CFR 35.146, and 40 CFR 147. Not more than 10% of the total of funds appropriated for Section 105 grants shall be granted for air pollution control programs in any one state. Not less than one-half of one % of the annual appropriations are to be made available to a state for application. EPA can award less than the 0.5% level if the level of funding is not justified in the work plan. For Indian tribes establishing eligibility pursuant to Section 35.573, the Regional Administrator may provide financial assistance in an amount up to 95% of the approved costs of planning, developing, establishing, or improving an air pollution control program, and up to 95% of the approved costs of maintaining that program.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Award range from approximately $50,000 to $6,500,000 per recipient; average approximately $1,400,000

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2016: Not available Continuing program grants are provided to State, Local and Tribal air pollution control agencies for the purpose of operating programs that plan and implement activities to achieve ambient air quality standards. These programs cover: planning for attainment of updated national air quality standards including fine particulates and ozone; state implementation plan development; ambient monitoring; emission inventories; air and emissions modeling; source permitting; certain compliance and enforcement activities related to mobile and non-Title V stationary and area sources; public outreach and education activities; development and implementation of air quality regulations; implementation of market-based, early action compacts and other innovative air pollution reduction or prevention strategies; technical training; risk and data analyses; information management; and program evaluation, progress reporting and other program operation and maintenance activities.Fiscal Year2017: Continuing program grants are provided to State, Local and Tribal air pollution control agencies for the purpose of operating programs that plan and implement activities to achieve ambient air quality standards.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

State and local governments received 96% of the money, tribes 3.9% and colleges and universities less than 0.1%.

By state

25 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.