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