Support for Design of EPA Solid Waste and Recycling Grant Programs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management received funding to develop two new grant programs focused on solid waste infrastructure and recycling education and outreach. Recognizing that they needed input from potential beneficiaries to design and implement effective grant programs, OLEM turned to ERG for support.

During the design stage, ERG helped EPA obtain the needed input by developing materials and coordinating webinar logistics for 115 national and regional feedback sessions conducted over six months, reaching over 4,700 stakeholders. We also facilitated national feedback sessions to engage the public during the Q&A sessions and recorded and cataloged comments from hundreds of organizations and individuals in response to an EPA Request for Information for each grant program. Our team then aggregated and analyzed the feedback from the webinars and RFIs, with a particular focus on understanding the needs and barriers of recycling for local communities, including rural and tribal communities. This feedback informed EPA’s design and implementation of two robust and responsive grant programs: the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program and the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program. Together, these two programs have been working to increase recycling, transform the nation’s recycling system, and advance a circular economy for all. 

During implementation, ERG assisted EPA in the merit review of applications received under both programs. More recently, we have been supporting the implementation of the SWIFR Grant Program, including support for the environmental review of individual grant projects, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act; development of a Quality Assurance Project Plan template and over 50 draft QAPPs for grant recipients; and research concerning appropriate procurement and hiring practices under the Build America Buy America Act, Fair Share Objectives, and Davis-Bacon Act.