[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 67 (Friday, April 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18245-18248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8496]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6964-2]


State Activities To Quantify and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 
Assistance Competition

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of applications.

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SUMMARY: Today's document announces the availability of funds and 
solicits proposals from state agencies involved with climate change and 
air quality issues, for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories and 
GHG mitigation plans. To this purpose, EPA will make available grants 
of up to $25,000 (for inventories) and up to $75,000 (for mitigation 
plans) to each recipient in the form of cooperative agreements.

DATES: Deadline for Intents to Apply: April 30, 2001.
    Proposal Submissions Deadline: May 31, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Mulholland, (202) 564-3471.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation notice falls under the 
authority of section 103 of the Clean Air Act. The Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance number for this notice is 66.606.

Contents by Section

I. Eligible Entities
II. Background
III. Overview and Deadlines
IV. Funding Issues
V. Selection Criteria
VI. Evaluation and Selection
VII. Proposals
VIII. Other Items of Interest
IX. How to Apply

I. Eligible Entities

    Organizations being targeted for cooperative agreements include but 
are not limited to state environmental agencies, energy offices, 
economic development agencies, and public utility commissions. 
501(c)(4) entities and profit-makers are not eligible.

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II. Background

    State governments will be affected by the environmental impacts of 
climate change. This Request for Proposals (RFP) will enable state 
authorities : (1) To understand the magnitude and sources of their GHG 
emissions (inventories--Phase I); and (2) to evaluate, and ultimately 
implement, policies, technologies and programs that reduce GHG 
emissions while providing economic and environmental (e.g. clean air) 
benefits (mitigation plans--Phase II).
    For state agencies, changes in climate are likely to make 
protection of the public's health, environment and economy more 
difficult. Increased temperatures during the summer are expected to 
increase the number of ozone exceedances, increase wetland losses 
through sea level rise, affect ecosystems and impact water resources 
through changes in precipitation amounts and seasonality. Changes in 
climate are expected to contribute to increases in heat-related deaths 
brought on by hotter summers and more or longer heat waves, encourage 
the proliferation and migration of disease-carrying mosquitoes and 
increase the incidence of infectious diseases such as encephalitis, 
malaria, and dengue. From an economic perspective, changes in climate 
are expected to have their greatest impact on economies based on 
natural resources, such as agriculture and forestry, as well as 
recreation and tourism. Changes in climate, because of the likelihood 
of more extreme weather events, threaten state and regional business 
sectors and infrastructure, such as roadways, bridges, storm sewers, 
flood control levees and water supplies.
    Current state policies directly affect many sources of GHG 
emissions, for example, through control of transportation, land use, 
solid waste disposal, building codes and procurement practices. This 
control is exercised, for example, by promulgating and enforcing 
regulations, collecting revenues and establishing utility guidelines. 
States therefore have the opportunity to reduce GHG emissions while 
capitalizing on the co-benefits of GHG mitigation actions. Among the 
co-benefits are creating jobs, developing new markets for environmental 
technologies, improving air quality, protecting public health, reducing 
energy costs, reducing landfill costs, etc.
    Therefore, EPA's State and Local Capacity Building Branch seeks to 
support up to 10 state governments with the voluntary development of 
programs to identify and/or analyze GHG emissions and mitigation 
options. Through this Notice, EPA seeks proposals for greenhouse gas 
inventories and mitigation plans to complement existing inventories and 
plans. Thirty-five states \1\ and Puerto Rico have prepared or are in 
the process of preparing baseline GHG emission inventories by gas and 
source; EPA provides guidance for preparing inventories (available 
online at http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/eiip/techreport/volume08/index.html_). Samples of these inventories are online at http://yosemite.epa.gov/globalwarming/ghg.nsf/emissions/StateAuthoredInventories. Inventories are the foundation for analyzing 
mitigation options and developing a state action plan. Twenty-six 
states \2\ and Puerto Rico have completed or are preparing state action 
plans; EPA provides a guidance book for preparing action plans 
(available online at http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/publications/reference/stateguidance/index.html). Samples of these action plans are 
available online at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/globalwarming/ghg.nsf/actions/StateActionPlans. In order to broaden the base of information 
available about state greenhouse gas emissions and potential mitigation 
options, OAP will give priority to proposals for inventories and action 
plans that do not duplicate existing work and that do incorporate clean 
air and other co-benefits.
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    \1\ Current Phase I states: Alabama, California, Colorado, 
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, 
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, 
New Mexico, New York, North Carolina , Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode 
Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and 
Wisconsin.
    \2\ Current Phase II states: Alabama, California, Colorado, 
Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New 
Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
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III. Overview and Deadlines

A. Overview

    In today's Notice, OAP is soliciting proposals for state greenhouse 
gas inventories and mitigation plans. These will enable states to 
understand the magnitude and sources of their GHG emissions and to 
evaluate, and eventually implement, voluntary programs to reduce those 
emissions while achieving economic and environmental co-benefits. OAP 
is particularly interested in proposals that result in new 
partnerships, involve an array of state agencies and stakeholders, and 
address the links between clean air and climate change.
    Interested persons can obtain copies of this solicitation at no 
charge by accessing EPA's Global Warming website at: http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/visitorcenter/decisionmakers/index.html

B. Deadlines

    In order to efficiently manage the selection process, the Office of 
Atmospheric Programs requests that an informal ``Intent to Apply'' be 
submitted by April 30, 2001. (Please provide project title or subject 
and email address and indicate if you plan to take part in either of 
the informational conference calls). An ``Intent to Apply'' simply 
states in the form of e-mail, phone, or fax that your organization 
intends to submit a proposal to be received by the deadline. Submitting 
an ``Intent to Apply'' does not commit an organization to submit a 
proposal. The ``Intent to Apply'' is an optional submission; those not 
submitting an ``Intent to Apply'' may still apply by the deadline.
    The deadline for submitting completed proposals (original and one 
copy) is May 31, 2001. (Instructions for submitting Intents to Apply 
and Proposals are found in section IX below.) The Office of Atmospheric 
Programs expects to complete the Evaluation/Selection process and make 
recommendations to the grants office in July 2001. Applicants will be 
notified if they have been recommended for funding by July 31, 2001. 
Agreements will be issued in August/September, 2001.
    To ensure that every agency interested in participation has an 
opportunity to gain any needed additional information useful to the 
application process, OAP has scheduled two sets of conference calls. 
The first pair of calls is primarily intended to help agencies decide 
whether this competition is appropriate for them prior to the deadline 
for submitting an Intent to Apply. The second pair of calls is intended 
to assist agencies with questions about the proper completion and 
submission of their proposals. The content of the calls is entirely 
dependent upon the questions asked. The dates and times of these calls, 
with the call-in phone numbers and access codes, are:

Wednesday, April 18, from 4:00-5 p.m., EST (phone number: (202) 260-
7280; access code: 8901#)
Thursday, April 19, from 4:00-5 p.m., EST (phone number: (202) 260-
7280; access code: 8901#)

[[Page 18247]]

Wednesday, May 9, from 3:00-5 p.m., EST (phone number: (202) 260-8330; 
access code: 0765#)
Thursday, May 10, from 2:30-4:30 p.m., EST (phone number: (202) 260-
1015; access code 3661#)

Questions and answers from the conference calls will be summarized and 
posted as soon as possible on the EPA Global Warming website; the 
precise web location of the summaries will be announced at http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/visitorcenter/decisionmakers/index.html.
    In order to ensure that all applicants have access to the same 
information, the only forums for posing substantive questions on the 
competition are these conference calls. Except for responses to 
procedural questions (e.g. due dates, proposal formats), EPA will not 
provide other assistance prior to final submission of applications.

IV. Funding Issues

    For FY01, approximately $250,000 in funding will be available for 
approximately 4 to 10 cooperative agreements to develop climate 
activities at the state levels. The two focuses of cooperative 
agreements for FY01 are:
     Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories for the year 1990 and 
the most current year for which data are available. Funds available 
from EPA: up to $25,000 per cooperative agreement; 1 to 10 cooperative 
agreements expected to be awarded.
     Action Plans: analysis of greenhouse gas mitigation 
options and their co-benefits. Funds available from EPA: up to $75,000 
per cooperative agreement; 1 to 3 cooperative agreements expected to be 
awarded.
    Matching funds are not required.

V. Selection Criteria

    Each eligible proposal will be evaluated according to the criteria 
set forth below. Proposals which are best able to directly and 
explicitly address the primary criteria will have a greater likelihood 
of being selected as a recipient for the assistance competition 
discussed in today's notice. Each proposal will be rated under a points 
system, with 65 points possible for inventories and 130 points possible 
for action plans.
    The proposals will be ranked according to the following criteria 
and maximum point allocation:

                           Evaluation Criteria
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                                                   Maximum points per
                                                   criterion for phase
                   Criterion                   -------------------------
                                                     I            II
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Workplan, including evaluation plan and time             20           20
 frame, that is detailed and reasonable. This
 should include a clearly- stated and
 appropriate budget...........................
Project is to be performed by state                      10           10
 environmental agencies, energy offices,
 economic development agencies, and public
 utility commissions or combinations of
 agencies. Projects by organizations that
 support the efforts of such agencies will
 also be considered provided that there will
 be significant involvement of state agencies.
Evidence of multi-stakeholder involvement,               20           20
 such as the creation of a work group that
 will meet regularly to facilitate project
 success......................................
A complete and reasonable outreach plan to               10           10
 make the report available to the public.
 Coordination with other entities (non-
 profits, private sector, state agencies,
 local agencies) on an outreach plan is
 encouraged...................................
Geographic representation. Preference will be             5            5
 given to areas of the country that are
 performing fewer activities to reduce GHG
 emissions. Projects should also demonstrate
 sustainability after cooperative agreement
 funds have been expended.....................
Consideration of clean air benefits (SO2, NOX,          N/A           10
 particulate matter, volatile organics, CO,
 O3, etc) resulting from greenhouse gas
 mitigation options. Inclusion of co-benefits
 information in education and outreach efforts
Calculation of potential GHG emission                   N/A           20
 reductions and other co-benefits such as jobs
 created or energy savings. Calculations
 should include annual benefits by completion
 date of project, by the year 2010 and by the
 year 2020. Support documentation must be
 submitted and should define and justify
 assumptions (e.g., market penetration rates).
Mechanism to monitor and report annual                  N/A           15
 recommendations/results (tons, economic
 benefits, outreach results, etc) after the
 project ends.................................
Completion of Phase I for 1990 and most                 N/A           20
 current year GHG data is available...........
                                               -------------------------
    Total points possible.....................           65          130
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VI. Evaluation and Selection

    Each proposal will be evaluated by a team chosen to address a full 
range of climate change and air quality concerns and EPA program 
expertise. The team will base its evaluation solely on the criteria 
identified in this Notice. Completed evaluations will be referred to a 
Selection Committee of OAP managers who are responsible for final 
selection. Applicants will be notified promptly after this process 
regarding their proposal's status.
    Proposals will be reviewed and agreements will be issued according 
to the following schedule:
    RFP issued: April 4, 2001.
    Intent to Apply: April 30, 2001.
    Proposals deadline: May 31, 2001.
    Review: June 2001.
    Recommendations: July 2001.
    Notification letters mailed: by July 31, 2001.
    Agreements issued: August-September 2001.

VII. Proposals

    The proposal must be submitted with the completed federal grant 
application forms and be a maximum of fifteen (15) pages (no less than 
1.5 line spacing, no less than 12 pt font, 1 inch margins), excluding 
federal forms. The complete grants application package can be 
downloaded from: http://www.epa.gov/region4/grantpgs/grants.htm. The 
proposal should conform to the following outline:
1. Title
2. Applicant (Organization) and contact name, phone number, fax and 
e-mail address
3. Summary of funds requested from EPA
4. Project period: beginning and ending dates (for planning 
purposes, applicants should assume funds will be available in August 
or September 2001). Projects must be completed within two years of 
award date.
5. Project purpose: goals and objectives
6. Supporting and/or coordinating agencies and private sector 
parties and their roles
7. Previous or current climate change activities and their status.

[[Page 18248]]

8. Outreach and education plan and participants
9. Description of results and products
10. Methods for calculating GHG emission reductions and economic and 
environmental co-benefits, including clean air benefits (Phase II 
only)
11. Project evaluation plan--including mechanism for monitoring and 
reporting future results (Phase II only) on an annual basis
12. Workplan--The narrative workplan should not exceed 5 pages and 
should include:
    (a) detailed description of all tasks;
    (b) dates of initiation and completion;
    (c) products and deliverables; and
    (d) proposed budget for each task
13. Report Schedule: Acknowledgement of quarterly report requirement 
(schedule established by EPA) and planned final report submission 
date
14. Budget: provide a budget for the following categories:
    --Personnel
    --Fringe Benefits
    --Contractual Costs
    --Travel
    --Equipment
    --Supplies
    --Other
    --Total Direct Costs
    --Total Indirect Costs: must include documentation of accepted 
indirect rate
    --Total Cost

VIII. Other Questions

1. Does this funding expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2001? Will two 
year projects be considered?
    Funding does not expire at the end of fiscal year 2001. The budget 
and cost estimates for two year projects should indicate what will be 
accomplished in each of the first and second years. The total amount of 
the grant does not change if the project period extends beyond two 
years.
2. May an eligible organization submit more than one proposal?
    No. Organizations may receive funding for the development of either 
an inventory or an action plan, but not both.
3. May an eligible organization resubmit a proposal which was 
previously submitted to another competition for funding, but was not 
selected?
    Yes.

IX. How To Apply

    Intents to Apply may take the form of email, fax, or phone call to 
the program contact, Denise Mulholland, (address listed below; phone: 
(202) 564-3471; fax: (202) 565-2095; email: [email protected].) 
Please include organization, contact, phone and project title and 
indicate if you plan to take part in one of the conference calls.
    Please submit informal intents to apply by April 30, 2001. 
(Remember, the Intent to Apply is not required and will have no bearing 
on the judging process, we encourage it for the benefit of our planning 
process only. Submission of the Intent to Apply does not commit the 
applicant to submit a proposal.) Submission of an Intent to Apply or a 
proposal does not guarantee funding. EPA reserves the right to reject 
all applications and make no awards.
    Completed Application Packages must be postmarked or received by 
regular or express mail on or before midnight May 31, 2001. Please 
provide an original and one copy. The application package should be 
submitted to Denise Mulholland at the following address: Mailing 
Address: OAR Office of Atmospheric Programs, State and Local Capacity 
Building Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Mailcode 6205J), Washington, DC 20460.
    Shipping Address: OAR Office of Atmospheric Programs, State and 
Local Capacity Building Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
501 3rd St., NW., room 276, Washington, DC 20460.
    Deadline for Completed Final Proposals must be received or 
postmarked no later than midnight on May 31, 2001.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1875(b).

    Dated: March 30, 2001.
Paul Stolpman,
Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and Radiation, 
Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 01-8496 Filed 4-5-01; 8:45 am]
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