[Federal Register: December 17, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 77255-77256]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17de02-45]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FRL-7422-7]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104(k)(6); Announcement of Proposal
Deadlines for the Competition for the 2003 National Brownfields Job
Training 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 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin to accept
proposals for the National Brownfields Job Training Grants on December
17, 2002. Proposals are due on January 24, 2003. This notice provides
information on how to obtain the application guidelines.
Funding for the brownfields job training grants is authorized under
section 104(k)(6) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA), 42
U.S.C. 9604(k). These grants provide training to facilitate site
assessment, remediation of brownfields sites, or site preparation. (See
Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.811; a revised CFDA
number entry has been submitted for approval). Eligibility for
Brownfields job training grants is limited to ``eligible entities'' as
defined in section 104(k)(1) of CERCLA and non profit organizations.
The National brownfields job training grants will be awarded on a
competitive basis using a one step proposal selection process. EPA
expects to make up 10 Brownfields job training grant awards in fiscal
year 2003, contingent upon the availability of funds. The maximum
funding level for each grant will be $ 200,000. Applicants are
encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with EPA Regional
Brownfields Contacts.
DATES: This action is effective as of December 17, 2002. The
application deadline for Proposals for the 2003 job training grants is
January 24, 2003. All Proposals must be postmarked by USPS or delivered
to U.S. EPA Headquarters no later than January 24, 2003, and a
duplicate copy sent to the appropriate U.S. EPA Regional Office.
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.
ADDRESSES: Mailing addresses for U.S. EPA Regional Offices and U.S. EPA
Headquarters are provided in the Proposal Guidelines.
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 of 1980, as
amended (CERCLA) to authorize federal financial assistance for
brownfields revitalization, including grants for assessment, cleanup,
and job training. Funding for the brownfields job training grants is
authorized under section 104(k)(6) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(6).
Eligibility for Brownfields job training grants is limited to
``eligible entities'' as defined in section 104(k)(1) of CERCLA and non
profit organizations.
Eligible governmental entities 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
[[Page 77256]]
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. In
addition, Intertribal Consortia, other than those composed of
ineligible Alaskan tribes, are eligible to apply for the brownfields
job training grants.
For the purposes of determining a nonprofit organization's
eligibility for the brownfields job training 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.
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 Job Training Grants (November 2002). Proposals will be
evaluated and ranked by National Evaluation Panels. 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. Applicants must meet the threshold criteria to be
considered for an award of a grant. Responses to the evaluation
criteria will be utilized to determine whether to make an award and the
amount of funds to be awarded.
Job Training Grants
Threshold Criteria
A. Location of Project
B. Applicant Eligibility
C. Proof of Non-Duplication of effort
Ranking Criteria
A. Community Need (a maximum of 10 points may be received for this
criterion)
B. Institutional Capacity (a maximum of 15 points may be received for
this criterion)
C. Training Program Objectives and Plans (a maximum of 20 points may be
received for this criterion)
D. Budget, Schedule and Leveraging (a maximum of 25 points may be
received for this criterion)
E. Community Involvement and Partnerships (a maximum of 20 points may
be received for this criterion)
F. Measures of Success (a maximum of 10 points may be received for this
criterion)
Final selections will be made by EPA senior management after
considering the ranking of Final Proposals by the National Evaluation
Panels 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; designation as a Federal Empowerment Zone, Enterprise
Community, or Renewal Community; population; and whether the applicant
is a federally recognized Indian tribe. There is no guarantee of an
award.
Dated: December 5, 2002.
Sven Kaiser,
Acting Director, Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment,
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 02-31677 Filed 12-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P