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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-21 Green Advisory Board Agenda PacketAGENDA City of Dania Beach Green Advisory Board Meeting VIRTUAL MEETING Wednesday, April 21, 2021 5:00 PM ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING ADVISORY BOARD WITH REGARD TO ANY MATTER CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING OR HEARING WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AND FOR SUCH PURPOSE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. LOBBYIST REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN ANY LOBBYING ACTIVITIES, WHETHER OR NOT COMPENSATION IS PAID OR RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH THOSE ACTIVITIES, EACH LOBBYIST SHALL FILE WITH THE CITY CLERK AN ANNUAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PAY AN ANNUAL ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) REGISTRATION FEE FOR EACH PRINCIPAL OR EMPLOYER. REGISTRATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE: WWW.DANIABEACHFL.GOV. (ORDINANCE #2012-019) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PERSONS NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, 100 W. DANIA BEACH BOULEVARD, DANIA BEACH, FL 33004, (954) 924-6800 EXTENSION 3624, AT LEAST 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING .  ROLL CALL  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Green Advisory Board - March 17, 2021 regular meeting. .  CITIZENS COMMENTS  NEW BUSINESS  Debrief discussion of last weekend’s Special Event  OLD BUSINESS  Green Advisory Board - Purpose, Duties and Responsibilities  DISCUSSION/ACTION  NEXT MEETING  Wednesday, May 19, 2021  ADJOURN If you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Richard Lorber at 954-289-4379 or via email: rlorber@daniabeachfl.gov Thank you. MINUTES City of Dania Beach Green Advisory Board Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 17, 2020 5:00 PM The meeting was called to order at 5:01 PM. 1. ROLL CALL: Board Members Staff Laura Lombardo, Chair Present Richard Lorber, Planning & Zoning Manager Patricia Chukerman Absent Corinne Lajoie, Assistant Director Kasia Johnson Present Eleanor Norena, Director Alexis Guillen Present Charlene Hogan Present Present David Simonetta Present Motion to excuse Board member Chukerman’s absence was made by Board Member Lombardo and seconded by Chair Lombardo, and was approved by the Board 4-0. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: a. February 17, 2021 regular meeting. b. March 3, 2021 special meeting. Motion was made by Alexis Guillen / seconded by David Simonetta. Motion passed 4-0. 2. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: N/A 3. NEW BUSINESS:  Kasia logged on by phone, and Laura introduced the Board members and staff.  Richard made a presentation on the Green Advisory Board purpose, duties and responsibilities. 4. OLD BUSINESS:  Alexis discussed the upcoming Special Event, and how partnering with the SFL Wildlife Center Organization’s event would be beneficial for both groups. The other group is organizing online event, home depot buckets.  The Board was enthused about the proposed partnership for the event  Representative wasn’t on the call but gave the graphics for the event  Tomorrow RL will check with Parks if permit has been approved yet and inform Alexis  Joint release of information – Richard to provide Katia’s contact information to Alexis  Charlene to look into school board angle.  People should know that people are fishing off the dock, Richard unsure about closing dock  Laura discussed coordination with Creative Arts Council Advisory Board CACAB with Beach Cleanup finds GAB Minutes 2 February 19, 2020  Parking is provided for volunteers  Discussed anchoring on reef; boat traffic, Marine Advisory Board – RL to provide Board Member contact info to Alexis.  Should have a system to track the pickers and buckets – Alexis to make a sign-up sheets and coordinate on Friday with SFWC. Alexis to coordinate with Eric Brown 5. DISCUSSION/ACTION:  Get the ball rolling on a “master plan” – bring ideas to next meeting  Cleanup event every 3 months – partner with other organizations  Richard to find out past try beach cleanups from P&R  Laura asked about the Dania Beach Improvement Committee? Staff was unaware.  David: Boats in real shallow areas in Whiskey Creek Mangroves – liveaboards?  David: Solar panels on roofs – legislation; Ft. Lauderdale may have it.  Alexis: Cost is an issue RL to check other Cities  Laura: Contacting developers about Green RL to give report on current incentives  Alexis: Spoke with Mayor about Balloon pollution – Article 2013 Anthony Brassfield arrested for releasing balloons from Motel 6 on EDDB Florida water control act  Ban balloons for permitted outdoor activities and parks rec facilities – SE permits should ban  Some cities ban plastics at city events RL to look at SE event application  Meetings to start at 5:00  Next GAB Regular Meeting is April 21, 2021 at 5:00 PM. 6. ADJOURNMENT: Motion was made by Board Member Lombardo and seconded by to adjourn the meeting at 5:54 PM and it was seconded by Board Member Simonetta. Motion passed 4-0. and All cleanup materials will be provided, including gloves, baskets and buckets, for cleanup. All cleanup materials will be provided, including gloves, baskets and buckets, for cleanup. LET’S MAKE DANia Beach Pristine FOR EArth DAY EVERYDAY The City of Dania Beach will host a beach clean up day. HELP US MAKE OUR BEACH PRISTINE! April 22nd 5pm-7pm April 22nd 5pm-7pm #DaniaBeachPristine * Masks are required.* Masks are required. This free family-friendly event will feature contests and prizes! This free family-friendly event will feature contests and prizes! Light bites and water provided to all volunteers. Light bites and water provided to all volunteers. Take home a free t-shirt. Take home a free t-shirt. Please bring a reusable bottle. Community Service Hours Available! For more info please contact us: 954-924-6800 x3606 | daniabeacfl.gov From: Bauer, Joseph <Joseph.Bauer@FloridaDEP.gov> I wanted to reach out to you today to discuss the Coastal Adaptation & Resilience Tools (CART) Initiative. Through this Initiative, I have been working with local planners around the state over the last few years to demonstrate free online tools that can be used in vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning against different types of coastal flood threats; including shallow coastal flooding, storm surge, and sea level rise. The tools I’ve been demonstrating to local communities include:  NOAA’s Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper (https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/flood-exposure.html)  NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer (https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html)  UF GeoPlan/FDOT Sea Level Sketch Planning Tool (http://sls.geoplan.ufl.edu/%23intro)  GulfTREE (http://www.gulftree.org/)  The Nature Conservancy’s Coastal Resilience mapper (https://maps.coastalresilience.org/) I would like to coordinate with either yourself or other interested staff in Dania Beach who would like to know about these tools and how they could help or enhance current or future resilience projects. It’s my hope that I could provide a GoToWebinar demonstration of these tools for you and other interested staff, at a time that is most convenient to you. The demonstrations themselves are normally for a couple of hours, and I can do multiple demos for different groups if there are too many schedule conflicts to allow everyone who is interested gather for just one. After looking at my schedule, it looks like I’ll have opportunities throughout late April or early May to provide this demo. If you have any questions about this please do not hesitate to ask! Sincerely, Joseph Bauer Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection Government Operations Consultant I 3900 Commonwealth Blvd, MS 235 Tallahassee, FL, 32399-3000 Joseph.Bauer@FloridaDEP.gov Office: 850-245-2180 1 National Estuary Program Coastal Watersheds Grant Program 2021 Request for Proposals Issuance Date: March 31, 2021 Deadlines 1. Letters of Intent: due by 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET on June 7, 2021 2. Full proposals by invitation only: due by 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET on September 20, 2021 For all inquiries related to this solicitation, please contact Suzanne Simon, Restore America’s Estuaries, at ssimon@estuaries.org. For additional information about the program, please visit https://estuaries.org/initiatives/watershedgrants/. Contents: A. Program Overview B. Letter of Intent Requirements and Limits C. Full Proposal Requirements and Limits D. Evaluation Frameworks E. Submitting a Proposal F. Documentation of Timely Submittals and Problems with Submittals G. Award Calendar H. Indirect Costs A. Program Overview The National Estuary Program (NEP) Coastal Watersheds Grant (CWG) Program is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent and challenging issues threatening the well-being of coastal and estuarine areas within determined estuaries of national significance. Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) will be administering the NEP CWG Program in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a pass-through entity with funding provided under Cooperative Agreement 83967501. Grants awarded under this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be “subawards” for the purposes of 2 CFR 200. RAE will establish and manage the subawards in compliance with 2 CFR 200.331 and the terms of EPA Cooperative Agreement 83967501. The goals of the CWG Program are to: • Address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas and estuaries; • Achieve on-the-ground or tangible quantifiable improvements in coastal and estuarine habitats conditions and the health of living resources; • Apply new or innovative approaches, practices, methods, or techniques for preventing, treating, and removing pollution entering estuaries; 2 • Establish or improve sustainable local capacity to protect and restore coastal watersheds and their living resources; and • Support and expand promising approaches for watershed resilience and adaptation. This program offers an opportunity to make meaningful, on-the-ground change via thoughtful, strategic decisions regarding projects. In addition, the program will encourage partnerships in order to build stronger, more resilient communities, particularly with respect to climate change, seal level rise, and related issues. This grant program funds projects within the 28 NEP watershed geographic areas and selected adjacent areas, as defined by this map, and addresses the following urgent and challenging issues: • Loss of key habitats resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality such as seagrass, mangroves, tidal and freshwater wetlands, forested wetlands, kelp beds, shellfish beds, and coral reefs; • Recurring harmful algae blooms; • Unusual or unexplained marine mammal mortalities; • Proliferation or invasion of species that limit recreational uses, threaten wastewater systems, or cause other ecosystem damage; • Flooding and coastal erosion that may be related to sea level rise, changing precipitation, or salt marsh, seagrass, or wetland degradation or loss; • Impacts of nutrients and warmer water temperatures on aquatic life and coastal ecosystems, including low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters; and • Contaminants of emerging concern found in coastal and estuarine waters such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics. Priorities for this Request for Proposals In order to address the critical issues facing our nation’s estuaries, each Request for Proposals (RFP) round in the CWG Program will identify a unique combination of priorities. For this RFP, projects must address one or more of the following priorities: • Harmful algal blooms; • Loss of habitat; and/or • Flooding and coastal erosion. Geographic Boundaries All projects must occur in their entirety within the geographic areas shown below and on this interactive map, which is located at: http://arcg.is/1u19zq. Efforts adjacent to, upstream of, or as a tributary to waterbodies in the polygons will not be funded. Projects occurring outside of these areas will not be considered, nor will the geographic boundaries change. 3 Informational Webinars Prospective applicants are encouraged to participate in one of two informational webinars: • Tuesday, April 27, 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT: to participate, please register via https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7201202341950221835; and • Wednesday, May 5, 1 p.m. ET/10 am PT: to participate, please register via https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4943205680730843403. The webinars will be recorded for those unable to participate. Process and Schedule RAE will select grantees through a two-step process: 1) Letters of Intent (LOI); and 2) full proposals by invitation only. Both steps are competitive and a request for full proposal does not guarantee funding. LOIs are due on June 7, 2021 and must be submitted online via the submittal portal, which may be accessed at https://webportalapp.com/sp/rae_nep_cwg. The portal will open and start accepting applications in April 2021. LOIs are subject to limits as outlined in Section B. LOIs will be reviewed by an independent panel of individuals with expertise in the priorities for this RFP. Following consultation with the review panel regarding the LOIs, RAE will invite a subset of applicants to submit full proposals. In some cases, RAE may suggest changes or clarifications for inclusion in full proposals. RAE will notify applicants of the status of LOIs on July 19, 2021. 4 Full proposals, if invited, must be received by September 20, 2021 and should be submitted online via https://webportalapp.com/sp/rae_nep_cwg. Full proposals are subject to limits as detailed in Section C. Full proposals will similarly be evaluated by the review panel prior to selection of awards by RAE. RAE expects to notify applicants regarding selection of proposals for funding during the week of October 25, 2021. RAE will then work with selected applicants to finalize awards and grant contracts, with the goal of completing contracts by the end of the calendar year. The review panel will evaluate both LOIs and full proposals according to the criteria in Section D. Projects may be funded for a period up to 24 months from the date of award. Section G provides RAE’s anticipated grant-making schedule through awards. Section F provides information on documentation of submittals, and procedures in the event of problems with submittals. Funding and Project Period of Awards All 2021 NEP CWG will be awarded and administered by RAE with federal funding from EPA. Each subaward will range approximately between $75,000 and $250,000. Projects must be completed within a one- to two-year period. Match Funded projects must provide an additional 33% of the requested amount in nonfederal matching funds or 25% of the total project cost. For example, a request of $100,000 must be accompanied by a commitment of at least $33,000 in non-federal match, for a total project cost of $133,000. Matching funds may be cash or in-kind. The expected source or sources of matching funds must be identified in the LOI, while final applications must document match commitment. Match must be expended within the approved budget period of the grant and in compliance with the requirements in 2 CFR 200.306. Funds from the RESTORE Act, Natural Resources Damages Assessment (NRDA), and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) may not be used to meet the non-federal match requirement, except in the case of Gulf Environmental Benefit Funds or other NFWF resources that are not derived from Federal financial assistance agreements. If you have questions regarding the origin of NFWF funds, you will need to ask NFWF and request clarification as to whether funds they receive are derived from a Federal grant. In addition, the inquiry should include whether NFWF receives the funds directly from a Federal agency or has pledged the funds towards cost share on a grant NFWF has received. Non-federal salary and related fringe may be used as match. Funds may not be used toward paying for tuition, nor can tuition or tuition-related expenses provided in kind be used to satisfy the non-federal match requirement. Please contact Suzanne Simon at ssimon@estuaries.org if you would like additional feedback regarding specific sources of match. Budget figures, including match, may be preliminary for the LOI and are expected to be as well- established as possible at the time of submittal. If the status of match source will not be known until after the LOI deadline, provide the best figures available, along with an explanation. For example, match may be anticipated to be provided by a municipal budget or other grant funding, but the final decision(s) will not be made until later. In this case, submit the LOI with the match shown in the budget and include details regarding the source and timing of match. Match must occur during the project time period and may not occur outside of this window. 5 Use of Funds 2021 NEP CWG funding may be used for most project costs, including salary, fringe, contractual support, equipment, supplies, project-related travel, and indirect costs. Expected costs must be outlined in the LOI and detailed in the full proposal – see Sections B and C for budget format and related details. Costs under this grant must be reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary to the supported project in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E and must adhere to the general procurement standards set forth in 2 CFR 200.318 and “Consultant Fee Cap” set forth in 2 CFR 1500.9. Awarded funds may not be used to purchase land; however, land purchase costs may be used as match. Procurement Requirements The source of the CWG Program is federal funding. Therefore, funded projects must adhere to federal requirements regarding contracting, including contracts with consultants, and purchases of supplies and equipment. These include multiple bids for procurements above $10,000 (2 CFR 200.320), good-faith efforts to employ Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (40 CFR 33.301; also see https://www.epa.gov/grants/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-requirements), and Davis- Bacon prevailing wage requirements for construction activities (2 CFR 200). For more information on procurement requirements associated with this funding, applicants should refer to: Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements (7 Sept. 2018) online at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018- 09/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf. Guidance on budget categories is available in EPA’s Interim General Budget Development Guidance for Applicants and Recipients of EPA Financial Assistance, which is available at https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02. RAE will reimburse reasonable indirect costs incurred as part of 2021 CWG Program projects. See Section H for additional details. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants under this announcement include state, interstate, tribal, inter-tribal consortia and regional water pollution control agencies and entities, state coastal zone management agencies, and other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations. Eligible public agencies include county and local governments. Academic institutions are eligible, as well, as are NEPs. Non-profit organizations must be able to demonstrate their non-profit status. Federal agencies, for-profit corporations, and private individuals are not eligible grantees, but may be included as partners in proposals submitted by eligible recipients. Public-private partnerships are encouraged, consistent with the competitive procurement requirements. For-profit partners, including consultants, who will receive grant funding must be selected in compliance with the competitive procurement requirements. Multiple Applications and Projects Organizations may submit up to three grant applications either as a lead organization, or as a team member on another organization’s application. If more than one application is submitted by the lead 6 organization, the applicant must identify which is their highest priority. Multiple applications must be submitted separately and will be evaluated independent of other proposals. Organizations are considered to be a team member if they are included in the budget, whether they are slated to receive funding or are providing match. Any participation in a team counts toward the three- proposal limit. The proposal limit is based on an organizational, not personal or individual, basis. The limit applies to both LOIs and full proposals. National organizations with chapters are limited to three proposals in their area of jurisdiction. For example, if XYZ national organization has a chapter in Florida, then XYZ-FL may be on a total of three proposals that occur in Florida. Universities are limited to three proposals each by state, regardless of the number of campuses. For example, if University ABC has five campuses, the University system as a whole is limited to three submittals total, not fifteen (five campuses at three submittal each). Coordination with Other Funding Rounds Each application in each grant round will be evaluated independently, and funding decisions will be based on evaluation results for that particular round of funding. The award of a 2021 grant does not represent or imply RAE commitment toward funding in future grant rounds. Project Eligibility In order to be selected for funding, projects must: • Clearly and explicitly demonstrate how it relates to and carries out the priority actions in one of the 28 NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs), or other existing State or locally approved community-based watershed management plan, the latter of which is a completed plan available to the public that: 1) contains actions that addresses urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal and estuarine areas as identified above; 2) demonstrates State and/or local buy-in and commitment to implement actions by the appropriate parties; and 3) applies to the eligible areas as defined above; • Demonstrate or inform on-the-ground or tangible quantifiable improvements to coastal and estuarine habitats and living resources, or in the conditions of coastal and estuarine waters in the eligible areas as defined above; • Clearly define roles, logistics, budget and financing, administration, and management activities for all involved organizations; • Be located in its entirely within one or more of the identified eligible geographic areas; • Be one to two years in length; and • Provide final results of efforts and report environmental results, which will be made publicly available. Certain types of projects and efforts will not be considered under this program. Research activities and studies are not eligible for funding. However, assessment and/or non-routine monitoring efforts are eligible, so long as they directly address one or more of the RFP priorities and result in or inform actionable, on-the-ground activities that result in improvements in coastal and estuarine conditions and 7 functions. Assessment or non-routine monitoring that do not have direct, demonstrable linkages to improved coastal and estuarine conditions are not eligible. Standalone education and outreach efforts are not eligible for funding. Education and outreach may be eligible as part of a larger on-the-ground implementation project. For example, efforts to inform resource managers or members of the public in order to facilitate or better implement the overall project or program would be eligible. In contrast, creating an outreach program about topic XYZ in and of itself would not be eligible. The key difference is that the outreach and education in the former example is part of the larger effort, as opposed to being the sole deliverable in the latter. Examples of potential project approaches include: • Apply existing or develop new innovative methods, approaches, techniques, or practices that would be important to preventing threats to estuaries and the continued protection and restoration of coastal and estuarine waters; • Improve existing measurement tools and indicators or develop new ones to better evaluate coastal and estuarine conditions; • Monitor and assess coastal ecosystems to determine if there are changes in ecological conditions and functions (worsening or improving); • Assess the effectiveness of management actions on water quality and coastal and estuarine living resources; • Encourage efforts to better understand the effects of contaminants and pollutants on living resources; • Strengthen coalitions and build new partnerships among coastal communities to collectively address regional coastal watershed conditions; • Build local capacity to protect and restore coastal and estuarine watersheds and their living resources; • Develop ecological and socio-economic indicators to measure resilience to stressors; • Build on and implement existing nutrient management strategies, or develop and test the effectiveness of new nutrient reduction strategies; • Protect, restore, and increase coastal and estuarine habitats; • Utilize protection methods to avoid impacts on downstream waters and habitats; • Identify the sources of emerging contaminants and their temporal and spatial distribution in estuaries, their tributaries, and coastal waters; • Improve the resilience and adaptation of coastal and estuarine species and habitats to changing conditions; and • Apply new or innovative approaches, practices, or methods to treat, remove, or prevent pollution and contaminants before they enter estuaries and their tributaries. Selected projects must produce at least one of the following outputs: • New partnerships are formed or existing partnerships strengthened that contribute to the ecological and economic well-being within the specified geographic areas; • Develop new approaches, practices, or methods for preventing and addressing threats to estuaries or improving conditions; • Extent of habitat created, re-established, rehabilitated, or enhanced; and • Pollutant load reductions in coastal and estuarine waters. 8 Selected projects must bring about at least one of the following outcomes: • Changes made to regulations, codes, and/or ordinances to promote coastal watershed-based protection and restoration; • Increase in the quality of habitat not being impaired by non-native invasive species; • Improvement in the function of upland or coastal/estuarine habitats; • Implementation of new and/or innovative watershed-based nutrient reduction strategies; and • Coastal wetlands having a pathway or an improved pathway for landward migration in response to sea level rise. Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Justice We encourage proposals that focus on RFP priorities while also addressing impacts to communities have that been disproportionately harmed in the past. In addition, we urge project teams to reflect and meaningfully engage the communities in which they are working. Tools and Equipment Under this solicitation, RAE will consider funding tools and equipment such as hardware, software, monitoring devices, and durable equipment where such investments support the implementation of CWG Program goals and objectives. Surveys and Questionnaires RAE will not fund social surveys or questionnaires under the CWG Program, nor may the costs of such instruments be included as match. If your project utilizes social surveys or similar instruments, please ensure they are not included in the proposed budget, with all costs paid by entirely separate funding sources. Land Purchase, Permissions, and Private Property Final proposals must demonstrate sufficient authority to perform the work proposed. If the applicant is not the sole property owner, this authority may be shown with partnership commitments, letters of permission, or similar documentation. CWG Program funds may not be used toward land acquisition but may be used to satisfy the non-federal match requirement so long as it occurs within the award time period. Permits and access agreements do not need to be completed prior to award, but the applicant must demonstrate a clear understanding of permitting and access requirements and schedules. RAE will fund work on private property only where there is a clear public benefit and where the applicant can provide an assurance of lasting impact – for example, through a conservation easement, deed restriction, or other agreement with the private landowner. As with projects on publicly-owned property, project sites on private land must include signage recognizing CWG funding. Partial Awards In general, RAE will seek to fund proposals in their entirety. In some cases, however, RAE may elect to partially fund proposals, or may request other project modifications prior to finalizing awards. 9 Reporting Requirements Grantees must submit semi-annual (six month) progress and quarterly financial reports as well as a final report, in accordance with the programmatic conditions of EPA Cooperative Agreement 83967501. RAE will provide grantees with the format of interim and final reports upon award. Information included in the final report will be used by RAE and EPA in public communication materials and performance reports. In addition to semi-annual reports, grantees will also be required to provide supporting visuals such as pictures, graphics, and/or videos in order to more fully tell a compelling story of their project. Outreach and Technology Transfer Outreach and technology transfer will be critical components of the CWG Program. Applicants must demonstrate how they will publicize the project approach and results, both to a general/lay audience and to resource managers on the local and national level. As part of this effort, grantees will be required to participate in an annual tech transfer webinar to share best practices and lessons learned with other grantees. Grantees are encouraged to participate in regional and national events aimed at sharing progress and results with organizations and resource managers. Applicants are encouraged to include registration and travel funds in their budgets in order to facilitate attendance at such gatherings. Sharing of Data and Results If environmental data will be collected by grantees, they will be required to ensure these data are transmitted into the Storage and Retrieval Data Warehouse annually or upon project completion using WQX or WQXweb. Continuous water quality data is not required to be transmitted into the STORET Data Warehouse. More information about WQX, WQXweb, and the STORET Warehouse, including tutorials, can be found at www.epa.gov/waterdata/water-quality-data-wqx. Additionally, applicants are expected to share project information and results at the collaboration and technology transfer meetings described above. Quality Assurance Grantees will be required to comply with Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) requirements and develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). Draft QAPPs must be submitted at least 60 days prior to beginning data collection or use in order to provide sufficient time for review. No data collection/use activities may occur until the QAPP has been reviewed and approved by EPA. Grant recipients are responsible for development of an approved QAPP and must identify within the full proposal the means by which they plan to complete the QAPP (for example, through contract support or in-house). RAE will assist grantees in coordinating QAPP submittals to EPA. Applicants unfamiliar with the QAPP development and approval process are encouraged to contact RAE for assistance in QAPP planning prior to proposal submittal. Payment Grantees will be paid in compliance with the standards in 2 CFR 200.305. Grantees will be paid on a reimbursement basis. Project costs will be reimbursed on the basis of documented, incurred expenses. Reimbursement requests shall be submitted at least quarterly and at most monthly. RAE will provide 10 reimbursement within 30 calendar days of receipt of the grantee’s payment request unless there are questions regarding the propriety of all or part of the reimbursement request. Acknowledgement of Funding Any reports, documents, publications, or other materials developed for public distribution supported by this assistance agreement shall contain the following statement: "This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under cooperative agreement 83967501 to Restore America’s Estuaries. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.” Invasive Species Grantees and all team partners, including subcontractors, must monitor their project to ensure it does not facilitate the introduction or spread of invasive species. A. Letter of Intent Requirements and Limits Letters of intent (LOI) allow RAE to provide preliminary review of project ideas in order to determine whether a full proposal will be requested and to provide comments to applicants. Please adhere to the LOI submittal format, page limits, and deadlines as described below. All materials must be submitted via the online submittal portal, which may be accessed at https://webportalapp.com/sp/rae_nep_cwg. Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop all the materials and text prior in a separate document, with particular attention to word limits, and then input the required information to the site. The following information is required for the LOI: 1. General information • Applicant organization name and address; • Point of contact name, email address, and phone number; • Project lead name and contact information, if different from LOI point of contact; • Applicant organization DUNS and EIN - a DUNS number can be obtained free at www.dnb.com/duns- number/get-a-duns.html; • Applicant organization System Award Management (SAM) registration status and current expiration date - a SAM account can be created for free at sam.gov; • Name of project • Project summary (50 word maximum) • List of partner organizations, which are those that will materially contribute to the project and will appear in the budget, receiving funding or supporting the non-federal match requirement; • Location of project: state, city, street address (if applicable), latitude and longitude coordinates, and name of water body (if applicable); • Project cost: total amount of CWG funds requested, total amount of non-federal matching funds; and • Signature of authorized organizational leader (e.g. executive director, board chair, town manager, etc.). 11 2. Project details [2A] Project Purpose: What threat(s) to our nation’s estuaries and coasts does this proposed project seeks to solve? How will this project, specifically, contribute to solving the problem? What is the long-term vision of the project? Please specify which threat, as identified earlier as priorities for this RFP, will be addressed and solved. 200 word maximum. [2B] Project Description: Summarize the overall project approach and provide a brief workplan, including principal tasks, major deliverables, and realistic schedule, including the duration of the project period. 200 word maximum [2C] Impact: Describe the impact of the project, on local, regional and/or national levels. Also detail the outcomes of the project (ecological, institutional, etc.) and how they will be measured. 200 word maximum. [2D]. Map: include map of the location and clearly demonstrates how the project occurs within the CWG Program delineated geographic areas. One page. You are welcome to use the mapper EPA developed to facilitate the creation of a project boundary map. The tool is available via https://arcg.is/1uiDj1. Follow the instructions in the user guide and you will be able to develop a PDF to include in your proposal. [2E]. Relevance: detail how the project relates to and carries out the priority actions in one of the 28 NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs), or other existing State or locally approved community-based watershed management plan. 200 word maximum. [2F]: Project team: list project partner(s) and briefly describe the role of each. Note that these entities are contributing materially and will be included in the budget, whether as a recipient of funds or as one providing non-federal match. Please differentiate between sub-awards and contractors. For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016- 02/documents/gmc_subaward_policy_appendix_a_subrecipient_v_contractor_distinction_0.pd f 200 word maximum. [2G] Outreach and Technology Transfer: Include a brief outreach plan, which should describe how you will publicize and share the project approach and its results, both to a general/lay audience and to resource managers on the local and national levels. 200 word maximum. 3. Budget – the budget will be entered by federal cost category via the online form. The LOI requires only the budget amounts, while the full proposal requires a budget narrative to provide additional information on project costs. LOIs and proposals that provide clear, complete, and defensible information on project costs are much more likely to be selected for funding. It is expected that figures in the LOI budget will be preliminary, while the full proposal should include solidly established costs and cost estimates. The budget must provide justification for all costs, including those for partners. Round all costs to the nearest dollar – do not include cents. Applicants should devise the budget separately to ensure correct categories, totals, etc. Table 1 provides an example budget table format that includes the budget categories for both LOIs and full proposals. Please use the federal cost categories as shown. 12 Please note that there is no “Construction” category. Construction costs should be listed under “Contractual” if contracted out; or if performed directly by a grantee or partner, labor costs may be listed under “Personnel,” and equipment under “Equipment.” Note all sources of match and whether cash or in-kind. Total non-federal match percentage must be at least 33% of request (or 25% of total project cost). Proposals providing a greater match percentage will receive no additional benefit in scoring. Match percentage is calculated as follows: ((non-federal match)/(request)) x 100 = match percentage. Do not include letters of commitment or other match documentation with LOIs; this type of supporting document is required for full proposals only. Calculation and Presentation of Costs • The “Personnel” category should only include employees of the applicant. All other team members would go under the “Contract” or “Other” category depending on the nature of the relationship – specifically, if the arrangement will be one of a contract or subrecipient. For more information on the differentiating between contracts and subrecipients, please see https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016- 02/documents/gmc_subaward_policy_appendix_a_subrecipient_v_contractor_distincti on_0.pdf. • Salaries and fringe may be calculated on an hourly or percentage basis. If cost rates are expected to increase over the period of the grant (e.g., annual pay increases), factor in such increases so that total cost reflects actual cost over the period of the grant. • Fringe amounts cannot be included in the salary line and must be listed separately. • Funds listed on the travel line should only include travel performed by employees of the applicant. • RAE recognizes that cost estimates will be necessary in some instances, for example construction contracts that will be competitively bid. Please note cost estimates where used. • Contracts or sub-contracts awarded by grantees with CWG funding must be selected through competitive bidding procedures consistent with federal requirements (2 CFR 200) as well as the grantee’s own purchasing procedures. • Include sufficient budget for QAPP development if your project will require one. QAPPs may be developed in-house or through a consultant contract – contact RAE for assistance in QAPP planning. • Funds may not be used to purchase food or beverages. • Vehicle mileage may be calculated at $0.56 per mile, which is the IRS approved rate for 2021. • Equipment is generally durable property valued at more than $5,000 – see 2 CFR 200 for guidance. • For instructions on calculating modified total direct costs (MTDC) and allowable indirect costs, see Section H, “Indirect Costs,” below. • Organizations with an approved Federal negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) need not calculate MTDC if the base in their indirect cost rate agreement is different than MTDC. See Section H for guidance in “Indirect Costs.” • If you anticipate earning program income as part of your project, show the source, estimated amount, and how it will be used. All funds generated must be used toward the project. 13 Table 1. Example budget table showing a project proposal for the imaginary “Friends of the Estuary (FOTE).” In this example, the in-kind contribution as percent of the funding request is 42% and 30% of the overall project total. Federal procurement requirements must be followed as described earlier. Cost Item or Category Cost Basis CWG Funding Request Total Non- Federal Match Match Source Total Cost Personnel Zoe Spartina, FOTE Senior Scientist 2496 hours @ $37.50/hr $ 73,600 $ 20,000 Mackerel Fund $ 93,600 Neveah Ostrea, FOTE Communications Manager 1600 hours @ $30/hr $ 40,000 $ 8,000 FOTE unrestricted $ 48,000 Total Personnel $ 113,600 $ 28,000 $ 141,600 Fringe Fringe, FOTE Staff 25% of FOTE $ 28,400 $ 7,000 As above $ 35,400 Total Fringe $ 28,400 $ 7,000 $ 35,400 Travel Mileage to outreach meetings 250 miles @ $0.56/ mile $ - $ 140 FOTE unrestricted $ 140 Travel to national conference See narrative $ 2,000 $ - $ 2,000 Total Travel $ 2,000 $ 140 $ 2,140 Equipment ACME water quality probe See narrative $ 7,000 $ - $ 7,000 Total Equipment $ 7,000 $ - $ 7,000 Supplies Office Supplies $ 500 $ - $ 500 Total Supplies $ 500 $ - $ 500 Contractual BMP Marine Contractors See narrative $ 7,500 $ - $ 7,500 Zachary Panopea, Oystertown Town Planner 160 hours @ $35/hr $ - $ 5,600 Oystertown General Fund $ 5,600 Total Contractual $ 7,500 $ 5,600 $ - $ 13,100 Other Boat Rental See narrative $ 5,000 $ 5,000 FOTE volunteers 1000 @ $25.43 $ - $ 25,430 In-kind $ 25,430 Total Other $ 5,000 $ 25,430 $ 30,430 Total Direct $ 164,000 $ 66,174 $ 230,170 Indirect NICRA or MTDC MTDC in this example $ 157,000 $ 66,174 $ 223,170 Allowable Indirect Cost Non-NICRA: up to 10% of MTDC $ 15,700 $ 6,617 $ 22,317 Grand Total (Direct + Indirect) $ 172,700 $ 72,791 $ 245,487 14 4. Letter of Acknowledgement from Local NEP If one of the 28 NEPs is not a project team member, LOIs must include a letter from the NEP within the identified geographic boundary acknowledging the project proposal. To determine the closest NEP, use the NEP interactive map and zoom function. Once you have determined which NEP site is closest, download the file entitled “NEP Contacts” available at the NEP website to get the name and email of the appropriate site director. Please reach out to the NEP director well in advance of when you plan to submit your proposal to allow sufficient time for them to provide the letter. It is incumbent on the applicant to meet the required deadlines. The letter does not need to endorse the project, nor would the letter be seen as support of the application (e.g., general backing and/or commitment of resources such as staff time or match). Rather, the intent is to ensure that the local or closest NEP is aware of the project proposal with the goal of increasing transparency and partnering opportunities to address the urgent and challenges issues identified in the RAE subaward. C. Full proposal requirements, if invited to submit 1. General information • Applicant organization name and address; • Point of contact name, email address, and phone number; • Project lead name and contact information, if different from LOI point of contact; • Applicant organization DUNS and EIN - a DUNS number can be obtained free at www.dnb.com/duns- number/get-a-duns.html; • Applicant organization System Award Management (SAM) registration status and current expiration date - a SAM account can be created for free at sam.gov; • Name of project • Project summary (50 word maximum) • List of partner organizations, which are those that will materially contribute to the project and will appear in the budget, receiving funding or supporting the non-federal match requirement; • Location of project: state, city, street address (if applicable), latitude and longitude coordinates, and name of water body (if applicable); • Project cost: total amount of CWG funds requested, total amount of non-federal matching funds; • Signature of authorized organizational leader (e.g. executive director, board chair, town manager, etc.). 2. Project details [2a] Project Purpose: What threat(s) to our nation’s estuaries and coasts does this proposed project seeks to solve? How will this project, specifically, contribute to solving the problem? What is the long-term vision of the project? Please specify which threat, as identified earlier as priorities for this RFP, will be addressed and solved. 500 word maximum. 15 [2B] Project Description: Summarize the overall project approach and provide a brief workplan, including principal tasks, major deliverables, and realistic schedule, including the duration of the project period. 500 word maximum [2C] Impact: Describe the impact of the project, on local, regional and/or national levels. Also detail the outcomes of the project (ecological, institutional, etc.) and how they will be measured. 500 word maximum. [2D]. Map: include map of the location and clearly demonstrates how the project occurs within the CWG Program delineated geographic areas. One page. You are welcome to use the mapper which can be found by going to https://arcg.is/1uiDj1. [2E]. Relevance: detail how the project relates to and carries out the priority actions in one of the 28 NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs), or other existing State or locally approved community-based watershed management plan. 500 word maximum. [2F]: Project team: list project partner(s) and briefly describe the role of each. Note that these entities are contributing materially and will be included in the budget, whether as a recipient of funds or as one providing non-federal match. Please differentiate between sub-awards and contractors. For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016- 02/documents/gmc_subaward_policy_appendix_a_subrecipient_v_contractor_distinction_0.pd f 500 word maximum. [2G] Outreach and Technology Transfer: Include a brief outreach plan, which should describe how you will publicize and share the project approach and its results, both to a general/lay audience and to resource managers on the local and national levels. 500 word maximum. [2H] Project Timeline: Provide a brief description, by quarter from the contract start date, for anticipated project activities and deliverables. E.g. “Quarter 1 – initiate team meetings, submit permit applications, etc.” Please note any critical timing that may change due to external restrictions, such as activity windows related to federal or state listed species. 3. Budget – see LOI section for details and information regarding cost categories and prohibitions. Please note that the full proposal budget is expected to be as close to final as possible and include a detailed budget narrative explaining the costs, expenditures, and non-federal match. 4. Photos, Schematics, etc. The full proposal provides the opportunity to include additional supplementary information, such as photos, site drawings, or brief supporting documents. 5. Letter of Acknowledgement from Local NEP – see LOI requirements. The same letter may be used for both the LOI and full proposal. D. Evaluation Frameworks Proposals that omit required elements or that do not adhere to specified page limits will not be accepted or evaluated. RAE reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal on the basis of its sole determination that the proposal meets, or does not meet, program goals and objectives. 16 LOIs will be evaluated in their entirety on a four-point scale as follows: 1 – Fails to meet CWG Program goals and priorities and/or does not contain one or more required elements– non-qualifying application. 2 – Adequately meets program goals and priorities but needs strengthening – qualifying application. 3 – Meets program goals and priorities well – qualifying application. 4 – Strongly meets program goals and priorities – outstanding project potential. The review panel will judge the quality of full proposals using the scoring system described in Table 2. Proposals that do not adhere to the specified application format and requirements will not be evaluated. RAE reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal on the basis of its sole determination that the proposal meets, or does not meet, program requirements, goals and objectives. In choosing the final projects, the review panel will also take geographic diversity into account to ensure that funding goes to a number of different areas or regions. Table 2. Full proposal evaluation framework. Proposal Section Point Range 1. General information n/a 2. Project Details 2.A. Purpose 0-3 2.B. Project Description 0-3 2.C. Impact 0-6 2.D. Map 0-1 2.E. Relevance 0-3 2.F. Project Team 0-4 2.G. Outreach and Technology Transfer 0-3 2.H. Project Timeline 0-3 3. Budget 0-5 4. Maps, Photos, Drawings 0-2 5. Letters of Acknowledgement and Commitment 0-1 Total 0-34 E. Submitting a Proposal Develop the application elements and submit them online via the submittal portal, which is available at https://webportalapp.com/sp/rae_nep_cwg by 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on June 7, 2021 for LOIs and by 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on September 20, 2021 for invited full proposals. Applicants are encouraged to file early to avoid transmittal delays and provide time to rectify any problems prior to the deadline. All information must be submitted via the submittal site and not by email or other means. Applications may include internet hyperlinks to supporting information (organizational websites, supporting documents, etc.). However, the application should be self-contained for purposes of review 17 and reviewers should be able to fully evaluate your proposal regardless of whether s/he chooses to follow the links. Do not include references, footnotes, or endnotes. F. Documentation of Timely Submittal and Problems with Submittals As noted above, the LOI or proposal information must be submitted online via the submittal portal at https://webportalapp.com/sp/rae_nep_cwg. Submittal deadlines are listed above. When you submit your application, you will receive a reply acknowledging receipt of the submittal. Save or print the reply for your records, in the event there is a problem with the transmittal. If you do not receive a reply shortly after your submittal, please check your spam/junk folder and then contact Suzanne Simon as soon as possible at ssimon@estuaries.org to ensure acceptance of your application. All applications must meet the deadlines listed above and must be complete as directed at the time of submittal. In the event of documented transmittal problems, corrupted files, or other technology problems, RAE will make every effort to accept applications that were submitted correctly, but not received due to problems outside the control of the applicant. However, to minimize the chance that a proposal cannot be accepted, we encourage applicants to submit proposals with sufficient time to rectify these kinds of problems prior to deadlines. G. Award Timeline March 31, 2021: RFP release date April 27 and May 5, 2021: informational webinars for interested applicants June 7, 2021: LOIs due July 19, 2021: Notify LOI applicants regarding status (i.e. if they have been invited to submit a full proposal or not) September 20, 2021: Full proposals due if invited to do so October 25, 2021: Notify applicants of awards 18 H. Indirect Costs CWG Program funding will reimburse grantees for reasonable indirect costs related to the execution of funded projects. The calculation of indirect costs and amount of reimbursement depends on the type of organization, and whether it has an approved NICRA on file with a federal agency. The following subsections summarize the process for calculating indirect costs for several types of organizations and cost-rate approvals. Please contact Suzanne Simon at ssimon@estuaries.org for additional information. • Organizations with a current, approved NICRA: Organizations with a current federally-approved NICRA may charge their full federally approved rate to the base (MTDC or otherwise) in their indirect cost rate agreement. Applicants may, but are not required to, propose to use a lower rate and apply unrecovered indirect costs to their cost share. • Organizations without an approved NICRA: For applicants that have never had a NICRA with a federal agency, the applicant may use the de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of MTDC. MTDC (as defined under 2 CFR §200.68) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Note: Organizations with an approved NICRA need not calculate MTDC if the base for distributing indirect costs in their rate agreement with the cognizant federal agency differs from MTDC. Rather, show the calculated NICRA indirect cost below “Total Direct”. Dania Beach Balloon Pollution | Alexis Guillen, Green Advisory Board Member Summary The City of Dania Beach has a responsibility to address balloon pollution in support of the Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act to ensure cleaner waterways, reduced obstruction in storm drains and the greater protection of life. Ch 403.021(6), F.S. “The Legislature finds and declares that control, regulation, and abatement of the activities which are causing or may cause pollution of the air or water resources in the state and which are or may be detrimental to human, animal, aquatic, or plant life, or to property, or unreasonably interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property be increased to ensure conservation of natural resources; to ensure a continued safe environment; to ensure purity of air and water; to ensure domestic water supplies; to ensure protection and preservation of the public health, safety, welfare, and economic well-being; to ensure and provide for recreational and wildlife needs as the population increases and the economy expands; and to ensure a continuing growth of the economy and industrial development.”1 Rationale 1. When released into the environment, a single balloon is transformed into a pollutant of our land and waterways. Their ability to travel hundreds, even thousands of miles is a global problem with local consequences.“We absolutely get patients in with ingested balloon pieces” is the statement I received from Carolina Segarra, the Director of Outreach and Volunteer Services for South Florida Wildlife Center,which often rescues and rehabilitates animals in Dania Beach. 2.The number of balloons found on beaches and coastlines has reportedly tripled over the past decade. Beyond polluting the environment, marine and aquatic plastic debris can be deadly for wildlife. For example, a new study reported that even a single piece of ingested plastic can be deadly for a sea turtle. Due to their physiology, sea turtles cannot regurgitate, therefore, any ingested plastic can block their digestive tract, leading to starvation and death. This is especially true for floating balloon debris, which sea turtles mistake for jellyfish, a favored prey.2 3.All released balloons, whether they are released intentionally or not, return to Earth as litter – including those marketed as “biodegradable latex”. Balloons April 6,, 2021 Page 1 of 4 kill countless animals and cause dangerous power outages.3 4.Balloon debris can even have an economic impact on communities, contributing to dirty beaches which drive away tourists, or causing power outages from mylar balloons covered in metallic paint and their ribbons tangling in power lines.4 Balloon debris can be harmful for wildlife, which may ingest or get entangled in it. Here, a sea turtle was found after ingesting balloon debris, likely mistaking it for food. (Photo Credit: Blair Witherington, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) April 6,, 2021 Page 2 of 4 Great Blue Heron that had a balloon in its beak.(Photo Credit: South Florida Wildlife Center) Conclusion: As a member of the Green Advisory Board I move to recommend: 1. Dania Beach prohibit the use of balloons for all outdoor permitted activities 2. Dania Beach prohibit the use of balloons at all Parks & Recreation pavilions 3. Dania Beach recommend similar measures to be adopted by Broward County 4. Dania Beach engage in a social media campaign to educate residents and businesses of the unintended consequences resulting from balloon pollution 1 Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act | 403.021 Legislative declaration; public policy https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/403.021 2 University of Michigan |THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BALLOON RELEASES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES By: Lara O’Brien, SEAS 2020 April 24, 2019 April 6,, 2021 Page 3 of 4 http://sustainability.umich.edu/news/balloon-release-impact 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Balloons and Wildlife: Please Don’t Release Your Balloons August 5, 2015 https://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2015/8/5/balloons-and-wildlife-please-dont-release-yo ur-balloons 4 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Response and Restoration | Hold on to Those Balloons: They Could End Up in the Ocean March 6, 2017 https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/hold-those-balloons-they-could-end-ocean.ht ml April 6,, 2021 Page 4 of 4 GREEN ADVISORY BOARD The purpose of this Board is to assist City administration in identifying and creating policies and action plans that pertain to energy efficiency and help to mitigate the effects of climate changes. The duties and responsibilities of the Board shall be to: (a) assist City administration in finding green opportunities that would benefit the City; (b) develop a “menu of options” implementable by the City, with the goal of reducing per capita energy consumption in the City. Topics for consideration should include, but not be limited to: energy efficiency standards for new construction; incentives for energy efficiency in private sector construction; land use planning; transportation; renewable energy options and public education; (c) examine ways that the City can implement measures to conserve and protect natural resources; (d) coordinate the activities of the City with those activities of the citizens, residents and local businesses in order to promote environmental awareness throughout the City; (e) serve as a liaison between the citizens, residents, neighborhood associations, local businesses and the City on environmental issues; (f) develop recommendations regarding programs which may be created to enhance environmental awareness within the City; (g) develop proposed actions, including proposed legislation at the state and federal level, which may be taken in support of environmental programs within the City; (h) identify and advise the City on ways to attract state and federal programs and grants in direct support of environmental programs with the City in conjunction with the Grant Advisory Board; (i) contact businesses and vendors to provide professional skills, materials, or educational support for the various environmental programs and initiatives; (j) coordinate information and programs with the other established advisory boards within the City; and (k) coordinate with appropriate City staff regarding parks, open space and facilities within the City for utilization of such facilities to promote environmental awareness in the City.