Federal Register Notice

[Federal Register: October 19, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 201)]
[Notices]
[Page 56346-56347]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19oc99-70]

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.

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]
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