[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69919-69923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26397]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2004-0279; FRL-7684-9]


National Agricultural Workers Pesticide Safety Training and 
Education Program; Notice of Funds Availability

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is soliciting 
proposals from eligible parties for an EPA cooperative agreement to 
provide financial assistance to an eligible organization to continue an 
effort to conduct a national train-the-trainer program to educate 
farmworkers about how to reduce risks from pesticides. As part of this 
program the grantee will train pesticide safety educators who will work 
with farmworker service organizations, growers, and other members of 
the agricultural community in key rural areas with high pesticide use 
and large numbers of farmworkers conducting pesticide safety programs 
for agricultural workers and their families. The total funding 
available for award in FY 2005, which represents funding set aside in 
FY 2004, is expected to be approximately $400,000. At the conclusion of 
the first 1 year period of performance and, based on the availability 
of future funding, incremental funding of up to $400,000 may be made 
available for each year allowing the project to continue for a total of 
five periods of performance (approximately 5 years) and with a total 
potential funding of up to $2,000,000 for the 5-year period, depending 
on need and the Agency budget in outlying years.

DATES: Applications must be received on or before January 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES:  Applications, may be submitted by mail, fax, or 
electronically. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in 
Unit IV. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Carol Parker, Field and External 
Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 305-6458; fax number: (703) 308-2962; e-
mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following listing provides certain key 
information concerning the funding opportunity.
     Federal agency name: Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA).
     Funding opportunity title: National Agricultural Workers 
Pesticide Safety Training and Education Program.
     Funding opportunity number: OPP-001.
     Announcement type: The initial announcement of a funding 
opportunity.
     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: This 
program is included in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 
number 66.716 at http://www.cfda.gov/public/whole.pdf.
     Dates: Applications must be received by EPA on or before 
January 18, 2005.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authority

    EPA expects to enter into cooperative agreements under the 
authority provided in FIFRA section 20 which authorizes the Agency to 
issue grants or cooperative agreements for research, public education, 
training, monitoring, demonstration and studies. Regulations governing 
these cooperative agreements are found at 40 CFR part 30 for 
institutions of higher education, colleges and universities, and non-
profit organizations; and 40 CFR part 31 for States and local 
governments. In addition, the provisions in 40 CFR part 32, governing 
government wide debarment and suspension; and the provisions in 40 CFR 
part 34, regarding restrictions on lobbying apply. All costs incurred 
under this program must be allowable under the applicable OMB Cost 
Circulars: A-87 (States and local governments), A-122 (nonprofit 
organizations), or A-21 (universities). Copies of these circulars can 
be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars. In accordance with 
EPA policy and the OMB circulars, as appropriate, any recipient of 
funding must agree not to use assistance funds for lobbying, fund-
raising, or political activities (e.g., lobbying members of Congress or 
lobbying for other Federal grants, cooperative agreements or 
contracts). See 40 CFR part 34.

B. Program Description

    1. Purpose and scope. EPA's Certification and Worker Protection 
Branch of the Field and External Affairs Division, Office of Pesticide 
Programs (OPP), is requesting proposals to train farmworkers, 
farmworker families, and the agricultural community regarding the 
potential hazards associated with pesticide chemicals and how to reduce 
those risks.
    Under this new cooperative agreement, experience and/or expertise 
is critical to conduct worker protection pesticide safety training and 
education program for the unique population of farmworkers, including: 
A comprehensive, national training and outreach pesticide safety 
education program for farmworkers; an ability to conduct specialized 
training for Spanish speaking agricultural workers and their families 
with low literacy levels; qualified managers and staff devoted to 
training farmworkers about pesticide hazards; offices with pesticide 
safety programs and trainers in rural communities near agricultural 
areas with high farmworker populations; and full-time trainers whose 
primary responsibility is to train farmworkers about pesticide safety.
    2. Activities to be funded. EPA will award a cooperative agreement 
for the National Agricultural Workers Pesticide Safety Training and 
Education Program under section 20 of FIFRA, as amended, for the 
continuation of a public training and education pesticide safety 
program of farmworkers, farmworker families,

[[Page 69920]]

and other members of the agricultural community to reduce exposure to 
the hazards of pesticides. Key activities to be funded under this 
cooperative agreement are:
    i. Training of at least 14,000 farmworkers, farmworker families, 
and other members of the agricultural community each year in the key 
pesticide safety provisions of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS), 40 
CFR 170.130.
    ii. Development or utilization of a pesticide safety training 
program, including trainers and materials, which address the 
predominately Spanish speaking, low literacy level needs of 
agricultural workers.
    iii. Development and/or utilization of WPS approved pesticide 
safety curricula and materials for agricultural workers. The curriculum 
and materials would convey as a minimum the following information:
     Where and in what form pesticides may be encountered 
during work activities.
     Hazards of pesticides resulting from toxicity and 
exposure, including acute and chronic effects, delayed effects, and 
sensitization.
     Routes through which pesticides can enter the body.
     Signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning.
     Emergency first aid for pesticide injuries or poisonings.
     How to obtain emergency medical care.
     Routine and emergency decontamination procedures, 
including eye flushing techniques.
     Hazards from pesticide residues on clothing.
     Warnings about taking pesticide containers home.
     Requirements of the WPS, including reducing the risks of 
illness or injury resulting from workers' occupational exposure to 
pesticides, including application and entry restrictions, the design of 
the warning sign, posting of warning signs, oral warnings, the 
availability of specific information about applications, and protection 
against retaliatory acts.
    iv. Conducting a national and/or several regional train-the-trainer 
workshops for a minimum of 30 pesticide safety educators. Workshops 
would train trainers of farmworkers about the importance of pesticide 
safety, the curriculum and materials to be used, how to reach 
farmworkers and work with growers, crew leaders, and other members of 
the agricultural community to utilize the training, and how to get 
certified as an official trainer by the state. Workshops would also 
include practice sessions for trainers.
    v. Establishment of pesticide safety training programs in at least 
15 local sites in rural areas with a minimum of 12 states including key 
states with high farmworker populations and high pesticide usage.
    vi. Outreach and partnership programs with federal, state and local 
programs and agencies; farmworker service providers; growers and grower 
organizations; and other members of the agricultural community to 
utilize and certify the worker protection pesticide safety program for 
agricultural workers. While matching funds are not required, they are 
encouraged to meet the training needs of over 
21/89/21/13/23/85/83/8 million farmworkers.
    vii. Develop or utilize a pesticide safety training evaluation tool 
like a pre- and post-tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
training program and modify the training to improve it as necessary.
    3. Goal and objectives. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, 
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136W), EPA developed the WPS to 
protect the 21/89/21/13/23/85/83/8 million agricultural 
workers and other members of the public from the hazards of pesticides. 
Under this standard, workers must receive protections and information 
to prevent pesticide poisonings. Under this cooperative agreement, EPA 
seeks to work with organizations that have unique and special skills on 
reaching agricultural workers, who are predominately Spanish speaking, 
with low literacy levels, often transient, and difficult to reach 
through more conventional communications networks.
    The objectives of this program would be to develop or continue an 
interactive training program to educate farmworkers, their families, 
and other members of the agricultural community about how to protect 
themselves from pesticides. The training program would be based 
primarily in Spanish, although parts could include other key languages 
that farmworkers speak. Information would be presented in an 
interactive format directed at reaching low literacy populations and in 
non-traditional settings. The program should be developed to reach 
farmworkers in key high farmworker rural areas with high pesticide uses 
and high hand-labor agricultural areas. The pesticide safety training 
program for agricultural workers could develop new curriculum or 
utilize national, state or organizational outreach materials. The 
information to be conveyed should include the requirements outlined in 
the WPS (40 CFR part 170).
    4. History. In August of 1992, EPA's WPS (40 CFR part 170) was 
published to require actions to reduce the risk of pesticide poisonings 
and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. The WPS 
offers protections to more than 31/89/21/13/23/85/83/8 million 
agricultural workers who work with pesticides at more than 560,000 
workplaces on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. The WPS 
contains requirements for pesticide safety training, notification of 
pesticide applications, use of personal protective equipment, 
restricted entry intervals following pesticide application, 
decontamination supplies, and emergency medical assistance.
    Since 1995, OPP has provided funding for several research and 
education programs designed to evaluate and convey pesticide safety 
information to farmworkers. Since 2000, OPP funded a cooperative 
agreement, The National Pesticide Education Program for Agricultural 
Workers and Farmworker Children, that trained full-time educators to 
teach agricultural workers and their families how to reduce the risks 
from pesticide hazards. Through this program nearly 350,000 
farmworkers, farmworker families, and community members have been 
trained about how to reduce risks from pesticide hazards. This program 
has researched and evaluated methods for delivering pesticide safety 
information to a predominately non-English speaking, low literacy, 
migrant populations. The program developed a curriculum on pesticide 
safety and established a program on pesticide safety for agricultural 
workers, their families and community members. The program trained 
between 50 and 70 educators yearly about pesticide safety, and 
education and outreach techniques, which in turn trained about 25,000 
farmworkers, farmworker families, and other members of the farmworker 
community each year.

II. Award Information

    The funding for the selected award project is in the form of a 
cooperative agreement awarded under section 20 of FIFRA. The total 
funding available for award in FY 2005 represents funding set aside in 
FY 2004 and is expected to be approximately $400,000. At the conclusion 
of the first 1 year period of performance, incremental funding of up to 
$400,000 may be made available for each subsequent year, depending on 
need and the Agency budget in outlying years, which would allow the 
project to continue for a total of five periods of performance 
(approximately 5 years) and totaling up to $2,000,000 for the 5-year 
period.

[[Page 69921]]

    Should additional funding become available for award, based on the 
Agency budget in those outlying years, the Agency may award additional 
grants based on this solicitation and in accordance with the final 
selection process, without further notice of competition during the 
first year of the competition award.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Threshold eligibility factors. To be eligible for consideration, 
applicants must meet all of the following criteria. Failure to meet the 
following criteria will result in the automatic disqualification for 
consideration of the proposal for funding:
    i. Be an applicant who is eligible to receive funding under this 
announcement, including states, U.S. territories or possessions, 
federally recognized Tribal governments and organizations, public and 
private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other 
public or private nonprofit institutions and individuals. Non-profit 
organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in section 3 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Action of 1995 are not eligible to apply. Eligible 
applicants may include: Agricultural, environmental, health, and 
educational organizations and agencies, colleges or universities, and 
other public or non-profit agencies, authorities, institutions, 
organizations, individuals or other qualified entities working in 
agricultural and/or pesticide training, safety, education and 
communications. Applicants with experience and/or expertise working 
with farmworkers; farmworker families; agricultural employers; 
farmworker support organizations; the Cooperative Extension Service; 
local state, and national agriculture, environment, labor and 
occupational health, rural and migrant health, and/or education 
agencies are eligible.
    ii. The proposal must address all of the criteria in the high 
priority areas for consideration listed under Unit III.2.
    iii. The proposal must address all of the activities to be funded 
listed under Unit I.B.2.
    iii. The proposal must meet all format and content requirements 
contained in Unit IV.
    The proposal must comply with the directions for submittal 
contained in this notice.
    2. Eligibility criteria. Applicants must demonstrate ability, 
experience and/or expertise in working with providing pesticide safety 
education to the unique population of farmworkers in the following high 
priority areas for consideration. Applicants will be evaluated on the 
following criteria:
    i. Expertise in language and literacy needs of farmworkers. 
Applicant must have expertise in providing education, training, and 
other services to the needs of the farmworker population. Since the 
farmworker population has an average educational levels of only the 
sixth grade, applicants must demonstrate expertise in reaching low 
literacy level populations. Also, since 84% of farmworkers speak 
Spanish, applicants must demonstrate an ability to present pesticide 
safety information in Spanish.
    ii. Ability to provide comprehensive pesticide safety program for 
farmworkers, farmworker families, and agricultural community members. 
Applicants must demonstrate the capacity of providing comprehensive 
worker training including key pesticide safety information, as outlined 
in the WPS, 40 CFR 170.130.
    iii. Extensive outreach strategies to farmworkers and rural 
communities. Applicants must develop extensive outreach strategies that 
include areas where farmworkers work and reside. Provisions to train 
farmworkers and their families in labor camps, work sites on growers' 
property, in community centers, in churches, migrant health clinics, in 
schools, and farmworker employment and training offices. In addition, 
applicants must have the ability to conduct outreach programs with 
growers and small farmers and work with them to deliver pesticide 
training programs to their workers.
    iv. National network of offices in at least 15 agricultural areas 
with high farmworker populations in at least 12 states. Since 
farmworkers live and work in hard to reach rural areas, applicants must 
describe how the training program would work with affiliate farmworker 
support offices in those 15 or more agricultural areas in close 
proximity to farmworkers in at least 12 states.
    v. Broad educational program with over 30 outreach trainers in 
pesticide safety. Applicants must demonstrate that they have experience 
conducting effective pesticide safety education and training for 
farmworkers and a comprehensive curriculum for reaching farmworkers 
about pesticide safety. Applicants must have a staff of at least 30 
full-time outreach workers whose main job is training farmworkers to 
prevent exposure to pesticides.
    vi. Ability to train a minimum of 14,000 farmworkers each year 
about pesticide safety. Since there are approximately 
21/89/21/13/23/85/83/8 million farmworkers and 20% of these 
are new workers who enter the U.S. agricultural workforce every year, 
the applicant must demonstrate the ability to train at least 14,000 
farmworkers a year about pesticide safety measures including minimum 
criteria outlined in the WPS, 40 CFR 170.130.
    3. Cost sharing or matching. There are no cost share requirements 
for this project. However, matching funds are strongly encouraged in 
order to train the highest number of farmworkers.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to request proposal package. Carol Parker, Field and 
External Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-6458; fax 
number: (703) 308-2962; e-mail address: [email protected].
    2. Content and form of application submission. Proposals must be 
typewritten, double spaced in 12 point or larger print using 8.5 x 11 
inch paper with minimum 1 inch horizontal and vertical margins. Pages 
must be numbered in order starting with the cover page and continuing 
through the appendices. One original and one electronic copy (e-mail or 
disk) is required.
    All proposals must include:
     Completed Standard Form SF 424*, Application for Federal 
Assistance. Please include organization fax number and e-mail address. 
The application forms are available on line at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm.
     Completed Section B--Budget Categories, on page 1 of 
Standard Form SF 424A* (see allowable costs discussion below). Blank 
forms may be located at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm.
     Detailed itemization of the amounts budgeted by individual 
Object Class Categories (see allowable costs discussion below).
     Statement regarding whether this proposal is a 
continuation of a previously funded project. If so, please provide the 
assistance number and status of the current grant/cooperative 
agreement.
    Executive Summary. The Executive Summary shall be a stand alone 
document, not to exceed one page, containing the specifics of what is 
proposed and what you expect to accomplish regarding measuring or 
movement toward achieving project goals. This summary should identify 
the measurable environmental results you expect including potential 
human health benefits.

[[Page 69922]]

    Table of contents. A one page table listing the different parts of 
your proposal and the page number on which each part begins. Proposal 
narrative. Includes Parts I-V as identified below (not to exceed 10 
pages).
    Part I--Project title. Self explanatory.
    Part II--Objectives. A numbered list (1, 2, etc.) of concisely 
written project objectives, in most cases, each objective can be stated 
in a single sentence.
    Part III--Justification. For each objective listed in Part II, 
discuss the potential outcome in terms of human health, environmental 
and/or pesticide risk reduction.
    Part IV--Approach and methods. Describe in detail how the program 
will be carried out. Describe how the system or approach will support 
the program goals.
    Part V--Impact assessment. Please state how you will evaluate the 
success of the program in terms of measurable results. How and with 
what measures will humans be better protected as a result of the 
program. Quantifiable risk reduction measures should be described.
    Appendices. These appendices must be included in the cooperative 
agreement proposal. Additional appendices are not permitted.
    Timetable. A timetable that includes what will be accomplished 
under each of the objectives during the project and when completion of 
each objective is anticipated.
    Major participants. List all affiliates or other organizations, 
educators, trainers and others having a major role in the proposal. 
Provide name, organizational affiliation, or occupation and a 
description of the role each will play in the project. A brief resume 
(not to exceed two pages) should be submitted for each major project 
manager, educator, support staff, or other major participant.
    3. Submission dates and times. You may submit an application 
through the mail, by fax, or electronically. Regardless of submission 
method, all applications must be received by EPA on or before January 
18, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review. Applicants should be aware that formal 
requests for assistance (i.e., SF 424 and associated documentation) may 
be subject to intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Applicants should 
contact their state's single point of contact (SOC) for further 
information. There is a list of these contacts at the following web 
site: http:/whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
    5. Funding restrictions. EPA grant funds may only be used for the 
purposes set forth in the cooperative agreement, and must be consistent 
with the statutory authority for the award. Cooperative agreement funds 
may not be used for matching funds for other Federal grants, lobbying, 
or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In 
addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government 
or any other governmental entity. All costs identified in the budget 
must conform to applicable Federal Cost Principles contained in OMB 
Circular A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate.
    6. Other submission requirements. As indicated above, each 
application must include the original paper copy of the submission, 
along with one electronic copy. The electronic copy of your application 
package, whether submitted separately by e-mail or on a disk, please 
ensure that the electronic copy is consolidated into a single file, and 
that you use Word Perfect WP8/9 for Windows, or Adobe PDF 4/5. If 
mailing a disk, please use a 3.5 disk that is labeled as a proposal for 
the National Agricultural Workers Pesticide Safety Training and 
Education Program, and include your pertinent information. Please check 
your electronic submissions to ensure that it does not contain any 
computer viruses. If an electronic submission is found to contain a 
virus, that submission will be disqualified from consideration.
    Submit your application using one of the following methods:
    By mail to: Carol Parker, Office of Pesticide Programs, Mail code: 
7506C, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    By fax to: Carol Parker at fax number: (703) 308-2962.
    By e-mail to: [email protected].
    7. Confidential business information. Applicants should clearly 
mark information contained in their proposal which they consider 
confidential business information. EPA reserves the right to make final 
confidentiality decisions in accordance with Agency regulations at 40 
CFR part 2, subpart B. If no such claim accompanies the proposal when 
it is received by EPA, it may be made available to the public by EPA 
without further notice to the applicant.

V. Application Review Information

     Applicants will be screened to ensure that they meet all 
eligibility criteria and will be disqualified if they do not meet all 
eligibility criteria. All proposals will be reviewed, evaluated, and 
ranked by a selected panel of EPA reviewers based on the following 
evaluation criteria and weights (Total: 100 points):
    1. Project proposal must meet minimum requirements for the number 
of full-time trainers, number of locations, and number of workers 
trained, as outlined in Unit III.2. (Weighting: 35 points)
    2. Project proposal must provide information on the education, 
skills, training of the project leader and/or other key managers. As 
appropriate, cite technical qualifications and specific examples of 
prior, relevant experience. Demonstrate experience and/or ability of 
organization to conduct national pesticide safety education and 
training programs for agricultural workers as outlined in Unit III.2. 
(Weighting: 30 points)
    3. Qualification and experience of the applicant relative to the 
language, low literacy, and outreach to the farmworker community, as 
outlined in Unit III.2. (Weighting: 25 points)
    4. Provisions for a quantitative or qualitative evaluation of the 
project success at achieving stated goals Unit III.2. (Weighting: 10 
points)
    The proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by a team of internal 
EPA Worker Protection and Pesticide Safety Training experts. The final 
funding decision will be made from a group of top rated proposals by 
the Chief of the Certification and Worker Protection Branch, Field and 
External Affairs Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. The Agency 
reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards. The 
procedures for dispute resolution at 40 CFR 30.63 and 40 CFR 31.70 
apply.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award notices. The Certification and Worker Protection Branch in 
OPP will mail an acknowledgment to applicants upon receipt of the 
application. Once all of the applications have been reviewed, 
evaluated, and ranked, applicants will be notified of the outcome of 
the competition. A listing of the successful proposal will be posted on 
the Certification and Worker Protection website address at the 
conclusion of the competition (go to: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/worker.htm). The website may also contain additional information 
about this announcement including information concerning deadline 
extensions or other modifications.
    2. Administrative and national policy requirements. An applicant 
whose proposal is selected for federal funding must complete additional 
forms prior to award (see 40 CFR 30.12 and 31.10), and will be required 
to certify that they have not been debarred or suspended from

[[Page 69923]]

participation in federal assistance awards in accordance with 40 CFR 
part 32.
    3. Reporting. The successful recipient will be required to submit 
quarterly and annual reports, and to submit annual financial reports. 
The specific information contained within the report will include at a 
minimum, a comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives 
established for the period. The Certification and Worker Protection 
Branch may request additional information relative to the scope of work 
in the cooperative agreement and which may be useful for Agency 
reporting under the Government Performance and Results Act.

VII. Agency Contact

    Carol Parker, Field and External Affairs Division (7506C), Office 
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 305-6458; fax number: (703) 308-2962; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

VIII. Other Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. Assistance is 
generally available to States, U. S. territories or possessions, 
federally recognized Tribal governments and organizations, public and 
private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other 
public or private nonprofit institutions and individuals. Non-profit 
organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in section 3 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Action of 1995 are not eligible to apply. This 
program may, however, be of particular interest to farmworker and 
agricultural workers support organizations and agencies; environmental, 
health, and educational organizations and agencies; colleges or 
universities, and other public or non-profit agencies, authorities, 
institutions, organizations, individuals or other qualified entities 
working in agricultural training, safety, education and communications. 
Because others may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to 
describe all the specific entities that may be interested 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 Access Copies of this Document and Other Related 
Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPP-2004-0279. The 
official public docket is the collection of materials that is available 
for public viewing at the Public Information and Records Integrity 
Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 2, 1801 S. Bell St., 
Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The docket telephone 
number is (703) 305-5805.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. An electronic version of the 
public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and 
comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to access the index listing of the contents of the 
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public 
docket that are available electronically. Although not all docket 
materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of 
the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility 
identified in the Unit IV.A.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' 
then key in the appropriate docket ID number.

IX. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    Grant solicitations such as this are considered rules for the 
purpose of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.). 
The CRA generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the 
agency promulgating the rule 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 grant solicitation 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 its publication 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, Grants, Pesticides, Training.


    Dated: November 18, 2004.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and 
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 04-26397 Filed 11-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S