[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 206 (Thursday, October 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65348-65350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27126]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7399-5]


Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104 (k); ``Announcement of Proposal 
Deadlines for the Competition for the 2003 National Brownfields 
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of the availability of Brownfields Grant Application 
Guidelines and deadlines for submissions of proposals.

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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will 
begin to accept proposals for the National Brownfields Assessment, 
Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants on October 24, 2002. This 
notice provides information on how to obtain the application 
guidelines. These grants may be used to address sites contaminated by 
petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants 
(including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). The 
brownfields assessment grants (each funded up to $200,000 over two 
years) provide funding for a grant recipient to inventory, 
characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement 
related to brownfield sites. The brownfields revolving loan fund grants 
(each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years) provide funding for a 
grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide 
subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are 
owned by the subgrant recipient. The brownfields cleanup grants (each 
funded up to $200,000 over two years) provide funding for a grant 
recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are 
owned by the grant recipient. (See Catalogue of Federal Domestic 
Assistance Number: 66.811; a revised CFDA number entry has been 
submitted for approval).
    For the brownfields assessment grants, an applicant may request a 
waiver of the $200,000 limits and obtain funding up to $350,000 based 
on the anticipated level of contamination, size, or ownership status of 
the site. The revolving loan fund and cleanup grants require a 20 
percent cost share, which may be in the form of a contribution of 
money, labor, material, or services from a non-federal source. If the 
cost share is in the form of contribution of labor, material, or other 
services, it must be incurred for an eligible and allowable cost under 
the grant and not for ineligible costs. An applicant may request a 
waiver of the 20 percent cost share requirement based on hardship.
    The National brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund, and 
cleanup grants will be awarded on a competitive basis using a two-step 
proposal selection process. To ensure a fair selection process, 
evaluation panels consisting of EPA Regional and Headquarters staff and 
other federal agency representatives will assess how well the proposals 
meet the selection criteria outlined in the application booklet, 
Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, 
and Cleanup Grants (October 2002). Initial Proposals will be evaluated 
and ranked by Regional evaluation panels. EPA will determine those 
Initial Proposals that have the highest rankings, and then invite those 
applicants to prepare and submit Final Proposals, the second step in 
the two-part proposal process. Final Proposals will be evaluated and 
ranked by National Evaluation Panels. Final selections will be made by 
EPA senior management based upon the ranking of Final Proposals by the 
National Evaluation Panels. EPA decisions may also take into account 
other statutory and policy considerations, such as urban and non-urban 
distribution and other geographic factors; compliance with the 
statutory petroleum funding allocation; the benefits of promoting the 
long-term availability of funds under the RLF grants; designation as a 
federal Empowerment Zone, Enterprise Community, or Renewal Community; 
population; and whether the applicant is a federally recognized Indian 
tribe. Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with 
EPA Regional Brownfields Contacts.

DATES: This action is effective as of October 24, 2002. EPA expects to 
make up to 200 grant awards in fiscal year 2003, contingent upon the 
availability of funds. The application deadline for Initial Proposals 
for the 2003 assessment, revolving loan fund, and cleanup grants is 
December 16, 2002. All Initial Proposals must be postmarked by USPS or 
delivered at the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office by other means, 
no later than December 16, 2002, and a duplicate copy sent to U.S. EPA 
Headquarters. The application deadline for applicants who are invited 
to submit a Final Proposal is March 5, 2003. All Final Proposals must 
be postmarked by USPS or delivered at the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional 
Office by other means, no later than March 5,

[[Page 65349]]

2003, and a duplicate copy sent to U.S. EPA Headquarters.

ADDRESSES: Mailing addresses for U.S. EPA Regional Offices and U.S. EPA 
Headquarters are provided in the Proposal Guidelines.
    Obtaining Proposal Guidelines: The proposal guidelines are 
available via the Internet: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/. Copies of 
the Proposal Guidelines will also be mailed upon request. Requests 
should be made by calling the U.S. EPA Call Center at the following 
numbers: Washington, DC Metro Area at 703-412-9810, Outside Washington, 
DC Metro at 1-800-424-9346, TDD for the Hearing Impaired at 1-800-553-
7672.
    In order to ensure that the Guidelines are received in time to be 
used in the preparation of the proposal, applicants should request a 
copy as soon as possible and in any event no later than seven (7) 
working days before the proposal due date. Applicants who request 
copies after that date might not receive the proposal guidelines in 
time to prepare and submit a responsive proposal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The U.S.EPA's Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and 
Redevelopment, (202) 566-2777.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 11, 2002, President George W. 
Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and 
Brownfields Revitalization Act. This act amended the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act to authorize 
federal financial assistance for brownfields revitalization, including 
grants for assessment, cleanup, and job training.
    Funding for the brownfields grants is authorized under Section 
104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9604(k). 
Eligibility for brownfields assessment and revolving loan fund grants 
is limited to ``eligible entities'' as defined in section 104(k)(1) of 
CERCLA. These include a General Purpose Unit of Local Government; Land 
Clearance Authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates 
under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general 
purpose unit of local government; Governmental Entity Created by State 
Legislature; Regional council or group of general purpose units of 
local government; Redevelopment Agency that is chartered or otherwise 
sanctioned by a state; State; Indian Tribe other than in Alaska; and 
Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation, 
and Metlakatla Indian Community. Eligibility for brownfields cleanup 
grants is limited to ``eligible entities'' and nonprofits. For the 
purposes of the brownfields grant program, EPA will use the definition 
of nonprofit organizations contained in Section 4(6) of the Federal 
Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999, Public Law 
106-107. The term ``nonprofit organization'' means any corporation, 
trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated 
primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar 
purpose in the public interest; is not organized primarily for profit; 
and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of 
the organization.
    In addition, Intertribal Consortia, other than those composed of 
ineligible Alaskan tribes, are eligible to apply for the brownfields 
assessment, revolving loan fund, and cleanup grants. Coalitions of 
eligible governmental entities are eligible to apply for the 
brownfields revolving loan fund grants, but only one member of the 
coalition may receive a cooperative agreement.
    The evaluation panels will review the proposals carefully and 
assess each response based on how well it addresses the criteria, 
briefly outlined below. There are two different types of criteria--
threshold criteria and ranking criteria. Responses to the criteria will 
be utilized to determine whether to make an award and the amount of 
funds to be awarded. There is no guarantee of an award.

Assessment Grants--Initial Proposal

Threshold Criteria

A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority
D. Description of Sites

Ranking Criteria

A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this 
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be 
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants (a maximum of 20 points may be received for 
this criterion)
D. Site Selection Process (a maximum of 30 points may be received for 
this criterion)

Revolving Loan Fund Grants--Initial Proposal

Threshold Criteria

A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Legal Authority to Manage a Revolving Loan Fund
D. Cleanup Authority and Oversight Structure
E. Cost Share
F. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority
G. Description of Sites

Ranking Criteria

A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this 
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be 
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants/Management Structure (a maximum of 20 
points may be received for this criterion)
D. Description of Target Market for RLF Loans and Subgrants (a maximum 
of 40 points may be received for this criterion)

Cleanup Grants--Initial Proposal

Threshold Criteria

A. Applicant Eligibility
B. Community Notification
C. Description of Sites
D. Cleanup Authority and Oversight Structure
E. Cost Share
F. Letter from the State or Tribal Environmental Authority

Ranking Criteria

A. Community Need (a maximum of 40 points may be received for this 
criterion)
B. Leveraging of Additional Resources (a maximum of 40 points may be 
received for this criterion)
C. Ability to Manage Grants (a maximum of 20 points may be received for 
this criterion)

Assessment Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)

Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)

Ranking Criteria

A. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of 
15 points may be received for this criterion)
B. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum 
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be 
received for this criterion)

[[Page 65350]]

D. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for 
this criterion)
E. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for 
this criterion)

Revolving Loan Fund Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)

Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)

Ranking Criteria

A. Business Plan (a maximum of 20 points may be received for this 
criterion)
B. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of 
15 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum 
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
D. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be 
received for this criterion)
E. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for 
this criterion)
F. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for 
this criterion)

Cleanup Grants--Final Proposal (By Invitation Only)

Budget (a maximum of 15 points may be received for this criterion)

Ranking Criteria

A. Sustainable Reuse of Brownfields/Development Potential (a maximum of 
15 points may be received for this criterion)
B. Reduction of Threats to Human Health and the Environment (a maximum 
of 20 points may be received for this criterion)
C. Reuse of Existing Infrastructure (a maximum of 15 points may be 
received for this criterion)
D. Greenspace/Open Space (a maximum of 15 points may be received for 
this criterion)
E. Community Involvement (a maximum of 20 points may be received for 
this criterion)

    EPA decisions may take into account other statutory and policy 
considerations, such as urban and non-urban distribution and other 
geographic factors; compliance with the statutory petroleum funding 
allocation; the benefits of promoting the long-term availability of 
funds under the RLF grants; designation as a federal Empowerment Zone, 
Enterprise Community, or Renewal Community; population; and whether the 
applicant is a federally recognized Indian tribe.

    Dated: October 15, 2002.
Linda Garczynski,
Director, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, Office of 
Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 02-27126 Filed 10-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P