[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30063-30064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15042]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPTS-00189; FRL-5375-7]


Notice of Availability of FY 1996 Multimedia Environmental 
Justice Through Pollution Prevention Grant Funds

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: EPA is soliciting grant proposals under the Environmental 
Justice Through Pollution Prevention (EJP2) grant program. EPA 
anticipates that between $750,000 and $1.5 million will be available. 
The purpose of this program is to support pollution prevention 
approaches that address environmental justice concerns. The grant funds 
will support national or regional environmental or environmental 
justice organizations that will provide financial or technical 
assistance to community-based, grass-roots groups, or Tribal 
organizations for projects that use pollution prevention approaches to 
address environmental justice concerns.

DATES: Applications must be postmarked by July 31, 1996, and received 
by EPA's Pollution Prevention Division office in Washington, DC by 
August 5, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain copies of the EJP2 grant 
program guidance and application package, or to obtain more information 
regarding the EJP2 grant program, please contact Chen Wen at (202) 260-
4109, or Pamela Moseley at (202) 260-2722. You may also forward your 
requests and questions via the Internet, by writing to: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Scope and Purpose of the EJP2 Grant Program

    The purpose of the FY 1996 EJP2 grants program is to fund national 
or regional environmental organizations that will in turn support 
community organizations in using pollution prevention solutions to 
address the environmental problems of minority and low-income 
communities and tribes. This grant program is designed to fund projects 
which have a direct impact on affected communities. This approach 
complements last year's Environmental Justice Through Pollution 
Prevention grant program, where grants were provided directly to grass-
roots and community organizations. Funds awarded must be used to 
support pollution prevention programs in minority and low-income 
communities or Tribal lands.
    EPA is particularly interested in innovative approaches which will 
result in activities and products that can be applied to other 
communities. The Agency strongly encourages cooperative efforts between 
communities, business and industry to address common pollution 
prevention goals. Projects funded under this grant may involve public 
education, training, demonstrations, research,

[[Page 30064]]

investigations, experiments, surveys, studies, public-private 
partnerships, or approaches to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate non-
regulatory strategies and technologies.

II. Definitions of Environmental Justice and Pollution Prevention

    Environmental justice is defined by EPA as the fair treatment of 
people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the 
development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, 
regulations, programs, and policies. Fair treatment means that no 
racial, ethnic or socio-economic group should bear a disproportionate 
share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from the 
operation of industrial, municipal, and commercial enterprises and from 
the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and 
policies.
    The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 establishes a hierarchy of 
environmental management practices. In order of preferences, these 
practices include:
      Pollution prevention
      Recycling
      Treatment
      Disposal
    Pollution prevention means source reduction; that is, any practice 
that reduces or eliminates any pollutant at the source prior to 
recycling, treatment, or disposal. Pollution prevention also includes 
practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through:
    Increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or 
other resources; and
    Protection of natural resources by conservation.
    This grant program is focused on using the top of the hierarchy--
pollution prevention--to bring about better environmental protection.

III. Possible Approaches

    Below are brief summaries of sample projects which meet the 
definitions of pollution prevention and environmental justice. These 
may help guide applicants as they develop their proposals.
      Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to 
organizations that will assist minority and low-income communities and 
Tribal organizations in obtaining environmental information or 
designing and implementing training programs for such communities to 
promote pollution prevention initiatives.
      Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to 
organizations that will conduct demonstration programs in concert with 
voluntary programs (e.g., the Green Lights program or the Waste Wise 
program) which promote resource efficiency, or EPA; industry sector 
projects such as the Common Sense Initiative.
      Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to 
organizations that will conduct research, demonstrations, or public 
educational training activities to institutionalize sustainable 
agricultural practices including integrated pest management techniques 
to reduce use of pesticides.
      Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to 
organizations that will establish demonstration projects to provide 
financial assistance through establishment of revolving loan funds to 
assist small businesses in obtaining loans for pollution prevention-
oriented activities.
      Provide funding, assistance, or technical support to 
organizations that will be working with the business community in a 
collaborative fashion to address community environmental justice 
issues.

IV. Eligibility

    Eligible applicants include currently incorporated organizations 
that are not intended to be profit-making organizations, including any 
Federally-recognized Tribal organizations. Organizations must be 
incorporated by July 31, 1996, in order to receive funds. Governments 
other than Tribal entities are not eligible to receive funding under 
this program. Private businesses and individuals are not eligible. 
Organizations excluded from applying directly are encouraged to work 
with eligible applicants in developing proposals that will include them 
as participants in the projects. For this funding cycle, EPA especially 
encourages organizations that are not experienced in grant writing to 
seek out partnerships with national or regional-based organizations.
    No applicant can have two grants for the same project at one time. 
EPA will consider only one proposal for a given project. Applicants may 
submit more than one application as long as the applications are for 
separate and distinct projects. However, no organization will receive 
more than one grant per year under the EJP2 grant program. 
Organizations seeking funds from the EJP2 grants can request up to 
$250,000. EPA anticipates most grants will be awarded in the $100,000 
and $200,000 range. All grants are subject to a 5% matching 
requirement. All grantees are required to contribute at least 5% of the 
total project cost, either through in-kind or monetary contributions.

    Dated: June 6, 1996.
William H. Sanders III,
Director, Office of Pollution, Prevention, and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 96-15042 Filed 6-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F