Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Applicants
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Guidelines for SEP Applicants
CARB accepts SEP proposals year-round and updates the available SEPs list with approved SEP proposals twice a year. SEP proposals remain on the available list until they are selected for full or partial funding through settlements of enforcement action at CARB.
CARB has developed the following guidelines to assist applicants to submit a SEP proposal.
FAQ
Submitting a SEP Proposal through CalEPA
Numerous agencies under CalEPA manage their own SEP programs. If you are not sure which board or department is the most appropriate for your SEP proposal, you can submit your proposal on CalEPA's website. CalEPA will direct your proposal to the correct administering agency. If your CalEPA proposal is referred to CARB, we will follow up with you with the CARB SEP proposal and budget forms that are required to be considered for CARB's SEP program.
Submitting a SEP Proposal through CARB
If your SEP proposal is clearly tied to addressing air quality issues, you can submit the proposal directly to CARB. CARB's SEP proposal form can be downloaded from the SEP webpage or requested via email. The CARB SEP proposal form follows the same general structure as CalEPA's proposal form, but requests additional information about the project more specifically related to air pollution. CARB recommends contacting us directly to submit a SEP proposal.
You may submit multiple proposals for different project types (e.g. a proposal focused on air filtration and another proposal focused on tree planting) or for the second or third phase of the same project. SEP proposals for phased out projects must clearly describe the project status, milestones achieved, and future milestones that will be funded if approved for eligibility.
CARB Proposal Review Process
Once CARB receives a proposal either through the CalEPA website or the CARB website, the proposal selection process begins. CARB will send you an email notifying you that your SEP proposal has been received and is under review. During this review, we evaluate your proposal to determine if the project concept fits within CARB's SEP Policy selection criteria.
There are three potential outcomes from CARB's review of your proposal:
- Your project is approved, and you will be notified that the project has been placed on the CalEPA and CARB SEP eligibility lists.
- Your project tentatively meets the qualifying criteria pending a request for additional information before listing. This is to ensure the proposal is technically and administratively complete.
- Your proposal does not meet the qualifying criteria, and you will be notified in writing regarding why the project was not eligible for listing. If it does not meet one of the SEP Policy selection criteria, we will let you know via email with an explanation of why the proposal was not accepted. We will offer to work with you to redesign your project to simultaneously fit your needs and fulfill the requirements laid out in the CARB SEP Policy. At this point you will have the option to revise the proposal and resubmit it based on CARB's feedback. You are encouraged to follow up with CARB and ask questions.
If My Project is Approved for Listing, What Happens Next?
Your project will be added to the Available SEPs List and during a settlement of enforcement action, a responsible party (violator) may volunteer to select your project for full or partial funding in lieu of a portion of their penalty fee. Availability of funding is not guaranteed and the amount available from each settlement may vary.
If your project is selected for funding, we will notify you upon selection and you will be required to enter and abide by a SEP Oversight Agreement with CARB. The SEP Oversight Agreement includes implementation, reporting, and oversight requirements for funded projects.