[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 43592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21673]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6143-5]


Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Massachusetts Environmental Results 
Program Project XL Draft Umbrella Final Project Agreement.

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SUMMARY: EPA is today requesting comments on a proposed Project XL 
Final Project Agreement (FPA) for the Massachusetts Department of 
Environmental Protection. The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed 
collaboratively by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental 
Protection, stakeholders, and EPA. Project XL, announced in the Federal 
Register on May 23, 1995 (60 FR 27282), gives regulated sources the 
flexibility to develop alternative strategies that will replace or 
modify specific regulatory requirements on the condition that they 
produce greater environmental benefits. EPA has set a goal of 
implementing a total of fifty projects undertaken in full partnership 
with the states.
    The draft FPA for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental 
Protection (DEP) proposes to streamline permitting and reporting 
processes in the state. The Environmental Results Program (ERP), was 
developed to reduce the number of permits applied for, renewed, and 
issued through a program of facility-wide, performance-based self-
certification. Beginning with a demonstration project of 23 companies, 
industry representatives have cooperated with Massachusetts DEP to 
establish criteria for reporting compliance with state performance and 
operating standards in certain industrial categories, without 
developing permits for each facility. The first 3 sectors of this 
project are Dry Cleaners, Photo Processors, and Printers.
    Massachusetts DEP will guide companies through the process, 
providing explanations of laws and regulations and ideas for meeting 
associated requirements. The project is intended to reduce resources 
expended by both the DEP and industry in the permitting process, as 
well as improve compliance by offering companies flexibility in 
pollution prevention. Massachusetts DEP believes that after an initial 
evaluation and revision phase, the program will be easily transferable 
to other industry sectors throughout Massachusetts and other states. 
The draft FPA would provide a framework for developing self-
certification requirements for industrial sectors and for assessing 
whether those requirements achieve superior environmental performance.
    Massachusetts proposed project is a multi-sector, multi-facility 
attempt to incorporate environmental management practices across entire 
business sectors. It is an attempt to reduce the reporting burden for 
affected facilities and the DEP while fostering superior environmental 
performance by identifying and encouraging opportunities for pollution 
prevention. The draft umbrella FPA would allow the Massachusetts DEP an 
expedited review process for later proposed addenda which will 
demonstrate superior environmental performance for each specific sector 
involved. The regulatory flexibility necessary to implement sector-
specific projects will also be discussed in each sector-specific 
addendum.
    As part of its draft FPA, Massachusetts DEP will actively work to 
ensure and maintain involvement of key stakeholders and the general 
public in ERP development. DEP has developed an ERP Design Team 
comprised of representatives from EPA, other government entities, 
environmental advocacy groups, business and industry, consulting firms, 
and the legal community.

DATES: The period for submission of comments ends on September 14, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: All comments on the draft Final Project Agreement should be 
sent to: Thomas D'Avanzo, U.S. EPA, Region I, John F. Kennedy Building, 
Boston, MA 02203, or Chad A. Carbone, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Room 
1027WT (1802), Washington, DC 20460. Comments may also be faxed to Mr. 
D'Avanzo at (617) 565-4939 or Mr. Carbone at (202) 401-6637. Comments 
will also be received via electronic mail sent to: 
[email protected] or [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain a copy of the proposed Final 
Project Agreement or Fact Sheet, contact: Thomas D'Avanzo, U.S. EPA, 
Region I, John F. Kennedy Building, Boston, MA 02203, or Chad A. 
Carbone, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Room 1027WT (1802), Washington, DC 
20460. The documents are also available via the Internet at the 
following location: ``http://yosemite.epa.gov/xl/xl__home.nsf/all/
homepage.'' In addition, public files on the Project are located at EPA 
Region I in Boston. Questions to EPA regarding the documents can be 
directed to Thomas D'Avanzo at (617) 566-3277 or Chad A. Carbone at 
(202) 260-4296.
    To be included on the Massachusetts ERP Project XL mailing list to 
receive information about future public meetings, XL progress reports 
and other mailings from Massachusetts on the XL Project, contact: Tara 
Velazquez, Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 
Department of Environmental Protection, 1 Winter Street, Boston, MA 
02108. Ms. Velazquez can also be reached by telephone at (617) 292-
5505. For information on all other aspects of the XL Program contact 
Christopher Knopes at the following address: Office of Reinvention, 
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Room 1029, 401 M Street, 
SW (1802), Washington, DC 20460. Additional information on Project XL, 
including documents referenced in this notice, other EPA policy 
documents related to Project XL, regional XL contacts, application 
information, and descriptions of existing XL projects and proposals, is 
available via the Internet at ``http://yosemite.epa.gov/xl/
xl__home.nsf/all/homepage'' and via an automated fax-on-demand menu at 
(202) 260-8590.
    Identification of Document: Notice of availability of Massachusetts 
Environmental Results Program Project XL Draft Umbrella Final Project 
Agreement.

    Dated: August 3, 1998.
Lisa Lund,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Reinvention Programs, Office of 
Reinvention.
[FR Doc. 98-21673 Filed 8-12-98; 8:45 am]
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