[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48647-48648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18864]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7248-1]


State Innovation Pilot Grant Program, Solicitation of Proposals 
for 2002

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On July 19, 2002 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
transmitted a solicitation for proposals for a pilot grant program to 
support innovation by State environmental regulatory agencies--the 
``State Innovation Pilot Grant Program,'' to the fifty-five state and 
Territorial Secretaries or Commissioners of those agencies.

DATES: Respondents will have until August 19, 2002 to respond with a 
brief pre-proposal and budget.

ADDRESSES: The URL address for the solicitation package is: http://www.epa.gov/projectxl/2002state.htm. Copies of the solicitation package 
will also be available from: Gerald Filbin (202-566-2182) 
([email protected]) (FAX 202-566-2220); Office of Environmental 
Policy Innovation, Office of Policy Economics and Innovation; US 
Environmental Protection Agency (1807T); 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerald Filbin at 202-566-2182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Announcement of Availability of Solicitation 
for Pilot State Grants Program: In April 2002, EPA issued its plan for 
future innovation, published as Innovating for Better Environmental 
Results: A Strategy to Guide the Next Generation of Innovation at EPA 
(EPA 100-R-02-002; http://www.epa.gov/opei/strategy). The Agency's 
Strategy presents a framework for innovation consisting of four major 
elements:
    (1) Strengthen EPA's innovation partnerships with States and 
Tribes;
    (2) Focus on priority environmental areas:

--Reduce greenhouse gases
--Reduce smog
--Restore and maintain water quality
--Reduce the cost of water and wastewater infrastructure;

    (3) Diversify our environmental protection tools and approaches:

--Information resources and technology
--Environmental technology
--Incentives
--Environmental Management Systems
--Results-based goals and measures;

    (4) Foster a more ``innovation-friendly'' organizational culture 
and systems.
    This pilot grant program will seek to strengthen EPA's innovation 
partnership with States by establishing a new system of funding to 
facilitate State efforts to address the priority environmental areas 
targeted in --and use the tools highlighted in--the Strategy. EPA would 
like to help States build on previous experience and undertake bigger, 
bolder and more strategic projects which test new models for ``next 
generation'' environmental protection and promise better environmental 
results.
    With this 2002 pilot program, EPA is exploring the use of grants 
and cooperative agreements to support innovation at the State level. 
For 2002, and contingent upon Congressional approval of a re-
programming request, EPA anticipates approximately $500,000.00 in total 
will be available for State innovation pilot assistance--this pilot 
fund will support approximately 3-7 projects that can produce results 
in

[[Page 48648]]

2-3 years. Only the States, the District of Columbia and the US 
Territories are eligible for this 2002 pilot grant program. It is EPA's 
intention to expand this pilot program to include innovation by 
American Indian Tribes, if funding becomes available in FY 2003.
    The complete solicitation package was sent by express courier to 
the environmental regulatory agency Commissioners/Secretaries of every 
State, the District of Columbia and the Territories. It became 
available on the EPA's website on July 19, 2002.

    Dated: July 19, 2002.
Christopher A. Knopes,
Associate Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation.
[FR Doc. 02-18864 Filed 7-24-02; 8:45 am]
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