[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49276-49277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23576]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5301-5]


Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104; Announcement of Application 
Deadline for the Competition for Brownfields Economic Redevelopment 
Initiative Pilots''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of application deadlines, revised guidelines.

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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will 
continue to accept proposals for the national Brownfields Economic 
Redevelopment Pilots. EPA received over 100 applications for the 
deadlines of March 1, 1995 and April 17, 1995; from these applications 
EPA was able to select 15 national pilots which were announced on July 
26, 1995. EPA will select a total of twenty additional pilots in 1996 
during the next two rounds of the competition: The next two upcoming 
deadlines for these rounds are November 17, 1995 and March 4, 1996. All 
applications received by March 1, 1995 and April 17, 1995--but not 
chosen as national pilots in the July 26, 1995 announcement--will 
continue to be considered by EPA during the subsequent two rounds of 
this competition.
    To further improve the competition process, EPA has made 
clarifications to the Application Guidelines for Demonstration Pilots 
(revised edition September 1995). However, those entities which 
submitted applications by March 1 and April 17 will not be required to 
re-submit their applications. Nonetheless, EPA urges these applicants 
to review the clarifications and determine whether they wish to revise 
and resubmit their applications.

DATES: This action is effective as of December 1, 1994, and expires on 
March 4, 1996. All proposals must be postmarked or sent to EPA via 
registered or tracked mail by the expiration dates cited above.

ADDRESSES: Applications booklets 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.
    Booklets may also be obtained by writing to: U.S. EPA--Brownfields 
Application, Superfund Document Center 5201G, 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Superfund Hotline, 800-424-9346.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. EPA is funding 50 two-year 
demonstration pilots up to $200,000 for cleaning up and redeveloping 
brownfields. Eighteen national pilot projects already have been 
selected. EPA defines brownfields as abandoned, idled or under-used 
industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment 
is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. EPA's 
Brownfields Initiative is an organized commitment to help communities 
revitalize such properties both environmentally and economically, 
mitigate potential health 

[[Page 49277]]
risks and restore economic vitality to areas where these brownfields 
exist.
    The goal of the Brownfields Initiative is to empower states, 
communities and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work 
together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely cleanup, and 
sustainably reuse brownfields. Experience gained from the pilots, along 
with partnerships and outreach activities, will provide a growing 
knowledge base to help direct EPA's Brownfields Initiative. EPA's 
Brownfields Pilots will test redevelopment models, direct special 
efforts toward removing regulatory barriers without sacrificing 
protectiveness, and facilitate coordinated efforts at the federal, 
state, and local levels. EPA will facilitate a coordinated federal 
strategy to help initiate a significant national effort to clean up and 
redevelop brownfields.
    Cities, counties, towns, states, Territories, and Native American 
Tribes are all eligible to apply.
    The Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is founded on the 
belief that ``economic development and environmental protection must go 
hand in hand,'' (Carol Browner, Administrator, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Announcing the Cleveland Brownfields Pilot on November 8, 
1993.)
    In order to ensure a fair selection process, panels consisting of 
EPA Regional and Headquarters staff, as well as other Federal Agency 
representatives, evaluated all of the applications. These panels assess 
how well the proposals met the selection criteria outlined in The 
Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative: Application Guidelines 
for Demonstration Pilots. These panels' evaluations will be presented 
to EPA Senior Management for final selection. Proposals will be 
evaluated on the following criteria (a more detailed and complete set 
of criteria are included in the application booklet):
     Demonstrated commitment of public and private leadership 
to brownfields redevelopment.
     Clear delineation of how federal support will make a 
difference.
     Plans for effective community involvement.
     Contributions to environmental justice goals.
     Government support and technical, legal, and political 
capacity to complete goals.
     Clearly outlined potential sources of cleanup funding.
     Potential for national replication.
     Well-defined approach to environmental assessment.

    Dated: September 14, 1995.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 95-23576 Filed 9-21-95; 8:45 am]
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