99-32653. Pollution Prevention Grants and Announcement of Financial Assistance Programs Eligible for Review; Notice of Availability

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70250-70253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32653]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00283; FRL-6398-8]


Pollution Prevention Grants and Announcement of Financial 
Assistance Programs Eligible for Review; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA expects to have approximately 
$5 million available in fiscal year 2000 grant/cooperative agreement 
funds under the Pollution Prevention Incentives for States (PPIS) grant 
program. Grants/cooperative agreements will be awarded under the 
authority of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. The Pollution 
Prevention Act provides funds to state and tribal programs that address 
the reduction or elimination of pollution across all environmental 
media (air, land, and water) and to strengthen the efficiency and 
effectiveness of State technical assistance programs in providing 
source reduction information to businesses. This notice also 
establishes the criteria to be used by applicants to draft funding 
proposals.
DATES: The deadlines for submission of applications and proposals for 
funding will be set by each EPA region. Contact the EPA Regional 
Pollution Prevention Coordinator for specific dates.
ADDRESSES: Proposals and applications must be submitted to the 
respective EPA Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinator at the address 
listed in Unit XI of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the 
grant program contact: Christopher Kent, Pollution Prevention Division 
(7409) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M Str., SW, Washington, Dc 20460; telephone 
[phone]; email address [e-mail].
    For technical and regionally specific information contact: The EPA 
Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinator listed under Unit XI of this 
notice.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to me?

    This action is directed to State governments, State programs or 
departments as well as other State institutions, such as universities 
as well as all federally recognized Native American Tribes. Local 
governments,

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private universities, private nonprofit entities, private businesses, 
and individuals are not eligible for this grant program. If you have 
any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a 
particular entity, contact the technical person listed in the ``FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' section.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document or Other Related Documents?

    Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this document 
and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the EPA Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To 
access this document, on the Home Page select ``Laws and Regulations'' 
and then look up the entry for this document under the ``Federal 
Register-- Environmental Documents.'' You can also go directly to the 
Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgst. These 
documents will also be available at the EPA P2 web site http://
www.epa.gov/p2 or to access them directly within the P2 site http://
www.epa.gov/p2/ppis.htm.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    This notice announces that EPA expects to have approximately $5 
million in grant/cooperative agreement funds available in FY 2000 for 
FY 2001 pollution prevention activities.

III. Background of the Pollution Prevention Incentives for States 
Grant Program

    More than $55 million has been awarded to over 100 state and tribal 
organizations under EPA's multimedia pollution prevention grant 
program, since its inception in 1989. During the past 10 years, PPIS 
funds have enabled state programs to implement a wide range of 
pollution prevention activities including over 8,000 pollution 
prevention assessments, 1,200 workshops, and the development of over 
500 pollution prevention case studies. PPIS grants also provide 
economic benefits to small businesses by funding state technical 
assistance programs focused on helping the businesses develop more 
efficient production technologies and operate more cost effectively. 
The goal of the PPIS grant program is to assist businesses and 
industries in identifying better environmental strategies and solutions 
for complying with Federal and state environmental regulations. PPIS 
grants are designed to effect the compatibility of businesses 
environmental and economic decision making, and improving 
competitiveness without increasing environmental impacts. Successes 
include decreases in facility emissions and discharges which lead to 
less stringent regulatory and permitting requirements, increases in 
production rates that correlate to decreasing environmental costs, 
elevated investments in new and better technologies, and savings that 
directly impact the overall profitability of a business. The majority 
of the PPIS grants fund state-based projects in the areas of technical 
assistance and training, education and outreach, regulatory 
integration, data collection and research, demonstration projects, and 
recognition programs.
    In November 1990, the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (the Act) 
(Public Law 101-508) was enacted, establishing as national policy that 
pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever 
feasible.
    1. Section 6603 of the Act defines source reduction as any practice 
that:
     i. Reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or 
contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the 
environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, 
treatment, or disposal.
     ii. Reduces the hazards to public health and the environment 
associated with the release of such substances, pollutants, or 
contaminants.
    EPA further defines pollution prevention as the use of other 
practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through 
increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or 
other resources, or protection of natural resources, or protection of 
natural resources by conservation.
    2. Section 6605 of the Act authorizes EPA to make matching grants 
to states to promote the use of source reduction techniques by 
businesses. In evaluating grant applications, the Act directs EPA to 
consider whether the proposed state program will:
     i. Make technical assistance available to businesses seeking 
information about source reduction opportunities, including funding for 
experts to provide onsite technical advice and to assist in the 
development of source reduction plans.
     ii. Target assistance to businesses for which lack of information 
is an impediment to source reduction.
     iii. Provide training in source reduction techniques.

IV. Availability of FY 2000 funds

    EPA expects to have approximately $5 million in grant/cooperative 
agreement funds available for FY 2001 pollution prevention activities. 
The Agency has delegated grant making authority to the EPA regional 
offices. EPA regional offices are responsible for the solicitation of 
interest and the screening of proposals.
     All applicants must address the national program criteria listed 
under Unit VII.2.ii. of this document. In addition, applicants may be 
required to meet supplemental EPA regional criteria. Interested 
applicants should contact their EPA Regional Pollution Prevention 
Coordinator, listed under Unit XI of this document for more 
information.

V. Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance

     The number assigned to the PPIS program in the Catalogue of 
Federal Domestic Assistance is 66.708 (formerly 66.900).

VI. Matching Requirements

    Organizations receiving pollution prevention grant funds are 
required to match Federal funds by at least 50%. For example, the 
Federal government will provide half of the total allowable cost of the 
project, and the state will provide the other half. State contributions 
may include dollars, in-kind goods and services, and/or third party 
contributions.

 VII. Eligibility

     1. Applicants. In accordance with the Act, eligible applicants for 
purposes of funding under this grant program include the 50 states, the 
District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, any 
agency or instrumentality of a state including state universities, and 
all federally recognized Native American Tribes. For convenience, the 
term ``State'' in this notice refers to all eligible applicants. Local 
governments, private universities, private nonprofit entities, private 
businesses, and individuals are not eligible. State applicants are 
encouraged to establish partnerships with business and other 
environmental assistance providers to seamlessly deliver pollution 
prevention assistance. Successful applicants will be those that make 
the most efficient use of Federal/state government funding. In many 
cases, this has been accomplished through partnerships.
    2. Activities and criteria. - i. General. The purpose of the PPIS 
grant program is to support the establishment and expansion of state 
and tribal multimedia pollution prevention programs. EPA specifically 
seeks to build state pollution prevention capabilities or to test, at 
the state level, innovative

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pollution prevention approaches and methodologies. Funds awarded under 
the PPIS grant program must be used to support pollution prevention 
programs that address the transfer and reduction of potentially harmful 
pollutants across all environmental media: Air, water, and land. 
Programs should reflect comprehensive and coordinated pollution 
prevention planning and implementation efforts state-wide. States that 
include PPIS funding as part of their overall State Performance 
Partnership Agreement (PPA)/Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) program 
satisfy this eligibility criteria.
    ii. 2000 national program criteria. This section describes the 
national program criteria EPA will use to evaluate proposals under the 
PPIS grant program. In addition to the national program criteria, there 
may be regionally specific criteria that the proposing activities are 
required to address. For more information on the EPA regional 
requirements, applicants should contact their EPA Regional Pollution 
Prevention Coordinator, listed under Unit XI of this document. As well 
as ensuring that the proposed activities meet EPA's definition of 
pollution prevention, the applicant's proposal must include how they 
intend to address the following three activities:
     iii. Promote partnering among environmental and business 
assistance providers. Starting in 1994, EPA required PPIS grant 
applicants to identify other environmental assistance providers in 
their states and to work with these organizations to educate businesses 
on pollution prevention. EPA would like to continue to encourage 
cooperation among state pollution prevention programs and other 
environmental and business assistance providers such as the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) programs, Small Business 
Development Centers (SBDCs), Small Business Assistance Programs 
(SBAPs), Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance (OECA) 
Compliance Assistance Centers, the large number of university 
cooperative extension programs and other business and environmental 
assistance programs at the state level, as well as other well 
established nonregulatory programs. Through the PPIS grant funds, EPA 
is striving to support the development of a coordinated network of 
state environmental service providers that leverages the expertise of 
the various environmental assistance organizations and shows an ability 
to work jointly in an effort to promote pollution prevention in the 
state. EPA wants to help foster a cooperative network of environmental 
assistance providers since cooperation among state business and 
environmental assistance providers is paramount in this era of 
shrinking Federal funded programs. EPA would like to ensure that state 
pollution prevention programs and other assistance providers establish 
cooperative working relationships which make best use of their 
respective areas of expertise and most effectively serve their clients. 
State and tribal grant applicants should identify the partnering 
organization(s) they plan to work with during the grant funding cycle 
and demonstrate or document the relationship. This can be done, for 
example, through a letter of agreement, a joint statement, or 
principles of agreement signed by both parties or multiple parties. If 
the partnership involves providing Federal funds to ineligible 
entities, the grantees shall abide by state procurement regulations, as 
required by state law.
     iv. Advance state environmental goals. EPA believes it is 
important for the sustainability of state pollution prevention programs 
to complement the goals and strategies of the state's environmental 
strategic plans and/or the activities included under the National 
Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) in an effort to 
show that the pollution prevention work they are undertaking 
complements and supports the state's environmental strategic plans. If 
the state-environmental program lacks a single comprehensive 
environmental strategy, applications must show a correlation between 
the proposed activity and the goals or objectives of the state's 
environmental program. EPA believes pollution prevention programs will 
continue to be valuable to the state-environmental agency's top 
management if they can demonstrate how their actions will help advance 
state goals. EPA would like to ensure that pollution prevention is 
integrated at the state level by providing a service which supports the 
state's strategic plan. The grant application narrative should 
demonstrate how pollution prevention activities will advance state-
environmental goals as stated in the state environmental strategic 
planning documents or either PPA or PPG.
     v. Promote accomplishments within the state's environmental 
programs. EPA realizes the importance of documenting the program 
effectiveness and communicating those results to the affected media 
office. EPA wants to ensure that the environmental programs in the 
state are aware of the contributions of the pollution prevention 
program within their sectors, programs, and geographic areas by making 
a link between the regulatory program and the activities of the 
pollution prevention program. By creating this positive feedback 
mechanism to the state's regulatory program, the grantee can market 
their accomplishments and consequently help promote the sustainability 
of the pollution prevention program. Through the PPIS grants, EPA is 
working to encourage better awareness by the state regulatory and media 
programs of how pollution prevention and the state pollution prevention 
programs are helping the regulatory programs address increasingly 
complex environmental management problems. Applications must include 
what activities the pollution prevention program will undertake to 
ensure communication and feedback to the regulatory and other 
environmental programs showing how pollution prevention is helping to 
advance multimedia environmental protection.
    3. Identifiable measures of success. For each of the activities 
identified in the application, the applicant must identify how and what 
criteria they are using to track the effectiveness of the activity. 
Measures of success should be either measures of environmental 
improvement, or should be directly linked to such measures. For 
example, success could be identified by demonstrating a direct link 
between the project's activities and in quantifiable reductions in 
pollution generated or in the natural resources used.
    4. Program management. Awards for FY 2000 funds will be managed 
through the EPA regional offices. Applicants should contact their EPA 
Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinator, listed under Unit XI of this 
document, to obtain specific deadlines for submitting proposals. 
National funding decisions will be made by May 2000.

VIII. Information Clearinghouse and Use of P2Rx Regional Centers

    The Pollution Prevention Act requires EPA to establish a source 
reduction clearinghouse to ``collect and compile information reported 
by States receiving grants under Section 6605 on the operation and 
success of State source reduction programs.'' The Pollution Prevention 
Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) was created with the idea that through 
technology transfer, education and public awareness, it is possible to 
reduce or eliminate industrial pollutants. The PPIC is a free, 
nonregulatory service offering reference and referral, document 
distribution, and a comprehensive library service. The PPIC's special 
collection comprises state

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and Federal publications, pollution prevention manuals, training 
materials, conference proceedings, case studies, newsletters, and 
videos. For more information on this collection, please visit their web 
site at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/libppic.htm.
    A priority that EPA considers important to strengthen state P2 
activities and aid the formation of partnerships with other business 
assistance providers is the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange 
(P2Rx). EPA has allocated a portion of its state grant funds to develop 
and sustain regional pollution prevention centers that facilitate and 
serve state needs in coordinating training and information development. 
EPA believes that the P2Rx network, which connects and coordinates 
regional pollution prevention information centers, can benefit both 
states programs and their clients by improving the quality and 
availability of pollution prevention technical information, sharing 
information, minimizing duplication of efforts in developing materials 
for training and technical assistance providers, providing for the 
development of quality peer reviewed P2 information, and expanding 
their understanding of how other states are addressing the needs of 
business assistance providers.
    To facilitate the transfer of information generated by pollution 
prevention grant dollars, all work products (i.e., including but not 
limited to flyers, fact sheets, pamphlets, handbooks, model curricula, 
assessment and audit tools, videos, event brochures etc.) produced with 
Federal PPIS funds will be shared with the appropriate regional P2Rx 
centers as well as a copy to the PPIC. The PPIC will catalogue these 
products and can serve as a repository of prevention grant information 
products. Please contact the EPA Regional Pollution Prevention 
Coordinator, listed under Unit XI of this document, for more 
information on the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange. Please 
contact Christopher Kent (telephone: [phone]; e-mail: 
[e-mail]) for more information concerning delivery of 
work products for the PPIC Collection.

IX. Proposal Narrative Format

    To clearly document the activities listed in the grant proposal, 
the narrative portion of the application should include a summary of 
proposed activities using the following format:
    1. A description of the proposed work and a timeline of activities.
    2. A list of tasks that will be carried out.
    3. A list of the resulting deliverables that will be produced.

X. Progress Report

    Progress reports are due to the EPA project officer every April and 
October after the project period is over 1 month old. A final report is 
due within 90 days of the end of the grant period.
    In addition to the EPA project officer's regionally specific 
required number of copies of deliverables, please forward one copy of 
each of the semi-annual progress reports and the final reports (and 
deliverables) to the Pollution Prevention Division in Washington DC. 
Please address the documents to: PPIS Grant Products, Pollution 
Prevention Division (7409), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., 
SW., Washington, DC 20460.
     The narrative in the progress reports should refer back to the 
stated objectives and timeline of the original grant application. 
Beneath each objective, the objective's current status should be 
reported. Any substantive diversion from a stated objective, or any 
deviation from the proposed timeline should be explained. Only the 
activities required under the grant, which meet EPA's definition of 
pollution prevention, should be reported.
    At a minimum, the progress reports should also include the 
following:
    1. A short summary of the accomplishments for the reporting period.
    2. Progress on completing individual project tasks.
    3. The planned and actual schedules for task completion.
    4. Projected accomplishments for the next reporting period.
    5. Data on financial expenditures by budget category.
    Any printed deliverables required under the grant should be 
enclosed with the first report following the date the deliverable was 
due to be produced.
    A final report will be required upon completion of the grant.
    EPA is working on developing a standard electronic format for use 
by PPIS grantees in reporting their grant activities. Please contact 
the EPA Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinator, listed under Unit XI 
of this document, for more information on the GranTrack Reporting Form.

XI. Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinators

    The EPA Regional Pollution Prevention Coordinators are:
    Region I: (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
Rhode Island, Vermont) Kira Jacobs, JFK Federal Bldg. / SPP, Boston, 
MA 02203, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region II: (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands) 
Danielle Fuligni (SPMMB), 290 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, NY 
10007, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region III: (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West 
Virginia, District of Columbia) Jeff Burke, (3RA20), 1650 Arch St., 
Philadelphia PA 19103-2029, [phone], e-mail: 
[e-mail]
    Region IV: (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) Dan Ahern, Atlanta 
Federal Center, 61 Forsyth St., SW., Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 562-
9028, e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region V: (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 
Wisconsin) Phil Kaplan, (DRP-8J), 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 
60604-3590, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region VI: (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) 
Eli Martinez, (6EN-XP), 1445 Ross Ave., 12th Floor, Suite 1200, 
Dallas, TX 75202, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region VII: (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) Marc Matthews, 
(ARTD/TSPP), 901 N 5th St., Kansas City, KS 66101, (913) 
551-7517, e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region XI: (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
Wyoming) John Larson, (8P2-P2), 999 18th St., Suite 500, Denver, CO 
80202-2405, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
     Region IX: (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American 
Samoa, Guam) Eileen Sheehan (WST-1-1), 75 Hawthorne Ave., San 
Francisco, CA 94105, [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]
    Region X: (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington) Carolyn Gangmark, 
01-085, 1200 Sixth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, [phone], e-mail: 
[e-mail]

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Grant administration, Grants, pollution 
prevention.

    Dated: December 6, 1999.

William H. Sanders, III,

Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 99-32653 Filed 12-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F