FY2000 - 2001 Great Lakes Priorities and Funding Guidance

GLNPO REQUEST FOR PREPROPOSALS

GLNPO will provide funding, technical support, and vessel support to assist contaminated sediment work in priority geographic areas in the Great Lakes. GLNPO's emphasis and ultimate objective is to assist in bringing about remediation of contaminated sediments at these sites.

We are particularly interested in the following projects:

• sediment assessments (chemical, physical, biological) to better map contamination at a site.

• sediment assessment in areas where subsistence fishing is high.

• data collection to better understand the relationship between contaminated sediments and fish residues.

• data collection to support the development of risk/hazard assessments.

• bench/pilot studies to support remedial efforts.

• beneficial re-use of sediments, including associated human and ecological risk.

• assessment of Binational Toxics Strategy Priority Pollutants in Great Lakes sediments.

• assessment projects to determine benefits/impacts of remediation.

• on the ground sediment remediation.

Evaluations will also consider the specific needs and priorities of geographic areas within the Great Lakes, particularly those of Lakewide Management Plans and geographic initiatives such as the Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern. Projects dealing with the following topics will receive great consideration:

• Lake Erie and the St. Clair/Lake St. Clair/Detroit River basin. Projects addressing the chemicals associated with the beneficial use impairments as identified by the Lake Erie LaMP (PCBs, mercury, PAHs, lead, chlordane, dioxins, DDE/DDT, mirex), with priority given to projects involving PCBs and mercury.

• Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, and Niagara River basins. Projects which address the critical pollutants as identified in the 1998 Stage I Lake Ontario LaMP and/or the Niagara River Toxics Management Plan and projects that protect or restore habitats within these basins.

• Lake Michigan basin. Projects for (i) the possible beneficial reuse of contaminated sediments and (ii) tools and models for public education and involvement in sediment cleanups.

• Lake Superior basin. Projects addressing either of the St. Louis River or St. Mary’s River Areas Of Concern (AOCs) and their directives to remove impairments of beneficial uses.

Criteria. Project selection criteria include consideration of: (i) Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action, (ii) Scientific/Professional Merit, (iii) Innovativeness, (iv) Performance Capability, (v) Stakeholders, (vi) Geographic Scope, (vii) Dissemination of Results, (viii) Appropriate Budget, (ix) Leveraging, and (x) Availability of Other Funding Sources. We especially welcome projects which address environmental justice and have community-based support. Applicants with existing GLNPO projects should be up-to-date on reporting and other requirements.

GLNPO's Preproposal evaluation will seek a balance among sediments activities; however, Preproposals will be prioritized in the following order: (i) on-the-ground cleanup, (ii) remedial design, and (iii) field work and assessment. Evaluations will also consider:

• public outreach component of activity.

• availability and assessment of baseline conditions for remediation proposals.

• likelihood that remedial measures, including enforcement, will result.

Contact: Marc Tuchman (312) 353-1369

Pollution Prevention and Reduction/Binational Toxics Strategy $700,000*

*Planning Target - subject to change for various reasons including Congressional and Agency action such as development and approval of annual operating plan.

GLNPO will provide assistance for pollution prevention, reduction or elimination, with an emphasis on substances which are persistent and toxic, especially those which bioaccumulate, from the Great Lakes basin. Priority will be given to those projects that support the goals of the US-Canada Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy. For reference, this document may be found at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/bns/strategy.html. The Binational Toxics Strategy establishes reduction challenges for twelve ALevel I@ persistent toxic substances: alkyl-lead, benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dioxins and furans, mercury, octachlorostyrene (OCS), PCBs, and five canceled pesticides (aldrin/dieldrin, chlordane, DDT, mirex, and toxaphene). The US has also identified ALevel II@ substances for pollution prevention activities: 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlrobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlrobutadiene, hexachlrocyclohexanes. Although priority will be given to those projects that further BNS environmental goals, Preproposals aiming to prevent the use and release of other pollutants having the potential to significantly impact the Great Lakes ecosystem will also be considered.

We are particularly interested in the following projects:

• Foster adoption of green technologies.1 In this context, green technology involves reducing or eliminating the use or generation of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances - including feedstocks, reagents, solvents, products and byproducts-during design, manufacture and use of chemical products and processes.

• Source characterization: Assessment of potential sources of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances.

• Indicators of progress toward virtual elimination of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances.

• Proper disposal of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances.

• Foster adoption of innovative products that would reduce the use and release of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances and that are consistent with the principles of EPA’s Environmentally-Preferable Purchasing Program.

Evaluations will also consider the specific needs and priorities of geographic areas within the Great Lakes, particularly those of Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) and geographic initiatives such as the Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) for Areas of Concern. Reviewers associated with each of the lakes will prioritize pollution reduction or elimination activities targeting critical pollutants and priority toxics identified in the respective LaMP, RAP or other applicable management plan. Projects that can jointly target common goals under the BNS and the LaMPs will be favorably received. Projects dealing with the following topics will receive great consideration:

• Lake Erie and St.Clair/Lake St. Clair/Detroit River basins. Projects addressing the chemicals associated with the beneficial use impairments as identified by the Lake Erie LaMP (PCBs, mercury, PAHs, lead, chlordane, dioxins, DDE/DDT, mirex) with priority given to projects involving PCBs and mercury or which reduce the release of atrazine to the waters of Lake Erie.

• Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River and Niagara River basins. Projects addressing pollutants identified in the 1998 Stage I Lake Ontario LaMP, and other persistent, bioaccumulative toxics as well as projects along the Niagara River which address the priority toxics identified in the Niagara River Toxics Management Plan.

• Lake Michigan basin. Projects building on or replicating (i) the Cook County, Illinois PCB/Mercury Clean Sweep Partnership Pilot or (ii) the Lake Michigan Forum’s Indiana steel mills mercury voluntary reduction agreement.

• Lake Superior basin. Projects addressing the chemicals s identified as critical pollutants: PCBs, dioxins, DDT and metabolites, toxapehene, chlordane, aldrin/dieldrin, mercury, hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene, with priority given to projects involving PCBs and dioxins (with special emphasis on burn barrels as a source). Projects which can build on or replicate the PCB/Mercury Clean Sweep Partnership Pilot of Cook County, Illinois.

• Lake Huron basin. Pollution prevention efforts are necessary to address the leveling-off of previous declines of toxic contaminants. The Lake Huron Initiative has identified priority pollutants which should receive special attention including PCBs, Chlordane, Dioxin, Mercury. Pollution prevention efforts, along with habitat conservation, will help ensure a sustainable Lake Huron watershed.

Criteria. Project selection criteria include consideration of: (i) Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action, (ii) Scientific/Professional Merit, (iii) Innovativeness, (iv) Performance Capability, (v) Stakeholders, (vi) Geographic Scope, (vii) Dissemination of Results, (viii) Appropriate Budget, (ix) Leveraging, and (x) Availability of Other Funding Sources. We especially welcome projects which address environmental justice and have community-based support. Applicants with existing GLNPO projects should be up-to-date on reporting and other requirements.

Projects which include an evaluation of the potential reductions of pollutants in the environment will be favored.

Contacts: Rita Cestaric 312-886-6815; Danielle Green 312-886-7594
Further information: Please see http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/p2.html

Ecological (Habitat) Protection and Restoration - $400,000*

*Planning Target - subject to change for various reasons including Congressional and Agency action such as development and approval of annual operating plan.

GLNPO will assist its partners by funding activities which demonstrate new and innovative practices and tools for protecting and restoring aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland ecosystems. When developing Preproposals, partners should consider (i) concepts, such as biodiversity investment areas (BIA), discussed in the 1996 and 1998 State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) papers; (ii) the basinwide indicators developed for SOLEC 98; (iii) new ideas generated from projects described in the1996 GLNPO Mining Ideas Report and other projects described on the GLNPO website; and (iv) the 1994 report prepared by The Nature Conservancy and funded in part by USEPA, The Conservation of Biological Diversity in the Great Lakes: Issues and Opportunities. (The above documents can be found on the GLNPO web site at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/ecopage.html or contact Larry Brail at 312-886-7474  for copies.)

Projects that are basinwide or regional/local in scale are encouraged. The following guidelines apply:

Basinwide: Basinwide projects are those that have large-scale implications for the Great Lakes ecosystem. It is not sufficient to say the project could be used as a model basinwide - the Preproposal must indicate what will occur basinwide as a result of the demonstration, as well as how this will be accomplished. Suggested topics are:

• Projects which encourage the improvement of the health of aquatic and biological resources of the Great Lakes basin.

• Projects which encourage stewardship of public and private property to preserve biodiversity and stimulate ecological as well as economic sustainability.

Regional/Local: Regional or local projects are those that assess ecosystem needs, formulate regional resource management plans, and initiate ecological protection and restoration demonstration projects. Projects may initiate actions consistent with Lakewide Management Plan priorities, Remedial Action Plan priorities, biodiversity investment area needs as outlined in the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (1998) papers, or Tribal priorities. New ideas are encouraged. The following regional priorities should be taken into consideration.

Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, and Niagara River basins: Projects which will assist the Four Parties to address the loss of fish and wildlife habitat use impairment identified in the 1998 Stage I Lake Ontario LaMP. Potential projects include implementation of new habitat protection or restoration projects, evaluation of the success or effectiveness of completed habitat restoration, an inventory of existing natural resources, an inventory of existing restoration/protection/enhancement projects, and on the ground projects which address a gap in existing restoration activities or proposed in partnership with existing restoration/protection enhancement activities. Projects in the Niagara River and St. Lawrence River drainage basin could address the loss of fish and wildlife habitat, including an inventory of existing resources and on the ground projects to restore/protect/enhance habitat.

Lake Erie and the St. Clair/Lake St. Clair/Detroit River basins. Projects which (i) address the loss of fish and wildlife habitat or (ii) demonstrate innovative technologies for control of pollutant loadings from the watershed.

Lake Huron basin. Projects which (i) support the goals and objectives outlined by the International Alvar Initiative or (ii) demonstrate the connection between coastal marshes and the fishery.

Lake Michigan basin. Projects which (i) identify or demonstrate brownfield to habitat restoration, possibly with attention to establishing native vegetation on steel slag areas, (ii) protect or restore sand dunes with native vegetation, or (iii) protect critical habitats from destruction or degradation, i.e. wetlands.

Lake Superior basin. Projects which (i) address the gaps in species and ecological community inventories, (ii) further resource assessment at a more local level, or (iii) protect or restore biodiversity as a result of innovative techniques and partnerships.

Criteria. Project selection criteria include consideration of: (i) Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action, (ii) Scientific/Professional Merit, (iii) Innovativeness, (iv) Performance Capability, (v) Stakeholders, (vi) Geographic Scope, (vii) Dissemination of Results, (viii) Appropriate Budget, (ix) Leveraging, and (x) Availability of Other Funding Sources. We especially welcome projects which address environmental justice and have community-based support. Applicants with existing GLNPO projects should be up-to-date on reporting and other requirements.

GLNPO's Preproposal evaluation will also consider whether the proposed project is:

• located in an area supporting significant biodiversity.

• has biological importance on a regional or global scale.

• could lead to new ways of integrating economic growth with conservation.

• has a capability for replicating success and fostering similar actions elsewhere, creating new partnerships, and testing new techniques or approaches.

• tests new biological management practices and new restoration techniques.

• has potential for identifying and reporting demonstrated environmental results.

• incorporates an education/outreach component.

• positively impacts a significant number of acres of aquatic, wetland, riverine, and terrestrial Great Lakes habitat.

Contact: Karen Rodriguez (312) 353-2690

Notes: Biodiversity Investment Areas (BIA) are clusters of places that have exceptional biodiversity value. Nearshore terrestrial Biodiversity Investment Areas were identified in the Land by the Lakes paper for SOLEC 1996. Identification of similar areas for nearshore aquatic and coastal wetlands will result from SOLEC 1998.

A description of alvars can be found in the SOLEC 1996 paper Land by the Lakes.

Please also see the Request for Proposals for a "Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Consortium" for additional ecological protection and restoration funds. The request will be issued in January, 2000.

*Planning Target - subject to change for various reasons including Congressional and Agency action such as development and approval of annual operating plan.

GLNPO will provide assistance to address invasive (non-indigenous) aquatic and terrestrial species in the Great Lakes Basin with an emphasis on prevention. Applicants should note, however, that funding for this category is less certain than that for other categories. There is currently not a specific line item in GLNPO's budget for "Emerging Issues," but this priority is proposed to be funded using Congressionally directed funding.

We are particularly interested in the following projects:

• development and demonstration of strong and innovative programs (education and outreach, new technology, or biological) to prevent the introduction of new nuisance invasive species (aquatic or terrestrial) into the Great Lakes Basin.

• development and demonstration of strong and innovative programs to control the spread of invasive species within and from the Great Lakes Basin.

• identification of the ecological effects the current suite of invasives are having on nutrients and contaminants cycling in the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.

• documenting ecological impacts of invasive species on the Great Lakes Basin food web.

• documenting the economic impacts or potential economic impacts of invasive species already in the Great Lakes Basin.

• projects which identify chemical, physical, and biological conditions that promote the establishment of invasive species.

• identification of conditions that allow for the establishment of invasive species.

Criteria. Project selection criteria include consideration of: (i) Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action, (ii) Scientific/Professional Merit, (iii) Innovativeness, (iv) Performance Capability, (v) Stakeholders, (vi) Geographic Scope, (vii) Dissemination of Results, (viii) Appropriate Budget, (ix) Leveraging, and (x) Availability of Other Funding Sources. We especially welcome projects which address environmental justice and have community-based support. Applicants with existing GLNPO projects should be up-to-date on reporting and other requirements.

GLNPO's Preproposal evaluation will consider priorities associated with invasive species for geographic areas within the Great Lakes, particularly those of Lakewide Management Plans. However, as funding for this category is limited, emphasis will be placed on projects of Great Lakes Basin-wide applicability. Evaluations will also consider:

• potential for project to benefit the Great Lakes ecosystem.

• transferability across the Great Lakes Basin and beyond.

• potential to advance government and private partnerships and community involvement.

Contact: Marc Tuchman (312) 353-1369

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