[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30995-30996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14639]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPTS-00273; FRL-6085-8]
Notice of Availability of FY 1999 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 approximately $750,000 will be available in Fiscal
Year (FY) 1999. This program promotes pollution prevention approaches
that address environmental justice concerns in affected communities.
The grant funds support: (1) Local environmental, environmental
justice, and community grassroots organizations, including religious
and civic organizations, as well as tribal governments; (2) national
and regional organizations working in partnership with local
organizations, or tribal governments; (3) state and local governments;
and (4) academic institutions.
DATES: All applications must be received by the EPA contractor, Eastern
Research Group (ERG), on or before August 12, 1999. You must submit
your application in accordance with the instructions contained in Unit
V. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact:
Christine Augustyniak, Associate Director, Environmental Assistance
Division (7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone numbers: 202-554-1404 and TDD: 202-554-0551; e-mail address:
TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.
For technical information contact: Danielle Fuligni, Pollution
Prevention Division (7409), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 703-841-0483; e-mail address:
fuligni.danielle@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency
has not attempted to specifically describe the entities potentially
affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the
technical person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT''
section.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this
Document and the Application Package?
1. Electronically. You may obtain copies of the EJP2 grant program
guidance and application package from the EPA Internet Home Page at
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/ejp2/.
You may obtain copies of this document from the EPA Internet Home
Page at http://www.epa.gov/. 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/
fedrgstr/.
2. By mail. You may mail a request for this information to the
technical person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT''
section, at the address listed.
II. Scope and Purpose of the EJP2 Grant Program
The FY 1999 EJP2 grant program supports the use of pollution
prevention approaches to address the environmental problems of minority
and low-income communities and Federally recognized tribes. This grant
program is designed to fund projects that have a direct impact on
affected communities. Funds awarded must be used to support pollution
prevention programs in minority and/or low-income communities. The
Agency strongly encourages cooperative efforts between communities,
businesses, industry, and government to address common pollution
prevention goals. Project grants may involve public education,
training, demonstration projects, collaborative public-private
partnerships, or innovative approaches to develop, evaluate, and
demonstrate non-regulatory strategies and
[[Page 30996]]
technologies. EPA will award grants to national organizations for
projects to assess the results of previous and ongoing EJP2 grants as
well as to develop tools for bringing pollution prevention approaches
to bear on the problems of environmental justice.
Over the past 4 years, the EJP2 grants have been used to fund a
broad range of innovative approaches and partnerships. EPA has funded
176 grants totaling over $14 million. There is less money for these
grants this year. While in previous years, EPA has been able to fund 50
or more grants, this year we anticipate being able to fund no more than
10. This year, we will therefore focus our resources on a narrower set
of priorities, including:
Information products and assistance: Grantees would
develop and disseminate information on effective environmental justice
approaches, based in part on the results of earlier EJ/P2 grants.
New projects in priority areas: Priorities include small
business projects in environmental justice communities, tribal
projects, projects using prevention approaches to protect children from
toxics exposure, and projects to promote liveable communities.
Wrap-up of existing grants: Existing grantees may apply
for additional funding to bring ongoing or unfinished projects to
completion, explore new implications resulting from work already
undertaken in the project, or replicate results of a project in a new
setting or with a new audience.
You may get more information from the grant application itself at
the internet address previously provided or by calling the technical
information contact person. The EJP2 grant application guidance
provides more information on the above priorities.
III. Definition 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 protection practices. These practices include, in order
of preference: Pollution prevention, recycling, treatment, and
disposal.
Pollution prevention means source reduction; it includes any
practice that reduces or eliminates any pollutant at the source of
generation 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, or by protection of
natural resources by conservation.
This grant program implements practices at the top of the
hierarchy--pollution prevention/source reduction--to bring about better
environmental protection.
IV. Eligibility
Any affected, nonprofit community organizations with section
501(c)(3) or section 501(c)(4) Internal Revenue Service tax status or
Federally recognized tribal organizations may submit an application
upon the publication of this solicitation. A nonprofit organization is
defined as any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other
organizations that:
Operates primarily for scientific, educational, service,
charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest.
Is not organized primarily for profit.
Uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand
its operations.
State and local governments and academic institutions are also
eligible. Organizations must be incorporated by August 12, 1999, to be
eligible to receive funds. Private businesses, Federal agencies, and
individuals are ineligible for this grant. Organizations excluded from
applying directly, as well as those inexperienced in grant writing, are
encouraged to develop partnerships and prepare joint proposals with
eligible national, regional, or local organizations.
As a result of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, EPA (and other
Federal agencies) may not award grants to nonprofit, section 501(c)(4)
organizations that engage in lobbying activities. This restriction
applies to any lobbying activities of a secton 501(c)(4) organization
without distinguishing between lobbying funded by Federal money and
lobbying funded by other sources.
No applicant can receive 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; however, applications
must be for separate and distinct projects.
Organizations seeking funds from the EJP2 grant program can request
up to $100,000 for local projects or projects that involve multiple
communities located in more than 1 of the 10 EPA Regions, or projects
that are national in scope. In accordance with 40 CFR parts 23 and 30,
EPA no longer requires cost sharing or matching under this grant
program.
V. How and to Whom Do I Submit My Application?
By mail or by person or courier submit your application to: EJP2
Grant Program, c/o ERG, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 400, Arlington, VA
22201.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Grants, Pollution prevention.
Dated: June 3, 1999.
Joseph A. Carra,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 99-14639 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]
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