(ii) award the funds for any rec-
ommended environmental project in a
timely and expeditious manner.
(C) NO
MATCHING
REQUIREMENT.—A
small community that receives a SEARCH
grant under this section shall not be required to
provide matching funds.
(c) SEARCH GRANTS FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES.—
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—A council may recommend
the award of a SEARCH grant under this section to
a small community for an environmental project for
which the small community—
(A) demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the
council, that the small community has pursued
traditional funding sources for the environ-
mental project and has not obtained funding, or
has obtained insufficient funding, from those
sources; or
(B) needs funds to carry out initial feasi-
bility or environmental studies before applying
to traditional funding sources.
(2) APPLICATION.—To apply for a SEARCH
grant under this section, not later than February 5
of the fiscal year for which the grant is to be rec-
ommended for award, a small community shall sub-
mit to the council in the State in which the small
community is located an application that includes—
(A) a description of the proposed environ-
mental project (including an explanation of how
the project would assist the small community in
complying with an environmental law (including
a regulation);
(B) an explanation of why the project is
important to the small community;
(C) a description of all actions taken with
respect to the project, including any attempt to
secure funding and a description of dem-
onstrated need for funding for the project, as of
the date of the application; and
(D) a SEARCH grant application form
provided by the council, completed and with all
required supporting documentation.
(3) REVIEW
AND
AWARD.—Not later than
March 5 of each fiscal year, each council shall—
(A) review all applications received under
paragraph (2); and
(B) recommend for award SEARCH
grants to small communities based on—
(i) an evaluation of the eligibility cri-
teria under paragraph (1); and
(ii) the content of the application.
(4) UNEXPENDED FUNDS.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—If any unexpended
funds remain after SEARCH grants are award-
ed under subsection (b)(3)(B), the council may
repeat the application and review process so
that any remaining funds may be recommended
for award, and awarded, not later than July 30.
(B) RETENTION
OF
FUNDS.—Any unex-
pended funds that are not awarded under sub-
section (b)(3)(B) or subparagraph (A) shall be
retained for award during the following fiscal
year.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than September 1 of the first fiscal year
for which a SEARCH grant is awarded by a council, and
annually thereafter, the council shall submit to the Admin-
istrator a report that—
(1) describes the number of SEARCH grants
awarded during the fiscal year;
(2) identifies each small community that re-
ceived a SEARCH grant during the fiscal year;
(3) describes the project or purpose for which
each SEARCH grant was awarded, including a
statement of the benefit to public health or the envi-
ronment of the environmental project receiving the
grant funds; and
(4) describes the status of each project or por-
tion of a project for which a SEARCH grant was
awarded, including a project or portion of a project
for which a SEARCH grant was awarded for any
fiscal year before the fiscal year in which the report
is submitted.
SEC. 6. FUNDING.
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 4(a)(3)
$50,000,000.
(b) ACTUAL APPROPRIATION.—If funds to carry out
section 4(a)(3) are made available for a fiscal year in an
amount that is less than the amount authorized under
subsection (a) for the fiscal year, the appropriated funds
shall be divided equally among the 50 States.
(c) UNUSED FUNDS.—If, for any fiscal year, a State
does not apply, or does not qualify, to receive funds under
section 4(a)(2), the funds that would have been made
available to the State under section 4(a)(3) on submission
by the State of a successful application under section
4(a)(2) shall be redistributed for award under this Act
among States, the councils of which awarded 1 or more
SEARCH grants during the preceding fiscal year.
(d) OTHER EXPENSES.—There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act (other than section 4(a)(3)).
Æ