Emergency BILS GRANT APPLICATION INFORMATION

Description of Information Collection Associated with the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program

Solicitation for grants under the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program is voluntary. No eligible entity is required to apply. To be eligible, however, municipality and community-owned utilities must meet all the requirements set forth in the law. Therefore, DOT must collect certain information from applicants to determine eligibility and evaluate applications. DOT must also verify the accuracy of grant requests from approved applicants, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other laws and regulations governing Federal financial assistance programs, including (but not limited to) the Anti‑Deficiency Act, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, and 2 CFR part 200, among others. In accordance with the IIJA, DOT must not award more than 12.5 percent of the funds available under the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program to a single municipality or community-owned utility.

DOT anticipates using an online, web-based system to collect the applicant information for the notice of funding opportunity which will include the following information:

• Legal name of the applicant (i.e., the legal name of the business entity), as well as any other identities under which the applicant may be doing business.

• Address, telephone, and email contact information for the applicant.

• Legal authority under which the applicant is established.

• Name and title of the authorized representative of the applicant (who will attest to the required certifications). DOT may also require the identity of external parties involved in preparation of the application, including outside accountants, attorneys, or auditors who may be assisting the business entity that is applying for assistance under this program.

• The specific statutory criteria that the applicant meets for eligibility under this program. The statute defines eligible applicants to include municipality or community-owned utilities excluding for-profit entities. Accordingly, DOT will require the applicant to identify which of these categories they meet, and how.

• Information regarding the environmental effects caused by the proposed project(s) specific to each site. Further, PHMSA will collect project information on (1) actions to comply with state and Federal environmental, environmental justice, and historic preservation requirements, including the National Environmental Policy Act, and (2) additional mitigation actions to ensure that environmental impacts, such as those from excavation or the use of heavy equipment, are minimal and insignificant.

• Location where the applicant was legally established, created, or organized to do business. This information and supporting documentation will be required to demonstrate how the applicant meets the statutory requirement to be “established, created, or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States.”

• Other identification numbers, including but not limited to the Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN), Unique Entity Identifier under 2 CFR part 25, etc. All applicants will be required to have pre-registered with the System for Award Management at https://sam.gov/SAM/.

• Description of the applicant’s business operations, in sufficient detail to demonstrate how the applicant meets the statutory requirement as a municipality or community-owned utility.

• Whether the applicant is currently engaged in any legal proceeding that could jeopardize its ability to fulfill the legal commitments required in statute as conditions for receiving funds under the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program. Examples of such proceedings could include (but are not limited to) any process related to the United States Bankruptcy Code, potential merger or acquisition discussions, or current litigation against the applicant. The application system will request that applicants identify any such issues at a high level and avoid including unnecessary details in the application.

• Whether the applicant is delinquent on any debt to any Federal agency, along with supporting details.

• A sworn certification as to the complete and accurate nature of all information provided, including all supporting documentation, subject to civil or criminal penalties. The specific certification language will include: “I certify under penalty of perjury that the information and certifications provided in the application and its attachments are true and correct. WARNING: Anyone who knowingly submits a false claim or makes a false statement is subject to criminal and/or civil penalties, including confinement for up to 5 years, fines, and civil penalties. (18 U.S.C. §§ 287, 1001; 31 U.S.C. §3729, 3802).”

Recipients will be required to provide supporting documentation in sufficient detail to substantiate the actual costs, specifically excluding any personally identifiable information (PII) for any individual employees. Recipients will also be required to provide additional information and certifications in support of disbursement requests.