BACKGROUND SECTION 319 FINAL PROJECT REPORTS
2APRIL 6, 2000
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTION 319 GRANTS
All Section 319(h) grants are subject to the requirements under 40 CFR Part 31
and Part 35, Subpart A, general grant regulations and reporting requirements for
federal grants awarded to states and localities. Section 319(h) of the CWA also
has reporting requirements for grantees. The following sections include a
description of the basic reporting requirements from 40 CFR Part 31.40 that are
important to section 319 final reports. Sections 3 and 4 of this training manual
provide more specific descriptions, suggestions, and examples of final reports.
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS
If an event that has a significant impact on the grant occurs between performance
report dates, then 40 CFR 31.40(d) requires states to send EPA a report describing
how the significant development will affect performance. A significant
development can include an event that causes a delay in meeting milestones,
goals, and objectives or a favorable development that indicates a state might meet
its milestones sooner than anticipated or can reduce their costs.
G
RANT REPORTING AND TRACKING SYSTEM (GRTS)
The current reporting/tracking program enables EPA and states to describe the
progress they have made in implementing the national NPS program. The Grant
Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS) electronically tracks projects and
activities funded with CWA Section 319(h) funds. This national database began
tracking approximately 2,400 projects. From 1990 to 1999, this number has
increased to 11,150 projects nationally, with 750 projects worth $81,000,000
currently being tracked in Region 8. The projects can be referenced
geographically by cataloging unit, latitude/longitude number, and by state,
complete with project descriptions and evaluations. In 1997, GRTS was migrated
from a mainframe database to Lotus Notes. The system is capable of producing
structured reports for state use as well as ad-hoc reporting capabilities. Currently,
states have the ability to attach final project reports in GRTS, in an area called
FEEDBACK. There is interest in creating a specific separate area on GRTS for
final reports, however, the system administrators are waiting until there are more
states that want to use it.
The primary purpose of the GRTS database is for funding, budgeting, and
tracking 12 mandated elements that are reported to Congress annually. GRTS
data entry, system support and maintenance, training and software/hardware
needs are administered by states as part of their NPS program. GRTS is also used
for obtaining project information nationally and is used by states to facilitate mid-
year and annual electronic reporting. Key users of GRTS are federal agencies,
states, tribes, regional NPS project officers, and others. To help with data
reporting and management, EPA encourages states to report several nationally