Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for approximately $15 million in discretionary grant funding for FY 2023 through its Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grant program. This is the second round of funding for this grant program. The final RFA was released on November 14, 2022 and remains open through January 16, 2023.
Section 70402 of the BIL established the Consumer REO Grant Program and provides $75,000,000 for REO grants for Federal Fiscal Years 2022 through 2026 at $15,000,000 per year. Pursuant to Section 70402(b) of the BIL, the purpose of the competitive REO grant program is to improve the effectiveness of residential and community recycling programs through public education and outreach. The Recycling Education and Outreach grant program has the following goals: fund a range of projects that will increase waste prevention activities, increase the collection of recyclable materials and program participation rates, and decrease contamination of the recycling stream; fund projects that focus on commonly recycled materials such as municipal solid waste (e.g., plastics, aluminum, paper, glass, etc.), including food waste and organics; fund projects and provide tools and technical assistance that will lead to long-term, sustained change, benefits, and support beyond the life of the grant. REO grants must: inform the public about residential or community recycling programs; provide information about the recycled materials that are accepted as part of a residential or community recycling program that provides for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material; and increase collection rates and decrease contamination in residential and community recycling programs.
The City meets the criteria to be eligible to submit an application. The Department of Public Service is developing a public education and outreach strategy to improve the effectiveness of the city’s residential recycling programs. The Department is requesting $2 million in Consumer REO funding from USEPA to expand its public education and outreach.
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for a Consumer REO grant, execute agreements with USEPA or others in connection with the award of the grant, the expenditure of grant funds, and the return of unused grant funds if any should remain at the end of the grant.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
No financial participation is required at this time. City funds will be approved in the form of design contracts and/or construction contracts that will be or have been submitted for Council's approval.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to provide the Department of Public Service with the authorization to proceed with an application prior to the application period’s end.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Service to apply for a Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency; to authorize the execution of grant and other requisite agreements with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and other entities providing for the acceptance and administration of said grant award; to authorize the expenditure of any awarded funds and the refund of any unused funds; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced a round of funding for the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grant program, which is a grant program to be awarded on a competitive basis; and
WHEREAS, USEPA is accepting applications for the FY 2023 funding round through January 16, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City is developing a public education and outreach strategy to improve the effectiveness of the city’s residential recycling programs; and
WHEREAS, City Council approval is needed to apply for and accept the grant funding; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to prepare and submit the aforesaid grant application prior to the end of the application period, for the public health, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to submit an application seeking grant funding from USEPA’s Consumer REO grant program; to accept said grants, if awarded; and to execute a grant agreement and any other documents necessary to effectuate said applications, acceptance, or agreement on behalf of the Department of Public Service.
SECTION 2. That the Department of Public Service be and hereby is authorized to expend any awarded grant funds in accordance with the terms and conditions of said grant.
SECTION 3. That, at the end of the grant period, or upon request of the grantor, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.