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Special Waiver Regarding Federal Stimulus Projects

Intergovernmental Review

Under Maine State Executive Order 7 FY 83/84 (January 23, 1984), the Maine State Planning Office is responsible for the state intergovernmental review process.  This process permits state and local officials to comment on proposed federal financial assistance and direct federal development.

Under Federal Executive Order 12372 (July 14, 1982), each state may refine its process for this intergovernmental review, including excluding certain federal projects and programs from review and comment.

Waiver

Pursuant to its authority, the Maine State Planning Office waives intergovernmental review of any program or project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

If an applicant is asked by any granting agency to submit Form 424 (http://grants.gov/techlib/SF424-V2.0.pdf) for a proposal funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, check box 19 (b) on the form.  This indicates that the program or project has not been selected by the State for intergovernmental review.

A letter signed by the Director of the State Planning Office documenting our waiver of intergovernmental review for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 proposals can be found here.

Note: this waiver pertains to the pre-application comment process on proposed projects and grants.  It doesn’t waive any other state or local statutory or regulatory requirements for such projects.

State of Maine Intergovernmental Review

The Maine Intergovernmental Review Process (IGR) provides state, local, and community representatives with an opportunity to review and comment on projects or programs seeking federal financial assistance.  It is designed to assure compliance with applicable State Guide Plan elements, conformance to Local Comprehensive Plans, and to facilitate coordination of programs within the state.  The basis for the IGR is Presidential Executive Order 12372 and Governor's Executive Order.

Any state agency, local government, or private organization that is seeking federal financial assistance to implement an activity within the State of Maine must submit grant applications for Intergovernmental Review. Some federal programs are exempt from the review process.  In most cases, if a program is eligible for intergovernmental review, that fact will be stated in the federal notice of funding availability.  Requirements of the IGR are also found for individual programs in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). Applications should be submitted to the State Planning Office prior to submission to the federal funding source.  The submission for review should be as far in advance from the submission to the federal funding agency as is possible.

The Intergovernmental Review Coordinator, who is the Single Point of Contact (SPOC), reviews the application. The Coordinator will notify state and local officials, and other agencies or organizations that may be affected by the proposed project via a bi-weekly review bulletin. The agencies and organizations will be provided a window of time, specified in the review bulletin, during which they may send written comments concerning the application directly to the grantee. Substantive and/or negative comments may require a conference among the applicant, the respondent, and a staff person from the State Planning Office to resolve major points of conflict/disagreements found in the proposed project.  Recommendations are forwarded directly to the federal agency.

All application packages must include the project narrative and Form 424. Construction projects must include a site map. Once completed, the forms can be saved and sent via email as an attachment, along with the project narrative, and the site map (if required) to Thomas Merrill.