The USDA Forest Service is announcing the availability of $8 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to support the establishment of temporary bridge rental programs for portable skidder bridges, bridge mats, or other temporary water crossing structures, to minimize stream bed disturbance on non-Federal land and Federal land.
Donor Name: Forest Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/20/2022
Size of the Grant: $175,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The intent of this funding opportunity is to support the establishment of temporary bridge rental/loan/cost-share programs with States and federally recognized Indian Tribes to protect water resources and reduce water quality degradation during forestry-related operations.
Allowable Bridge Structures States and Indian Tribes:
Bridge types will vary depending on location and terrain as well as the vehicle and weight requirements within the State. There is no requirement that temporary bridge structures be made only from wood or timber. Bridge structures made with steel are also allowed. The following are allowable bridge types to be utilized as part of the program:
- Short and Medium Span Temporary Timber Bridge
- Short and Medium Span Temporary Steel Bridge
- Temporary Metal or Timber Roadway Mats
Funding Priorities and Preferences States and Indian Tribes
It is the intent of the program to fund all application requests, however, only $8 million of funding is available in year 1. If available funding for year 1application requests is not enough to fund all year 1 requests, some requests will be deferred to year 2. The maximum amount of financial assistance an entity may apply for in year 1 is$175,000.Preference for year 1 funding will be given to entities that:
- Do have an active temporary bridge program already in place.
- Demonstrate how they will support underserved communities (EO 13985).
- Demonstrate collaborative partnerships in implementing their programs.
- Demonstrate how the program will be implemented to improve water quality.
- Demonstrate an effective communication and outreach strategy.
- Demonstrate understanding of reporting requirements.
- Provide letters of commitment from collaborating partners.
Available Funding
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $8,000,000
- Award Ceiling: $175,000
- Award Floor: $0
Project Length
The agreement length is planned to beno more than 3 years. Applicants who apply for and receive additional funding in subsequent years will be issued a modification.
Criteria
- Eligible applicants are State governments and Indian Tribes.
Application Requirements
An active System for Award Management (SAM) Registration is required before an agreement can be executed. All applicants must have initiated the registration process in SAM to apply for the grant and be announced for an award. This process should be initiated immediately as it often takes several months.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.