01-25016. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104; “Announcement of Proposal Deadline for the Competition for the 2002 National Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots”

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice of proposal deadlines, revised guidelines.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin to accept proposals for the National Brownfields Assessment Pilots on October 5, 2001. The brownfields assessment pilots (each funded up to $200,000 over two years) test assessment models, and facilitate coordinated assessment and cleanup efforts at the federal, state, and local levels (see Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.811).

In fiscal year 2002, an additional $50,000 may be awarded to an applicant to assess the contamination of a brownfields site(s) that is or will be used for greenspace purposes. Greenspace purposes may include, but are not limited to, parks, playgrounds, trails, gardens, habitat restoration, open space, and/or greenspace preservation.

EPA expects to select up to 38 additional National brownfields assessment pilots by April 2002. The deadline for new proposals for the 2002 assessment pilots is December 10 , 2001. All proposals must be postmarked by USPS or delivered at U.S. EPA Headquarters by other means, no later than December 10, 2001, and a duplicate copy sent to the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office. Previously unsuccessful applicants are advised that they must revise and resubmit their proposals to be considered for the 2002 National assessment pilot competition.

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 (September 2001 ). The evaluation panels make recommendations to EPA senior management. Final award decisions are made by EPA senior management, and may take into account policy considerations such as geographic distribution of funds. Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with EPA Regional Brownfields Coordinators.

DATES:

This action is effective as of October 5, 2001, and expires on December 10 , 2001. All proposals must be sent via registered or tracked (return receipt) mail and postmarked by USPS no later than December 10, 2001. Proposals must be sent to U.S. EPA Headquarters and a duplicate copy sent to the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office. Applicants may also send their proposals by commercial delivery service provided the proposals arrive at U.S. EPA Headquarters and the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office on or before close of business on December 10, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Mailing addresses for U.S. EPA Headquarters and U.S. EPA Regional Offices are provided in the Proposal Guidelines.

Obtaining Proposal Guidelines: The proposal guidelines are available via the Internet: http://www.epa.gov/​brownfields/​

Copies of the Proposal Guidelines will also be mailed upon request. Requests should be made by calling the U.S. EPA Call Center 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

In order to ensure that the Guidelines are received in time to be used in the preparation of the proposal, applicants should request a copy as soon as possible and in any event no later than seven (7) working days before the proposal due date. Applicants who request copies after that date might not receive the proposal guidelines in time to prepare and submit a responsive proposal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The U.S.EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, [phone].

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, tribes, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, and safely cleanup brownfields to promote their sustainable reuse. EPA has awarded cooperative agreements to States, cities, towns, counties and Tribes for demonstration pilots that test brownfields assessment models and facilitate coordinated public and private efforts at the Federal, State, tribal and local levels. To date, the Agency has funded 399 Brownfields Assessment Pilots.

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 proposals 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 Federal 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, 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 brownfields projects by coalitions of such entities, but only a single eligible entity may receive a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreement funds will be awarded only to a state, a political subdivision of a state, or a federally recognized Indian tribe.

Through a brownfields cooperative agreement, EPA provides funds to an eligible state, political subdivision, or Indian Tribe to undertake activities authorized under CERCLA section 104. Use of these assessment pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funds also apply to the assessment pilots.

The evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully and assess each response based on how well it addresses the selection criteria, briefly outlined below. Applicants should address all of the evaluation criteria. Responses to the evaluation criteria will be utilized to determine whether to make an award and the amount of funds to be awarded. All evaluation criteria are equally important. There is no guarantee of an award.

Part I (Required)

1. Problem Statement and Needs Assessment

—Effect of Brownfields on your Community or Communities

—Value Added by Federal Support

2. Community-Based Planning and Involvement

—Existing Local Commitment

—Community Involvement Plan

—Environmental Justice Plan

3. Implementation Planning

—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

—Long-Term Benefits

—Sustainable Reuse

—Measures of Success

Part II (Optional)

5. Greenspace

—Authority and Context

—Community Involvement

—Site Identification, Site Assessment Plan, Flow of Ownership, and Reuse Planning

Dated: September 20, 2001.

Linda Garczynski,

Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.