[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22262-22263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08798]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9945-02-OA]
Performance Partnership Grants
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This action adds the new multi-purpose categorical grant
program for states and tribes, which was established by and funded
through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, to the list of the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) environmental grant programs
eligible for inclusion in Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reynold Meni, Office of Congressional
and Intergovernmental Relations, Office of the Administrator (Mail Code
1301), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-3669; fax number:
(202) 501-1540; email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and
Appropriations Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-134) and the Department of
Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent
Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-65) authorize EPA to
combine categorical grant funds appropriated in EPA's State and Tribal
Assistance Grant (STAG) account and award the funds as PPGs. Public Law
104-134 states, in relevant part, that: ``the Administrator is
authorized to make grants annually from funds appropriated under this
heading, subject to such terms and conditions as the Administrator
shall establish, to any State or federally recognized Indian tribe for
multimedia or single media pollution prevention, control and abatement
and related environmental activities at the request of the Governor or
other appropriate State official or the tribe.''
Public Law 105-65 amended the PPG authority by authorizing
``interstate agencies, tribal consortia, and air pollution control
agencies'' to receive PPGs. Pursuant to the authority granted in Public
Law 104-134 and Public Law 105-65, EPA promulgated PPG regulations in
January of 2001 as part of the Agency's revision of 40 CFR part 35, the
rules governing categorical environmental program grants. The
regulation at 40 CFR 35.133(b) states that: ``The Administrator may, in
guidance or regulation, describe subsequent additions, deletions, or
changes to the list of environmental programs eligible for inclusion in
Performance Partnership Grants.''
EPA is authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016
(Pub. L. 114-113), Title II of Division G to award $21 million in
multi-purpose grants to states and tribes for implementation of
environmental
[[Page 22263]]
programs and projects that complement existing environmental program
grants, including interagency agreements. The conference report's
language clarifies that these funds will allow states and tribes to
have the necessary flexibility to direct resources for the
implementation of high priority activities, including the processing of
permits, which complement programs under established environmental
statutes.
The multi-purpose categorical grant program is funded under EPA's
STAG appropriations account and, therefore, is eligible for inclusion
in PPGs. This notice is made pursuant to 40 CFR 35.133(b), to inform
entities eligible to receive PPGs that the program listed above may be
included in a PPG subject to any limitations herein defined. Hereafter,
multi-purpose grants are eligible for inclusion in PPGs and may be
included in a PPG at the request of the appropriate official of an
eligible entity, subject to EPA's regulations at 2 CFR part 200 and 2
CFR part 1500 and 40 CFR 35.001-35.138 and 35.500-35.538. The authority
to issue this Federal Register notice has been delegated to the Deputy
Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Relations.
Dated: April 11, 2016.
Mark W. Rupp,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Relations.
[FR Doc. 2016-08798 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
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