[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 218 (Thursday, November 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67350-67351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28843]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


State Energy Program Special Projects Financial Assistance

AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice for 2001 State Energy Program Special Projects.

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SUMMARY: As options offered under the State Energy Program (SEP) for 
fiscal year 2001, 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. Financial assistance will be awarded 
to the States separately for each special project, with the activities 
to be carried out in conjunction with their efforts under SEP. The 
special projects funding and activities are 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 program 
providing the funding, as well as of SEP, as specified in the 2001 
Special Projects Announcement. 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 announcement will be available on November 6, 2000. 
Applications must be received by February 23, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Complete information about this program, including phone 
numbers for the State SEP offices and a question and answer forum, is 
available at the following website: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/
state__energy/fy01/sepsp01-forum. Otherwise, for referral to the 
appropriate DOE Regional Office or State Office, you may contact Mr. 
Thomas Stapp at the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, 1000 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-2096.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fiscal year 2001 is the sixth year special 
project activities have been 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 2001 Funds

    With this publication, DOE is announcing the availability of an 
estimated $14.8 million in financial assistance funds for fiscal year 
2001. The awards will be made though a competitive process. The end-use 
sector programs that are participating in the SEP Special Projects for 
fiscal year 2001,

[[Page 67351]]

with the estimated amount of funding available for each, are as 
follows:
     Clean Cities/Alternative Fuels: Accelerating the 
introduction and increasing the use of alternative fuels and 
alternative fuel vehicles through the development of infrastructure, 
niche markets, and clean corridors, and by promoting the use of 
advanced transportation technologies ($3,800,000).
     Industrial Technologies: Implementing Industries of the 
Future at the State level by building partnerships among State 
government agencies, industry, universities and research institutions: 
to develop new technologies tied to Industries of the Future road maps 
and visions; and to utilize best practices which can improve energy 
efficiency, environmental performance and productivity ($2,800,000).
     Codes and Standards: Supporting States' actions to update, 
implement, and enforce residential and commercial building energy codes 
($4,200,000).
     Rebuild America: Helping community and regional 
partnerships improve commercial and multifamily building energy 
efficiency ($1,200,000).
     Building America: Applying systems engineering approaches 
to the development of advanced residential buildings, including 
production techniques, products and technologies that result in higher 
quality, energy efficient housing ($300,000).
     Energy and Environment Integration: Encouraging State-wide 
pilot projects with specific environmental benefits ($500,000).
     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 buildings ($400,000).
     Hydrogen Reformer Field Verification: Siting and operating 
small advanced hydrogen reformer systems to better understand and 
document the performance, maintenance, operation and economic viability 
of these systems ($500,000).
     Geothermal Energy Resource Assessments: Identifying 
potential areas or sites for geothermal power development in a State or 
region in the West (DOE Denver and Seattle Regional Office areas only) 
($200,000).
     Biomass Power Projects: Recovering and using biogas for 
energy and other applications by assessing the feasibility of site-
specific projects or implementing actual site-specific projects 
($300,000).
     Brightfields--Redeveloping Brownfields with Solar Energy: 
Deploying solar energy technologies onto brownfields or landfill sites 
through solar arrays on the site; solar technologies integrated into 
buildings on the site; or a solar energy related business locating on 
the site ($100,000).
     Wind Energy Case Studies: Performing case studies 
documenting the benefits and costs of deployment of 25 to 50 megawatt 
state of the art wind turbines ($200,000).
     Distributed Energy Resources: Performing studies on 
cooling, heating and power applications and on streamlining siting and 
permitting, and analyses on constraints and placement of distributed 
technologies to support load ($300,000).

Restricted Eligibility

    Eligible applicants for purposes of funding under this program are 
limited to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 
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 Special Projects is 81.119.
    Requirements for cost sharing contributions will be addressed in 
the program announcement for each special project activity, as 
appropriate. Cost sharing contributions beyond any required percentage 
are desirable.
    Any application must be signed by an authorized State official, in 
accordance with the program announcement.

Evaluation Review and Criteria

    A first tier review for completeness will occur at the appropriate 
DOE Regional Office. Applications found to be complete will undergo a 
merit review process by panels comprised of members representing the 
participating end-use sector programs in DOE's Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The end-use sector offices select 
projects for funding. The Office of Building Technology Assistance then 
recommends project allocations to the Assistant Secretary for Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy for final determination. DOE reserves 
the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all or none of the 
applications submitted in response to this notice.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on November 6, 2000.
Dan W. Reicher,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 00-28843 Filed 11-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P