[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10686-10687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3986]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-00698; FRL-6767-6]


Notice of Availability of Region III Strategic Agricultural 
Initiative Grants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY:  EPA Region III is announcing the availability of 
approximately $200,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2001 grant/cooperative 
agreement funds under section 20 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, 
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as amended, (the Act), for grants to States 
and federally recognized Native American Tribes for research, public 
education, training, monitoring, demonstrations, and studies. For 
convenience, the term ``State'' in this notice refers to all eligible 
applicants.

DATES:  In order to be considered for funding during the FY 2001 award 
cycle, all applications must be received by EPA Region III on or before 
March 19, 2001. EPA will make its award decisions by March 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Racine L. Davis, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region III, Mail Code 3WC32, 1650 Arch Street, 
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029; telephone: (215) 814-5797; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to eligible applicants who primarily operate 
out of and will conduct the project in one of the following Region III 
States: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, and West Virginia.

II. Availability of FY 2001 Funds

    With this publication, EPA Region III is announcing the 
availability of approximately $200,000 in grant/cooperative agreement 
funds for FY 2001. The Agency has delegated grant making authority to 
the EPA Regional Offices. EPA Region III is responsible for the 
solicitation of interest, the screening of proposals, and the selection 
of projects. Grant guidance will be provided to all applicants along 
with any supplementary information Region III may wish to provide. All 
applicants must address the criteria listed under Unit IV.B. of this 
document. Interested applicants should contact the Regional Strategic 
Agricultural Initiative coordinator listed under Unit V. of this 
document for more information.

III. Eligible Applicants

    In accordance with the Act ``. . . Federal agencies, universities, 
or others as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the act, . . 
.'' are eligible to receive a grant. Eligible applicants for purposes 
of funding under this grant program include those operating within the 
six EPA Region III states (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia), any agency or 
instrumentality of a Region III State including State universities and 
non-profit organizations operating within a Region III state. For 
convenience, the term ``State'' in this notice refers to all eligible 
applicants.

IV. Activities and Criteria

A. General

    The goal of the Strategic Agricultural Initiative Grant Program is 
to reduce the risks and use of pesticides in agricultural settings. 
Another goal is to rapidly spread available technology and information 
about ways to reduce dependence on the more highly toxic pesticides.

B. Criteria

    Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
    1. Qualifications and experience of the applicant relative to the 
proposed project.
     Does the applicant demonstrate experience in the field of 
the proposed activity?
     Does the applicant have the properly trained staff, 
facilities, or infrastructure in place to conduct the project?
    2. Consistency of applicant's proposed project with the risk 
reduction goals of Strategic Agricultural Initiative.
    3. Provision for a quantitative or qualitative evaluation of the 
project's success at achieving the stated goals.
     Is the project designed in such a way that it is possible 
to measure and document the results quantitatively and qualitatively?
     Does the applicant identify the method that will be used 
to measure and document the project's results quantitatively and 
qualitatively?
     Will the project assess or suggest a means for measuring 
progress in reducing risk associated with the use of pesticides?
    4. Likelihood the project can be replicated to benefit other 
communities or the product may have broad utility to a widespread 
audience. Can this project, taking into account typical staff and

[[Page 10687]]

financial restraints, be replicated by similar organizations in 
different locations to address the same or similar problem?

C. Program Management

    Awards of FY 2001 funds will be managed through EPA Region III.

D. Contacts

    Interested applicants must contact the appropriate EPA Regional 
Strategic Agricultural Initiative coordinator listed under Unit V. of 
this document to obtain specific instructions, regional criteria, and 
guidance for submitting proposals.

V. Region III Strategic Agricultural Initiative Program Contact

    Region III: (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia), Racine Davis, (3WC32), 1650 
Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103; telephone: (215) 814-5797; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

VI. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    Under the Agency's current interpretation of the definition of a 
``rule,'' grant solicitations such as this which are competitively 
awarded on the basis of selection criteria, are considered rules for 
the purpose of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The CRA, 5 U.S.C. 
801 et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), generally provides that before a rule 
may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule 
report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the 
Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will 
submit a report containing this rule and other required information to 
the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller 
General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the 
Federal Register. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 
U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.


    Dated: February 2, 2001.
Thomas Voltaggio,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.
[FR Doc. 01-3986 Filed 2-15-01 8:45 am]
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