[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 210 (Friday, October 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58380-58381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29159]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6182-5]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104--Announcement of Proposal
Deadline for the Competition for the 1999 National Brownfields
Assessment Demonstration Pilots
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of proposal deadlines, revised guidelines.
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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will
begin to accept proposals for the National Brownfields Assessment
Pilots on October 30, 1998. The brownfields assessment pilots (each
funded up to $200,000 over two years) test cleanup and redevelopment
planning models, direct special efforts toward removing regulatory
barriers without sacrificing protectiveness, and facilitate coordinated
environmental cleanup and redevelopment efforts at the federal, state,
and local levels. EPA expects to select up to 100 additional National
brownfields assessment pilots by May 1999. Applications will be
accepted on a ``rolling submissions'' schedule. The deadlines for new
applications for the 1999 assessment pilots are December 11, 1998, and
March 22, 1999. Applications postmarked after December 11, 1998, will
be considered in the second round of competition. Previously
unsuccessful applicants are advised that they must revise and resubmit
their applications.
The National brownfields assessment pilots are administered on a
competitive basis. To ensure a fair selection process, evaluation
panels consisting of EPA Regional and Headquarters staff and other
federal agency representatives will assess how well the proposals meet
the selection criteria outlined in the newly revised application
booklet The Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative: Proposal
Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots (October
1998).
DATES: This action is effective as of October 30, 1998, and expires on
March 22, 1999. All proposals must be postmarked or sent to EPA via
registered or tracked mail by the expiration dates cited above.
Applications postmarked after December 11, 1998, will be considered in
the second round of competition.
ADDRESSES: Application booklets can be obtained by calling the
Superfund Hotline at the following numbers: Washington, DC Metro Area
at 703-412-9810; Outside Washington, DC Metro at 1-800-424-9346; TDD
for the Hearing Impaired at 1-800-553-7672.
Copies of the Booklet are available via the Internet: http://
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Superfund Hotline, 800-424-9346.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a part of the Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative, the
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots are designed to empower
States, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment
to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely cleanup
and promote the sustainable reuse of brownfields. EPA has awarded
cooperative agreements to States, cities, towns, counties and Tribes
for demonstration pilots that test brownfields assessment models,
direct special efforts toward removing regulatory barriers without
sacrificing protectiveness, and facilitate coordinated public and
private efforts at the Federal, State and local levels. To date, the
Agency has funded 226 Brownfields Assessment Pilots. Of those pilots,
169 are National Pilots selected under criteria developed by EPA
Headquarters and 57 are Regional Pilots selected by EPA Regions under
criteria developed by their offices.
EPA's goal is to select a broad array of assessment pilots that
will serve as models for other communities across the nation. EPA seeks
to identify applications that demonstrate the integration or linking of
brownfields assessment pilots with other federal, state, tribal, and
local sustainable development, community revitalization, and pollution
prevention programs. Special consideration will be given to Empowerment
Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs), communities with populations
of under 100,000, and federally recognized Indian tribes. These pilots
focus on EPA's primary mission--protecting human health and the
environment. However, it is an essential piece of the nation's overall
community revitalization efforts. EPA works closely with other federal
agencies through the Interagency Working Group on Brownfields, and
builds relationships with other stakeholders on the national and local
levels to develop coordinated approaches for community revitalization.
Funding for the brownfields assessment pilots is authorized under
section 104(d)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
[[Page 58381]]
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA or
Superfund), 42 U.S.C. 9604(d)(1). States (including U.S. Territories),
political subdivisions (including cities, towns, counties), and
federally recognized Indian Tribes are eligible to apply. EPA welcomes
and encourages applications from coalitions of such entities, but a
single eligible entity must be identified as the legal recipient.
Cooperative agreement funds will be awarded only to a state, to an
officially recognized political subdivision of a state, or to a
federally recognized Indian tribe. For non-state applicants, please
include a statement verifying that your entity has been authorized by
the state to exercise governmental powers.
Through a brownfields cooperative agreement, EPA authorizes an
eligible state, political subdivision, Territory, or Indian Tribe to
undertake activities under CERCLA section 104. All restrictions on
EPA's use of funding cited in CERCLA also apply to brownfields
assessment pilot cooperative agreement recipients.
The proposal evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully
and assess each response based on how well it addresses the selection
criteria, briefly outlined below:
1. Problem Statement and Needs Assessment (4 points out of 20)
--Effect of Brownfields on your Community or Communities
--Value Added by Federal Support
2. Community-Based Planning and Involvement (6 points out of 20)
--Existing Local Commitment
--Community Involvement Plan
--Environmental Justice Plan
3. Implementation Planning (6 points out of 20)
--Government Support
--Site Selection and Environmental Site Assessment Plan
--Reuse Planning and Proposed Cleanup Funding Mechanisms
--Flow of Ownership Plan
4. Long-Term Benefits and Sustainability (4 points out of 20)
--Long-Term Benefits
--Sustainable Reuse
--Measures of Success
Dated : October 22, 1998.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 98-29159 Filed 10-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
