[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57813-57814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23264]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7375-8]


Implementation of the Small Business Liability and Brownfields 
Revitalization Act

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding two 
public meetings to discuss EPA's draft of the fiscal year 2003 
Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup, and Revolving Loan Fund Grant 
Application Guidelines (FY 03 Guidelines). The public meetings will be 
held on Thursday, September 26, 2002 in Washington, DC at the times and 
location specified below. EPA will make the draft Brownfields Grant 
guidelines available to the public on the Agency's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/brownfields on September 18, 2002. Interested stakeholders 
and the public are encouraged to download and review the draft 
guidelines prior to the public meetings.
    The purpose of the public meetings is for EPA's Office of 
Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment to listen to the views of public 
stakeholders on the Agency's draft Brownfields Grant Guidelines. During 
the public meetings, EPA officials will discuss the draft Guidelines, 
as well as reserve a limited amount of time at the meetings to discuss 
other implementation issues regarding the new Brownfields Law.

DATES: The public meetings will be held on September 26, 2002 in 
Learning Forum Rooms A and B of the Marriott Learning Complex in the 
Ronald Reagan Building at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20004. The first session will be held from 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. The 
second session will be held from 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Both public meetings will be held in Learning Forum Rooms A 
and B of the Marriott Learning Complex in the Ronald Reagan Building 
and International Trade Center at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20004. The Marriott Learning Center Complex is on the 
concourse level of the Ronald Reagan Building just inside the building 
entrance from the Federal Triangle Metro station.
    Those parties that wish to submit written comments on the draft 
Brownfields Grants Guidelines must submit their comments to EPA no 
later than September 26, 2002. To ensure that EPA has adequate time to 
consider any written comments, the Agency encourages parties to submit 
their comments to the Agency in electronic format. Electronic comments 
may be submitted to EPA's Office of Brownfields Cleanup and 
Redevelopment at [email protected]. Parties wishing to submit their 
comments via the United States Postal Service should address their 
comments to: Ms. Patricia Overmeyer, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, MC-5105T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries should be 
sent to Ms. Patricia Overmeyer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, Room 2406, 1301 
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, contact 
EPA's Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment at 202-566-2777.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY2003 Brownfields Grant Guidelines will 
be the first that EPA will issue under Section104(b)(5) of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) as amended by the recently enacted Small Business Liability 
Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, Public Law 107-118 
(SBLRBRA). Guidelines for grant programs are exempt from notice and 
comment requirements under 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2). However, the Agency has 
decided that consultation with public stakeholders prior to issuing the 
final version of the Brownfields Grant Guidelines is an appropriate 
step in effectively implementing the new Brownfields Law.
    Both meetings are open to the general public. Stakeholders that 
have actively worked with EPA on Brownfields issues, including those 
representing state, tribal, and local government associations, industry 
trade associations, environmental interest groups, and environmental 
justice interest groups will be invited by EPA. The focus of the 
morning session will be on issues of general interest to state and 
local governments, environmental justice organizations, and 
environmental interest groups. The afternoon session generally will 
focus on insights that industry trade associations and commercial 
organizations may have on how the draft Brownfields Grant Guidelines 
can leverage private investment in Brownfields revitalization. 
Interested

[[Page 57814]]

parties and the general public are invited to participate in either or 
both of the public meetings.
    Parties wishing to provide their views to EPA on the draft FY 03 
Guidelines, or to listen to the views of other parties, are strongly 
encouraged to attend the public meetings. Interested parties not able 
to attend one of the public meetings on September 26, 2002 may submit 
written comments to the Agency. All written comments must be received 
by the Agency no later than September 26, 2002. The Agency will 
carefully consider comments received during the public meetings, as 
well as written comments received on or before September 26, 2002, 
prior to issuing final Brownfields Grant Application Guidelines in 
October, 2002. However, due to the need to provide the final Guidelines 
to potential applicants promptly, EPA does not plan to respond in 
writing to written comments.

    Dated: September 5, 2002.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Remediation.
[FR Doc. 02-23264 Filed 9-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P