44274 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Notices

Burden Statement: The average

annual burden to the industry over the

next three years from these

recordkeeping and reporting

requirements is estimated at 76,681.25

person-hours. This is based on an

estimated 550 sources currently subject

to the standard, and an additional 50

sources per year over the next three

years. This estimate includes the time

needed to review instructions; develop,

acquire, install, and utilize technology

and systems for the purposes of

collecting, validating, and verifying

information, processing and

maintaining information, and disclosing

and providing information; adjust the

existing ways to comply with any

previously applicable instructions and

requirements; train personnel to be able

to respond to a collection of

information; search data sources;

complete and review the collection of

information; and transmit or otherwise

disclose the information.

NESHAP Subpart V: Benzene for

Equipment Leaks (Fugitive Emission

Sources)

Affected entities: Entities affected by

this action are those owners or operators

of process units operating in volatile

hazardous air pollutant (VHAP) service

(those containing or contacting fluids

(liquid or gas) consisting by weight of at

least 10 percent VHAP).

Title: NESHAP for Equipment Leaks

(Fugitive Emission Sources), OMB

number 2060–0068, expires March 31,

1998.

Abstract: The standards apply to

fugitive emissions from equipment

sources operating in VHAP service

(containing or contacting fluids with at

least 10 percent VHAP by weight). More

specifically, it applies to each of the

following sources that are intended to

operate in VHAP service: pumps;

compressors; pressure relief devices;

sampling connection systems; openended valves or lines; valves, flanges

and other connectors; product

accumulator vessels; and control

devices or systems that contain or

contact fluids (liquid or gas) consisting

by weight of at least 10 percent VHAP.

Owners or operators of the affected

process units must make the following

one-time-only reports: application for

approval of construction or

modification; notification of startup;

application of waiver of testing (if

desired by source); application for

equivalency (if desired by source); and

an initial report, which is to include a

list of the equipment installed for

compliance, a description of the

physical and functional characteristics

of each piece of equipment, a

description of the methods which have

been incorporated into the standard

operating procedures for measuring or

calculating emissions, and a statement

that the equipment and procedures are

in place and are being used.

Owners or operators are also required

to submit semiannual reports of the

number of valves, pumps, and

compressors for which leaks were

detected, and explanations for any leak

repair delays.

Generally, the one-time-only reports

are required of all sources subject to the

NESHAP. However, the recordkeeping

and other reporting requirements are

specific to the provisions of Subpart V

(Equipment Leaks Standards). To fulfill

the recordkeeping requirement, affected

process units must be monitored to

detect leaks by Method 21 of Appendix

A of 40 CFR part 60. The recordkeeping

requirements of § 61.246 apply to leaks

detected from pumps, compressors,

valves, flanges, and pressure relief

devices. Pumps are checked visually

each calendar week, and pertinent

information on each unit is recorded in

a log, required in § 61.246(e).

Compressor sensors are checked daily,

and valves are monitored monthly.

Recordkeeping requirements for these

units are in effect only when a leak is

detected (§§ 61.242–3, 242–7). Action

taken to repair leaks must also be

recorded and kept on file in a readily

accessible location.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The OMB control

numbers for EPA’s regulations are listed

in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter

15.

The EPA would like to solicit

comments to:

(i) Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

(ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information;

(iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

(iv) Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology, e.g., permitting electronic

submission of responses.

Burden Statement: The majority of

industry costs associated with the

information collection activity in the

standards are labor costs. The

respondent costs have been calculated

on the basis of $14.50 per hour plus 110

percent overhead. The current average

annual burden to industry over the next

three years is estimated to be $716,762.

The current annual burden to industry

over the next three years from these

reporting and recordkeeping

requirements is estimated to be 23,539

person-hours. The estimated number of

likely respondents within the term of

this ICR is 200. The estimated average

burden hours per response is 30.

Burden means the total time, effort, or

financial resources expended by persons

to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose

or provide information to or for a

Federal agency. This includes the time

needed to review instructions; develop,

acquire, install, and utilize technology

and systems for the purposes of

collecting, validating, and verifying

information, processing and

maintaining information, and disclosing

and providing information; adjust the

existing ways to comply with any

previously applicable instructions and

requirements; train personnel to be able

to respond to a collection of

information; search data sources;

complete and review the collection of

information; and transmit or otherwise

disclose the information.

Dated: August 8, 1997.

Bruce R. Weddle,

Acting Director, Office of Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–22070 Filed 8–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5878–5]

Brownfields Showcase Communities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency.

ACTION: Solicitation of statements of

interest from communities interested in

being designated as Brownfields

Showcase Communities.

SUMMARY: Participating Agencies

Programs within the following Federal

agencies are participating in the

selection and implementation of the

Brownfields Showcase Communities:

Department of Agriculture, Department

of Commerce, Department of Defense,

Department of Education, Department of

Energy, Department of Health and

Human Services, Department of

Housing and Urban Development,

Department of the Interior, Department

of Justice, Department of Labor,

Department of Transportation,
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Notices 44275

Department of the Treasury, Department

of Veterans Affairs, General Services

Administration, Small Business

Administration.

Background

Brownfields are abandoned, idled or

underused industrial and commercial

properties where expansion or

redevelopment is complicated by real or

perceived contamination. The

Brownfields Initiative was launched to

empower States, local governments, and

other stakeholders in economic

redevelopment to work together to

assess, clean up, and sustainably reuse

brownfields. Communities have asked

for more interaction among all levels of

government, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations. In

response, Federal agencies have joined

together to strengthen and improve their

collaborative efforts to clean up and

reuse contaminated property.

A partnership of Federal agencies

with interests in brownfields

redevelopment has been formed that

will offer special technical, financial

and other assistance to selected

communities. These communities will

be called Brownfields Showcases

Communities and will be models

demonstrating the benefits of focused

attention on brownfields. The Federal

partners plan to designate ten

Brownfields Showcase Communities,

distributed across the country, varying

by size, resources and community

character. The Brownfields Showcase

Communities project will be the

centerpiece of the Brownfields Initiative

and will provide a pattern for future

efforts.

Goals

The goals of the Brownfields

Showcase Communities project are to:

• Promote environmental protection

and restoration, economic

redevelopment, job creation, community

revitalization, and public health

protection, through the assessment,

cleanup, and sustainable reuse of

brownfields;

• Link Federal, State, local and nongovernmental action supporting

community efforts to restore and reuse

brownfields; and

• Develop national models

demonstrating the positive results of

public and private collaboration in

addressing brownfields challenges.

Benefits

A community will receive the

following benefits from being

designated as a Brownfields Showcase

Community.

• National visibility for a

community’s brownfields efforts;

• Coordinated delivery of technical

and financial support from participating

Federal agencies. Participating agencies

and programs will vary for each

Showcase Community depending upon

the particular Showcase’s needs and

plans. For example, an urban Showcase

Community might be served by different

programs and resources than a rural

community;

• Financial assistance, grants and

cooperative agreements from

participating agency programs subject to

the requirements of those programs; and

• Staff support in the form of a

Federal employee assigned to each

Showcase Community to assist with

coordination and implementation

activities.

Structure of the Statement of Interest

To be considered for selection as a

Brownfields Showcase Community,

interested communities should submit a

statement of interest that includes the

following information:

• Proposal title;

• Location: city, county, and state of

the Showcase area;

• Applicant identification: the name

of the project director of the Showcase

project;

• Contact Name/Title/Organization;

• Contact Phone/Fax/E-Mail;

• Name and contact information of

the representative of the appropriate

governmental subdivision (Mayor,

County Executive, Tribal President) if

different from the project director;

• Date submitted: the date when the

proposal is postmarked or sent to EPA

via registered or tracked mail;

• Proposal Overview: explain how

designation as a Brownfields Showcase

Community will help the community

meet its objectives and will advance the

Brownfields Showcase Community

goals; and

• Related Designations: identify

whether the applicant or the area for the

proposed Showcase Community project

is designated as a Federal or State

Brownfields pilot, a Federal or State

Empowerment Zone, Enterprise

Community or other special economic

area.

Statements of Interest are limited to

two pages. Supplemental materials such

as appendices, maps, records, etc., will

not be considered during the initial

screening phase of the selection process.

All communities, or regional groupings

of communities, are eligible for

consideration as a Brownfields

Showcase Community. Previous

designation as an EPA brownfields pilot

is not a requirement for consideration,

nor are such communities precluded

from applying. Statements of Interest

will be accepted from any party, but

must be submitted in partnership with

a governmental entity to be eligible for

consideration.

Selection Process

Selection of the Brownfields

Showcase Communities will be done in

two phases. During Phase I, interested

communities are invited to submit twopage Statements of Interest which

describe how the community’s

designation as a Showcase Community

will advance the goals of the Showcase

Communities project as described

above. For example:

• A community with well-defined

brownfields problems that can be

addressed effectively through

environmental cleanup and sustainable

reuse is more likely to be considered as

a candidate community than a

community that suspects that there are

brownfields problems in their

jurisdiction that may require attention;

• A community with an established

network of working relationships among

Federal, State, and local governments,

and other public and private

stakeholders is more likely to be

considered as a candidate community

than a community which is just

beginning to create these types of

relationships;

• A community that has begun

preliminary work such as cleanup and

redevelopment planning, securing

private investors, and exploring public

financial opportunities is more likely to

be considered as a candidate

community than a community that has

just started to address its brownfields

issues. Within two years after

designation, a Brownfields Showcase

Community should be able to

demonstrate success in dealing with

cleanup and reuse issues.

The Showcase Communities Selection

Board, which represents the

participating Federal agencies, will

evaluate the Statements of Interest. It

will screen the applications to create a

list of 30 to 40 candidate communities

which will then be invited to move into

Phase II of the selection process.

During Phase II, the 30 to 40

candidate communities will be invited

to submit ten-page proposals which

more fully describe their brownfields

efforts. At that stage, communities will

be encouraged to submit supporting

materials which demonstrate the

breadth of support for their application

within the community. The Showcase

Communities Selection Board will then

evaluate and select the ten Brownfields
44276 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Notices

Showcase Communities, using the

detailed criteria listed below.

1. Brownfields Potential: Describe the

brownfields that exist, or are perceived

to exist, in the community and that have

reasonable potential for environmental

restoration and economic reuse in the

near-term.

2. Community Need: Describe how

this is an area which has social and

economic conditions which would

benefit from Federal assistance for

brownfields cleanup and

redevelopment.

3. Local Commitment: Describe the

degree of local commitment to

brownfields cleanup and redevelopment

including existing community efforts

and investment of community

resources.

4. Federal, State, and Local

Partnerships: Describe the Federal,

State, and local agencies and

organizations participating in the

community’s brownfields activities,

including other programs and funds

available for brownfields activities.

5. Strategic Planning: Describe the

extent to which the brownfields strategy

is part of a larger redevelopment

strategy that will link brownfields

cleanup to economic redevelopment

strategies, job creation, increased

environmental protection, and

sustainability.

6. Management Capability: Describe

prior experience or knowledge in

managing similar redevelopment,

cleanup, and community participation

activities. Also describe what specific

planning and programmatic

requirements have been met for Federal

financing programs anticipated for use.

7. Environmental Justice: Describe the

extent to which low-income, minority,

and other disadvantaged communities

will participate in the development of

community brownfields redevelopment

plans.

8. National Replicability: Describe

how the community will serve as a

model for other similarly situated

communities in addressing brownfields

redevelopment.

Communities that are invited to

submit Phase II proposals should

respond directly to these criteria in their

proposals. Further application

requirements and guidelines will be

provided to the candidate communities

to assist them in preparing their

application. Note that in Phase I (the

initial Statement of Interest) of the

selection process, interested

communities should consider the

detailed criteria, but do not have to

respond to each criterion.

DATES: Submit Statements of Interest on

or before September 19, 1997. All

proposals must be postmarked or sent to

EPA via registered or tracked mail by

the deadline cited above.

ADDRESSES: Address Statements of

Interest to Gayle Rice or Sven-Erik

Kaiser, U.S. EPA (5101), 401 M Street,

SW, Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gayle Rice, 202–260–8431 or Sven-Erik

Kaiser, 202–260–5138.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Additional information, if any, will be

updated on the Internet Worldwide Web

at the Universal Resource Location

address of ‘‘http://www.epa.gov/

brownfields.’’ Persons lacking Internet

access can communicate with the

contact persons listed above.

Dated: August 14, 1997.

Timothy Fields, Jr.,

Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of

Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

[FR Doc. 97–22071 Filed 8–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5878–2]

Determination of the Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant’s Compliance With

Applicable Federal Environmental

Laws for the Period October 1994–1996

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has determined that, for

the period October 1994 to October

1996, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(WIPP), which is operated by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE), was in

compliance with the pertinent Federal

statutes and regulations designated in

section 9(a)(1) of the 1992 Land

Withdrawal Act, as amended. The

Secretary of Energy was notified of the

determination via letter from EPA

Administrator Carol M. Browner dated

August 14, 1997.

This determination was made under

the authority of Section 9 of the

amended WIPP Land Withdrawal Act.

(Pub. L. Nos. 102–579 and 104–201.)

Section 9 requires the Administrator of

EPA to determine on a biennial basis,

following the submittal of

documentation of compliance by the

Secretary of DOE, whether the WIPP is

in compliance with EPA’s standards for

the management and storage of

radioactive waste (40 CFR part 191,

subpart A), the Clean Air Act, the Safe

Drinking Water Act, the Toxic

Substances Control Act, the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act, and all other applicable Federal

laws protecting public health and safety

or the environment. This determination

applies to WIPP’s compliance with

these laws during the period October

1994 to October 1996.

This determination is not directly

related to, nor is it a part of, EPA’s

certification decision regarding whether

the WIPP complies with the disposal

standards for transuranic radioactive

waste (40 CFR part 191). The

certification decision will be

accomplished through a separate

rulemaking pursuant to the standards

and procedures mandated by section

553 of the Administrative Procedure

Act, and in accordance with EPA’s

WIPP compliance certification criteria

regulations at 40 CFR part 194. (61 FR

58499, November 15, 1996.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scott Monroe; telephone number: 202–

233–9310; address: Radiation Protection

Division, Mail Code 6602J, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Washington, DC 20460.

Dated: August 14, 1997.

Carol M. Browner,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–22072 Filed 8–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5878–3]

Determination of the Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant’s Compliance With

Applicable Federal Environmental

Laws for the Period October 1992–1994

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has determined that, for

the period October 1992 to October

1994, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(WIPP), which is operated by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE), was in

compliance with the Federal statutes

and regulations designated in

subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), (E), (F), and,

in pertinent part, (H) of Section 9(a)(1)

of the 1992 Land Withdrawal Act

(LWA), as amended. To the extent that

DOE has not provided EPA with

documentation attesting to compliance

with DOE orders, notices, and directives

pertaining to public health, safety, and

the environment for that period, EPA

cannot determine DOE’s compliance

with respect to Section 9(a)(1)(G) and, in