[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 222 (Thursday, November 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69306-69307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29224]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6901-5]


Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104; Announcement of Proposal 
Deadline for the Competition for the 2001 National Brownfields 
Assessment Demonstration 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 November 16, 2000. The brownfields assessment pilots (each 
funded up to $200,000 over two years) test assessment models, and 
facilitate coordinated assessment and cleanup efforts at the federal, 
state, and local levels.
    In fiscal year 2001, 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 35 additional National brownfields 
assessment pilots by April 2001. The deadline for new proposals for the 
2001 assessment pilots is January 12, 2001. 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 2001 
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 
2000). Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with 
EPA Regional Brownfields Coordinators.

DATES: This action is effective as of November 16, 2000, and expires on 
January 12, 2001. 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, 
and safely cleanup brownfields to promote their sustainable reuse. EPA 
has awarded cooperative agreements to States, cities, towns, counties 
and Tribes for demonstration pilots that test brownfields assessment 
models and facilitate coordinated public and private efforts at the 
Federal, State, tribal and local levels. To date, the Agency has funded 
362 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.
    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

--Effect of Brownfields on your Community or Communities
--Value Added by Federal Support

2. Community-Based Planning and Involvement

--Existing Local Commitment
--Community Involvement Plan
--Environmental Justice Plan

3. Implementation Planning

--Government Support
--Site Selection and Environmental Site Assessment Plan
--Reuse Planning and Proposed Cleanup Funding Mechanisms
--Flow of Ownership Plan

[[Page 69307]]

4. Long-Term Benefits and Sustainability

--Long-Term Benefits
--Sustainable Reuse
--Measures of Success

Part II (Optional)

5. Greenspace

--Authority and Context
--Community Involvement
--Site Identification, Site Assessment Plan, Flow of Ownership, and 
Reuse Planning

Submission to Congress and the General Accounting Office

    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this action and 
other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior 
to publication in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot take effect 
until 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. This 
action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). This 
action will be effective on November 16, 2000.

    Dated: November 2, 2000.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 00-29224 Filed 11-15-00; 8:45 am]
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