[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30063-30064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15042]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPTS-00189; FRL-5375-7]
Notice of Availability of FY 1996 Multimedia Environmental
Justice Through Pollution Prevention Grant Funds
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: EPA is soliciting grant proposals under the Environmental
Justice Through Pollution Prevention (EJP2) grant program. EPA
anticipates that between $750,000 and $1.5 million will be available.
The purpose of this program is to support pollution prevention
approaches that address environmental justice concerns. The grant funds
will support national or regional environmental or environmental
justice organizations that will provide financial or technical
assistance to community-based, grass-roots groups, or Tribal
organizations for projects that use pollution prevention approaches to
address environmental justice concerns.
DATES: Applications must be postmarked by July 31, 1996, and received
by EPA's Pollution Prevention Division office in Washington, DC by
August 5, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the EJP2 grant
program guidance and application package, or to obtain more information
regarding the EJP2 grant program, please contact Chen Wen at (202) 260-
4109, or Pamela Moseley at (202) 260-2722. You may also forward your
requests and questions via the Internet, by writing to:
wen.chen@epamail.epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Scope and Purpose of the EJP2 Grant Program
The purpose of the FY 1996 EJP2 grants program is to fund national
or regional environmental organizations that will in turn support
community organizations in using pollution prevention solutions to
address the environmental problems of minority and low-income
communities and tribes. This grant program is designed to fund projects
which have a direct impact on affected communities. This approach
complements last year's Environmental Justice Through Pollution
Prevention grant program, where grants were provided directly to grass-
roots and community organizations. Funds awarded must be used to
support pollution prevention programs in minority and low-income
communities or Tribal lands.
EPA is particularly interested in innovative approaches which will
result in activities and products that can be applied to other
communities. The Agency strongly encourages cooperative efforts between
communities, business and industry to address common pollution
prevention goals. Projects funded under this grant may involve public
education, training, demonstrations, research,
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investigations, experiments, surveys, studies, public-private
partnerships, or approaches to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate non-
regulatory strategies and technologies.
II. Definitions of Environmental Justice and Pollution Prevention
Environmental justice is defined by EPA as the fair treatment of
people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the
development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, programs, and policies. Fair treatment means that no
racial, ethnic or socio-economic group should bear a disproportionate
share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from the
operation of industrial, municipal, and commercial enterprises and from
the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and
policies.
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 establishes a hierarchy of
environmental management practices. In order of preferences, these
practices include:
Pollution prevention
Recycling
Treatment
Disposal
Pollution prevention means source reduction; that is, any practice
that reduces or eliminates any pollutant at the source prior to
recycling, treatment, or disposal. Pollution prevention also includes
practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through:
Increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or
other resources; and
Protection of natural resources by conservation.
This grant program is focused on using the top of the hierarchy--
pollution prevention--to bring about better environmental protection.
III. Possible Approaches
Below are brief summaries of sample projects which meet the
definitions of pollution prevention and environmental justice. These
may help guide applicants as they develop their proposals.
Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to
organizations that will assist minority and low-income communities and
Tribal organizations in obtaining environmental information or
designing and implementing training programs for such communities to
promote pollution prevention initiatives.
Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to
organizations that will conduct demonstration programs in concert with
voluntary programs (e.g., the Green Lights program or the Waste Wise
program) which promote resource efficiency, or EPA; industry sector
projects such as the Common Sense Initiative.
Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to
organizations that will conduct research, demonstrations, or public
educational training activities to institutionalize sustainable
agricultural practices including integrated pest management techniques
to reduce use of pesticides.
Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to
organizations that will establish demonstration projects to provide
financial assistance through establishment of revolving loan funds to
assist small businesses in obtaining loans for pollution prevention-
oriented activities.
Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to
organizations that will be working with the business community in a
collaborative fashion to address community environmental justice
issues.
IV. Eligibility
Eligible applicants include currently incorporated organizations
that are not intended to be profit-making organizations, including any
Federally-recognized Tribal organizations. Organizations must be
incorporated by July 31, 1996, in order to receive funds. Governments
other than Tribal entities are not eligible to receive funding under
this program. Private businesses and individuals are not eligible.
Organizations excluded from applying directly are encouraged to work
with eligible applicants in developing proposals that will include them
as participants in the projects. For this funding cycle, EPA especially
encourages organizations that are not experienced in grant writing to
seek out partnerships with national or regional-based organizations.
No applicant can have two grants for the same project at one time.
EPA will consider only one proposal for a given project. Applicants may
submit more than one application as long as the applications are for
separate and distinct projects. However, no organization will receive
more than one grant per year under the EJP2 grant program.
Organizations seeking funds from the EJP2 grants can request up to
$250,000. EPA anticipates most grants will be awarded in the $100,000
and $200,000 range. All grants are subject to a 5% matching
requirement. All grantees are required to contribute at least 5% of the
total project cost, either through in-kind or monetary contributions.
Dated: June 6, 1996.
William H. Sanders III,
Director, Office of Pollution, Prevention, and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 96-15042 Filed 6-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
