[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69913-69919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26474]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2004-0119; FRL-7686-8]


Targeted Grants to Reduce Childhood Lead Poisoning; Notice of 
Funds Availability

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is soliciting grant proposals from eligible entities to 
conduct activities to reduce incidences of childhood lead poisoning in 
vulnerable populations, including projects to: (1) Address areas with 
high incidences of elevated blood-lead levels; (2) identify and address 
areas with high potential for heretofore undocumented elevated blood-
lead levels; (3) develop tools to address unique and challenging issues 
in lead poisoning prevention; and (4) identify tools that are 
replicable and scalable for other areas. Activities eligible for 
funding include outreach and public education, data gathering, 
monitoring, training, inspections and assessments, demonstrations, and 
new, innovative approaches for identifying or reducing lead poisoning. 
EPA is awarding grants which will provide a total of approximately 
$750,000. The Agency anticipates awarding individual grants of $25,000 
to $100,000. This grant program is open to a wide range of applicants, 
including state governments, local governments, federally recognized 
Indian Tribes and tribal consortia, territories, nonprofit 
organizations, private and state-controlled institutions of higher 
learning, and nonprofit organizations including community action 
agencies and other organizations having 501(c)(3) status.

DATES:  Proposals must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed to EPA on or 
before January 31, 2005.

ADDRESSES:  Proposals 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:  For specific information regarding 
your geographic area or application, contact

[[Page 69914]]

the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in Unit VII. of the 
SupplementaryInformation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  The following listing provides certain key 
information concerning this funding opportunity.
     Federal agency name: Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA).
     Funding opportunity title: Targeted Grants to Reduce 
Childhood Lead Poisoning.
     Funding opportunity number: FON-T001.
     Announcement type: The initial announcement of a funding 
opportunity.
     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 66-
716.
     Dates: Proposals must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed on 
or before January 31, 2005. Projects are expected to be completed 
within 2 years of award of the grant.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authority

    Section 10 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as 
supplemented by Public Law 106-74, authorizes EPA to award grants for 
the purpose of conducting research, development, monitoring, education, 
training, demonstrations, and studies necessary to carry out the 
purposes of TSCA.

B. Program Description

    1. Purpose and scope. EPA is soliciting grant proposals from 
eligible entities to conduct activities to reduce incidences of 
childhood lead poisoning in vulnerable populations, including projects 
to: (1) Address areas with high incidences of elevated blood-lead 
levels; (2) identify and address areas with high potential for 
heretofore undocumented elevated blood-lead levels; (3) develop tools 
to address unique and challenging issues in lead poisoning prevention; 
and (4) identify tools that are replicable and scalable for other 
areas. Activities eligible for funding include outreach and public 
education, data gathering, monitoring, training, inspections and 
assessments, demonstrations, and new, innovative approaches for 
identifying or reducing lead poisoning.
    EPA is awarding grants which will provide a total of approximately 
$750,000. The Agency anticipates awarding individual grants of $25,000 
to $100,000.
    This grant program is open to a wide range of applicants, including 
state governments, local governments, federally recognized Indian 
Tribes and tribal consortia, territories, nonprofit organizations, 
private and state-controlled institutions of higher learning, and 
nonprofit organizations including community action agencies and other 
organizations having 501(c)(3) status. This list is not intended to be 
exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities 
likely to be eligible for these grants. Other types of entities not 
listed in this unit could also be eligible.
    2. Activities to be funded. EPA will provide financial assistance 
in the form of grants to conduct any or all of the following 
activities:
    i. Outreach (educational) activities, including but not limited to 
development and conduct of organized outreach efforts to educate 
families about the dangers to children from exposure to lead-based 
paint hazards, distribution of educational information, and 
encouragement of families to have their children screened for lead 
poisoning and have their homes tested for lead hazards. Activities may 
include, but are not limited to, training medical professionals, 
developing culturally specific lead outreach materials, distributing 
pamphlets, establishing an in-home education program to visit the homes 
of young children, and promoting lead-safe work practices.
    Grantees may develop their own outreach materials; however, the use 
and reproduction of pre-existing products is strongly encouraged and 
preferred. EPA and other Federal agencies have developed, and currently 
provide, a wide range of outreach materials available from the National 
Lead Information Center (1-800-424-LEAD). Any new lead awareness 
materials developed must be consistent with the Federal (EPA, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, formerly the Centers for Disease 
Control)) lead hazard awareness and poisoning prevention programs 
(http://www.epa.gov/lead/,http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/, andhttp://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm/) and receive approval from the 
appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in Unit VII.
    ii. Data gathering, including but not limited to assessments such 
as blood-lead screening and other activities described below, 
particularly for areas without well-documented rates of lead poisoning. 
This includes conducting blood-lead screening of children age 6 years 
and under, preferably of children between the ages of 12-36 months 
(blood-lead levels tend to be highest in this age group). (The CDC's 
recommended level of concern that encourages follow-up activities is 10 
[mu]g/dL, with specific actions/interventions recommended at various 
elevated blood-lead levels.)
    All blood-lead samples collected must be analyzed using a Clinical 
Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory. 
Portable, hand-held blood-lead analyzers may be used, but must be 
operated by a laboratory that is CLIA-certified for moderately complex 
analysis. CLIA regulations, published in 1992 (42 CFR part 493), are 
administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, 
formerly the Health Care Finance Administration). CLIA-certified 
laboratories must successfully participate in a testing proficiency 
program that is CLIA approved. Information regarding CLIA may be 
downloaded from the CMS web site athttp://www.cms.gov/clia/.
    EPA also encourages the development of new assessment methods which 
may be used in lieu of blood-lead monitoring. In particular, EPA 
encourages applicants to consider developing new tools to better target 
populations at risk and to gauge the success of activities funded under 
this program and other activities designed to combat childhood lead 
poisoning.
    iii. Inspections and risk assessments of pre-1978 housing and/or 
child-occupied facilities for lead-based paint hazards. This includes 
collection and analysis of paint, dust, and soil samples for hazardous 
lead levels. Inspections and risk assessments may only be conducted by 
individuals appropriately certified. Inspections and risk assessments 
must be conducted according to the work practice standards found in 40 
CFR 745.227 or those of the authorized state or tribal program. 
Analysis of paint, dust, and soil samples must be conducted by a 
National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP)-recognized 
laboratory. A current list of NLLAP-recognized laboratories can be 
obtained by calling the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-
LEAD.
    iv. Training. This includes training of individuals and of parents 
and community members. Worker training includes training to perform 
abatements, lead inspections, and risk assessments, including initial, 
refresher, or any other training required to obtain certification to 
perform lead-based paint inspections and risk assessments. Grant funds 
cannot be used to pay for any administrative or testing fees for 
certification to conduct lead inspections and/or risk assessments. 
Training would also include training of other contractors in lead-safe 
work practices.

[[Page 69915]]

 Funds can also be used for training of parents and other community 
members to do outreach and other efforts which do not require 
certification.
    v. Partnership development, including partnerships with public and 
private entities which have expertise or experience in training, public 
health, housing, education, nutrition, public education or public 
relations, and other fields, as part of the performance of eligible 
activities and which will improve our ability to eliminate childhood 
lead poisoning.
    vi. Quality assurance activities related to the above. All 
environmental or health-related measurements or data generation must 
adequately address the requirements of 40 CFR 30.54 and 31.45 relating 
to quality assurance/quality control. Information on EPA quality 
assurance requirements may be downloaded from the EPA Quality System 
web site athttp://www.epa.gov/quality/. To begin the process of 
developing the quality assurance documentation, a quality assurance 
project plan template has been developed that may be helpful to use as 
a guide. The template may be downloaded from the EPA/OPPT web site 
athttp://www.epa.gov/lead/new.htm/. No testing or analytical work may 
be performed without an approved quality assurance project plan. For 
further guidance on preparation of the quality documentation and 
specific EPA Regional Office approval requirements, please contact the 
appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in Unit VII.
    vii. Innovative approaches which have a high likelihood of 
successfully identifying or reducing lead poisoning.
    viii. Travel and related expenses consistent with the objectives of 
this grant.
    2. Goal and objectives. EPA seeks to award grants to entities best 
able to undertake eligible activities (outreach and public education, 
data gathering, monitoring, training, inspections and assessments, 
demonstrations, and new, innovative approaches for identifying or 
reducing lead poisoning) that accomplish one or more of the following 
goals:
    i. To reduce the incidence of childhood lead poisoning in areas of 
vulnerable populations.
    ii. To address areas with a high incidence of elevated blood-lead 
levels in children, and also to identify and address areas with high 
potential for elevated blood-lead levels in children.
    iii. To develop tools to address unique and challenging issues in 
lead poisoning prevention, including but not limited to special 
situations affecting inner cities, Tribes, Federal facilities, etc.
    iv. To identify tools that are replicable and scalable for other 
areas combating lead poisoning.
    EPA encourages applications addressing areas and/or populations 
with high documented levels of lead poisoning, as well as proposals to 
identify and address areas where there is great potential for elevated 
blood-lead levels to exist, although screening and other data are 
lacking. In the second case, applicants should submit rationale and 
evidence to describe why a particular area would be advantageous for 
EPA to invest in. In addition, the Agency encourages applications that 
focus on populations at particular risk such as those that live in 
inner cities, immigrant populations, those that live on Federal 
facilities, Indian Tribes, etc.
    EPA is interested in encouraging innovation, and recognizes that 
smaller organizations may be uniquely situated to benefit populations 
that are otherwise hard to reach. Therefore, the award process is open 
to a wide range of applicants, including states, local governments, 
Indian Tribes and tribal consortia, territories, nonprofits, 
universities, and others.

II. Award Information

    A total of $750,000 is available under this program at this time. 
Applicants may receive grants of up to $100,000. EPA's intention is to 
award 8 to 25 grants, including both smaller and larger grants, 
assuming applications of sufficient quality are received. Final 
distribution of the funds will be dependent upon the number of 
qualified applicants, populations served by each grant, and other 
factors as deemed appropriate by EPA, along with the evaluation 
criteria as stated in Unit V.
    Applicants may use a portion of the grant funds for contractor 
support for these activities; however, contractor support may not 
account for more than 25% of the amount of the grant, except where 
contract services include blood-lead analysis, training, and/or lead-
based paint inspections and risk assessments.

III. Eligibility Information

     1. Threshold eligibility factors. There are no threshold 
eligibility factors under this grant program.
    2. Eligibility criteria. Eligible recipients are those which have 
the ability to directly address childhood lead poisoning in a given 
population or area. This includes a wide range of potential applicants, 
such as state governments, local governments, federally recognized 
Indian Tribes and tribal consortia, territories, private and state-
controlled institutions of higher learning, and nonprofit organizations 
including community action agencies and other organizations having 
501(c)(3) status. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but 
rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be 
affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in this 
unit could also be eligible.
    3. Cost sharing or matching. There are no requirements for cost 
sharing or matching funding under this grant program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to request application package. To obtain an application 
package, or for further information on individual applications, contact 
the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in Unit VII.
    2. Content and form of application submission. To apply for a grant 
under this program, submit one original and one copy of the grant 
proposal, including a return mailing address, through the mail or 
electronically to the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in 
Unit VII. The initial proposal must consist of no more than five pages 
(excluding attachments), with page numbers. One page is one side of a 
single-spaced typed letter-size page. Fonts must be 10 or 12 characters 
per inch (cpi) and must have margins that are at least 1 inch. If a 
package consists of more than five pages, the package will be 
considered but the additional pages will not be reviewed.
    If sent through the mail, grant proposals must be unbound, stapled, 
or clipped in the upper lefthand corner, on white paper.
    The format for the submission must address all of the elements 
contained in Unit V., and must be organized and outlined as follows:
    i. Project title, name of applicant, project contact, target 
geographic location and/or population affected by the project, funding 
requested, a statement as to whether this project addresses (a) an area 
of high incidence of elevated blood-lead or (b) an area of suspected 
but undocumented elevated blood-lead levels, and a one-paragraph 
overview of your proposal describing how this project will identify 
and/or reduce elevated blood-lead levels.
    ii. Project narrative including:
     Problem statement.
     Specific goals and objectives (describe in measurable 
terms the environmental or human health issue to be addressed).
     Project approach and tasks (steps you will take to reach 
the goals, along with a timeline or schedule).

[[Page 69916]]

     Expected outcomes and results (what you hope to accomplish 
and how you will measure and evaluate this).
     List of deliverables.
    iii. Narrative addressing each evaluation criterion separately and 
in the order shown in Unit V., in which you must describe how this 
project will meet each criterion.
    iv. Brief description of staffing, partners, and funding resources 
which would be available to implement the proposed project, including 
number of workers and staff qualifications (no resumes are required).
    v. Brief description of the applicant's organization, experience 
relating to lead poisoning prevention and to the target community, and 
the organization's infrastructure as it relates to its ability to 
implement the proposed project.
    vi. Attachments must include letters of specific commitment, if 
any, from partners, and draft Budget Forms 424-A and 424-B (these forms 
must be finalized if your project is selected for funding).
    3. Submission dates and times. All grant proposals must be 
postmarked, e-mailed, or faxed on or before January 31, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review. Applicants should be aware that formal 
requests for assistance (i.e., SF424 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 (SPOC) 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. Grant funding may not be used for the 
following:
    i. Buying real property, such as land or buildings.
    ii. Lead hazard reduction activities, such as performing interim 
controls or abatement (as defined in 40 CFR 745.223). However, if your 
proposal requests grant funding to pay for training activities, EPA is 
interested in knowing how you plan to ensure those trained will be put 
to work and how you will track the success of such a program.
    iii. Construction activities, such as renovation, remodeling, or 
building a structure.
    iv. Lead-based paint certification fees for individuals and firms.
    v. Contractor support in excess of 25% of the amount of the grant 
award, except where contract services include blood-lead analysis, 
training, and/or lead-based paint inspections and risk assessments. 
This limit does not apply to developing quality assurance 
documentation. However, while grantees may develop their own quality 
assurance materials, pre-existing templates for inspection and 
screening are available and EPA strongly encourages their use.
    vi. Duplication of funding for any lead-related activities that are 
being funded or have been previously funded by other EPA or other 
Federal Government sources.
    vii. Case-management costs, including medical treatment for 
children with elevated blood-lead levels (e.g., followup visits by a 
doctor or chelation therapy). EPA is extremely interested in knowing 
what actions you plan to follow regarding monitoring, education, and/or 
treatment for children whose blood-lead levels are determined under 
this grant program to be elevated (greater than 10 [mu]g/dL). It is 
important that the children who are found to have elevated blood-lead 
levels are treated. Although most case-management costs are not 
eligible for funding under the grant, a description of specific steps 
and related information for followup activities must be included in the 
work plan section of the grant proposal.
    6. Other submission requirements. If the applicant has conducted, 
or is currently working on a related project(s), a brief description of 
those projects, funding sources, primary commitments, and an indication 
as to whether those commitments were met must be included in the grant 
proposal. The description must also indicate how the proposed project 
is different from other funded work conducted by the applicant(s) or 
unfunded work conducted by another entity, and how the proposed project 
will not duplicate previous or on-going projects. However, EPA is 
interested in knowing the extent to which these grants build upon or 
support previous or other on-going projects, particularly those funded 
by EPA or other Federal agency grant programs.
    Grant proposals should be clearly marked to indicate any 
information that is to be considered confidential. EPA will make final 
confidentiality decisions in accordance with Agency regulations in 40 
CFR part 2, subparts A and B.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Criteria. EPA will review all proposals for quality, strength, 
and completeness. The Agency will use the proposals to select projects 
to be funded under this grant program. EPA reserves the right to reject 
all proposals and make no awards. The evaluation criteria are as 
follows:
Criterion 1: Identifying and/or Addressing Vulnerable Populations at 
Risk for Lead Poisoning (20 points)
    For projects which address a community, population, or area with a 
significantly higher than average incidence rate of childhood lead 
poisoning, please address the following questions:
     What are the statistics illustrating that the target 
community, population, or area has significantly higher than average 
incidence rates of childhood lead poisoning? Please submit relevant 
blood-lead monitoring data.
     What are the characteristics of the target areas/
populations, especially those which indicate that the need is critical? 
Include demographic information for the target community and other 
critical indicators including poverty rate, unemployment rate, special 
community characteristics (e.g., population density, size), or other 
factors that support the need for this project (e.g., low-income, 
minority population, concentration of children, or communities 
disproportionately impacted by environmental factors). Identify sources 
of information used to illustrate current conditions.
     How will your proposed project lower the incidence and 
severity of elevated blood-lead levels in children?
    For projects that address a community, population, or area with a 
high likelihood of higher than average incidence rates of childhood 
lead poisoning, but where data or information is lacking, please 
address the following questions:
     Why do you believe that this target area has a high 
likelihood of higher than average incidence of childhood lead 
poisoning? Please share all information that you have available to 
understand the conditions in the target area (e.g., housing age and 
quality, low-income, minority population, concentration of children, or 
communities disproportionately impacted by environmental factors).
     Why is it important to better identify the remaining 
vulnerable populations at risk in the target community, population, or 
area?
     How will your project better identify the extent and 
location of childhood lead poisoning (and lower the incidence and 
severity of elevated blood-lead levels, if your project includes this 
step)?
Criterion 2: Measurable Results (20 Points)
    EPA prefers that progress be shown in real environmental progress 
rather than solely in amount of work accomplished. Please describe the 
extent to which the proposal measures both quantitative and

[[Page 69917]]

qualitative results. All project proposals must address the following 
questions:
     What are the measurable short-term results that will be 
achieved? Please describe measures that are based on outputs (e.g., 
number of brochures/surveys distributed), behavior changes (e.g., 
increase in number of children screened, implementing lead-safe 
techniques), and/or environmental and human health results (e.g., 
decrease in elevated blood-lead levels, decrease in dust lead levels, 
identification of actual elevated blood-lead levels in target area).
     How will you ensure that the data and information 
collected are useable, accessible to the public, and are shared with 
appropriate stakeholders?
     How will this project develop and encourage the use of 
innovative techniques, tools, or measures which can identify vulnerable 
populations at risk and/or measure improvements in environmental and 
human health (e.g., surrogates for blood-lead testing)?
Criterion 3: Project Overview & Replicability (20 points)
    EPA hopes to fund top quality projects that have a high likelihood 
for success and replicability across the country. EPA intends to award 
projects that reflect a broad range of areas and populations (e.g., 
urban, suburban, rural) and intends to showcase successful projects in 
order to encourage replicability of successful efforts across the 
country in areas facing similar challenges. Please include sufficient 
detail to demonstrate whether the project approach is reasonable and 
the use of resources is sound. All project proposals must address the 
following questions:
     What are the project goals, tasks, and deliverables for 
the project?
     What are the characteristics of the target area/population 
and are there other areas across the country that could benefit from 
the proposed approach?
     If successful, how could this project, or methods used, be 
replicated in other communities? Can this project serve as a model for 
others to use in addressing problems and achieving results?
     What outputs of this project could serve to reduce 
development, start-up, and/or research costs for other areas or 
populations?
Criterion 4: Critical Need & Leveraging Resources (20 points)
    Please describe how the proposed project will fill a critical need 
to reduce the incidence or suspected incidence of childhood lead 
poisoning in the target community/area. In addition, please describe 
the extent to which resources from this grant program can or will be 
leveraged by other resources. All project proposals must answer the 
following questions:
     What are the critical needs to identify the incidence or 
reduce the incidence of childhood lead poisoning in the target 
community/area?
     How will this project fit those needs?
     What resources are currently available for the type of 
work proposed and why are they insufficient or unlikely to virtually 
eliminate childhood lead poisoning in this community?
     How will any additional resources (e.g., funding, staff 
time, in-kind resources) be leveraged for this project?
Criterion 5: Community Involvement and Effective Partnerships (15 
points)
    EPA believes that appropriate and effective community involvement 
enhances the prospects for overall project success. Please describe the 
extent to which the target community (e.g., area, neighborhood, 
population) will be involved in the project. Does this project include 
specific opportunities to empower the area/population to address the 
project goals and objectives? Please describe the extent to which the 
applicant will be partnering with local stakeholders (e.g., HUD, CDC 
grantees, other EPA grantees, other Federal agencies, local community 
groups, and/or health professionals) and the expected results of the 
partnership. Letters of commitment will be reviewed as part of the 
evaluation process and should explicitly state partner commitment 
including roles and responsibilities on project. All project proposals 
must address the following questions:
     How do your partners represent those in the target 
community/area who have an interest in or will be affected by the 
project?
     What methods will be used for community involvement to 
assure that all affected by the project will have the opportunity to 
participate?
     What will your partners be responsible for as part of your 
proposal and what commitments have they made to ensure the project's 
success (e.g., funding, staff time, in-kind resources)?
Criterion 6: Sustainability & Evaluation (5 points)
    Please describe the extent to which project components will be 
evaluated, how the results will be compared to project goals, and how 
effectiveness will be monitored and judged. Please also describe the 
extent to which efforts will be made to continue project work beyond 
the length of the grant period. All project proposals must answer the 
following questions:
     How will needed changes to the project be identified and 
incorporated on an ongoing basis?
     After the project is completed, how will results be 
measured and evaluated to demonstrate how your project goals were met 
and identify lessons learned?
     How does the project fit into an overall strategic plan to 
address lead poisoning?
     After funds from EPA are exhausted, will any part of the 
work continue? What will be done to increase the likelihood of further 
work in the proposed target community/area?
    2. Review and selection process. Award decisions will be made on 
the basis of the initial package. Decisions on awarding the grant funds 
will be made based on the evaluation of the proposals using the 
criteria specified in Unit IV. Entities that submit qualifying 
proposals will be notified by EPA of their selection and will be 
required to submit official grant applications as a part of the award 
process. Upon notice of award, you will be given 1 month to submit an 
official grant application as part of the award process prior to 
receipt of funds. Materials needed for the official grant application, 
as well as further information on individual applications, may be 
obtained though the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in 
Unit VII.
    All initial grant proposals received under this notice are subject 
to the dispute resolution process defined at 40 CFR 30.63 and 40 CFR 
part 31, subpart F.
    Should additional funding become available for award, EPA may award 
additional grants based on this solicitation, in accordance with and at 
the time of the final selection process, without further notice or 
competition.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award notices. Once proposals have been reviewed and evaluated, 
the contact person for the applicant (as identified in the proposal) 
will receive notification from EPA in writing regarding the outcome of 
the competition. If proposals are selected, additional forms for grant 
application (such as Standard Form SF-424, Application for Federal 
Assistance) will be required to be submitted to EPA. The specific 
information will be provided in the written notification from EPA. In 
addition, successful applicants will be required to certify that they 
have not been debarred or suspended from participation in Federal 
assistance awards in accordance with 40 CFR part 32. The application 
forms are available on line athttp://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm. These forms

[[Page 69918]]

should not be submitted with the proposals.
    2. Administration and national policyrequirements--Quality 
assurance. EPA's quality assurance requirements must be complied with 
before any environmental or health-related measurements or data are 
initiated under this grant. These requirements are addressed in 40 CFR 
30.54 and 40 CFR 31.45 relating to quality assurance/quality control. 
Information on EPA quality assurance requirements may be downloaded 
from the EPA Quality System web site at http://www.epa.gov/quality/. 
For further guidance on preparation of the quality documentation, and 
specific EPA Regional approval requirements, please contact the 
appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in Unit VII.
    3. Statutory authority and Executive Order reviews. Section 10 of 
TSCA, as supplemented by Public Law 106-74, authorizes EPA to award 
grants for the purpose of conducting research, development, monitoring, 
education, training, demonstrations, and studies necessary to carry out 
the purposes of the Act. Presently, these funds are not eligible for 
use in a Performance Partnership Agreement. The CFDA number is 66-716. 
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 (SPOC) for further 
information. There is a list of these contacts at the following web 
site:http:/whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
    4. Reporting. The grantee must provide EPA with written progress 
reports within 30 days after the end of each quarter and a report 
within 90 days after the end of the project period.

VII. Agency Contact

    For specific information regarding your geographic area or 
application, contact the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact. Grant 
proposals must be submitted by mail or e-mail to the appropriate EPA 
Regional Lead Contact. The EPA Regional Lead Contacts are listed as 
follows:
    Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, and Vermont): Regional Contact: James M. Bryson, USEPA Region 1 
(CPT), One Congress St., Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114-0203; telephone 
number: (617) 918-1524; fax number: (617) 918-0524; e-mail 
address:[email protected].
    Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 
Islands): Regional Contact: Lou Bevilacqua, USEPA Region 2 (MS 225), 
2890 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, NJ 08837; telephone number: (732) 321-
6671; fax number: (732) 321-6757; e-mail 
address:[email protected].
    Region 3 (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West 
Virginia, and the District of Columbia): Regional Contact: Demian 
Ellis, USEPA Region 3 (3WC33), 1650 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103-
2029; telephone number: (215) 814-2088; fax number: (215) 814-3114; e-
mail address: [email protected].
    Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee): Regional Contact: Liz Wilde, 
USEPA Region 4, 61 Forsyth St., SW., Atlanta, GA 30303; telephone 
number: (404) 562-8998; fax numbers: (404) 562-8973 and (404) 562-
8972;e-mail address: [email protected].
    Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and 
Wisconsin): Regional Contact: David Turpin, USEPA Region 5 (DT 8J), 77 
W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604; telephone number: (312) 886-7836; 
fax number: (312) 353-4788; e-mail address: [email protected].
    Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas): 
Regional Contact: Eva Steele, USEPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Ave., 12th 
Floor (6PD T), Dallas, TX 75202; telephone number: (214) 665-7211; fax 
number: (214) 665-6762; e-mail address: [email protected].
    Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska): Regional Contact: 
Larry Stafford, USEPA Region 7, ARTD/RALI, 901 North 5th, Kansas City, 
KS 66101; telephone number: (913) 551-7394; e-mail 
address:[email protected].
    Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and 
Wyoming): Regional Contact: Amanda Hasty, USEPA Region 8, 999 18th St., 
Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202; telephone number: (303) 312-6966; fax 
number (303) 312-6044; e-mail address:[email protected].
    Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, and 
Guam): Regional Contact: Nancy Oien, USEPA Region 9 (CMD 4), 75 
Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA 94105, telephone number: (415) 972-
3780; fax number: (415) 947-3583; e-mail address: [email protected].
    Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington): Regional 
Contact: Barbara Ross, USEPA Region 10, Solid Waste and Toxics Unit 
(AWT 128), 1200 Sixth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, telephone number: (206) 
553-1985; fax number: (206) 553-8509; e-mail 
address:[email protected].

VIII. Other Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action may be of particular interest to those who have the 
ability to directly address childhood lead poisoning in a given 
population or area, such as state governments, local governments, 
federally recognized Indian Tribes and tribal consortia, territories, 
private and state-controlled institutions of higher learning, and 
nonprofit organizations including community action agencies and other 
organizations having a 501(c)(3) status. Since other entities may also 
be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the 
specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any 
questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular 
entity, consult the appropriate EPA Regional Lead Contact listed in 
Unit VII.

B. How Can I Access Copies of this Document and Other Related 
Documents?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT 2004-0119. The 
official public docket is the collection of materials that is available 
for public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B-102 Reading Room, 
EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket 
Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone 
number is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, 
which is located in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings athttp://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 athttp://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public comments, 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 Unit 
VIII.B.1. Once

[[Page 69919]]

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). The CRA, 5 U.S.C. 801 et 
seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 (SBREFA), 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 rule 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 publication of the rule in the Federal Register. 
This is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Grants, Lead, Lead-based paint, Maternal 
and child health.


    Dated: November 24, 2004.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and 
Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. 04-26474 Filed 11-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S