EPA Technical Assistance Grants

[Gill.Michael@epamail.epa.gov]

From: Michael Gill <Gill.Michael@epamail.epa.gov>

Peter Strauss recently wrote to this forum that EPA Technical Assistance Grants 
(TAGs) are an effective way for a community group (e.g., a RAB) to help provide 
sound decision making when dealing with Superfund (NPL listed) sites. Having 
seen positive results on my sites, I have to agree with him. I'm sure plenty 
of folks on this forum already know quite a bit about TAGs (especially 
Peter!). But for the benefit of those of you may not, I wanted to share some 
of the benefits of a TAG. The recipient of a TAG can:

- review site-related technical documents
- meet with the community to explain technical information
- provide assistance in communicating the group's concerns
- interpret technical info for the community
- participate in site visits and meetings to gain a better understanding of 
cleanup activities

The basic provisions of a TAG are:

- provide a grant up to $50,000 to hire a technical advisor 
- recipient must keep accounting records and provide quarterly reports to EPA
- the group is required to donate 20% of the project costs in matching funds 
(cash or donated services)

I have not heard that TAGs will be ever be granted to non-NPL sites. By being 
part of a RAB, many of you folks are already ahead of the game. Many RABs have 
varying amounts of technical expertise already part of their membership. Use 
this to its fullest potential. But if your site does not have this advantage, 
my suggestion is to apply for a TAG. It can help you in your site related 
decision making. 

There are 4 booklets that explain the complete TAG process and they are free 
from EPA. Talk to an EPA person, call the closest EPA office for the 
information or check the EPA web page (www.epa.gov).

Region City Phone

1 Boston 617-223-5534
2 New York City 212-264-7054
3 Philadelphia 215-597-9817
4 Atlanta 404-347-2234
5 Chicago 800-621-8431
6 Dallas 214-655-6617
7 Kansas City 913-551-7003
8 Denver 303-293-1870
9 San Francisco 415-744-2175
10 Seattle 206-553-1090

Michael Gill
Remedial Project Manager
EPA Region 9
San Francisco

I would suggest that as a first cut, there must be an interested 
community group that can manage a grant, and can demonstrate the need 
for assistance. Second, there must be some thrreshold value of human 
health risk or ecological risk. Third, there is a matter of timing: 
technical assistance (in the small doses one can expect from a TAG) is 
most effective when they coincide with decisionmaking. If too late in 
the cleanup process, they are not very effective.
As you may know, I have been involved in prorviding technical 
assistance to a number of communities. I think that before technical 
assistance is granted to non-NPL sites, the agencies must see what the 
value is. Therefore, I think it is important to trry to document the 
benefits of the TAG process. Perhaps one of the EPA policy-makers 
wants to take this on as a prroject? 
Peter Strauss