[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56953-56954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28433]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5647-6]
Announcement of Application Deadline for the Competition for the
1997 National Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Application Deadlines and Revised Guidelines.
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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will
begin to accept proposals for the National Brownfields Assessment
Pilots. The brownfields assessment pilots (each funded up to $200,000
over two years) test assessment, models in the context of cleanup and
redevelopment planning, direct special efforts toward removing
regulatory barriers without sacrificing protectiveness, and facilitate
coordinated environmental cleanup and redevelopment efforts at the
federal, state, and local levels. EPA expects to select 25 additional
National Brownfields Assessment Pilots by March 1997. The deadline for
new applications for the 1997 assessment pilots is January 13, 1997.
Previously unsuccessful applicants are advised that they must revise
and resubmit their applications. Applications submitted before November
1, 1996, will not be considered for the 1997 National Brownfields
Assessment Pilots.
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: Application
Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots (October
1996).
DATES: Applications will be accepted as of November 1, 1996 through
January 13, 1997. All proposals must be postmarked or sent to EPA via
registered or tracked mail by January 13, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Application booklets can be obtained by calling the
Superfund Hotline at the following numbers: Washington, DC metro area
at 703-412-9810; outside Washington, DC metro area at 1-800-424-9346;
TDD for the Hearing Impaired at 1-800-553-7672. Booklets may also be
obtained by writing to: U.S. EPA--Brownfields Application, Superfund
Document Center (5201G), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Copies
of the Booklet are available via the Internet: http://www.epa.gov/
brownfields/
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-
9346 or contact Katherine Dawes, U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response, 202-260-8394.
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, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment
to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up
and sustainably reuse brownfields. EPA has awarded cooperative
agreements to States, cities, towns, counties and Tribes for
demonstration pilots that test brownfields assessment models, direct
special efforts toward removing regulatory barriers without sacrificing
protectiveness, and facilitate coordinated public and private efforts
at the Federal, State and local levels. To date, the Agency has funded
76 Brownfields Assessment Pilots. Of those pilots, 39 are National
Pilots selected under criteria developed by EPA Headquarters and 37 are
Regional Pilots selected by EPA Regions under criteria developed by
their offices.
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 applications 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 Empowerment
Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs) and communities with
populations of under 100,000. (EPA will conduct a special outreach
effort to address the unique needs of 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, cities, towns, counties, U.S.
Territories, and Indian Tribes are eligible to apply. EPA welcomes and
encourages applications from coalitions of such entities, but a single
eligible entity must be identified as the legal recipient. Cooperative
agreement funds will be awarded only to a state or to an officially
recognized political subdivision of a state. For non-state applicants,
please include statement verifying that entity has been authorized by
the state to exercise governmental powers.
Through a brownfields cooperative agreement, EPA authorizes an
eligible state, political subdivision, Territory, or Indian Tribe to
undertake activities that
[[Page 56954]]
EPA itself has the authority to pursue under CERCLA sections 104(a) or
104(b). All restrictions on EPA's use of funding cited in CERCLA
section 104 also apply to brownfields assessment pilot cooperative
agreement recipients.
The proposal evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully
and assess each response based on how well it addresses the selection
criteria, briefly outlined below:
1. Problem Statement and Needs Assessment (4 points out of 20)
--Effect of Brownfields on your Community or Communities
--Value Added by Federal Support
2. Community-Based Planning and Involvement (6 points out of 20)
--Existing Local Commitment
--Community Involvement Plan
--Environmental Justice Plan
3. Implementation Planning (6 points out of 20)
--Appropriate Authority and Government Support
--Environmental Site Assessment Plan
--Proposed Cleanup Funding Mechanisms
--Flow of Ownership Plan
4. Long-Term Benefits and Sustainability (4 points out of 20)
--National Replicability
--Measures of Success
Dated: October 30, 1996.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 96-28433 Filed 11-4-96; 8:45 am]
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