[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61837-61838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23582]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7829-6]


Subject to Availability of Funding Solicitation Notice; 
Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program; Fiscal Year 
2005

SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now 
soliciting applications for the FY 2005 Environmental Information 
Exchange Network Grant Program. The Exchange Network is a nationwide 
information systems network that facilitates the electronic reporting 
and exchange of environmental data among EPA and its state, tribal, and 
territorial partners. The Exchange Network will make it easier for EPA 
and its partners to obtain the timely and accurate information they 
need when making decisions concerning the natural environment and 
related human health issues.
    Subject to the availability of funding, the FY 2005 Exchange 
Network Grant Program will provide funding to states, territories, 
tribes, and tribal consortia to develop the information management and 
technology (IM/IT) capabilities they need to participate in the 
Exchange Network. This financial assistance program supports the 
development of Exchange Network infrastructure; common data standards 
and formats; and various data flows, including exchanges of geospatial 
data.
    The FY 2005 Exchange Network Grant Program will provide the 
following categories of assistance:
     Readiness Category--supports the development of IM/IT 
capabilities needed to participate in the Exchange Network; provides up 
to $75,000 per tribal entity and up to $150,000 per state/territorial 
entity;
     Implementation Category--supports the development of 
Exchange Network data flows, data standards, eXtensible

[[Page 61838]]

Markup Language (XML) schema, and Web services; provides up to $150,000 
per tribal entity and up to $300,000 per state/territorial entity; and
     Challenge Category--supports the planning and development 
of collaborative, innovative projects that demonstrate the value of the 
Exchange Network; provides up to $300,000 per tribal entity and up to 
$750,000 per state/territorial entity.
    Applications must be submitted to EPA by January 15, 2005. Provided 
funding is available, EPA expects to notify applicants of its funding 
recommendations in May 2005 and issue the awards in August/September 
2005.

DATES: Applications must be submitted to EPA in hard copy by January 
15, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the full solicitation 
notice and application instructions, see the Exchange Network Grant 
Program Web site at http://www.epa.gov/Networkg. (This Web site address 
is case sensitive.) For further information about the grant program, 
please contact Rebecca Moser, Exchange Network Grant Program Manager, 
Office of Information Collection, Office of Environmental Information, 
U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Mail Code 2823-T, Washington, DC 
20460; phone, (202) 566-1679; e-mail, [email protected].

    Dated: October 15, 2004.
Mark A. Luttner,
Director, Office of Information Collection, Office of Environmental 
Information, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
[FR Doc. 04-23582 Filed 10-20-04; 8:45 am]
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