[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47022-47023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23815]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6156-4]


Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Lucent Project XL Final Project 
Agreement and related documents.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the signing of the Project XL Final Project 
Agreement (FPA) for Lucent Technologies, Inc.'s Microelectronics unit.

DATES: The FPA was signed on 19 August 1998.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Final Project Agreement, Fact Sheet, 
or public comments received, contact: Rich

[[Page 47023]]

Kampf, U.S. EPA, Region III, 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 
or L. Nancy Birnbaum, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Room 1025WT (1802), 
Washington, DC 20460. The documents are also available via the Internet 
at the following location: ``http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL''. In 
addition, public files on the Project are located at EPA Region III in 
Philadelphia. Questions to EPA regarding the documents can be directed 
to Rich Kampf at (215) 814-2105 or L. Nancy Birnbaum at (202) 260-2601. 
To be included on the Lucent Project XL mailing list to receive 
information about future public meetings, XL progress reports and other 
mailings from Lucent on the XL Project, contact: Debra Hennelly, Lucent 
Technologies, Inc., 219 Mount Airy Road, Room 2F236, P.O. Box 612, 
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-0612. Ms. Hennelly can also be reached by 
telephone at (908) 953-4960. 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://
www.epa.gov/ProjectXL'' and via an automated fax-on-demand menu at 
(202) 260-8590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed 
collaboratively by Lucent, stakeholders, the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, 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.
    On June 29, 1998, EPA announced the availability of the draft 
umbrella FPA in the Federal Register (63 FR 35212) and requested 
comments. As a result of that announcement, EPA received six positive 
comments: one each from the Allentown and Reading LEAGs, two from 
individual members of the Allentown LEAG, one from an individual member 
of both Allentown and Breinigsville LEAG who is also an environmental 
health and safety manager for a nearby R&D/corporate headquarters, and 
one from the Environmental Law Institute. No other comments were 
received.
    The FPA is based on an existing third-party certified environmental 
management system (EMS) for Lucent's entire global microelectronics 
business unit, in fulfillment of the ISO 14001 standard for EMSs. The 
FPA allows Lucent to use the existing EMS as a framework for developing 
specific proposals involving regulatory flexibility such as simplifying 
permitting, record keeping, and reporting requirements, while driving 
continual improvement and pollution prevention programs. The FPA 
provides a ``test bed'' to determine the broad applicability of ISO 
14001 as a vehicle for determining and managing regulatory flexibility 
while achieving superior environmental performance.
    Lucent's project is a multi-regional attempt to incorporate 
environmental management practices across the entire business unit. The 
parties anticipate that the EMS will foster superior environmental 
performance by identifying opportunities to reduce Lucent's 
environmental impact. EPA Regions 3 and 4 are intended sites for 
facility-specific projects. Each facility-specific addendum to the 
umbrella FPA will also demonstrate superior environmental performance. 
The regulatory flexibility necessary to implement specific projects 
will be discussed in each facility-specific addendum.
    As part of its EMS, Lucent has established facility-specific Local 
Environmental Advisory Groups (LEAGs) for all of its facilities 
globally. Each LEAG is composed of local stakeholders including 
environmental organizations, community groups, employees, and other 
interested citizens. The LEAGs provide input on the XL project and the 
EMS. The LEAGs unanimously approved the draft umbrella FPA.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
 Lisa Lund,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Reinvention Programs, Office of 
Reinvention.
[FR Doc. 98-23815 Filed 9-2-98; 8:45 am]
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