[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 80 (Thursday, April 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20508-20509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10042]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0014; FRL-6833-5]


Region III Strategic Agriculture Grants; Notice of Availability

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  EPA Region III is announcing the availability of 
approximately $150,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2002 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, demonstration, 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 2002 award 
cycle, all applications must be received by EPA Region III on or before 
May 28, 2002. EPA will make its award decisions by May 31, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Please submit applications to the contact under Unit V. of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Susie Chun, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region III, Mail code 3WC32, Waste Chemicals and Management 
Division, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029; telephone 
number: (215) 814-2469; fax

[[Page 20509]]

number: (215) 814-3113; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. 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. Since other entities may also be 
interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific 
entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions 
regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, 
consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document and Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To 
access this document, on the Home Page select ``Laws and Regulations,'' 
``Regulations and Proposed Rules,'' and then look up the entry for this 
document under the ``Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You 
can also go directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    2. By mail or in person. Contact the person listed underFOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. Availability of FY 2002 Funds

    With this publication, EPA Region III is announcing the 
availability of approximately $150,000 in grant/cooperative agreement 
funds for FY 2002. Region III is seeking to fund three grants. 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 
Agriculture Initiative Coordinator listed under Unit V. 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), and 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 Agriculture 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 goal of the Strategic Agriculture 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 
financial restraints, be replicated by similar organizations in 
different locations to address the same or similar problem?

C. Program Management

    Awards of FY 2002 funds will be managed through EPA Region III. 
Quality Managment Plans and Quality Assurance Project Plans may be 
required, depending on the nature of the project and the data 
collected. Contact your Regional Strategic Agirculture Initiative 
Coordinator for more information about this requirement.

D. Contacts

    Interested applicants must contact the appropriate EPA Regional 
Strategic Agriculture Initiative Coordinator listed under Unit V. to 
obtain specific instructions, regional criteria, and guidance for 
submitting proposals.

V. Region III Strategic Agriculture Initiative Program Contact

    Region III: (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia), Susie Chun, (3WC32), 1650 
Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103; telephone (215) 814-2469; fax number: 
(215) 814-3113; 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. 
801et 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 rules 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, Pesticides.


    Dated: April 11, 2002.
James W. Newsom,
Acting Regional Adminstrator, Region III.

[FR Doc. 02-10042 Filed 4-24-02 8:45 am]
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