[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60441-60442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29071]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6471-1]


Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104; Announcement of Proposal 
Deadline for the Competition for Fiscal Year 2000 Supplemental 
Assistance to the National Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of proposal deadline and guidelines.

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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will 
begin to accept proposals for supplemental assistance for the National 
Brownfields Assessment Pilots on November 5, 1999. Assessment pilots 
awarded on or before September 30, 1998, may apply for up to $150,000 
for continuance and expansion of their brownfields assessment efforts. 
This supplemental funding will be awarded on a competitive basis.
    In fiscal year 2000, an additional $50,000 may be awarded to an 
applicant

[[Page 60442]]

to assess the contamination of a brownfields site(s) that is or will be 
used for greenspace purposes. Greenspace purposes may include, but are 
not limited to, parks, playgrounds, trails, gardens, habitat 
restoration, open space, and/or greenspace preservation.
    EPA expects to select up to 50 National brownfields assessment 
pilots to receive supplemental assistance by March 2000. The deadline 
for proposals for the 2000 supplemental assistance is December 22, 
1999. Proposals must be post-marked or sent to EPA via registered or 
tracked mail by the stated deadline.
    The supplemental assistance for the National brownfields assessment 
pilots will be administered on a competitive basis. To ensure a fair 
selection process, evaluation panels consisting of EPA Regional and 
Headquarters staff will assess how well the proposals meet the 
selection criteria outlined in the application booklet The Brownfields 
Economic Redevelopment Initiative: Proposal Guidelines for Supplemental 
Assistance for the Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots (October 
1999). Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with 
EPA Regional Brownfields Coordinators.

DATES: All proposals must be post-marked or sent to EPA via registered 
or tracked mail by December 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The proposal guidelines can be obtained by calling the 
Superfund Hotline at the following numbers:

Washington, DC Metro Area at 703-412-9810
Outside Washington, DC Metro at 1-800-424-9346
TDD for the Hearing Impaired at 1-800-553-7672

    Copies of the guidelines are also available via the Internet: 
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Superfund Hotline, 800-424-9346.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a part of the Environmental Protection 
Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative, the 
Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots are designed to empower 
States, communities, tribes, and other stakeholders in economic 
redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, 
safely cleanup and promote the sustainable reuse of brownfields. EPA 
has awarded cooperative agreements to States, cities, towns, counties 
and Tribes for demonstration pilots that test brownfields assessment 
models, direct special efforts toward removing regulatory barriers 
without sacrificing protectiveness, and facilitate coordinated public 
and private efforts at the Federal, State, tribal and local levels. To 
date, the Agency has funded 307 Brownfields Assessment Pilots.
    In fiscal year 2000, EPA has determined that brownfields assessment 
pilots awarded on or before September 30, 1998, may apply for up to 
$150,000 for continuance and expansion of their brownfields assessment 
efforts. These pilots focus on EPA's primary mission--protecting human 
health and the environment. They are also an essential piece of the 
nation's overall community revitalization efforts. EPA works closely 
with other federal agencies through the Interagency Working Group on 
Brownfields, and builds relationships with other stakeholders on the 
national and local levels to develop coordinated approaches for 
community revitalization.
    Supplemental funding for the brownfields assessment pilots is 
authorized under Section 104(d)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA 
or Superfund), 42 U.S.C. 9604(d)(1). States (including U.S. 
Territories), political subdivisions (including cities, towns, 
counties), and federally recognized Indian Tribes which received a 
brownfields assessment pilot grant on or before September 30, 1998, are 
eligible to apply. EPA welcomes and encourages brownfields projects by 
coalitions of such entities, but only a single eligible entity may 
receive a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreement funds will be 
awarded only to a state, a political subdivision of a state, or a 
federally recognized Indian tribe.
    Through a brownfields cooperative agreement, EPA provides funds to 
an eligible state, political subdivision, or Indian Tribe to undertake 
activities authorized under CERCLA section 104. Use of these 
supplemental assistance pilot funds must be in accordance with CERCLA, 
and all CERCLA restrictions on use of funds also apply to the 
assessment pilots.
    The evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully and 
assess each response based on how well it addresses the selection 
criteria, briefly outlined below:

Part I (Required)
    1. Established Brownfields Program (4 points out of 20)
    2. Accomplishments Under Existing Brownfields Assessment Pilot (4 
points out of 20)
    3. Demonstrated Ability To Administer Existing Brownfields 
Assessment Demonstration Pilot (4 points out of 20)
    4. Work To Be Performed (8 points out of 20)
Part II (Optional)
    5. Greenspace
    --Authority and Context (2 points out of 8)
    --Community Involvement (2 points out of 8)
    --Site Identification, Site Assessment Plan, Flow of Ownership, and 
Reuse Planning (4 points out of 8)

    Dated: October 26, 1999.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 99-29071 Filed 11-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U