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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104 (k); ``Announcement of Proposal Deadlines for the Competition for the 2003 National Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants''
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: October 24, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 65348-65350]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24oc02-43]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7399-5]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104 (k); ``Announcement of Proposal
Deadlines for the Competition for the 2003 National Brownfields
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants''
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of the availability of Brownfields Grant Application
Guidelines and deadlines for submissions of proposals.
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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will
begin to accept proposals for the National Brownfields Assessment,
Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants on October 24, 2002. This
notice provides information on how to obtain the application
guidelines. These grants may be used to address sites contaminated by
petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants
(including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). The
brownfields assessment grants (each funded up to $200,000 over two
years) provide funding for a grant recipient to inventory,
characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement
related to brownfield sites. The brownfields revolving loan fund grants
(each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years) provide funding for a
grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide
subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are
owned by the subgrant recipient. The brownfields cleanup grants (each
funded up to $200,000 over two years) provide funding for a grant
recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are
owned by the grant recipient. (See Catalogue of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 66.811; a revised CFDA number entry has been
submitted for approval).
For the brownfields assessment grants, an applicant may request a
waiver of the $200,000 limits and obtain funding up to $350,000 based
on the anticipated level of contamination, size, or ownership status of
the site. The revolving loan fund and cleanup grants require a 20
percent cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of
money, labor, material, or services from a non-federal source. If the
cost share is in the form of contribution of labor, material, or other
services, it must be incurred for an eligible and allowable cost under
the grant and not for ineligible costs. An applicant may request a
waiver of the 20 percent cost share requirement based on hardship.
The National brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund, and
cleanup grants will be awarded on a competitive basis using a two-step
proposal selection process. 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 application booklet,
Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund,
and Cleanup Grants (October 2002). Initial Proposals will be evaluated
and ranked by Regional evaluation panels. EPA will determine those
Initial Proposals that have the highest rankings, and then invite those
applicants to prepare and submit Final Proposals, the second step in
the two-part proposal process. Final Proposals will be evaluated and
ranked by National Evaluation Panels. Final selections will be made by
EPA senior management based upon the ranking of Final Proposals by the
National Evaluation Panels. EPA decisions may also take into account
other statutory and policy considerations, such as urban and non-urban
distribution and other geographic factors; compliance with the
statutory petroleum funding allocation; the benefits of promoting the
long-term availability of funds under the RLF grants; designation as a
federal Empowerment Zone, Enterprise Community, or Renewal Community;
population; and whether the applicant is a federally recognized Indian
tribe. Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with
EPA Regional Brownfields Contacts.
DATES: This action is effective as of October 24, 2002. EPA expects to
make up to 200 grant awards in fiscal year 2003, contingent upon the
availability of funds. The application deadline for Initial Proposals
for the 2003 assessment, revolving loan fund, and cleanup grants is
December 16, 2002. All Initial Proposals must be postmarked by USPS or
delivered at the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office by other means,
no later than December 16, 2002, and a duplicate copy sent to U.S. EPA
Headquarters. The application deadline for applicants who are invited
to submit a Final Proposal is March 5, 2003. All Final Proposals must
be postmarked by USPS or delivered at the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional
Office by other means, no later than March 5,
[[Page 65349]]
2003, and a duplicate copy sent to U.S. EPA Headquarters.
ADDRESSES: Mailing addresses for U.S. EPA Regional Offices and U.S. EPA
Headquarters are provided in the Proposal Guidelines.
Obtaining Proposal Guidelines: The proposal guidelines are
available via the Internet: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/. Copies of
the Proposal Guidelines will also be mailed upon request. Requests
should be made by calling the U.S. EPA Call Center 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.
In order to ensure that the Guidelines are received in time to be
used in the preparation of the proposal, applicants should request a
copy as soon as possible and in any event no later than seven (7)
working days before the proposal due date. Applicants who request
copies after that date might not receive the proposal guidelines in
time to prepare and submit a responsive proposal.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The U.S.EPA's Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and
Redevelopment, (202) 566-2777.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 11, 2002, President George W.
Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and
Brownfields Revitalization Act. This act amended the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act to authorize
federal financial assistance for brownfields revitalization, including
grants for assessment, cleanup, and job training.
Funding for the brownfields grants is authorized under Section
104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9604(k).
Eligibility for brownfields assessment and revolving loan fund grants
is limited to ``eligible entities'' as defined in section 104(k)(1) of
CERCLA. These include a General Purpose Unit of Local Government; Land
Clearance Authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates
under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general
purpose unit of local government; Governmental Entity Created by State
Legislature; Regional council or group of general purpose units of
local government; Redevelopment Agency that is chartered or otherwise
sanctioned by a state; State; Indian Tribe other than in Alaska; and
Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation,
and Metlakatla Indian Community. Eligibility for brownfields cleanup
grants is limited to ``eligible entities'' and nonprofits. For the
purposes of the brownfields grant program, EPA will use the definition
of nonprofit organizations contained in Section 4(6) of the Federal
Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999, Public Law
106-107. The term ``nonprofit organization'' means any corporation,
trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated
primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar
purpose in the public interest; is not organized primarily for profit;
and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of
the organization.
In addition, Intertribal Consortia, other than those composed of
ineligible Alaskan tribes, are eligible to apply for the brownfields
assessment, revolving loan fund, and cleanup grants. Coalitions of
eligible governmental entities are eligible to apply for the
brownfields revolving loan fund grants, but only one member of the
coalition may receive a cooperative agreement.
The evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully and
assess each response based on how well it addresses the criteria,
briefly outlined below. There are two different types of criteria--
threshold criteria and ranking criteria. Responses to the criteria will
be utilized to determine whether to make an award and the amount of
funds to be awarded. There is no guarantee of an award.
Assessment Grants--Initial Proposal
Threshold Criteria
A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority
D. Description of Sites
Ranking Criteria
A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants (a maximum of 20 points may be received for
this criterion)
D. Site Selection Process (a maximum of 30 points may be received for
this criterion)
Revolving Loan Fund Grants--Initial Proposal
Threshold Criteria
A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Legal Authority to Manage a Revolving Loan Fund
D. Cleanup Authority and Oversight Structure
E. Cost Share
F. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority
G. Description of Sites
Ranking Criteria
A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants/Management Structure (a maximum of 20
points may be received for this criterion)
D. Description of Target Market for RLF Loans and Subgrants (a maximum
of 40 points may be received for this criterion)
Cleanup Grants--Initial Proposal
Threshold Criteria
A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Description of Sites
D. Cleanup Authority and Oversight Structure
E. Cost Share
F. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority
Ranking Criteria
A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants (a maximum of 20 points may be received for
this criterion)
Assessment Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)
Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)
Ranking Criteria
A. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of
15 points may be received for this criterion)
B. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be
received for this criterion)
[[Page 65350]]
D. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for
this criterion)
E. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for
this criterion)
Revolving Loan Fund Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)
Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)
Ranking Criteria
A. Business Plan (a maximum of 20 points may be received for this
criterion)
B. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of
15 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
D. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be
received for this criterion)
E. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for
this criterion)
F. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for
this criterion)
Cleanup Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)
Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)
Ranking Criteria
A. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of
15 points may be received for this criterion)
B. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be
received for this criterion)
D. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for
this criterion)
E. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for
this criterion)
EPA decisions may take into account other statutory and policy
considerations, such as urban and non-urban distribution and other
geographic factors; compliance with the statutory petroleum funding
allocation; the benefits of promoting the long-term availability of
funds under the RLF grants; designation as a federal Empowerment Zone,
Enterprise Community, or Renewal Community; population; and whether the
applicant is a federally recognized Indian tribe.
Dated: October 15, 2002.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 02-27126 Filed 10-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P