[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 166 (Friday, August 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51827-51828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21781]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6858-3]


Regulatory Reinvention (XL) Pilot Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Project XL Draft Final Project 
Agreement: Chicago Regional Air Quality and Economic Development 
Project.

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SUMMARY: EPA is requesting comments on a draft Project XL Final Project 
Agreement (FPA) for the Chicago Regional Air Quality and Economic 
Development Project. The FPA is a voluntary agreement developed 
collaboratively by Chicago Department of Environment (Hereafter CDOE), 
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Project XL, announced in the 
Federal Register on May 23, 1995 (60 FR 27282), gives regulated 
entities the opportunity to develop alternative strategies that will 
replace or modify specific regulatory requirements on the condition 
that they produce greater environmental benefits.
    In this proposal, Section 173(a)(1)(B) of the Clean Air Act will be 
used to promote cleaner air and economic development in the Chicago 
Metropolitan area. Section 173(a)(1)(B) allows the Administrator of the 
USEPA, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD), to identify a zone in which economic development 
should be targeted. For the purposes of this proposal, such zones will 
be called ``Development Zones.'' A new or modified major stationary 
source which locates in a Development Zone within the Chicago non-
attainment area would draw emission reductions from a growth allowance 
generated from the State's emission inventory in lieu of obtaining 
emission offsets. The growth allowance would be created using emissions 
reduction activities of Chicago and other municipalities. Under this 
proposed project, 40% of the emission reductions which go into the 
growth allowance will be retired. The remaining 60% will be made 
available to sources which locate in development zones.

DATES: The period for submission of comments ends on TBD September 8, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments on the draft Final Project Agreement should be 
sent to: Steve Marquardt USEPA Region V (AR-18J) 77 West Jackson 
Street, Chicago, IL 60604. Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Marquardt 
at 312-886-5824.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain a copy of the draft Final 
Project Agreement or Fact Sheet, contact Steve Marquardt USEPA, Region 
V, 77 West Jackson Street (3HS23), Chicago, Il 60604. The FPA and 
related documents are also available via the Internet at the following 
location: http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL. In addition, the draft FPA is 
available at the City of Chicago Department of the Environment, 30 N. 
LaSalle, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60602. Questions to EPA regarding the

[[Page 51828]]

documents can be directed to Tim Torma at (202) 260-5180 or Steve 
Marquardt at (312) 353-3214. To be included on the Chicago Project XL 
mailing list about future public meetings, XL progress reports and 
other mailings from CDOE on the XL project, contact Alexandra Holt at 
(312) 744-3172, CDOE, 30 N. LaSalle Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60602. For 
information on all other aspects of the XL Program contact Christopher 
Knopes at the following address: Office of Policy Economics and 
Innovation, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460, Room M3802 (1802), 
Washington, DC 20460. Additional information on Project XL, including 
documents referenced in this notice, other EPA policy documents related 
to Project XL, regional XL contacts, application information, and 
descriptions of existing XL projects and proposals, are available via 
the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL.

    Dated: August 21, 2000.
Elizabeth A. Shaw,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation.
[FR Doc. 00-21781 Filed 8-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P