[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56346-56347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27145]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6459-1]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104; National Brownfields Assessment
Pilots
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of proposal deadlines, 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 on October 19, 1999. The brownfields assessment pilots (each
funded up to $200,000 over two years) test cleanup and redevelopment
planning models, 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.
In fiscal year 2000, an additional $50,000 may be awarded to an
applicant to assess the contamination of a brownfields site(s) that is
or will be used for greenspace purposes. Greenspace purposes may
include, but are not limited to, parks, playgrounds, trails, gardens,
habitat restoration, open space, and/or greenspace preservation.
EPA expects to select up to 50 additional National brownfields
assessment pilots by April 2000. The deadline for new proposals for the
2000 assessment pilots is February 16, 2000. Proposals must be post-
marked or sent to EPA via registered or tracked mail by the stated
deadline. Previously unsuccessful applicants are advised that they must
revise and resubmit their proposals to be considered for the 2000
National assessment pilot competition.
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: Proposal
Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots (October
1999). Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with
EPA Regional Brownfields Coordinators.
DATES: This action is effective as of October 19, 1999, and expires on
February 16, 2000. All proposals must be post-marked or sent to EPA via
registered or tracked mail by the expiration date cited above.
ADDRESSES: The proposal guidelines can be obtained by calling the
Superfund Hotline at the following numbers:
Washington, DC Metro Area at 703-412-9810
Outside Washington, DC Metro at 1-800-424-9346
TDD for the Hearing Impaired at 1-800-553-7672
Copies of the guidelines are also available via the Internet: http://
www.epa.gov/brownfields/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Superfund Hotline, 800-424-9346.
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, tribes, and other stakeholders in economic
redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess,
safely cleanup and promote the sustainable reuse of 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, tribal and local levels. To
date, the Agency has funded 307 Brownfields Assessment Pilots.
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 proposals 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 Federal
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZ/ECs), communities with
populations of under 100,000, and federally recognized 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 (including U.S. Territories),
political subdivisions (including cities, towns, counties), and
federally recognized Indian Tribes are eligible to apply. EPA welcomes
and encourages brownfields projects by coalitions of such entities, but
only a single eligible entity may receive a cooperative agreement.
Cooperative agreement funds will be awarded only to a state, a
political subdivision of a state, or a federally recognized Indian
tribe.
Through a brownfields cooperative agreement, EPA provides funds to
an eligible state, political subdivision, or Indian Tribe to undertake
activities authorized under CERCLA section 104. Use of these assessment
pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, and all CERCLA
restrictions on use of funds also apply to the assessment pilots. All
restrictions on EPA's use of funding cited in CERCLA apply to
brownfields assessment pilot cooperative agreement recipients.
The evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully and
assess each response based on how well it addresses the selection
criteria, briefly outlined below:
Part I (Required)
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
[[Page 56347]]
--Community Involvement Plan
--Environmental Justice Plan
3. Implementation Planning (6 Points Out of 20)
--Government Support
--Site Selection and Environmental Site Assessment Plan
--Reuse Planning and Proposed Cleanup Funding Mechanisms
--Flow of Ownership Plan
4. Long-Term Benefits and Sustainability (4 Points Out of 20)
--Long-Term Benefits
--Sustainable Reuse
--Measures of Success
Part II (Optional)
5. Greenspace
--Authority and Context (2 points out of 8)
--Community Involvement (2 points out of 8)
--Site Identification, Site Assessment Plan, Flow of Ownership, and
Reuse Planning (4 Points Out of 8)
Approved: October 4, 1999.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 99-27145 Filed 10-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P