[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76282-76283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7775]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8014-2]


State Innovation Grant Program, Notice of Availability of 
Solicitation for Proposals for 2006 Awards

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for 
Environmental Innovation (NCEI) is giving notice of the availability of 
its solicitation for proposals for the 2006 grant program to support 
innovation by state environmental regulatory agencies--the ``State 
Innovation Grant Program.''
    The solicitation is available at the Agency's State Innovation 
Grant Web site: http://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants/solicitation2006.pdf, or may be requested from the Agency by e-mail, 
telephone, or by mail. Only the principal environmental regulatory 
agency within each State (generally, where delegated authorities for 
Federal environmental regulations exist) is eligible to receive these 
grants.

DATES: State environmental regulatory agencies will have until January 
20, 2006 to respond with a pre-proposal, budget, and project summary. 
The environmental regulatory agencies from the fifty (50) States; 
Washington, DC, and four (4) territories were notified of the 
solicitation's availability by fax and e-mail transmittals on December 
12, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Solicitation can be downloaded from the 
Agency's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants or may 
be requested by telephone (202-566-2186), or by e-mail ([email protected]). You can request a solicitation application 
package be sent to you by fax or by mail by contacting NCEI as 
indicated below.
    Applicants may apply by sending a hardcopy submission of their pre-
proposal to EPA or by applying electronically either through 
www.grants.gov as explained in Section 4.4 of the solicitation, or 
directly by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applicants 
must submit the information required below with their application 
package. Applicants may download individual grant application forms, or 
electronically request a paper application package and an accompanying 
computer CD of

[[Page 76283]]

information related to applicants/grant recipients roles and 
responsibilities from EPA's Grants and Debarment Web site at (http://www.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm). Proposals submitted in response 
to this solicitation, or questions concerning the solicitation should 
be sent to: State Innovation Grants Program, National Center for 
Environmental Innovation, Office of the Administrator, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (MC 1807T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460. (202) 566-2186. (202) 566-2220 FAX. 
[email protected].
    For courier delivery only: Sherri Walker, State Innovation Grants 
Program, U.S. EPA , EPA West Building, Room 4214D, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20005.
    Proposal responses or questions may also be sent by fax to (202-
566-2220), addressed to the ``State Innovation Grant Program,''or by e-
mail to: [email protected]. We encourage e-mail 
responses. If you have questions about responding to this notice, 
please contact EPA at this e-mail address or fax number, or you may 
call Sherri Walker at 202-566-2186. EPA will acknowledge all responses 
it receives to this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) is soliciting pre-proposals for an assistance agreement program 
(the ``State Innovation Grant Program'') in an effort to support 
innovation by State environmental regulatory agencies. In April 2002, 
EPA issued its plan for future innovation efforts, published as 
Innovating for Better Environmental Result: A Strategy to Guide the 
Next Generation of Innovation at EPA (EPA 100-R-02-002; http://www.epa.gov/innovation/pdf/strategy.pdf). This assistance agreement 
program strengthens EPA's partnership with the States by assisting 
State Innovation that supports the Strategy. EPA would like to help 
States build on previous experience and undertake strategic innovation 
projects that promote larger-scale models for ``next generation'' 
environmental protection and promise better environmental results. EPA 
is interested in funding projects that: (1) Go beyond a single facility 
experiment to promote change that is ``systems-oriented;'' (2) provide 
better results from a program, process, or sector-wide innovation; and 
(3) promote integrated (cross-media) environmental management with high 
potential for transfer to other States.
    ``Innovation in permitting'' is the theme for the 2006 
solicitation. Under this theme, EPA is interested in pre-proposals 
that:
    (a) Apply the Environmental Results Program model, an alternative 
to permitting scheme for small business sectors;
    (b) Explore the relationship between Environmental Management 
Systems and permitting; or
    (c) Seek to build State support for EPA's National Environmental 
Performance Track Program or similar State performance-based 
environmental leadership programs.
    EPA interprets ``innovation in permitting'' broadly to include 
permitting programs, pesticide licensing programs, and other 
alternatives or supplements to permitting programs. EPA is interested 
in creative approaches that both (1) achieve mandatory Federal and 
State standards and (2) encourage performance and address environmental 
issues above and beyond minimum requirements.
    This solicitation begins the fourth State Innovation Grant 
competition. Of the 22 projects that have been awarded in the prior 
rounds (including those with pending awards) eleven (11) are for 
development of Environmental Results Programs, seven (7) relate to 
Environmental Management Systems and permitting, two (2) are to enhance 
Performance-Based Environmental Leadership programs, two (2) are for 
Watershed-based permitting, and one (1) is Information Technology for 
the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to a permitting 
process. For information on the prior solicitations and awards, please 
see highlights of previous awards in Attachment 3 of the solicitation, 
or see the EPA State Innovation Grants Web site at http://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants.

    Dated: December 8, 2005.
Elizabeth Shaw,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation.
 [FR Doc. E5-7775 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P