94-1739. Environmental Technology; U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Strategy and U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Initiative FY 1994 Program Plan

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1739]


[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-4828-5]


Environmental Technology; U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Strategy 
and U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Initiative FY 1994 Program Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comment and invitation to 
become a project partner.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency's (EPA) draft Technology Innovation Strategy (S/N 055-000-00466-
8), is available for review and comment. EPA is seeking public comments 
on the draft Strategy by March 14, 1994. To identify parties interested 
in the President's Environmental Technology Initiative, EPA is also 
releasing the Environmental Technology Initiative: Fiscal Year 1994 (FY 
1994) Program Plan (S/N 055-000-00465-8) which identifies 73 projects 
that EPA and other agencies and organizations are initiating to 
implement the Initiative. Copies of both documents are available 
through the U.S. Government Printing Office.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Technology Innovation Strategy (S/N 055-000-
00466-8) or Environmental Technology Initiative: FY 1994 Program Plan 
(S/N 055-000-00465-8) are available from the nearest government 
bookstore, the Government Printing Office phone order information desk 
(202/783-3238) or by requesting an order form by FAX [phone]). 
Mail orders may be addressed to the: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 
Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
15250-7954. When ordering, please identify the document's title and 
indicate the Government Printing Office publication number.
    Comments on the Technology Innovation Strategy should be mailed to: 
Strategy Committee, Innovative Technology Council, Mail Code 2111, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20460. Comments on the Strategy will be accepted until March 14, 1994. 
EPA is planning to convene three public hearings on the Strategy, in 
Washington, DC, Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California. 
Specific dates and locations for these hearings will be announced in a 
future Federal Register notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brendan Doyle, Office of Policy, 
Planning and Evaluation (2127), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, [phone], or one of the 
EPA regional office contacts listed below:

Barbara Brown, U.S. EPA Region 1, One Congress Street--RAA, Boston, MA 
02203-2211, Tel #: [phone].
Pat Lafornara, U.S. EPA Region 2, 2890 Woodbridge Avenue, Raritan Depot 
Building 10--MS 100, Edison, NJ 08837-3679, Tel #: [phone].
Norm Kulujian, U.S. EPA Region 3, 841 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 
19107, Tel #: [phone].
Bob Jourdan, U.S. EPA Region 4, 345 Courtland Street, NE--4WNSRB, 
Atlanta, GA 30365, Tel #: [phone].
Mike Lin, U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard--WQ-16J, 
Chicago, IL 60604-3590, Tel #: [phone].
Norman Dyer, U.S. EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, 12th Floor, Suite 
1200, Dallas, TX 75202-2733, Tel #: [phone].
Jody Hudson, U.S. EPA Region 7, 25 Funston Road, Kansas City, KS 
66115,Tel #: [phone].
Dave Smith, U.S. EPA Region 8, 999 18th Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 
80202-2466, Tel #: [phone].
Winona Victery, U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, 
CA 94105, Tel #: [phone].
John Barich, U.S. EPA Region 10, 1200 6th Avenue--ES-098, Seattle, WA 
98101, Tel #: [phone].

EPA's Technology Innovation Strategy

    The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Innovative Technology 
Council, comprised of EPA management and staff from across the Agency, 
has drafted a strategy to focus and target its efforts to accelerate 
environmental technology development, commercialization and use. The 
Council recognizes a need to accelerate the development, 
commercialization, and use of innovative environmental technologies to 
maintain and improve environmental quality at home and abroad into the 
21st century. Environmental quality would deteriorate, given 
foreseeable population growth and industrialization, unless technology 
is developed and more broadly applied, that is more effective in 
preventing and reducing pollution levels, less costly than existing 
technology and supportive of sustainable development. EPA, state and 
local agencies are in a unique position to influence the rate and focus 
of environmental technology innovation and use because of their 
legislative and programmatic mandates and regulatory responsibilities 
(which often influence the demand for environmental technologies, goods 
and services).
    In funding the President's Environmental Technology Initiative, the 
House Committee on Appropriations directed EPA, ``* * * to develop a 
comprehensive environmental technology strategy characterized by 
innovation and a nonbureaucratic approach.''1
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    \1\ House of Representatives, 103rd Congress, Committee on 
Appropriations report, June 22, 1993, Report 103-150, p. 47.
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    EPA's draft Strategy provides a plan to directly and indirectly 
support private sector innovation and diffusion activities sponsored by 
the public and private sector and close coordination among Federal 
agencies. It focuses on creating incentives for the development and use 
of innovative technologies in federal and state environmental 
regulations, reducing barriers to technology innovation and use, and 
improving the competitiveness of the environmental technology industry 
in domestic and international markets. EPA and other Federal, state and 
local agencies, universities, trade associations and consortia, and 
numerous private companies are already working in many of the areas 
identified in the Strategy. EPA is seeking public comment on the 
Strategy to focus and target efforts to accelerate environmental 
technology development, commercialization and use. The Agency's 
Innovative Technology Council plans to revise and update the Strategy 
based on the comments received.
    The definition of ``environmental technologies'' being addressed in 
the Strategy varies widely for a number of reasons. The ``environmental 
technology industry'' has only recently become a focal point for market 
analysts and policy-makers, and it is highly diversified in terms of 
the current demand for and supply of technologies, goods and services. 
Demand often varies based on local environmental conditions. 
``Environmental technologies'' include technologies, goods, and 
services whose development is triggered primarily by environmental 
improvement objectives. Sometimes referred to as ``dark green'' 
technologies, these include: products and services to monitor and 
assess pollutant releases and exposure levels; innovative technologies 
which prevent pollution, control air and water pollution levels, and 
remediate contaminated soil and groundwater; and, manage environmental 
data. EPA's Strategy also addresses ``light green'' technologies that 
are developed primarily for non-environmental reasons; those 
technologies can have indirect, but important consequences for 
improving environmental quality. An example, would be local area 
computer networks designed to enhance office communication, but which 
also reduce paper use.
    EPA is interested in promoting all phases of technological change 
such as: the research and development of new concepts; preliminary 
design testing and pilot applications of evolving technologies; 
performance demonstrations and testing; evaluations of early commercial 
applications; and diffusion into domestic and international markets.
    The draft ``Technology Innovation Strategy'' outlines the general 
principles that guide EPA in its efforts to foster innovation in its 
existing programs and new projects being initiated under the 
President's Environmental Technology Initiative (see below). It 
outlines four objectives:
    1. Adapt EPA's policy, regulatory, and compliance framework to 
promote innovation;
    2. Strengthen the capacity of technology developers and users to 
succeed in environmental technology innovation;
    3. Strategically invest EPA funds in the development and 
commercialization of promising new technologies; and,
    4. Accelerate diffusion of innovative technologies at home and 
abroad.
    EPA invites comments on the draft Strategy and the following 
questions:
    (1) What roles are appropriate for EPA to play in stimulating the 
development and use of innovative technological solutions to 
environmental problems?
    (2) Do you agree with the Strategy's objectives and with EPA's 
approaches to achieving them? Which objectives should receive the 
highest priority for action?
    (3) Are there additional areas of emphasis that EPA should address 
in planning and funding its technology development, commercialization, 
and diffusion activities?
    (4) Are there particular environmental technology needs or 
impediments to development on which you feel the Agency should focus 
more of its attention?
    (5) How do you propose that EPA measure the success of its efforts?

Technology Program Focus Areas for FY 1995

    The Technology Innovation Strategy will be used to guide the 
Agency's planning and budgeting for specific projects in both base 
programs and under the President's Environmental Technology Initiative 
during this fiscal year and in future years. The Environmental 
Technology Initiative (ETI) FY 1994 Program Plan, described later in 
this notice, provides detailed descriptions of the ETI budget themes 
and projects being funded this fiscal year. Planning for FY 1995 is now 
underway and EPA is interested in receiving comments from the public on 
specific focus areas that should be emphasized in funding projects next 
year. These focus areas may be within the broad context of an entire 
technology innovation area or may be specific to one facet of EPA's 
Strategy. An example of a broad focus area recommendation would be the 
need for EPA assistance in all aspects of encouraging the development 
and use of more cost-effective technologies for small businesses. An 
example of a focus area recommendation specific to one part of the 
Strategy (e.g., Objective #2) would be the need for EPA to help assure 
the quality and credibility of performance data for new technologies by 
creating more locations for safe technology testing.

The President's Environmental Technology Initiative

    In his State of the Union speech on February 17, 1993, President 
Clinton outlined a new initiative to improve environmental quality and 
strengthen the American economy. The goal of the President's 
Environmental Technology Initiative (ETI) is to spur the development 
and use of more advanced environmental systems and treatment techniques 
that can yield domestic environmental benefits and increase exports of 
American technologies to other countries. ``Dark green'' environmental 
technologies are being emphasized in the Initiative that is, 
technologies, goods, and services whose development is triggered 
primarily by environmental improvement objectives. ``Dark green'' 
technologies include: products and services to monitor and assess 
pollutant releases and exposure levels; innovative technologies which 
prevent pollution, control air and water pollution levels, and 
remediate contaminated soil and groundwater; and, manage environmental 
data. The Initiative is funded at $36 million in FY 1994 and, in the 
President's plan, is to be funded at $80 million in FY 1995, with 
overall funding projected to be $1.8 billion over nine years. In 
approving funding for Fiscal Year 1994, the Senate Appropriations 
Committee instructed the Agency to develop a detailed program 
plan2. Today, EPA is announcing the availability of the 
Environmental Technology Initiative: FY 1994 Program Plan (S/N 055-000-
00465-8) which describes 73 specific projects that will be initiated by 
the end of September, 1994. These projects span four general areas 
outlined below:
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    \2\ U.S. Senate, 103rd Congress, Appropriations Committee report 
103-137, September 9, 1993, p. 105, Washington, DC.
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    1. Accelerating the development and use of innovative environmental 
and restoration technologies;
    2. Fostering clean technologies through pollution prevention for 
small businesses;
    3. Fostering the use of U.S. technologies to solve international 
environmental problems;
    4. Defining technology gaps, and identifying barriers to, and 
incentives for developing and commercializing environmental 
technologies.
    The Program Plan released today is not a solicitation or request 
for proposals for grants or contracts from EPA. It describes the nature 
and scope of work in each project area and invites interested parties 
to contact individual project managers, especially if they are working 
on a similar project or they are interested in becoming a project 
partner. Project managers will, in turn, be developing partnerships 
among interested parties who can share in the projects' activities and 
results. EPA anticipates that federal agencies, state and local 
governments, tribes, educational institutions, non-profit and not-for 
profit entities, and private sector parties may be interested in 
discussing partnership opportunities. By this approach, EPA is seeking 
to engage and leverage the creativity, expertise, and resources of 
other government agencies and the private sector in areas of mutual 
interest.
    Both the Administration and the Congress have stressed the need for 
partnerships that provide both direct support to private sector 
innovation and close coordination with other Federal agencies. These 
partnerships may take many forms. For example, in the ``Clean Car 
Technology Demonstration Program'' (Project No. 11), EPA's National 
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions laboratory and Office of Air and Radiation, 
the Department of Energy, and the National Institute for Science and 
Technology, other Federal laboratories, and domestic manufacturers are 
demonstrating ways to improve passenger car and light truck fuel 
economy and technologies which lower carbon dioxide emissions. To 
promote technologies that prevent pollution in small businesses, EPA, 
the International Fabricare Institute, Neighborhood Cleaners 
Association, Greenpeace, and the Occupational Health Foundation are 
working on dry and wet cleaning technologies that do not use 
perchloroethylene (Project No. 33). To improve the U.S. environmental 
technology industry's competitiveness abroad, EPA, the Agency for 
International Development, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the 
Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation are 
proposing ways to demonstrate the performance of pollution control, 
monitoring and pollution prevention technologies globally and at sites 
to be selected in Asia, Central or Eastern Europe or Mexico (Project 
No. 53).
    For some projects, EPA may transfer funding to another Federal 
agency that will match those funds with funds of their own or with 
those of a private sector partner. Not all collaborative efforts, 
however, may entail transfers of funding among Federal partners or 
private partners. Rather, EPA is more interested in finding partners 
who can offer collaboration, resources and expertise to make each 
project a success. Many partnership opportunities are available. For 
example:

--Developing technologies to depolymerize/repolymerize plastics for 
recycling (Project No. 4);
--Changing to cleaner processes in plating and metal finishing that 
reduce the use of toxic chemicals, generate less waste, and reduce 
energy and natural resource consumption (Project No. 5);
--Piloting applications of advanced adsorption technologies that can 
filter wastewater, drinking water and contaminated groundwater and 
clean-up polluted aquatic ecosystems (Project No. 7);
--Developing alternative surface cleaning technologies to replace 
products and systems using hazardous chemicals or volatile organic 
solvents that pose health or environmental risks (Project No. 8);
--Evaluating techniques that are used to reduce metallic ores to base 
metals for applications in managing solid and hazardous wastes (Project 
No. 18);
--Demonstrating supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technologies 
that reduce reliance on toxic solvents and the generation of hazardous 
wastestreams (Project No. 19);
--Documenting the performance of soil washing as an alternative 
remedial technology for cleaning up contaminated sites (Project No. 
20);
--Demonstrating pilot-scale chemical dechlorination by the recently-
licensed, base-catalyzed decomposition process to clean-up soils 
contaminated with PCBs, pentachlorophenol, and chlorinated insecticides 
and herbicides (Project No. 23); and,
--Developing and demonstrating new metalforming technologies to find 
substitutes for toxic chlorinated solvents, cyanides and cadmium that 
prevent pollution and reduce the generation of hazardous wastestreams 
(Project No. 38).

    Parties interested in these or any other projects, or becoming a 
project partner, may contact the project manager identified in the FY 
1994 Program Plan. Project managers are interested in hearing from 
those who are working on similar projects; those who are interested in 
offering expertise, experience, test sites or other resources; and, 
those who are qualified to comment on the technical aspects of each 
project's value, significance and appropriateness.

    Dated: January 21, 1994.
David M. Gardiner,
Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 94-1739 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
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