FACTS ON U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION FIVE 1 N. Wacker Or. Chicago, Illinois 60606 312-353-5800 Solid Waste Management Branch The Solid Waste Management Branch, within the Categorical Programs Division, provides financial and technical assistance to State and local agencies in the development of acceptable solid waste management programs. The Solid Ľaste Disposal Act of 1965 T as amended by the Resource Recovery Act of 1970, authorizes the following programs. Solid Waste Planning Grants can be awarded to State, Interstate, Local or Regional agencies having responsibilities for developing solid waste plans for the area they serve. The Regional Office provides information concerning Planning Grants to State, local and regional agencies, assists eligible agencies in preparing applications, reviews and approves applications for funding, monitors grants during the planning process, and assists the grantee as needed during the planning process and in the development of the final plan. Demonstration Grants can be made to public agencies and not-for- profit corporations to demonstrate new or improved methods of collecting, storing, transporting, processing or disposing of solid wastes. Pre-proposals for specific types of projects are solicited from eligible agencies through advertisements published in the Commerce Business Daily;, a publication of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Such solicitations are published from time to time as the need for information arises. Resource Recovery Grants can be made to public agencies and not-for- profit corporations to demonstrate new or improved resource recovery systems. Pre-proposals are solicited in the same manner as Demonstration Grants. The Regional Office provides information concerning Demonstration Grant applications and assists in the preparation of applications for both Demonstration and Resource Recovery Grants. The branch visits the project periodically during operation and provides any assistance needed by the Project Officer. Training Grants can be made to States, educational institutions, and not-for-profit corporations to develop training programs for persons involved in management, supervision, design, operation or maintenance of EPA905-F-73-013 ------- solid waste disposal and resource recovery equipment and facilities. The Regional Office provides information concerning availability and conditions under which training grants can be awarded, assists in the development of Training Grant applications, participates in training pro- grams, and provides technical assistance upon request. Technical Assistance can be made available to other Federal agencies, and to State and local agencies in the planning and development of resource recovery and solid waste management programs. Assistance is provided by the Regional Office on request with such things as the preparation of applications for the various forms of financial assistance, by making available technical literature developed by EPA, in finding solutions to technical problems, and in many other ways related to the development and implementation of improved solid waste management. Environmental Impact Statements are reviewed by the Solid Waste Management Branch to evaluate the impact of proposed solid waste management practices during construction and operation of facilities which are required by law to prepare such statements. Such reviews are considered to be one form of technical assistance. The Solid Waste Management Branch is leading the Region V effort on "Mission 5000," an EPA sponsored nationwide drive to convert dumps to sani- tary landfills, incinerators, or some other acceptable disposal means. The EPA Office of Solid Waste Management will render technical assistance, in- cluding furnishing recommended standards and model legislation for the "Mission 5000" program. ------- |