1 | P a g e

Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Related for the Week of December 3, 2018

To see more resources, visit EDA’s EDI webpages at www.eda.gov/edi

Contents Funding & Resource Announcements .......................................................................................................... 2

CAPACITY BUILDING .............................................................................................................................. 2

EPA Announces Funding for Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. Proposals Due Feb 15. ....... 2

NEW Grants Available for Small and Rural Libraries to Improve Digital Access/Services. Apply by Feb 25. Info Webinar Dec 18 ........................................................................................................................... 3

INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................. 3

NEW EPA Announces Availability of 2019 Brownfields Grants. Apply by Jan 31. Webinar Dec 11. ......... 3

INNOVATION AND ADVANCED MATERIALS .......................................................................................... 4

NEW REMADE Institute Requests Proposals to Advance Recycling and Recovery of Materials .............. 4

NEW DOE SBIR/STTR Opportunities: 34 Topics for Small Business Research and Development ............. 4

NOAA Seeks SBIR Phase I Applications for new R&D with Commercial Potential. Proposals Due Jan 8.. 5

MANUFACTURING ................................................................................................................................. 5

DOE Launches Prize Competition to Identify Manufacturing Leaders Driving Energy Savings ................ 5

RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY .................................................................................................................. 5

NOAA Announces FY19 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants. Apply by Jan 29, 2019 ............................................................................................................................... 5

Treasury Department Announces Funding Opportunities under the RESTORE Act. Applications Due August 30, 2019. ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Federal Funding Opportunities Closing Soon: ....................................................................................... 6

Recently Announced Federal Awards: ................................................................................................... 8

MBDA Announces 2018 Awards to 35 Business Development Projects .................................................. 8

NOAA 2018 Sea Grant Awards Support Aquaculture and Economic Growth .......................................... 8

Public Meetings, Events and Training ........................................................................................................... 9

Dec 7 at 2PM ET - HHS Applicant Webinar for Rural Communities Opioid Program (RCORP) Planning Grants. ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Dec 11 at 2PM ET - EPA Brownfields Grant Applicant Webinar ............................................................... 9

ITA’s Free Market Diversification Tool; Webinars Dec 5, 12 and 18 ........................................................ 9

Also Upcoming: ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Reports, Tools and Data .............................................................................................................................. 10

Supporting Apprenticeship through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program: New Fact Sheet Available .................................................................................................................................................. 10

CRS Issued Updated Report “Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs and Funding” ..... 10

2 | P a g e

Disaster Recovery Resources & Info ........................................................................................................... 10

Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations.......................................................................................... 10

Funding and other Assistance Available for Recovery: ........................................................................... 11

Hurricane Michael: USDA Accepting Requests for Assistance to Restore Eligible Infrastructure and Businesses. Apply by Dec 5 ................................................................................................................. 11

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Assistance for California Wildfires Recovery ............................. 11

FEMA Disaster Mitigation Assistance Grants; Apply by Jan 31, 2019 ................................................. 11

EDA Has Supplemental Funding Available for Areas Impacted by 2017 Hurricanes, Wildfires and Other Disasters ................................................................................................................................... 12

Florida Launches Rebuild Florida ............................................................................................................ 12

More Resources for Recovery and Resilience .......................................................................................... 12

DOL ETA’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification Issues Guidance on Hurricanes Florence and Hurricane Michael.................................................................................................................................................... 12

Hurricane Florence: BLS Has Employment, Wages, and Establishment Counts in Flood Zones ........ 13

Economic Recovery Support & the National Disaster Response Framework .......................................... 13

Funding & Resource Announcements

CAPACITY BUILDING

EPA Announces Funding for Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. Proposals Due Feb 15. EPA last week announced the opening of a new competition cycle for ESJG grants. EPA has identified

$1,500,000 for investment in a projected 50 grants. The Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program

provides funding directly to community-based organizations for projects that help residents of underserved

communities understand and address local environmental and public health issues. Types of projects the EJSG program has funded in the past include, but are not limited to, the following: Environmental Job Training, Youth Development, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Resiliency, Green Infrastructure, Air Quality & Asthma, Water Quality & Sampling, Stormwater Issues, Green Infrastructure, Lead contamination, Pesticides and other Toxic Substances, Healthy Homes, and Illegal Dumping. Given projected increases in extreme weather events and the vulnerability of underserved populations, the current opportunity will emphasize projects that address emergency preparedness and increase resiliency, as well as projects that include the needs of US military veterans and homeless populations

These grants are for one-year projects. Full Proposal Due Date: Friday, February 15, 2019 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time FY2019 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program

3 | P a g e

NEW Grants Available for Small and Rural Libraries to Improve Digital Access/Services. Apply by Feb 25. Info Webinar Dec 18 The Institute of Museum and Library Services yesterday announced a new special initiative --Accelerating

Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP) -- and is accepting grant applications now through February 25, 2019. This new funding opportunity is designed specifically to strengthen the ability of small and rural libraries, archives, and related organizations to serve their communities, and awards sizes range from $10,000 to $50,000.

Three categories of APP grants are available to applicants, including: Digital Inclusion:

Libraries have an important role in promoting digital inclusion and increasing access to information,

ideas, and networks. This category focuses on projects that support the role libraries play in promoting

digital literacy, providing internet access, and enabling community engagement through civic data and

civic technology. Grant proposals could include programs supporting broadband access and

wireless networks to address the homework gap, increase small business development and

entrepreneurship, or plan for emergency preparedness.

For more details, please read the notice of funding opportunity.

Webinars Two pre-application webinars will be held with program staff to answer questions from potential applicants. The webinars, which will each cover the same material, are scheduled for:

Tuesday, December 18, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern

Wednesday, January 9, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern

INFRASTRUCTURE

NEW EPA Announces Availability of 2019 Brownfields Grants. Apply by Jan 31. Webinar Dec 11. EPA's Brownfields Program announces the opening of the request for proposals for Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants. Grants offered by the Brownfields Program can be used to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum. The proposal submission deadline is January 31, 2019. Opportunities for funding are as follows:

Multipurpose Grants

Each proposal is funded up to $800,000 over five years. EPA anticipates selecting 10 proposals. FY 2019 Multipurpose Grant Guidelines

Assessment Grants

Community-wide and Site-specific proposals are each funded up to $200,000 over three years; Assessment Coalition proposals are funded up to $600,000 over three years.

EPA anticipates selecting 114 proposals. Current EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant recipients must demonstrate that payment has been

received from EPA (also known as "drawn down") for at least 70% of each Assessment cooperative agreement they have with EPA by January 1, 2019, in order to apply for additional Assessment Grant funding under this solicitation.

FY 2019 Assessment Grant Guidelines

4 | P a g e

Cleanup Grants

Each proposal funded up to $500,000 over three years. EPA anticipates selecting 40 proposals. Brownfield sites where EPA Cleanup Grant funds were previously expended may not receive

additional EPA Cleanup Grant funding in FY 2019. FY 2019 Cleanup Grant Guidelines

Please visit the Types of Grant Funding page for an overview of the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants.

Additional FY 2019 Application Resources

FY 2019 Summary of Brownfields Grant Guideline Changes FY 2019 Frequently Asked Questions about Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grants Tips for Submitting Proposal through Grants.gov Tips on How to Get Started Early on Preparing Your Brownfields MARC Grant Proposal

FY 2019 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup National Guideline Outreach Webinar EPA will host one outreach webinar on December 11, 2018, at 2pm (ET). The purpose of the webinar is to assist applicants with understanding the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant Guidelines. Participants can join at https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/fy19_mac/ and/or dial into the audio conference line at 1-866-299-3188/ access code: 202-566-1817.

INNOVATION AND ADVANCED MATERIALS

NEW REMADE Institute Requests Proposals to Advance Recycling and Recovery of Materials AMO’s Reducing Embodied-energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Institute announced its second call for proposals for projects that will enable U.S. manufacturers to increase the recovery, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling of materials.

Letters of intent and a one-page project summary are due December 6, 2018. Full project proposals are due February 11, 2019. Click here for submission instructions.

Interested in becoming a REMADE member? Click here for information.

NEW DOE SBIR/STTR Opportunities: 34 Topics for Small Business Research and Development Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 34 topic areas for new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research and development projects. AMO will fund four subtopics within the EERE-funded topics and will also partner with the Solar Energy Technologies, Geothermal Technologies, and Fuel Cell Technology Offices on four joint topic areas.

5 | P a g e

SBIR/STTR provides funding for innovations that address multiple research and development programs throughout DOE, all aiming to spur innovation and create jobs in the United States.

Additional information on the DOE SBIR and STTR programs is available here. More information about the AMO projects announced is available here.

NOAA Seeks SBIR Phase I Applications for new R&D with Commercial Potential. Proposals Due Jan 8. NOAA's SBIR Program is seeking highly innovative products with excellent commercial

potential. All SBIR proposals must directly benefit the NOAA mission, but should also be

responsive to the greater market demands in order to be successful. All SBIR applications must

be made in response to a NOAA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

The FY19 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted to Grants.gov. In particular,

applicants should review Section 9 for current Research Topics. To view the full announcement,

visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310297.

The deadline for proposals is January 8, 2019.

For more information, please view the NOAA SBIR Grants Fact Sheet

MANUFACTURING

DOE Launches Prize Competition to Identify Manufacturing Leaders Driving Energy Savings DOE recently launched the Individuals Taking Energy Action in Manufacturing (ITEAM) Prize competition to recognize individuals responsible for discovering innovative ideas and practices that led to measurable energy savings at their energy facilities.

Applications are due on May 15, 2019 and winners will be announced in July 2019.

Visit Challenge.gov for the official rules and application details.

RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY

NOAA Announces FY19 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants. Apply by Jan 29, 2019

NOAA-NOS-OCM-2019-2005879. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program (CRCP), 16 USC §§

6401-6409, provides matching grants of financial assistance through the Domestic Coral Reef

Conservation Grant. These awards are intended to support coral reef conservation projects in shallow

water coral reef ecosystems, including reefs at mesophotic depths, in American Samoa, the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin

Islands, and coral-dominated banks in the U.S. portions of the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA expects that each

applicant will request Federal funding at a funding level between $30,000 and $80,000 under this

solicitation and that the average award size will be approximately $50,000. See Grants.gov for

6 | P a g e

application requirements and more information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-

opportunity.html?oppId=310476

Treasury Department Announces Funding Opportunities under the RESTORE Act. Applications Due August 30, 2019.

On November 16, the Department of Treasury published multiple funding opportunities as part of the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).

Construction https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310395 Non-construction https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310380

Applications are due from eligible State and county governments by August 30, 2019. Eligible geographies:

1. The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council or such administrative agent as it may designate. 2. The Florida counties of Bay, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Hernando,

Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Taylor, Wakulla, and Walton.

3. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board of Louisiana through the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana;

4. The Louisiana parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Vermilion.

5. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. 6. The Office of the Governor of the State of Texas, or an appointee of the Office of the Governor.

A third FOA was also released on November 16 to establish one or more Centers of Excellence through competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities, including institutions of higher education. Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310394 Funds may be used by those Centers of Excellence to conduct research only on the Gulf Coast region in one or more of the following disciplines:

1. Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region; 2. Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region; 3. Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of Mexico; 4. Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf Coast Region; and 5. Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico.

Federal Funding Opportunities Closing Soon: Below is a list of previously highlighted funding opportunities that are still open. Enter the Opportunity Number in Grants.gov to see announcement details. You can also search Grants.gov for a full list of

7 | P a g e

current federal opportunities, including programs not listed below. Opportunity Number Opportunity Title AGENCY Posted Date Close Date

EDAP2018

FY18 Economic Development Assistance Programs: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance

DOC-EDA

07/02/2018

693JJ319NF-

NSFLTP

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP)

DOT-FHWA

10/04/2018

DE-FOA-

0001987

Advanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies

DOE-GFO

10/15/2018 12/07/2018

18-598

Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs NSF 09/20/2018 12/18/2018

TATFY19 Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program for Water and Wastewater Systems

USDA-RUS

10/01/2018 12/31/2018

SWMFY2019 Solid Waste Management Grant Program

USDA-RUS

10/01/2018 12/31/2018

NOAA-OAR-

OAR-TPO-2019-

2005899

FY 2019 SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM

DOC 11/08/2018 01/08/2019

HRSA-19-003

Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW)

HHS-HRSA

10/19/2018 01/08/2019

USDA-NIFA-OP-

006669

Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans

USDA-NIFA

11/01/2018 01/10/2019

19-506 Partnerships for Innovation NSF 10/19/2018 01/17/2019

USDA-FS-

WERC-2019

2019 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity

USDA-FS

10/31/2018 01/23/2019

NOAA-NOS-

OCM-2019-

2005879

FY19 Coral Reef Conservation Program, Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grants

DOC 11/19/2018 01/29/2019

DHS-18-MT-

047-000-99

Fy 2018 Pre-Disaster Mitigation DHS-DHS

08/03/2018 01/31/2019

DHS-18-MT-

029-000-99

FY 2018 Flood Mitigation Assistance DHS-DHS

08/03/2018 01/31/2019

EPA-OLEM-

OBLR-18-07

FY19 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP GRANTS

EPA 11/29/2018 01/31/2019

EPA-OLEM-

OBLR-18-06

FY19 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT GRANTS

EPA 11/29/2018 01/31/2019

EPA-OLEM-

OBLR-18-08

FY19 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELDS MULTIPURPOSE (MP) GRANTS

EPA 11/29/2018 01/31/2019

19-516 NSF - Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future

NSF 11/01/2018 02/04/2019

8 | P a g e

19-501 Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations

NSF 10/06/2018 02/28/2019

Recently Announced Federal Awards:

MBDA Announces 2018 Awards to 35 Business Development Projects U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the Department of Commerce awarded over $13 million to 35 projects in communities across the country. The grants, which are part of MBDA’s new Broad Agency Announcement initiative, reflect critical Department of Commerce priorities including space commerce, aquaculture, disaster relief, and entrepreneurship efforts.

The Minority Business Development Agency is expanding its former use of the Broad Agency Announcement approach to fund projects in these Departmental priority areas that, in turn, promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises. As a result, the projects that received funding were geographically and commercially diverse. Organizations such as the United States Space Foundation, Howard University, the Asociación Productos de Puerto Rico, and the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce were all grant recipients.

The Minority Business Development Agency’s mission is to link minority-owned businesses with the capital, contracts, and markets they need to grow. Serving as subject matter experts and advocates for the minority business community, they conduct high-quality research and help minority-owned businesses cultivate domestic and international relationships. MBDA is the only Federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America.

For a full listing of MBDA’s 2018 grant awards, visit www.mbda.gov/news.

NOAA 2018 Sea Grant Awards Support Aquaculture and Economic Growth NOAA Sea Grant announced the award of $11 million in grants for 22 projects to further advance the development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the United States. The research will address specific priorities of the 2018 Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative, including supporting the development of emerging systems or technologies that will advance aquaculture in the United States; developing and implementing actionable methods of communicating accurate, science-based information about the benefits and risks of U.S. marine aquaculture to the public; and increasing the resiliency of aquaculture systems to natural hazards and changing conditions.

The opportunity for economic growth in emerging ocean industries like offshore aquaculture, ocean exploration, and national security missions is growing, but many of these are currently power-limited or lack a suitable power supply. Marine energy could be an important tool in removing these constraints and accelerating the pace at which these industries develop. See some of the impacts

resulting from Sea Grant-funded aquaculture research and learn more about aquaculture in the U.S. View the list of 2018 projects that received grant awards here: https://seagrant.noaa.gov/News/Article/ArtMID/1660/ArticleID/2700/Sea-Grant-Announces-2018-Aquaculture-Research-Awards

9 | P a g e

Public Meetings, Events and Training

Dec 7 at 2PM ET - HHS Applicant Webinar for Rural Communities Opioid Program (RCORP) Planning Grants. HRSA published a notice soliciting applications for the Rural Communities Opioid Program - Planning (RCORP-Planning). HRSA has identified $24,000,000 for investment with an anticipated 120 awards. Applications are due January 15, 2019. RCORP-Planning will support one (1) year of planning funding. To find the solicitation, select the blue “Package” tab on https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=307936. APPLICANT WEBINAR: HRSA has scheduled a December 7 (2 to 3 ET) webinar to discuss the solicitation: Call-In Number: 1-800-369-2114 Participant Code: 8423689 Weblink: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/rcorp_planning_fy19_ta_webinar/

Dec 11 at 2PM ET - EPA Brownfields Grant Applicant Webinar

FY 2019 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup National Guideline Outreach Webinar EPA will host one outreach webinar on December 11, 2018, at 2pm (ET). The purpose of the webinar is to assist applicants with understanding the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant Guidelines. Participants can join at https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/fy19_mac/ and/or dial into the audio conference line at 1-866-299-3188/ access code: 202-566-1817.

ITA’s Free Market Diversification Tool; Webinars Dec 5, 12 and 18 The new Market Diversification Tool from the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) can help.

Just tell the tool about your trade activity (what and where you are exporting) and if there are countries/regions of particular interest for limiting your search. Based on the scoring of 11 indicators (which you can adjust), you'll learn about additional markets to consider. The indicators range from product-specific trade and tariff data to economy-level macroeconomic and governance data. You can also export the data to a spreadsheet for further analysis. The

30 minutes expository video is available at https://beta.trade.gov/marketdiversification/About-the-Tool.

Join a free training webinar in November or December to get the most out of the new Market Diversification Tool for your business. Click on a link to register for the webinars:

Wednesday, November 28 at 4:00 PM EST

Wednesday, December 5 at 3:00 PM EST

Wednesday, December 12 at 4:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December 18 at 10:00 AM EST

Each webinar will last approximately one hour.

10 | P a g e

Also Upcoming: 2019 SelectUSA Investment Summit (June 10-12, Washington DC) Registration is now

open; receive early bird rates through 12/31/18, at https://www.selectusasummit.us/

Reports, Tools and Data

Supporting Apprenticeship through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program: New Fact Sheet Available DOL’s Employment and Training Administration has prepared a new fact sheet presenting the ways in which the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program can serve as a funding vehicle to support apprenticeship. The two-page fact sheet may be accessed at https://doleta.gov/tradeact/benefits/docs/Apprenticeship_and_TAA_Fact_Sheet.pdf

CRS Issued Updated Report “Small Business Administration: A Primer on Programs and Funding”

Congressional interest in the SBA’s loan, venture capital, training, and contracting programs has increased in recent years, primarily because small businesses are viewed as a means to stimulate economic activity and create jobs.

With this interest on the part of legislators, the Congressional Research Service periodically updates its overview of SBA’s programs; the latest update was published last week. The document may have some reference value for staff involved in business engagement activities, entrepreneurship, regional economic development, trade, disaster response, and targeted small business programs for veterans and women.

The report also discusses recent programmatic changes resulting from the enactment of legislation, and provides an overview of the SBA’s budget and references other CRS reports that examine these programs in greater detail.

Download a copy here: (https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33243

Disaster Recovery Resources & Info

Primary site for Disaster Recovery Assistance: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations Is your home, business or community included in a federally declared emergency or disaster

area? You can find the latest federal emergency and disaster declarations, as well as prior declarations for other areas, on FEMA's disaster declarations webpage.

Amended Declarations: Existing Declarations may be subsequently amended to expand covered areas, provide notification that an incident has been closed, or make other necessary changes.

11 | P a g e

Find recent amendments for GA, NC and WI and other recently declared areas here: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-emergency-management-agency#documents

Funding and other Assistance Available for Recovery:

Hurricane Michael: USDA Accepting Requests for Assistance to Restore Eligible Infrastructure and Businesses. Apply by Dec 5 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in South Carolina is accepting requests for assistance to help communities implement critical emergency measures and restore eligible infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, houses, and businesses as a result of damage caused by Hurricane Florence and associated flooding. Requests for assistance through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, which is designed to relieve imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods and other natural occurrences in watershed, must be submitted in writing to the NRCS State Conservationist in South Carolina by Dec. 5, 2018.

See: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2018/10/26/usda-assistance-available-restore-infrastructure-damaged-hurricane

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Assistance for California Wildfires Recovery The U.S. Department of Labor (November 20) announced actions it is taking to assist Americans in California affected by devastating wildfires, which include the following:

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is prepared to provide Disaster Dislocated Worker Grants to help California assess workforce needs. The disbursement of funds will be determined as needs are assessed by state and local partners. ETA is assisting in administering Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has released guidance for employee benefit plan participants and beneficiaries in the wake of the 2018 California wildfires.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has temporarily suspended select federal contractor requirements, allowing businesses involved in wildfire relief the ability to prioritize recovery efforts.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is responding to wildfires' impact on mines, and stands ready to respond more generally with specialized equipment and personnel.

The Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) is working with its grantees to identify flexibility and additional funding needs for its programs. VETS will provide assistance to employers, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and members of the National Disaster Medical System and Urban Search and Rescue service who may be deployed in support of rescue and recovery operations.

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is prioritizing all calls in the affected areas to continue to provide uninterrupted service to workers and employers.

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) issued a special enforcement advisory that would temporarily ease reporting and other regulatory burdens on labor organizations, labor relations consultants, and employers affected by the California wildfires.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is actively engaged with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies. California enforces worker health and safety requirements in the state; OSHA stands ready to assist affected areas upon request.

FEMA Disaster Mitigation Assistance Grants; Apply by Jan 31, 2019 DHS FEMA FY 2018 Pre-Disaster Mitigation – $235 million

Applications Due: January 31, 2019

12 | P a g e

Eligible Entities: State governments, U.S. territories, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program makes available Federal funds to State, Local and Tribal Governments to implement and sustain cost-effective measures designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from natural hazards, while also reducing reliance on Federal funding from future disasters. FEMA will provide allocations of $575,000 as required by the Stafford Act to states and territories; and a tribal set aside of $15 million for allocations up to $575,000 for Native American Indian tribal governments to support overall mitigation planning and projects. The remaining PDM funds will be awarded on a competitive basis with a focus on multi-state/tribal mitigation initiatives. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

DHS FEMA FY 2018 Flood Mitigation Assistance – $160 million

Applications Due: January 31, 2019 Eligible Entities: State governments, U.S. territories, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program makes available Federal funds to State, Local and Tribal Governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA will seek to fund two types of community flood mitigation activities: Advance Assistance for flood mitigation design and development of community flood mitigation projects and mitigation projects that address community flood risk for the purpose of reducing NFIP flood claim payments. The remaining funding will be used for FMA technical assistance, mitigation planning, and mitigation projects reducing risk to severe repetitive loss (SRL) and repetitive loss (RL) properties. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

EDA Has Supplemental Funding Available for Areas Impacted by 2017 Hurricanes, Wildfires and Other Disasters These grants will support disaster recovery activities in areas receiving a major disaster designation as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and wildfires and other 2017 natural disasters. EDA plans to accept proposals on a rolling basis until all funds are obligated. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. See the following links for details: View the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) EDA-2018-DISASTER on Grants.gov

See EDA’s Disaster Assistance website for more info including: EDA’s Disaster Supplemental FAQ sheet and

EDA Regional Office contacts.

Read EDA’s press release for more information: U.S. Department of Commerce Announces Availability of

$587 Million to Aid Communities Impacted by Natural Disasters in 2017

For more information, please contact your regional offices

Florida Launches Rebuild Florida

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) launched Rebuild Florida, a long-term recovery effort, which will provide $616 million to help Florida families whose homes were significantly damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irma repair or rebuild their homes. Rebuild Florida is a program run by DEO in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For those whose homes were destroyed or are still damaged, please go online to RebuildFlorida.gov or visit a Rebuild Florida center opening near you to register for assistance. Begin registration at RebuildFlorida.gov or by calling the Rebuild Florida representatives at 844-833-1010. Rebuild Florida centers will also be opening in the hardest hit counties. Eligible Florida residents have until Dec. 23 to register for the Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program.

More Resources for Recovery and Resilience

DOL ETA’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification Issues Guidance on Hurricanes Florence and Hurricane Michael The Employment and Training Administration’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has published guidance regarding reasonable case-accommodations in light of the damage done by Hurricane Florence and Hurricane

13 | P a g e

Michael. Please see response with full details: https://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/Guidance_for_Hurricanes_Florence_and_Michael.pdf

Hurricane Florence: BLS Has Employment, Wages, and Establishment Counts in Flood Zones

USDOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has maps and tables are available for areas in all of the states that may be affected by Hurricane Florence (https://www.bls.gov/cew/hurricane_zones/2018/florence/home.htm). The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program has created a set of maps and data for hurricane flood zones on the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts For more information, see the flood zone FAQ page.

Economic Recovery Support & the National Disaster Response Framework Read more about the Economic Recovery Support Function and the National Disaster Response

Framework here: https://www.eda.gov/programs/disaster-recovery/