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U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Program
Closed - for reference purposes only
Greater Research Opportunities: Persistent, Bioaccumulative Chemicals
Opening Date: December 18, 2003
Closing Date: March 23, 2004
Technical Contact: Nora Savage, 703-347-8104, email: savage.nora@epa.gov
Eligibility Contact: Tom Barnwell, 202-343-9862, email: barnwell.thomas@epa.gov
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT/FUNDING
ELIGIBILITY
COST-SHARING
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
APPLICATION PROCESSING AND REVIEW INFORMATION
CONTACT
AUTHORITY
REFERENCES
Access Standard STAR Forms
and Instructions
View NCER Research
Capsules
View research awarded
under previous solicitations
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Synopsis of Program:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research
and Development (ORD), National Center for Environmental Research
(NCER), is seeking applications for research on the risk assessment,
risk management
and risk communication of persistent, bioaccumulative toxic
compounds (PBTs) and other hazardous compounds. PBT pollutants are chemicals
that
are toxic, persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in
food chains and, thus, pose risks to human health and ecosystems. The
challenges remaining
for PBT pollutants stem from the fact that they transfer rather
easily among air, water, and land, and span boundaries of programs,
geography,
and generations. Such research includes development of methodologies
for risk reduction, development of new and refinement of existing toxicological
test methodologies, and development of risk assessment/risk
management
strategies, including data on environmental fate and transport.
In addition, EPA has identified 30 priority hazardous compounds
that are toxic, commonly found as components in hazardous waste,
and can be used as indicators of progress toward reducing hazardous
waste generation. These compounds are persistent in the environment
and adversely affect the ecosystem and human health. Research
that results in a reduction in the amounts of such compounds
that are
produced is of specific interest to the Agency.
Technical Contact:
Nora Savage; Phone: 703-347-8104; email: savage.nora@epa.gov
Eligibility Information:
Institutions of higher education that are not highly funded
for development of environmental research capacity are eligible
to apply to this announcement. For purposes of this solicitation,
EPA considers such
institutions to be those listed in the National Science Foundation
report, “Federal
Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and
Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal Year 2001,” Table B-15, column 2,
that receive $50 million or less in annual research and development
funding (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/pdf/fssb15.pdf 
) (PDF, 25pp., 94.16 KB, about PDF).
The full report can be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/start.htm .
See full announcement for more details.
Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 4 awards
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $1.3 million total costs
Potential Funding per Grant: Up to $150,000/year with a duration
of 2 or 3 years and no more than a total of $325,000, including direct and
indirect costs. Proposals with budgets exceeding the total award limits
will not be considered.
Sorting Code Number: 2004-STAR-G1
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66:515
The EPA is interested in stimulating and nurturing environmental research and educational opportunities at post-secondary educational institutions that are not highly funded for development of environmental research capacity, including in particular institutions with substantial minority student enrollment. Increased resources not only will enable such institutions to better serve their student populations, but also to use the strategic positions in their communities to provide critical information and to develop and implement risk communication strategies. In this announcement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites grant applications from such institutions for research relevant to the reduction of risks to human health and the environment from current and future exposure to persistent bioaccumulative toxic pollutants (PBTs).
PBTs are associated with a range of adverse human health effects, including effects on the nervous system, reproductive and developmental problems, and carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. Particularly susceptible populations include people who eat large amounts of fish from waters contaminated with certain PBTs, pregnant and nursing women, and young children. In addition, birds and mammals may have reproductive and genetic damage as a result of exposure to these toxic compounds. For information on PBTs see: http://www.epa.gov/pbt/index.htm.
Persistent, bioaccumulative toxic pollutants are those that partition primarily to water, sediment or soil, and are not removed at rates adequate to prevent their bioaccumulation in aquatic or terrestrial species. Chemicals characterized as suspected persistent bioaccumulators typically have been confirmed as such based on accepted test methods. Follow-on toxicity testing leads to their identification as persistent and bioaccumulative toxic chemicals.
These pollutants can pose significant national health and environmental concerns. In addition, these contaminants can readily transfer from one media to another; i.e., from air to water, from land to water, from water to air, etc. Once ingested by small fish, mammals and birds, these substances bioaccumulate, resulting in much higher levels in animals than may be found in the physical environment. These high, toxic concentrations are subsequently transferred to humans through ingestion. Repeated exposure and ingestion may result in a variety of adverse health effects including damage to the central nervous and reproductive systems, development of cancer and genetic alterations. Young children, developing fetuses, and frequent fish consumers are especially at risk. While the total number of fish advisories decreased in 2001, the number of lake (+2%) and river miles (+3.5%) under advisories has continued to increase since 1993. The decrease in total advisories is due to a revision in the reporting methodology of Wisconsin and North Dakota, which both recently changed several hundred waterbody-specific advisories to a single statewide advisory. For more information on fish advisories see: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advisories/factsheet.pdf. (PDF, 6pp., 494.66 KB, about PDF)
While most of the current releases of PBTs occur in industrialized nations, some of these compounds have been found in remote areas, including the Arctic. Due to the prevailing low temperatures, these compounds have increased persistence and their concentrations are expected to steadily increase over time.
On November 16, 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Agency-wide Multimedia Strategy for 13 Priority, Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants (PBT Strategy). (These compounds are listed in Table 1 below.) The goal of the PBT Strategy is to identify and reduce risks to human health and the environment from current and future exposure to priority PBT pollutants. For more information on these compounds see: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbt/cheminfo.htm
The PBT Strategy outlines an approach to achieving PBT risk reductions that includes conducting research and analysis on these compounds. Research needs include developing strategies for risk reduction that include the identification and control of the primary pathways for environmental releases, developing new and refining existing test methodologies, developing risk assessment/risk management strategies, and identifying methodologies to prevent environmental releases of PBTs.
Other compounds have been selected for reduction in usage and waste generation because of their toxicity and prevalence in the environment. Innovative research efforts involving recycling, substitution of more benign compounds, and elimination via novel processes are of particular interest (these compounds are listed in Table 2 below).
Table 1 - Priority PBTs
Specific chemicals of interest for risk assessment/management, test methodology refinement, and information on, as well as prevention of, environmental releases include:
- Aldrin/Dieldrin
- Alkyl-lead
- Benzo(a)pyrene
- Camphechlor (Toxaphene)
- Chlordane
- Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT/DDD/DDE)
- Dioxins and Furans
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Mercury and Mercury Compounds
- Mirex
- Octachlorostyrene
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Table 2 - Other Priority Chemicals
Specific compounds of interest for minimization and reduction of use via development of alternative processes or replacement with more benign compounds include:
- 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
- 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene
- 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol
- 4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether
- Acenaphthene
- Acenaphthylene
- Anthracene
- Benzo(g,h,i)perylene
- Cadmium
- Dibenzofuran
- Dioxins/Furans
- Endosulfan (alpha, beta)
- Fluorene
- Heptachlor/heptachlor epoxide
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Hexachlorobutadiene
- Hexachlorocyclohexane, gamma-HCH
- Hexachloroethane
- Lead
- Mercury
- Methoxychlor
- Naphthalene
- Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (as defined in http://www.epa.gov/tri/)
- Pendimethalin
- Pentachloro-benzene
- Pentachloronitrobenzene
- Pentachlorophenol
- Phenanthrene
- Pyrene
- Trifluralin
To achieve the goal of reducing the risk of PBTs in the environment, the EPA has identified critical research needs. In this Request for Applications (RFA), the Agency is soliciting proposals for research in one or more of the following areas: fate, transport, risk assessment and management, risk reduction, identification and control of PBT releases into the environment, and toxicological test methodologies for PBTs. However, applicants are not limited to these areas, as long as the proposed research is responsive to the goals of this RFA.
Areas of research for the 12 PBTs:
Risk Assessment/Characterization Methodologies:
- Test Methodologies
- Biotransformation data
- Correlation between emissions and environmental concentrations
- Exposure/bioavailability data
- Determination of routes and methods of transport between media
- Elucidation of critical conditions determining ultimate fate
- Assessment of long-term effects on the environment
- Development of monitoring technologies/processes for PBTs in multiple environmental media (i.e., air, water, sediments)
- Sequestration methodologies for elemental mercury
Risk Management Tools:
- Remediation techniques, particularly in difficult environments (i.e., Arctic)
- Pollution prevention methods
- Tools for predictive exposures to PBTs for subpopulations
Risk Communication Tools or Methods:
- Identification of preventive measures to reduce exposure
Areas of research for the 30 compounds identified for reduction/minimization
include:
Chemical Minimization Techniques or Methods:
- Identification of more benign compounds to replace usage
- Development of alternative manufacturing
- Development of recycling and reuse options for products containing these compounds
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $1.3 million will be awarded in this program depending on the availability of funds. EPA anticipates funding approximately four grants under this RFA. The projected award per grant is $100,000 to $150,000 per year total costs, for up to 3 years. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $325,000, including direct and indirect costs, for the 3-year period will not be considered.
Institutions of higher education that are not highly
funded for development of environmental research capacity are
eligible to apply to this announcement. For purposes of this
solicitation, EPA
considers such institutions to be those which receive $50 million
or less in annual research and development funding and are listed
in the National
Science Foundation report, "Federal Science and Engineering Support
to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: Fiscal
Year 2001," Table
B-15, column 2 (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/pdf/fssb15.pdf ) (PDF, 25pp., 94.16 KB, about PDF).
The entire report can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03326/start.htm .
Eligible institutions with substantial minority student enrollment are particularly encouraged to apply. Examples of such schools listed by the U.S. Department of Education as "Accredited Post-secondary Minority Institutions" on the four web sites shown below, consistent with Executive Orders 13125 (Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders), 13230 (Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans), 13256 (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and 13270 (Tribal Colleges and Universities), which encourage building of the capacity of minority-serving institutions to provide high-quality education.
National laboratories funded by federal agencies (Federally-funded Research
and Development
Centers, “FFRDCs”) may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate
or collaborate with
eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation
and regulations. They may
participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research
directed by the principal
investigator, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant
organization or principal investigator. The principal
investigator's institution, organization, or governance may provide
funds through its grant from EPA to a FFRDC for research personnel,
supplies, equipment, and
other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries
for permanent FFRDC
employees may not be provided through this mechanism.
Federal agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on a grant, and may not receive salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriations through grants made by this program. However, federal employees may interact with grantees so long as their involvement is not essential to achieving the basic goals of the grant. EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant principal investigators for the sole purpose of exchanging information in research areas of common interest that may add value to their respective research activities. This interaction must be incidental to achieving the goals of the research under a grant. Interaction that is “incidental” does not involve resource commitments.
The principal investigator’s institution may enter into an agreement with a federal agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector. Examples are purchase of satellite data, census data tapes, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application, along with an assurance from the federal agency involved which commits it to supply the specified service.
Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Thomas Barnwell in NCER, phone 202-343-9862, email: barnwell.thomas@epa.gov.
Institutional cost-sharing is not required.
Standard Instructions for Submitting an Application
The Standard Instructions for Submitting a STAR Application,
including the necessary forms, can be found on the NCER web
site at: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/forms/
Sorting Code
The need for a sorting code to be used in the application and for mailing is described in the Standard Instructions for Submitting a STAR Application. The sorting code for applications submitted in response to this solicitation is 2004-STAR-G1.
APPLICATION PROCESSING AND REVIEW INFORMATION
Applications must be received by the application receipt date listed in this announcement. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review.
The following is the schedule for this RFA. It should be noted that this schedule may be changed without notification due to factors that were not anticipated at the time of announcement.
Application Receipt Date: March 23, 2004
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: October 2004
The application review process will be found in the Standard Instructions. Consideration of an application’s merit is based on the following criteria: (1) the originality and creativity of the proposed research, the appropriateness and adequacy of the research methods proposed and the quality assurance statement; (2) the qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and other key personnel; (3) the responsiveness of the proposal to the research needs identified for the topic area; (4) the availability and/or adequacy of the facilities and equipment proposed for the project; and (5) although budget information does not reflect on the application’s scientific merit, the reviewers are asked to provide their view on the appropriateness and/or adequacy of the proposed budget.
Further information, if needed, may be obtained from the EPA official indicated below. Email inquiries are preferred.
Nora Savage
703-347-8104
savage.nora@epa.gov
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 66.515.
The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in Clean Air Act, Section 103, as amended, Public Law 95-95, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.; Clean Water Act, Section 104, as amended, Public Law 95-217, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, as amended, Public Law 93- 523, Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10, as amended 15 U.S.C. 2609; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, as amended 7 U.S.C. 136r.
- CEC (2001). Final Report Mercury North American Regional Action
Plan. http://www.cec.org
- The Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy: Canada - U.S. Strategy for the Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes (1999). http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/bns/strategy.html
- National Academy of Public Administration, Washington, D.C. (1995). Setting Priorities, Getting Results -- A New Direction for EPA.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (1998). Contaminated Catch - The Public Health Threat from Toxics in Fish.
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1996). Environmental Performance Review of the United States. OECD Publications Center: (202)785-6323
- U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1998). The Study of Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions from Electric Utility Steam Generating Units -- Final Report to Congress. Volumes 1 and 2. EPA-453/R-98-004a and EPA-413/R-98-004b.-98-004b.
- U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (1998). Clean Water Action Plan: Restoring and Protecting America's Waters. EPA-840-R-98-001.
- U.S. EPA (Sept. 1997). EPA's Strategic Plan. EPA/190-R-97-002.
- U.S. EPA (1997). Deposition of Air Pollutants to Great Waters: 2nd Report to Congress. EPA-453-R-97-011.
- U.S. EPA (1997). EPA's Contaminated Sediment Management Strategy. EPA-823-R-98-001.
- U.S. EPA (1997). Mercury Study Report to Congress. EPA-452-R-97-003-009.
- U.S. EPA (Dec. 1996). Environmental Goals for America with Milestones for 2005, Draft for Government Review.
- U.S. EPA and Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (1996). National Alert on Metallic Mercury Exposure.
- U.S. EPA (1994). RCRA Waste Minimization National Plan (draft). OSW 530-D-44-001.
- U.S. EPA Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report (1991 data) list of large-quantity generators in the United States.
- U.S. EPA (1993). Deposition of Air Pollutants to the Great Waters: 1st Report to Congress. EPA-453-R-93-055.
- U.S. EPA Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC). http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/index.htm
- U.S. EPA Measuring Progress: The Waste Minimization Trends Report.
- U.S. EPA Waste Minimization Strategic Plan Goals. http://www.epa.gov/minimize/