10686 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2001 / Notices

Canyon and Virginia/North Carolina

Areas for Scallop Fishing.

Summary: EPA had environmental

concerns regarding the plan and

requested additional information on

yield, total allowable catch, observers,

water quality, gear and vessel trip

reports.

ERP No. DR–FTA–K40237–CA Rating

LO, Orange County Centerline Project,

Transportation Improvements, Revised

Alternatives, Advanced Rail Transit in

the Heart of Orange County, CA.

Summary: EPA found that the

document adequately discussed the

environmental impacts of the proposed

project.

Final EISs

ERP No. F–AFS–F65027–MN. Little

East Creek Fuel Reduction Project, Plan

to Grant Access Across Federal Land to

Non-Federal Landowners,

Implementation, LaCroix Ranger

District, Superior National Forest, Saint

Louis County, MN.

Summary: EPA expressed lack of

objections to the proposed project.

ERP No. F–AFS–L65289–00. Interior

Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management

Projects, Updated and New Information

on Three Management Alternatives,

Implementation, WA, OR, ID and MT.

Summary: No formal comment letter

was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F–FRC–F03008–00. Guardian

Pipeline Project, Proposal to Construct

and Operate an Interstate Natural Gas

Pipeline that would extend from Joliet

(Will County), IL and Ixonia (Jefferson

County), WI.

Summary: EPA continues to express

objections due to potential cumulative

impacts and the lack of adequate

mitigation for forested wetlands and

upland forest impacts.

ERP No. F–UAF–J11018–WY. F. E.

Warren Air Force Base Deactivation and

Dismantlement of the Peacekeeper

Missile System, To Comply with the

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

(START), Laramie, Platte and Goshen

Counties, WY.

Summary: EPA had no additional

comments on the FEIS.

Dated: February 13, 2001.

Joseph C. Montgomery,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office

of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 01–4000 Filed 2–15–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–U

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–00698; FRL–6767–6]

Notice of Availability of Region III

Strategic Agricultural Initiative Grants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA Region III is announcing

the availability of approximately

$200,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2001 grant/

cooperative agreement funds under

section 20 of the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)

as amended, (the Act), for grants to

States and federally recognized Native

American Tribes for research, public

education, training, monitoring,

demonstrations, and studies. For

convenience, the term ‘‘State’’ in this

notice refers to all eligible applicants.

DATES: In order to be considered for

funding during the FY 2001 award

cycle, all applications must be received

by EPA Region III on or before March

19, 2001. EPA will make its award

decisions by March 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Racine L. Davis, Environmental

Protection Agency, Region III, Mail

Code 3WC32, 1650 Arch Street,

Philadelphia, PA 19103–2029;

telephone: (215) 814–5797; e-mail

address: davis.racine@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public

in general. This action may, however, be

of interest to eligible applicants who

primarily operate out of and will

conduct the project in one of the

following Region III States: Delaware,

District of Columbia, Maryland,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West

Virginia.

II. Availability of FY 2001 Funds

With this publication, EPA Region III

is announcing the availability of

approximately $200,000 in grant/

cooperative agreement funds for FY

2001. The Agency has delegated grant

making authority to the EPA Regional

Offices. EPA Region III is responsible for

the solicitation of interest, the screening

of proposals, and the selection of

projects. Grant guidance will be

provided to all applicants along with

any supplementary information Region

III may wish to provide. All applicants

must address the criteria listed under

Unit IV.B. of this document. Interested

applicants should contact the Regional

Strategic Agricultural Initiative

coordinator listed under Unit V. of this

document for more information.

III. Eligible Applicants

In accordance with the Act ‘‘. . .

Federal agencies, universities, or others

as may be necessary to carry out the

purposes of the act, . . .’’ are eligible to

receive a grant. Eligible applicants for

purposes of funding under this grant

program include those operating within

the six EPA Region III states (Delaware,

District of Columbia, Maryland,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West

Virginia), any agency or instrumentality

of a Region III State including State

universities and non-profit

organizations operating within a Region

III state. For convenience, the term

‘‘State’’ in this notice refers to all

eligible applicants.

IV. Activities and Criteria

A. General

The goal of the Strategic Agricultural

Initiative Grant Program is to reduce the

risks and use of pesticides in

agricultural settings. Another goal is to

rapidly spread available technology and

information about ways to reduce

dependence on the more highly toxic

pesticides.

B. Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on

the following criteria:

1. Qualifications and experience of

the applicant relative to the proposed

project.

• Does the applicant demonstrate

experience in the field of the proposed

activity?

• Does the applicant have the properly

trained staff, facilities, or infrastructure

in place to conduct the project?

2. Consistency of applicant’s

proposed project with the risk reduction

goals of Strategic Agricultural Initiative.

3. Provision for a quantitative or

qualitative evaluation of the project’s

success at achieving the stated goals.

• Is the project designed in such a way

that it is possible to measure and

document the results quantitatively and

qualitatively?

• Does the applicant identify the

method that will be used to measure

and document the project’s results

quantitatively and qualitatively?

• Will the project assess or suggest a

means for measuring progress in

reducing risk associated with the use of

pesticides?

4. Likelihood the project can be

replicated to benefit other communities

or the product may have broad utility to

a widespread audience. Can this project,

taking into account typical staff and

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 33 / Friday, February 16, 2001 / Notices 10687

financial restraints, be replicated by

similar organizations in different

locations to address the same or similar

problem?

C. Program Management

Awards of FY 2001 funds will be

managed through EPA Region III.

D. Contacts

Interested applicants must contact the

appropriate EPA Regional Strategic

Agricultural Initiative coordinator listed

under Unit V. of this document to

obtain specific instructions, regional

criteria, and guidance for submitting

proposals.

V. Region III Strategic Agricultural

Initiative Program Contact

Region III: (Delaware, District of

Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania,

Virginia, and West Virginia), Racine

Davis, (3WC32), 1650 Arch St.,

Philadelphia, PA 19103; telephone:

(215) 814–5797; e-mail address:

davis.racine@epa.gov.

VI. Submission to Congress and the

Comptroller General

Under the Agency’s current

interpretation of the definition of a

‘‘rule,’’ grant solicitations such as this

which are competitively awarded on the

basis of selection criteria, are considered

rules for the purpose of the

Congressional Review Act (CRA). The

CRA, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by

the Small Business Regulatory

Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

(SBREFA), 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 rule 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 of the rule in

the Federal Register. This rule is not a

‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C.

804(2).

List of Subjects

Environmental protection.

Dated: February 2, 2001.

Thomas Voltaggio,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.

[FR Doc. 01–3986 Filed 2–15–01 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–S

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPP–00699; FRL–6767–5]

Notice of Availability of Region III

Urban Initiative Grants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA Region III is announcing

the availability of approximately

$102,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2001 grant/

cooperative agreement funds under

section 20 of the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)

as amended, (the Act), for grants to

States and federally recognized Native

American Tribes for research, public

education, training, monitoring,

demonstrations, and studies. For

convenience, the term ‘‘State’’ in this

notice refers to all eligible applicants.

DATES: In order to be considered for

funding during the FY 2001 award

cycle, all applications must be received

by EPA Region III on or before March

19, 2001. EPA will make its award

decisions by March 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Racine L. Davis, Environmental

Protection Agency, Region III, Mail

Code 3WC32, 1650 Arch Street,

Philadelphia, PA 19103–2029;

telephone: (215) 814–5797; e-mail

address: davis.racine@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public

in general. This action may, however, be

of interest to eligible applicants who

primarily operate out of and will

conduct the project in one of the

following Region III States: Delaware,

District of Columbia, Maryland,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West

Virginia.

II. Availability of FY 2001 Funds

With this publication, EPA Region III

is announcing the availability of

approximately $102,000 in grant/

cooperative agreement funds for FY

2001. The Agency has delegated grant

making authority to the EPA Regional

Offices. EPA Region III is responsible for

the solicitation of interest, the screening

of proposals, and the selection of

projects. Grant guidance will be

provided to all applicants along with

any supplementary information Region

III may wish to provide. All applicants

must address the criteria listed under

Unit IV.B. of this document. Interested

applicants should contact the Regional

Urban Initiative coordinator listed

under Unit V. of this document for more

information.

III. Eligible Applicants

In accordance with the Act ‘‘. . .

Federal agencies, universities, or others

as may be necessary to carry out the

purposes of the act, . . .’’ are eligible to

receive a grant. Eligible applicants for

purposes of funding under this grant

program include those operating within

the six EPA Region III States (Delaware,

District of Columbia, Maryland,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West

Virginia), any agency or instrumentality

of a Region III State including State

universities and non-profit

organizations operating within a Region

III State. For convenience, the term

‘‘State’’ in this notice refers to all

eligible applicants.

IV. Activities and Criteria

A. General

The goal of the Urban Initiative Grant

Program is to: (1) Detect any diversion

of highly toxic pesticides from the

agriculture sector into urban areas for

illegal use indoors; (2) identify any

ongoing misuse of agricultural

pesticides in urban and residential

communities; and (3) prevent future

diversion and structural application of

pesticide misuse through compliance

assistance and education.

B. Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on

the following criteria:

1. Qualifications and experience of

the applicant relative to the proposed

project.

• Does the applicant demonstrate

experience in the field of the proposed

activity?

• Does the applicant have the properly

trained staff, facilities, or infrastructure

in place to conduct the project?

2. Consistency of applicant’s

proposed project with the risk reduction

goals of Urban Initiative.

3. Provision for a quantitative or

qualitative evaluation of the project’s

success at achieving the stated goals.

• Is the project designed in such a way

that it is possible to measure and

document the results quantitatively and

qualitatively?

• Does the applicant identify the

method that will be used to measure

and document the project’s results

quantitatively and qualitatively?

• Will the project assess or suggest a

means for measuring progress in

reducing risk associated with the use of

pesticides?

4. Likelihood the project can be

replicated to benefit other communities