Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 237 (Friday, December 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69366-69370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32078]



[[Page 69365]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Environmental Protection Agency





_______________________________________________________________________



Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 237 / Friday, December 10, 1999 / 
Notices

[[Page 69366]]



ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5606-5]


Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Solicitation of proposals.

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

SUMMARY: In support of the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative, EPA will 
accept proposals for the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program from the 
date of this notice until March 10, 2000. EPA is selecting pilot 
projects that will help political subdivisions within a state (e.g., 
cities, counties), hereafter referred to as local governments, enhance 
their involvement in the Superfund decision-making process. This 
involvement would focus primarily on assisting EPA in predicting future 
land uses for Superfund sites. However, EPA also will consider 
proposals for local governments to provide support to EPA with regard 
to land use related decisions made during the design or construction of 
a remedy where appropriate. ``Political subdivisions'' are units of 
government that meet their State's legislative definition of this term 
40 CFR 35.6015(a)(31). Although this proposal is directed toward an 
expanded role for local governments, Federally recognized Indian 
tribes, states, as well as entities other than local governments that 
qualify as ``political subdivisions'' under State law are also eligible 
to apply.
    There are a few aspects of the Superfund program that are essential 
to the successful cleanup of hazardous waste sites and will have 
continued importance under this initiative.
    First, EPA and States have been working together to clean up 
hazardous waste sites under the Superfund law. States have a 
substantial role in the program including a significant role in the 
decision-making process and important cost sharing and long-term 
maintenance responsibilities at sites. When considering whether to list 
a site on the National Priorities List (NPL), EPA first makes efforts 
to determine the State's position on listing the site. EPA also 
consults with States on other issues related to contaminated sites 
within the State boundaries. States also provide valuable expertise 
about State legal requirements related to reuse of sites. In addition, 
many States have established funding programs for the reuse of 
contaminated properties. EPA views the continued involvement of State 
environmental agencies in the implementation of pilot projects as a key 
component to the success of this initiative.
    In addition, the Agency's commitment to an ``enforcement first'' 
approach is essential to the successful cleanup of hazardous waste 
sites. Enforcement first means requiring the polluter, and not the 
taxpayer, to pay for the cleanup. At the same time, EPA retains the 
option to use the Trust Fund, with the intent to fully recover the 
Trust Fund expenditures, at sites where negotiations are unsuccessful 
at getting private parties to take necessary action. An effective 
Superfund program depends on a balanced approach that results in 
protective cleanups, ensures fairness to parties, and minimizes the 
impact on the Trust Fund. EPA, however, continues to consider private 
party responses the preferred approach for the majority of Superfund 
sites.
    Thus, key principles of the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program 
are to continue to work in partnership with States at Superfund sites, 
and to implement the existing ``enforcement first'' approach and a 
strong cost recovery program. These principles will guide EPA's 
selection of pilots under the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative.
    For each pilot, EPA intends to first offer potentially responsible 
parties (PRPs) the opportunity to finance or provide services to local 
governments or communities for specified activities such as site reuse 
assessment and planning, facilitating stakeholder involvement, and 
public outreach related to predicting future land uses to the extent 
relevant to response selection or development of design specifications. 
If EPA provides the funding, local governments will be offered several 
types of program assistance, including funds through cooperative 
agreements, the availability of personnel under the Intergovernmental 
Personnel Act (IPA), and access to facilitation services. Each pilot 
may receive up to $100,000 of EPA funding. EPA expects to select up to 
40 pilot projects by May 2000. These will complement the 10 pilot 
projects begun in FY 1999.

DATES: In order to be considered, a local government must submit its 
completed proposal to EPA on, or before, 5 p.m., March 10, 2000. See 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for more information on dates.

ADDRESSES: Mail proposals to Anne Hodge, Office of Emergency and 
Remedial Response (5204G), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. Proposals sent through registered mail 
should be sent to Ann Hodge, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, 
1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    To Obtain a Proposal Packet: Proposal packets can be obtained by 
calling the RCRA, Superfund & EPCRA Hotline at the following numbers.

Washington, DC Metro Area: (703) 412-9810
Outside Washington, DC Metro: (800) 424-9346
TDD for the Hearing Impaired: (800) 553-7672

    Applicants can also obtain a proposal packet by contacting the 
Superfund Redevelopment Initiative Helpline at (888) 526-4321.
    To Obtain a Proposal Packet on the Internet: If you want to obtain 
a proposal packet or an electronic proposal packet on the Internet, 
visit EPA's Web site at the following address on the World Wide Web: 
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/proposal.htm. This 
address will connect you to the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program 
page.
    Alternatively, applicants can use the following three-step process 
to reach the SR Pilot Program Web site:
    1. Visit EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov and press the Search 
button;
    2. In the Search box, type in ``Superfund Redevelopment Pilot 
Program'' and click on the Search button;
    3. Scroll down the list of documents and click on the title 
``Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program'' to link to the correct page.
    For more information on the electronic proposal packet, please read 
``Obtaining the Proposal Packet on the Internet'' and ``Using the 
Electronic Version of the Proposal Guidelines'' in the proposal packet.
    For Proposal Assistance: Additional information about the Pilot 
Program and the proposal guidelines can be obtained by contacting 
individuals from the EPA Regional Offices or by contacting the 
Superfund Redevelopment Initiative Helpline. For more information, see 
``Where Can I Go for Further Information or Proposal Assistance'' under 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Is the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative?

    The Superfund Redevelopment Initiative is EPA's nationally 
coordinated effort to facilitate the return of Superfund sites to 
productive use by selecting response actions consistent

[[Page 69367]]

with anticipated use to the extent possible. Future land use 
predictions are important in determining the appropriate extent of 
remediation because future use will affect the type and frequency of 
exposures that may occur at a site. The Superfund program's primary 
mission is the timely and efficient assessment, investigation, and 
cleanup of the nation's worst hazardous waste sites, with an emphasis 
on those sites on the NPL. EPA would like to build on current success 
in returning contaminated Superfund sites to commercial, ecological, 
recreational, residential, and public use. Working in partnership with 
States, tribes, other federal agencies, local governments, communities, 
land owners, lenders, developers, and parties potentially responsible 
for contamination, EPA has been developing cleanup plans that take into 
account the predicted future uses of the site, such as retail stores, 
office buildings, homes, golf courses, softball fields, and wetlands. 
Thus, Superfund sites, which were once thought to be unusable, are put 
back into productive use.

What Is the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program?

    EPA will select pilots for the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot 
Program based on their potential to demonstrate how local government 
involvement can support the return of Superfund sites to productive 
uses. Local governments can facilitate the redevelopment of former 
sites, in part, by predicting future land uses and working with EPA, 
States, PRPs, and landowners as site cleanup decisions are made and 
implemented. In Spring of 1999, EPA identified 10 pilot sites based on 
preliminary eligibility and evaluation criteria. These targeted pilot 
sites will serve as models for the open proposal process.
    To broaden the pilot program, EPA has developed an open proposal 
process, which is the focus of this Federal Register notice. During the 
open proposal process, eligible applicants may submit a project 
proposal outlining the types of activities they are proposing to 
conduct and the types of support they are requesting from EPA. Although 
this proposal is directed toward a new role for local governments, 
federally recognized Indian tribes and States are eligible to apply.
    Many activities at Superfund sites are being undertaken by PRPs. 
Where there are viable PRPs, applicants who submit a proposal should be 
aware that EPA will seek to have the PRP fund such a project. 
References to ``EPA assistance'' in this document may result in EPA 
efforts to gain PRP assistance to involve the local government in 
decision making at the site. In addition, the activities funded by EPA 
under this initiative are considered cost recoverable, and EPA will 
make every effort to recover these costs.
    A Proposal Evaluation Panel, composed of EPA Regional and 
Headquarters staff and possibly other federal employees, will review 
the merits of each proposal. EPA will announce successful pilot 
applicants by May 2000.

What Is the Statutory Basis for the Pilot Program?

    Funding and services for the pilot program are authorized under 
section 104(d)(1), ``Cooperative Agreements,'' of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as 
amended (CERCLA or Superfund), 42 U.S.C. 9604(d)(1).

How Will EPA Determine if the Pilot Program Is Successful?

    EPA will use the following measures to determine the success of the 
pilot program.
    •  A letter or report from the pilot awardee that describes 
the predicted reuse option for the site, including a summary of 
community and stakeholder input where appropriate.
    •  The selected response is consistent with the predicted 
reuse to the extent practicable.

What Are the Eligibility Criteria?

    EPA must verify that the applicant and the project are both 
eligible for assistance under the Pilot Program. In order to be 
eligible for funding under this program, an applicant must be able to 
answer ``yes'' to the following three requirements:
    4. The applicant is a political subdivision, a federally recognized 
Indian tribe, or a state.
    5. The applicant is not a Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) at 
the site, or, if liable, the applicant has a signed settlement 
agreement with EPA.
    6. The site within the applicant's jurisdiction is:
    1. Proposed or final on the NPL (including sites where construction 
of the final cleanup remedy is not yet complete);
or
    b. Not on the NPL, but significant involvement by EPA is planned at 
the site and a cleanup decision is still pending.

What Types of Activities May Receive Assistance?

    EPA and CERCLA support meaningful participation of stakeholders in 
decisions regarding cleanup and potential future land uses at Superfund 
sites to the extent relevant to response selection, design and 
implementation. This initiative envisions awarding EPA assistance to 
perform the following types of activities at specific sites.
    •  Reuse Assessments and Reuse Plans to predict the 
reasonably anticipated future land use for the site that will provide 
valuable information that can guide the selection, design and 
implementation of a response action to be consistent with the predicted 
reuse to the extent allowed by law. These activities could be performed 
by in-house staff, consultants, or IPA personnel with the appropriate 
background and technical experience. Some of the reuse assessment and 
planning activities that can be conducted are found in EPA's guidance 
on considering land use in remedy selection (see section entitled 
``Developing Assumptions on Future Land Use'' in Land Use in the CERCLA 
Remedy Selection Process, OSWER Directive No. 9355.7-04, available on 
the Web at http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/ascii/land__use.txt).
    •  Facilitation Services by neutral parties who, by working 
with state and local government representatives, identify and involve 
community stakeholders in developing views on what future land uses 
might be reasonably predicted for the site.
    •  Coordination among different levels of government, 
community members, and organizations interested in natural resources 
(e.g., recreational, sport hunting, and environmental organizations) or 
economic redevelopment to identify reasonably anticipated future uses 
of the land.
    •  Public Outreach including conducting public meetings, 
publishing newsletters and other informational material for the public, 
and developing strategies to educate and involve community leaders in 
predicting reuse or in the Superfund cleanup and decision-making 
processes related to a specific Superfund site. A community may wish to 
use facilitation services to accomplish this activity.
    •  Training and Workshops for community members and local 
governments on determining anticipated future land uses and the 
Superfund cleanup and remedy selection processes as related to a 
specific Superfund site (this may also include information on

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the long-term implications and the need to maintain land use 
restrictions).
    •  Support for a Citizen Advisory Group to inform and advise 
the community in projecting reuse of a site. For example, support may 
include provision of meeting space, or newsletter development and 
distribution.
    •  Other Technical Assistance to the community from 
consultants, non-governmental organizations, and universities to study 
and develop recommendations on legal, fiscal, economic, and other 
issues as appropriate to project site reuse and support the selection 
of a remedy consistent with that reuse.

What Types of Activities Can Not Receive Assistance?

    EPA can not provide funding for activities beyond the scope of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA). For example, EPA can not provide funding for the following 
activities:
    •  Matching the site with prospective developers;
    •  Land acquisition;
    •  Developing master land use plans that extend beyond the 
boundaries of the Superfund site or that develop information unrelated 
to the issue of response selection, design, or implementation. 
(However, this initiative does not discourage coordination with area-
wide land use planning efforts);
    •  ``Lobbying'' efforts by the recipient (e.g., lobbying 
members of Congress, or lobbying for other federal grants, cooperative 
agreements or contracts). Federal assistance funds may not be used for 
fund-raising purposes such as identifying foundations and non-profit 
organizations to attract financing, or developing information unrelated 
to issues of response selection, design, or implementation;
    •  Matching any other federal funds without specific 
statutory authority; Activities carried out by the local government as 
part of their routine governmental functions (e.g., zoning, eminent 
domain activities, or clearing title to the land); or
    •  Physical on-site development work or actual cleanup or 
other response activities associated with such cleanups (e.g., 
landscaping).

What Types of Assistance Will EPA Provide?

    EPA will offer pilot awardees an array of program assistance that 
will allow them to accomplish the activities outlined in their 
proposal. EPA will provide up to $100,000 in financial assistance and/
or services to each pilot. Where there are viable PRPs, they will be 
asked to provide this support for the Pilot Program in lieu of EPA 
using the Trust Fund. The type and exact amount of assistance provided 
will depend on the specific activities to be performed. EPA will 
consult with local governments selected for the pilots about which of 
the following assistance will be provided. In order to qualify for 
assistance, local governments will be asked to provide detailed 
information on specific work products, schedules, and budgets related 
to their project activities. EPA will use cooperative agreements to 
provide monetary funds to local governments. In addition, local 
governments may also choose other types of assistance that would 
provide personnel or facilitation services. The types of assistance are 
as follows:
    •  Cooperative Agreements: These agreements will be used to 
award funds to local governments to support and stimulate their 
involvement in the remedy selection process. Cooperative agreements 
outline the terms and conditions to be met by the recipient of the 
funds. The support provided through this effort will relate to 
predicting potential future land use and designing and constructing 
remedies consistent with that use to the extent possible.
    •  Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignments: EPA may 
help fund a position for a federal agency expert who can work with the 
local government on predicting site reuse, which in turn will help 
provide information for the selection of a remedy that is consistent 
with that reuse to the extent possible. For example, an IPA assignment 
can be used to establish a position such as that of an expert advisor. 
Both the EPA and the local government play a role in funding an IPA 
assignment. The IPA assignment typically would be for one year, with 
the opportunity for an extension. For the purpose of these pilots, the 
assignment of a federal agency expert to a recipient community is part 
of the $100,000 cap.
    •  Facilitation Services: Through its facilitation services 
contract, EPA may provide the services of a professional facilitator to 
assist the local government in predicting the reasonably anticipated 
future uses for a site. Among other things, professional neutrals can 
help identify all the parties that have a stake in the outcome of a 
process, define the issues to be decided, clarify roles and 
responsibilities, air issues of environmental justice, draft procedural 
guidelines and agendas, and bring about partnerships among multiple 
parties with the goal of increasing the reliability of the prediction 
of reuse.

What Is the Proposal Evaluation Panel (PEP)?

    To ensure a fair selection process, EPA will utilize a Proposal 
Evaluation Panel or PEP. The purpose of the PEP will be to ensure that 
the applicants and their projects are eligible and to assess the 
proposals against the evaluation criteria outlined below. The PEP's 
recommendations will be presented to EPA Senior Management for final 
selection.

What Are the Proposal Guidelines?

    The proposal guidelines provide directions to potential applicants 
who wish to apply for a Superfund Redevelopment Pilot. The guidelines 
contain background information on the pilot program, outline the 
requirements for a successful proposal, and provide additional 
information related to the pilot program. Individuals within the EPA 
Regional offices are available to provide applicants with assistance in 
answering general questions about the proposal guidelines. Applicants 
are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with the EPA contact 
from their Region (see below).

What Should My Proposal Look Like?

    A successful proposal should be clear, concise, and strictly follow 
the evaluation criteria. A successful proposal should also provide 
sufficient detail to support the determination that the proposed 
project best addresses the intent of the pilot program. Vague 
descriptions and repetition may reduce the rating. Proposals providing 
the best evidence of a true need, a quality project, a clear public 
benefit, and appropriate use of assistance will receive higher scores.
    A successful proposal should contain informative answers for each 
of the following sections:
    •  Cover Page and Eligibility Assessment Worksheet, which 
provide basic information about the applicant and their eligibility;
    •  Site Summary, which provides a factual and historical 
context for the site, including site ownership;
    •  Project Overview, which outlines the applicant's general 
goals and specific objectives for the project; and
    •  Responses to the Evaluation Criteria, which are explained 
below.

What Are the Evaluation Criteria?

    EPA has developed evaluation criteria in order to distinguish the 
most promising eligible candidates for the

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pilot program. The evaluation criteria, outlined below, will be the 
primary basis on which EPA will consider an applicant's proposal for a 
pilot. The PEP will carefully review each proposal as to how well it 
addresses the evaluation criteria. Each criterion has been assigned a 
certain number of points, with the total number of points equal to 100. 
Proposals can obtain partial or full credit based on how they address 
each criterion. A successful proposal will obtain a high score in each 
of the following sections:
    •  Project Strategy (10 points);
    •  Budget (10 points);
    •  Superfund Cleanup Phase (10 points);
    •  Anticipated Role of Current/Future Site Owner (10 points);
    •  Community Involvement (20 points);
    •  Anticipated State Role (10 points); and
    •  Clearly Identified Value Added Through EPA Assistance (30 
points).

How Do I Obtain a Proposal Packet?

    Proposal packets can be obtained by calling the RCRA, Superfund & 
EPCRA Hotline at the following numbers.

Washington, DC Metro Area: (703) 412-9810
Outside Washington, DC Metro:(800) 424-9346
TDD for the Hearing Impaired: (800) 553-7672

    A proposal packet can also be obtained by contacting the Superfund 
Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) Helpline, staffed by EPA support 
contractors, at (888) 526-4321.
    Proposal packets contain the following documents:

    (1) Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program Overview;
    (2) Pilot Program Proposal Guidelines;
    (3) ``Using the Electronic Version of the Proposal Guidelines';
    (4) ``Obtaining the Proposal Packet on the Internet'';
    (5) Types of EPA Assistance Fact Sheet;
    (6) International City/County Management Association Peer Match 
Information;
    (7) EPA Contact Information Sheet;
    (8) Summary of Targeted Pilots;
    (9) Superfund Redevelopment Initiative Overview;
    (10) Summaries of Superfund Redevelopment Activities; and
    (11) Selected One-Page Summaries of Site Success Stories.

How Do I Obtain an Electronic Version of the Proposal Packet?

    To further assist potential applicants, EPA has also developed an 
electronic version of the proposal packet. To access the proposal 
guidelines and proposal packet on the Internet, use either one of the 
following methods. The proposal guidelines and the proposal packet can 
be downloaded from EPA's Web site at the following address: http://
www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/proposal.htm. This address will 
directly connect you to the Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program Web 
page where you can obtain these documents.
    Alternatively, applicants can use the following three-step process 
to connect to the Web site:
    1. Visit EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov and press the Search 
button;
    2. In the Search box, type in ``Superfund Redevelopment Pilot 
Program'' and click on the Search button; and
    3. Scroll down the list of documents and click on the title 
``Superfund Redevelopment Pilot Program'' to link to the correct page.
    The electronic version of the proposal guidelines will provide 
applicants with the ability to download a suggested proposal format and 
other information and to enter the information directly using their 
computer. The proposal guidelines and suggested format are provided in 
both Corel WordPerfect version 9 and Microsoft Word version 97.
    For more information on using the electronic proposal guidelines, 
please refer to the ``Using the Electronic Version of the Proposal 
Guidelines'' and ``Obtaining the Proposal Packet on the Internet'' in 
the proposal packet.

What Is the Deadline for Submitting Proposals?

    The deadline for EPA receipt of proposals is 5 p.m., March 10, 
2000. Proposals must have an official U.S. Postal Service postmark and 
arrive at EPA by this date and time.

Where Can I Go for Further Information or Proposal Assistance?

    Applicants are encouraged to contact and, if possible, meet with 
EPA Regional officials to have any questions answered and to discuss 
the initiative. Individuals within the EPA Regional Offices are 
available to answer general questions and concerns about the Pilot 
Program and the proposal guidelines. However, EPA cannot provide 
information or assistance related to a specific site, or any other 
information that would give a particular applicant an advantage. 
Information about the Superfund process is also available. Applicants 
can contact their Region directly using the information provided in the 
following table:

                                          REGIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Region                           States                      Address, Phone, Fax, E-Mail
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA Region 1: Don Berger...........  CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT.....  1 Congress Street, Ste. 1100, Boston, MA 02114-
                                                                   2023. Phone (617) 918-1351 Fax (617) 918-
                                                                   1294; berger.don@epa.gov.
EPA Region 2: Dan Forger...........  NJ, NY, PR, VI.............  290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10007-
                                                                   1866. Phone (212) 637-4402 Fax (212) 637-
                                                                   4439; forger.dan@epa.gov.
EPA Region 3: Walt Graham..........  DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV.....  1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029.
                                                                   Phone (215) 814-3146 Fax (215) 814-3002;
                                                                   graham.walter@epa.gov.
EPA Region 4: Mike Norman..........  AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC,  Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street,
                                      TN.                          S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303-8960. Phone (404) 562-
                                                                   8792 Fax (404) 562-8788;
                                                                   norman.michael@epa.gov.
EPA Region 5: Jim Mayka............  IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI.....  77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604-
                                                                   3507. Phone (312) 353-9229 Fax (312) 886-
                                                                   4071; mayka.james@epa.gov.
EPA Region 6: Barbara Greenfield...  AR, LA, NM, OK, TX.........  1445 Ross Avenue, Ste. 1200, Dallas, TX 75202-
                                                                   2733. Phone (214) 665-3111 Fax (214) 665-
                                                                   6660; greenfield.barbara@epa.gov.
EPA Region 7: Bob Feild............  IA, KS, MO, NE.............  901 North Fifth Street, Kansas City, KS 66101.
                                                                   Phone (913) 551-7697 Fax (913) 551-7063;
                                                                   feild.robert@epa.gov.
EPA Region 8: Victor Ketellapper...  CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY.....  999 18th Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 80202-
                                                                   2466. Phone (303) 312-6578 Fax (303) 312-
                                                                   6897; ketellapper.victor@epa.gov.
EPA Region 9: Jim Hanson...........  AZ, CA, HI, NV, AS, GU.....  75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.
                                                                   Phone (415) 744-2237 Fax (415) 744-1796;
                                                                   hanson.jim@epa.gov.

[[Page 69370]]

 
EPA Region 10: Susan Morales.......  AK, ID, OR, WA.............  1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. Phone
                                                                   (206) 553-7299 Fax (206) 553-0124;
                                                                   morales.susan@epa.gov.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) Helpline is also 
available to answer general questions related to the Superfund 
Redevelopment Initiative and the Pilot Program. The SRI Helpline number 
is (888) 526-4321. More information on the SRI Helpline can be found in 
the EPA Contact Information Sheet in the proposal packet.
    In addition, State environmental officials may also provide 
valuable insight for an applicant. As noted earlier, States have an 
important role to fulfill at Superfund sites, and State governments may 
have complimentary programs that could further enhance a local 
government's proposal.

When Will EPA Announce Pilot Awards?

    The EPA will announce pilots awardees in May 2000.

How Will EPA Notify Applicants of Awards?

    If EPA receives a proposal by the deadline, the Agency will mail a 
letter to the applicant confirming that their proposal has been 
received and will be evaluated. After EPA chooses the pilot awardees 
from the group of eligible proposals, the Agency will mail a 
confirmation letter to the successful applicants informing them of 
their selection as a Superfund Redevelopment Pilot.
    Applicants with proposals that are not selected will be informed in 
writing. EPA will explain why the PEP did not choose their proposals 
and will provide them with information about the potential for 
obtaining alternative sources of funding for determining the reasonably 
anticipated future uses at their sites.

What Will I Be Required To Do If I Am Chosen as a Pilot?

    When appropriate, EPA will ask successful applicants to complete 
the paperwork and establish a formal cooperative agreement. This 
paperwork will include an application for federal assistance, budget 
sheets, certification forms, and other requirements as negotiated 
between EPA and the pilot awardee. The applicant may also need to 
provide legal opinions regarding authority to enter into the agreement 
and do the work, and information demonstrating that the applicant meets 
basic grants management and financial accountability requirements. If 
another type of assistance other than funds is involved, the applicant 
may also have to provide information for that agreement. The EPA 
Regional contact will work closely with the applicant to process and 
finalize the cooperative agreement and/or other assistance agreement.

    Authority: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, 
and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 104.

    Dated: December 3, 1999.
Timothy Fields, Jr.,
Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-32078 Filed 12-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U