[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 233 (Thursday, December 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64211-64212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31788]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


State Energy Program Special Projects Financial Assistance

AGENCY: The Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice for 1998 State Energy Program special projects.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As options offered under the State Energy Program (SEP) for 
fiscal year 1998, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 
is announcing the availability of financial assistance to States for a 
group of special project activities. Funding is being provided by a 
number of end-use sector programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy. States may apply to undertake any of the projects 
being offered by these programs. States that are awarded funding for 
special projects will carry out their projects in conjunction with 
their efforts under SEP, with the special projects funding and 
activities tracked separately so that the end-use sector programs may 
follow the progress of their projects.
    The projects must meet the relevant requirements of the programs 
providing the funding, as well as of SEP, as specified in the program 
guidance/solicitation. Among the goals of the special projects 
activities are to assist States to: Accelerate deployment of energy 
efficiency and renewable energy technologies; facilitate the acceptance 
of emerging and underutilized energy efficiency and renewable energy 
technologies; and increase the responsiveness of Federally funded 
technology development efforts to private sector needs.

DATES: The program guidance/solicitation is expected to be December 5, 
1997. Applications must be received by February 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Faith Lambert at the 
U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-2319, for referral to the appropriate 
DOE Regional Support Office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fiscal year 1998 is the third year 
special project activities are funded in conjunction with the State 
Energy Program (10 CFR part 420). Most of these State-oriented 
special projects are related to or based on similar efforts that 
have been funded separately by the various DOE end-use sector 
programs that are now providing funding for these optional SEP 
activities.

Availability of Fiscal Year 1998 Funds

    With this publication, DOE is announcing the availability of 
$11.825 million in financial assistance funds for fiscal year 1998. The 
awards will be made through a competitive process. The end-use sector 
programs that are participating in the SEP special projects for fiscal 
year 1998, with the estimated minimum amount of funding available for 
each, are as follows:
     Clean Cities: Accelerating the introduction and increasing 
the use of alternative fuels and alternative fueled vehicles through 
the development of infrastructure and clean corridors ($2.0 million).
     Federal Energy Management Program: Developing Federal/
State partnerships to increase technical capability and funding for 
energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation measures 
for Federal and State buildings ($975,000).
     Industrial Programs: Accelerating industrial and clean 
production opportunities with regional industries through the programs 
of the Industrial Alliance (Inventions and Innovation, NICE\3\, 
Industrial Assessment Centers, Motor Challenge, Climate Wise, and Steam 
Partnership. ($2.35 million)
     Rebuild America: Helping community and regional 
partnerships improve commercial and multifamily building energy 
efficiency ($1.0 million).
     Codes and Standards: Supporting States' actions to update, 
implement, and enforce residential and commercial building energy codes 
($4.0 million).
     Utility Technologies: Projects to demonstrate and increase 
utilization of renewable energy sources, such as biomass, geothermal 
heat pumps, hydrogen technology, photovoltaics for utility scale 
applications, and wind energy ($1.5 million).

Restricted Eligibility

    Eligible applicants for purposes of funding under this program are 
limited to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any 
territory or possession of the United States, specifically, the State 
energy or other agency responsible for administering the State Energy 
Program pursuant to 10 CFR part 420. For convenience, the term State in 
this notice refers to all eligible State applicants.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to the 
State Energy Program is 81.041.
    Requirements for cost sharing or matching contributions will be 
addressed in the program guidance/solicitation for each special project 
activity, as appropriate. Cost sharing or matching contributions beyond 
any required percentage are desirable.
    Any application must be signed by an authorized State official, in 
accordance with the program guidance/solicitation.

Evaluation Review and Criteria

    A first tier review for completeness will occur at the appropriate 
DOE Regional Support Office. Applications found to be complete will 
undergo a merit review process by panels comprised of members 
representing the respective participating end-use sector programs in 
DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. A decision as 
to the applications selected for funding will then be made by the 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Building Technology, State and Community 
Programs, or designee, based on the findings of the technical merit 
review and any stated program policy factors. DOE reserves the right to 
fund, in whole

[[Page 64212]]

or in part, any, all or none of the applications submitted in response 
to this notice.
    More detailed information is available from the U.S. Department of 
Energy Headquarters at (202) 586-2319.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on November 28, 1997.
Joseph Romm,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
[FR Doc. 97-31788 Filed 12-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U