[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 386-387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-75]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement


Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds for the Watershed Cooperative 
Agreement Program.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) 
of the U.S. Department of the Interior is announcing its intent to 
solicit applications from eligible, not-for-profit candidates for 
funding under the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program to undertake 
local acid mine drainage reclamation projects.

DATES: Applications for the cooperative agreements should be submitted 
to the appropriate individual listed under ADDRESSES AND FURTHER 
INFORMATION starting January 3, 2001. Applications will be accepted 
until all available funds have been awarded.

ADDRESSES AND FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for an application package, 
which includes further information on the program, the application 
forms and evaluation criteria, should be directed to the appropriate 
Appalachian Clean Streams Coordinator: Alabama: Jeannie O'Dell, 
Birmingham Field Office, 135 Gemini Circle, Suite 215, Homewood, AL 
35209, Telephone 205-290-7282, ext. 21; Illinois: Ken Foit, 
Indianapolis Field Office, Minton-Capehart Federal Building, 575 N. 
Pennsylvania Street, Room 392, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Telephone 317-
226-6166 ext 230; Indiana: Michael Kalagian, Indianapolis Field Office, 
Minton-Capehart Federal Building, 575 N. Pennsylvania Street, Room 392, 
Indianapolis, IN 46204, Telephone 317-226-6166 ext 234; Iowa: Stephen 
Preston, Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center, Alton Federal 
Center, 501 Belle Street, Room 216, Alton, IL 62002, Telephone 618-463-
6463 ext 120; Kentucky: Dave Beam, Lexington Field Office, 2675 Regency 
Road, Lexington, KY 40503, Telephone 859-260-8400; Maryland: Peter 
Hartman, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center, 3 Parkway Center, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone 412-937-2905; Missouri: Jeff Gillespie, 
Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center, Alton Federal Center, 501 
Belle Street, Room 216, Alton, IL 62002, Telephone 618-463-6463 ext 
128; Ohio: Max Luehrs, Columbus Area Office, 4480 Refugee Road, Suite 
201, Columbus, OH 43232, Telephone 614-866-0578 ext. 110; Oklahoma: 
Daniel Trout, Tulsa Field Office, 5100 East Skelly Drive S-550, Tulsa, 
OK 74135, Telephone 918-581-6430 ext 25; Pennsylvania: David Hamilton, 
Harrisburg Field Office, 415 Market Street, Suite 3, Harrisburg, PA 
17101, Telephone 717-782-2285; Tennessee: Danny Ellis, Knoxville Field 
Office, 530 Gay Street, Suite 500, Knoxville, TN 37902, Telephone 423-
545-4193 ext 147; Virginia: Ronnie Vicars, Big Stone Gap Field Office, 
1941 Neeley Road, Suite 201, Compartment 116, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219, 
Telephone 540-523-5053; West Virginia: Rick Buckley, Charleston Field 
Office, 1027 Virginia Street East, Charleston, WV 25301, Telephone 304-
347-7162 ext 3024.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For Fiscal Year 2001, OSM expects to award 
up to 2.75 million dollars to eligible not-for-profit groups to 
undertake actual construction projects to clean up streams impacted by 
acid mine drainage. The maximum award amount for each cooperative 
agreement normally will be $100,000. The cooperative agreements will 
have a performance period of two years. The funds primarily are to be 
used for the construction phase of the project; however, any cost 
(administrative or construction) associated with the completion of the 
project is allowable. The requested OSM funding must be the final 
amount necessary to complete the project. There must be demonstrated 
public support fo the project.
    Eligible applicants are not-for-profit, established organizations 
with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Applicants must have other partners, 
contributing either the funding or in-kind services needed to complete 
the project.
    Projects in the following States are eligible: Alabama, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, 
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Projects must meet 
eligibility criteria for coal projects outlined in Section 404 of the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977:

    Lands and water eligible for reclamation or drainage abatement 
expenditures under this title are those which were mined for coal or 
which were affected by such mining, wastebanks, coal processing, or 
other coal mining processes * * * and abandoned or left in an 
inadequate reclamation status prior to the date of enactment of this 
Act [August 3, 1977], and for which there is no continuing 
reclamation responsibility under State or other Federal laws.

    The project must product tangible results, e.g., fishery restored, 
stream miles improved, educational and community benefit, pollutants 
removed from the streams. There must be a plan

[[Page 387]]

to address any ongoing operation/maintenance considerations.
    Two copies of a complete application should be submitted to the 
appropriate Appalachian Clean Streams Coordinator identified under 
ADDRESSES and FURTHER INFORMATION. Awards are subject to the 
availability of funds. Applications will receive technical and 
financial management reviews.

    Dated: December 26, 2000.
Kathrine L. Henry,
Acting Director Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 01-75 Filed 1-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M