[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 30063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15038]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5520-6]


Request for Public Comment on the Border Environment Cooperation 
Commission (BECC) Guidelines for Project Submission and Criteria for 
Project Certification Document

AGENCY: Border Environment Cooperation Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the BECC Guidelines 
for Project Submission and Criteria for Project Certification document 
for public review and comment.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the BECC on or before July 
10, 1996. Oral comments may be received on July 18, 1996 at the BECC 
Board of Directors Public Meeting in San Diego, California.

ADDRESSES: To mail comments, receive a copy of the document, or for 
further information contact:

Ms. April Lander, MEM, Program Manager--Environment, Border Environment 
Cooperation Commission, P.O. Box 221648, El Paso, TX 79913, Telephone: 
011-52 (16) 29-23-95, Fax: 011-52 (16) 29-23-97, Email: 
[email protected]
H. Roger Frauenfelder, General Manager, Border Environment Cooperation 
Commission, P.O. Box 221648, El Paso, TX 79913.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Border Environment Cooperation 
Commission (BECC) is a binational organization, created through an 
agreement between the United States and Mexican governments via an 
environmental side agreement to NAFTA. The BECC assists communities and 
other sponsors in coordinating and implementing environmental 
infrastructure projects to help resolve environmental and human health 
issues on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border. Projects certified by 
the BECC may be considered for North American Development Bank 
(NADBank) financing and/or other sources of financing.
    Prior to certifying environment infrastructure projects, and with 
extensive public review and comment, the BECC Board of Directors 
adopted the BECC Guidelines for Project Submission and Criteria for 
Project Certification document (Criteria document) at its Regular 
Public Meeting, August 31, 1995 in El Paso, TX. The Criteria document 
provides guidelines for submission of projects using a two step process 
and indicates the eight fundamental areas of criteria for project 
certification, including: (1) General project description, (2) 
environment and human health, (3) technical feasibility, (4) economic 
and financial feasibility, (5) social issues, (6) community 
participation, (7) operations and maintenance, and (8) sustainable 
development. At the August 31, 1995 BECC Public Meeting, the Board of 
Directors decided to provide the public another opportunity to review 
and comment on the Criteria document after one year of application.
    The BECC encourages public comments to be annotated directly on the 
Criteria document. The document may be found on the BECC Home Page at 
http://cocef.interjuarez.com and may be requested on computer diskette, 
via Email, or through the mail.
    The BECC is particularly interested in receiving comments in the 
areas of small community assistance and sustainable development. Public 
comments may be submitted to the BECC in writing on or before July 10, 
1996. Oral comments may be received at the July 18, 1996 BECC Board of 
Directors Public Meeting in San Diego, California. The Criteria 
document will be revised following a review and synthesis of the 
written and oral comments made by the public. It is anticipated that a 
final draft document will be available for public review in August. 
Furthermore, it is expected that the BECC Board of Directors will 
consider the final document for approval at its fall public meeting 
scheduled for October 24, 1996.

    Dated: June 4, 1996.
H. Roger Frauenfelder,
General Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-15038 Filed 6-12-96; 8:45 am]
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