Purpose of this program:
To build and improve the capacity of States, multi-jurisdictional State organizations and federally recognized tribes by providing assistance agreements to foster environmental enforcement and compliance assurance activities and to improve compliance with environmental laws. Such capacity building efforts may include economic, social science, statistical research, development, studies, surveys, demonstrations, investigations, public education, training and fellowships to the extent authorized under the Acts listed above. Funding Priority: This program provides targeted assistance to states and tribes in developing innovative sector-based, multi-media, or single-media approaches to enforcement and compliance assurance. Areas of emphasis have been: (1) tribal and state inspector training, (2) program planning and performance measurement, (3) outcome measurement, (4) public access, (5) data management, and (6) Permit Compliance System Modernization. Specific funding priorities are still to be determined for FY 05. In establishing priorities for FY 05, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) will consider national and regional focus areas input from states and tribes, and link priority areas to the Agency Strategic Plan (Goal 5). In addition, OECA looks at the success of various types of projects funded in prior years. The funding areas within the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance changes from year to year depending on the Offices National Strategic priorities for the fiscal year period. OECA establishes annual funding priorities for the Multi-Media Grants Program, including improving compliance data quality; modernizing data systems; improving outcome measurement; and field testing innovative approaches to compliance monitoring.