[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 52 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6261]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 17, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-4851-8]

 

Environmental Technology; U.S. EPA Technology Innovation 
Strategy--Extension of Public Comment Period; Announcement of Public 
Meetings To Comment on the Strategy

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability, extension of comment period, schedule 
of upcoming public meetings.

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SUMMARY: On January 28, 1994, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) announced the availability of the Agency's draft Technology 
Innovation Strategy (S/N 055-000-00466-8) and the Environmental 
Technology Initiative: FY 1994 Program Plan (S/N 055-000-00465-8) (59 
FR 4067) and requested public comments on the Strategy by March 14, 
1994. Copies of the draft Strategy were not available for public 
distribution until the beginning of March. As a result, EPA is 
extending the comment period to April 15, 1994. Internal Agency 
deadlines for considering comments in planning and budgeting 
environmental technology projects for Fiscal Year 1995 are imminent, 
interested parties are encouraged to submit comments as soon as 
possible. Comments will continue to be accepted and reviewed after 
April 15, 1994 in planning projects for FY1996 and future years. Copies 
of the Strategy and the FY1994 Program Plan are available through the 
U.S. Government Printing Office.
    EPA is also inviting technology developers, vendors, services 
providers, exporters, the users of environmental technology and 
services, the investment community, governmental and non-governmental 
organizations and the general public to discuss the Agency's Strategy 
in three public meetings:
    1. Friday, March 25, 1994. San Francisco, California. Address: 
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, 
CA 94010. Telephone: (415) 347-1234. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    2. Wednesday, April 6, 1994. Chicago, Illinois. Sheraton Gateway 
Suites, 6501 North Manheim Road, Chicago, Illinois 60018. Telephone: 
(708) 699-6300. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    3. Tuesday, April 12, 1994. Washington, D.C. Ramada Renaissance 
Hotel, 13869 Park Center Road, Herndon, VA 22071. Telephone: (703) 478-
2900. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
    Airport hotels have been selected for the convenience of those 
traveling by air to the meetings.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Technology Innovation Strategy (S/N 055-000-
00466-8) or Environmental Technology Initiative: FY 1994 Program Plan 
(S/N 055-000-00465-8) are available from the nearest government 
bookstore, the Government Printing Office phone order information desk 
(202/783-3238) or by requesting an order form by FAX (202/512-2250). 
Mail orders may be addressed to the: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 
Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
15250-7954. When ordering, please identify the document's title and 
indicate the Government Printing Office publication number.
    Written comments are requested. Comments on the Technology 
Innovation Strategy should be mailed to: Strategy Committee, Innovative 
Technology Council, Mail Code 2111, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Members of the public wishing to make comments at any of the 
meetings are invited to identify themselves in writing to Mr. Brendan 
Doyle, by March 22, 1994, for the San Francisco meeting; by April 1, 
1994, for the Chicago meeting; and, April 8, 1994, for the Washington, 
DC meeting. Those interested in making comments are asked to limit 
their presentations to no more than five minutes. It is requested that 
commenters provide a summary of their commentaries by the appropriate 
date and a complete text, if possible. Please send requests to make 
comments to: Mr. Brendan Doyle, Office of Policy, Planning and 
Evaluation (2127), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20460 or by telefax to: 202/260-2685.

EPA's Technology Innovation Strategy

    The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Innovative Technology 
Council, comprised of EPA management and staff from across the Agency, 
has drafted a strategy to focus and target its efforts to accelerate 
environmental technology development, commercialization and use. The 
Council recognizes a need to accelerate the development, 
commercialization, and use of innovative environmental technologies to 
maintain and improve environmental quality at home and abroad into the 
21st century. Environmental quality would deteriorate, given 
foreseeable population growth and industrialization, unless technology 
is developed and more broadly applied, that is more effective in 
preventing and reducing pollution levels, less costly than existing 
technology and supportive of sustainable development. EPA, state and 
local agencies are in a unique position to influence the rate and focus 
of environmental technology innovation and use because of their 
legislative and programmatic mandates and regulatory responsibilities 
(which often influence the demand for environmental technologies, goods 
and services).
    In funding the President's Environmental Technology Initiative, the 
House Committee on Appropriations directed EPA, ``* * * to develop a 
comprehensive environmental technology strategy characterized by 
innovation and a nonbureaucratic approach.''1
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    \1\House of Representatives, 103rd Congress, Committee on 
Appropriations report, June 22, 1993, Report 103-150, p.47.
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    EPA's draft Strategy provides a plan to directly and indirectly 
support private sector innovation and diffusion activities sponsored by 
the public and private sector and close coordination among Federal 
agencies. It focuses on creating incentives for the development and use 
of innovative technologies in federal and state environmental 
regulations, reducing barriers to technology innovation and use, and 
improving the competitiveness of the environmental technology industry 
in domestic and international markets. EPA and other Federal, state and 
local agencies, universities, trade associations and consortia, and 
numerous private companies are already working in many of the areas 
identified in the Strategy. EPA is seeking public comment on the 
Strategy to focus and target efforts to accelerate environmental 
technology development, commercialization and use. The Agency's 
Innovative Technology Council plans to revise and update the Strategy 
based on the comments received.
    The definition of ``environmental technologies'' being addressed in 
the Strategy varies widely for a number of reasons. The ``environmental 
technology industry'' has only recently become a focal point for market 
analysts and policy-makers, and it is highly diversified in terms of 
the current demand for and supply of technologies, goods and services. 
Demand often varies based on local environmental conditions. 
``Environmental technologies'' include technologies, goods, and 
services whose development is triggered primarily by environmental 
improvement objectives. Sometimes referred to as ``dark green'' 
technologies, these include: products and services to monitor and 
assess pollutant releases and exposure levels; innovative technologies 
which prevent pollution, control air and water pollution levels, safely 
manage waste and remediate contaminated soil and groundwater; and, 
manage environmental data. EPA's Strategy also addresses ``light 
green'' technologies that are developed primarily for non-environmental 
reasons; those technologies can have indirect, but important 
consequences for improving environmental quality. An example, would be 
local area computer networks designed to enhance office communication, 
but which also reduce paper use.
    EPA is interested in promoting all phases of technological change 
such as: the research and development of new concepts; preliminary 
design testing and pilot applications of evolving technologies; 
performance demonstrations and testing; evaluations of early commercial 
applications; and diffusion into domestic and international markets.
    The draft ``Technology Innovation Strategy'' outlines the general 
principles that guide EPA in its efforts to foster innovation in its 
existing programs and new projects being initiated under the 
President's Environmental Technology Initiative in FY1994 and FY1995 to 
foster the development and use of environmental technologies in solving 
the nation's environmental problems. It outlines four objectives:
    1. Adapt EPA's policy, regulatory, and compliance framework to 
promote innovation;
    2. Strengthen the capacity of technology developers and users to 
succeed in environmental technology innovation;
    3. Strategically invest EPA funds in the development and 
commercialization of promising new technologies; and
    4. Accelerate diffusion of innovative technologies at home and 
abroad.
    EPA invites comments on the draft Strategy and the following 
questions:
    (1) What roles are appropriate for EPA to play in stimulating the 
development and use of innovative technological solutions to 
environmental problems?
    (2) Do you agree with the Strategy's objectives and with EPA's 
approaches to achieving them? Which objectives should receive the 
highest priority for action?
    (3) Are there additional areas of emphasis that EPA should address 
in planning and funding its technology development, commercialization, 
and diffusion activities?
    (4) Are there particular environmental technology needs or 
impediments to development on which you feel the Agency should focus 
more of its attention?
    (5) How can EPA measure the success of its efforts?
    (6) Which environmental problems need better, faster, cheaper 
technological solutions?
    (7) Do you have any suggestions for ways for EPA to develop, 
collect and/or disseminate information on the performance of 
environmental technologies?
    (8) Can you identify specific federal or state environmental 
regulations, permitting programs or enforcement activities where 
technology innovation is being impeded?
    (9) Are there specific industries or businesses whose environmental 
problems are not being addressed in the Strategy?
    Answers to these questions and comments received on the Strategy 
will be considered in EPA's planning and budgeting for technology 
development and promotion projects in FY 1995 and future years.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brendan Doyle (see address above), 
or one of the EPA regional office contacts listed below:

Barbara Brown, U.S. EPA Region 1, One Congress Street--RAA, Boston, MA 
02203-2211, Tel #: 617-565-3397
Pat Lafornara, U.S. EPA Region 2, 2890 Woodbridge Avenue, Raritan Depot 
Building 10--MS 100, Edison, NJ 08837-3679, Tel #: 908-906-6988
Norm Kulujian, U.S. EPA Region 3, 841 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 
19107, Tel #: 215-597-1113
Bob Jourdan, U.S. EPA Region 4, 345 Courtland Street, NE--4WNSRB, 
Atlanta, GA 30365, Tel #: 404-347-7791
Mike Lin, U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard--WQ-16J, 
Chicago, IL 60604-3590, Tel #: 312-886-6104
Norman Dyer, U.S. EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, 12th Floor, suite 
1200, Dallas, TX 75202-2733, Tel #: 214-655-8349
Jody Hudson, U.S. EPA Region 7, 25 Funston Road, Kansas City, KS 66115, 
Tel #: 913-551-5064
Dave Smith, U.S. EPA Region 8, 999 18th Street, suite 500, Denver, CO 
80202-2466, Tel #: 303-293-1475
Winona Victery, U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, 
CA 94105, Tel #: 415-744-1021
John Barich, U.S. EPA Region 10, 1200 6th Avenue--ES-098, Seattle, WA 
98101, Tel #: 206-553-8562

    Dated: March 11, 1994.
David M. Gardiner,
Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 94-6261 Filed 03-16-94; 8:45 am]
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