Grantee Research Project Results
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
EPA/NSF Partnership for Environmental Research
EPA/NSF Joint Competition
Interagency Announcement of Opportunity
- Water and Watersheds
- Technology for a Sustainable Environment
- Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: MAY 7, 1996
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announce their intent to support a special awards competition in Fiscal Year (FY) 1996. This NSF-EPA competition has been developed based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed on December 8, 1994 which establishes a partnership between the two agencies emphasizing the support and merit review of fundamental, extramural environmental research. As EPA's Office of Research and Development expands its extramural grants program in FY 1996, NSF is providing assistance and consultation. This is the second year of the joint special awards competition. Information on the FY 1995 competition may be found on the Internet through: http://www.nsf.gov/stratare/egch/envresop.htm or https://www.epa.gov. The three research areas targeted by this Announcement of Opportunity are:
2.0 TOPIC A : Water and Watersheds
3.0 TOPIC B: Technology for a Sustainable Environment
4.0 TOPIC C: Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy
Awards made through this competition are dependent upon responsiveness of the proposals to the announcement, the quality of the proposed research, and the availability of funds. Under this announcement, NSF and EPA anticipate awarding:
- Approximately $6 million for Water and Watersheds, with a projected award range from $75,000 to $500,000 per award per year, and an approximate duration of 2 to 3 years.
- Approximately $5 million for Technology for a Sustainable Environment, with a projected award range from $75,000 to $150,000 per award per year, and an approximate duration of 2 to 3 years.
- Approximately $2.5 million for Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy, with a projected award range from $60,000 to $100,000 per award per year, and an approximate duration of 2 to 3 years.
Proposals in response to this announcement must be received by 7 May 1996. It is anticipated that awards will be made by Fall 1996. Awards resulting from this competition may be made by either NSF or EPA, at the agencies' option, not the grantee's.
Further information, if needed, may be obtained from the NSF and EPA officials indicated below. E-mail inquiries are the preferred communication method.
- Information on Proposal Submission
- Information on Proposal Review
- Grant Administration
Contacts
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE COMPETITION:
Dr. James L. Edwards
NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences
Internet: jledward@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1400
Dr. Elbert L. Marsh
NSF Directorate for Engineering
Internet: emarsh@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1301
Mr. Jeff Fenstermacher
NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Internet: jfenster@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1741
Dr. Robert E. Menzer
EPA National Center for Environmental Research and Quality Assurance
Internet: menzer.robert@epamail.epa.gov
voice (202) 260-5779
Dr. Melinda L. McClanahan
Internet: mcclanahan.melinda@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 260-0450
voice (202) 260-7474
Information on Water and Watersheds:
Dr. Penny Firth
Internet: pfirth@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1480
Dr. Ian MacGregor
Internet: imacgreg@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1553
Ms. Barbara Levinson
Internet: levinson.barbara@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 260-0211
voice (202) 260-5983
Information on Technology for a Sustainable Environment
Dr. Robert Wellek
Internet: rwellek@nsf.gov
fax (703) 306-0319
Dr. Marge Cavanaugh
Internet: mcavanau@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1842
Mr. Stephen A. Lingle
Internet: lingle.stephen@epamail.epa.gov
voice (202) 260-5748
Information on Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy
Dr. Robin Cantor
Internet: rcantor@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1757
Mr. Gregory C. Ondich
Internet: ondich.greg@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 260-4524
voice (202) 260-5753
Dr. Mary Jo Kealy
Internet: kealy.mary@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 260-5732
voice (202) 260-5728
Dr. Alan Carlin
Internet: carlin.alan@epamail.epa.gov
fax (202) 260-5732
voice (202) 260-5499
Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation will be accepted from colleges, universities, and other not-for-profit institutions in the U.S. Organizations affiliated with local, state, or federal government units (including FFRDCs) are not considered eligible. Personnel associated with entities such as national labs, state agencies, and FFRDCs are encouraged to participate as co-investigators on proposals originating at eligible institutions, within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. Federal employees may not receive salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriations through grants made by this program.
NSF and EPA welcome proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists, engineers, and other professionals, and strongly encourage women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the programs described in this announcement.
In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF and EPA policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation or the Environmental Protection Agency.
6.0 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidelines provided in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) (NSF 95-27) with the exceptions and additional considerations noted in the topic-specific sections above (sections 2.3, 3.4 and 4.3). The GPG may be found in most university offices of sponsored research or may be obtained electronically via the Science and Technology Information System (STIS). Instructions for obtaining documents through STIS are printed on the inside front cover of this announcement.
Single copies of the GPG brochure and other NSF publications referenced in this announcement are available at no cost from: NSF Publications and Supplies Unit, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room P-15, Arlington, VA 22230, (703) 306-1130, or via e-mail from: pubs@nsf.gov. EPA documents referenced in this announcement are available through the Government Printing Office (S/N 055-000-00466-8), or electronically through the EPA-sponsored CLU-IN Clean-up Information Bulletin Board, system operator (301) 589-8368, modem access (301) 589-8366.
PLEASE NOTE:
For purposes of administration of the competition, applicants are requested to indicate one of the three topics (A, B, or C) in the box in the upper left corner of the cover page printed at the end of this announcement. If the cover page provided in the GPG is used instead, please write in one of these three topic areas in the box labeled: "FOR CONSIDERATION BY NSF ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT(S)."
A. Water and Watersheds
B. Technology for a Sustainable Environment
C. Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy
Collaborative proposals involving more than one institution should be submitted as a single administrative package from one of the institutions involved. The package should include one project summary, one table of contents, one results from prior support, one project description, one section for references, and one copy of special information as specified in GPG section II.D.10. Additionally, the package should include, for each university and its PI/co-PIs, a signed cover sheet, budget pages and explanation, biographic sketches, current and pending support for each PI, and facilities and other resources unique to each institution. Group proposals, as described in GPG section II.D.12.b, will not be accepted for the three component competitions described in this announcement.
The "Results from Prior Support" section should include information on prior Federal awards most closely related to the proposal, (i.e. not limited to NSF awards). The information requested in GPG Section II.D.4 should be supplied for the most relevant federal awards received in the past five years. Please note the authorized exception to the GPG for Water and Watersheds proposals detailed in Section 2.3 of this announcement.
Twenty stapled copies of each proposal package, including one copy bearing original signatures from all institutions, should be mailed to:
Announcement No. NSF 96-45
National Science Foundation
Room P-60 - PPU
4201 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22230
The closing date for proposal submission for this competition is 7 May 1996. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement must be:
1) received at the address given above no later than 7 May 1996; or,
2) be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service no later than 2 May 1996.
NOTE: The 7 May 1996 deadline is final. Proposals received after 7 May, or postmarked later than 2 May 1996 will not be accepted .
For those proposals selected for funding by EPA, supplemental information will be needed to fulfill EPA regulatory requirements that differ from those of NSF. EPA will provide the applicant institution with the requisite forms at the appropriate time.
EPA and NSF use similar general criteria in review of competitive grant proposals. NSF's criteria are described in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 95-27). For this joint NSF-EPA announcement, proposals will be evaluated through the standard NSF merit review process, as conducted jointly by NSF and EPA. Compliance with Federal certification requirements is a prerequisite for receiving awards under this program.
General criteria used in the evaluation of proposals are:
- Overall merit of the proposal, including unique and innovative methods, approaches, or concepts demonstrated in the proposal.
- The qualifications and capabilities of the investigators.
- Potential to contribute to the advancement of the specific topic areas of the program in particular.
- Potential to enhance training and information transfer in the topic areas of this program.
Additional considerations important to the proposal review process are described in the topic-specific sections of this announcement (see Sections 2.3, 3.4 and 4.3).
Final selection of awardees by NSF and EPA will be based on recommendations by peer reviewers and programmatic considerations. It is expected that grant awards will be made by Fall 1996. Appropriate officials may be contacted after 15 September 1996 regarding proposal status.
Upon conclusion of panel merit review, meritorious proposals may be recommended for funding by either NSF or EPA, at the agencies' option, not the proposer's. Subsequent grant administration procedures will be in accordance with the individual policies of the awarding agency.
8.1 NSF GRANT ADMINISTRATION
NSF grants awarded as a result of this announcement will be administered in accordance with the terms and conditions of NSF GC-1, "Grant General Conditions," or FDP-II, "Federal Demonstration Project General Terms and Conditions," depending on the grantee organization.
For NSF awards, more comprehensive information on the administration of NSF grants is contained in the Grant Policy Manual (NSF 95-26, July 1995), for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, D.C. 20402. The telephone number at GPO is (202) 512-1800 for subscription information.
Organizations applying to NSF for the first time, or which have not received an NSF award within the preceding 2 years, should refer to the NSF Grant Policy Manual, Section 500, for instructions on specific information that may be requested by NSF. First time NSF awardees will be required to submit organizational, management, and financial information, including a certification of civil rights compliance, before a grant can be made. One copy of the Grant Policy Manual will be provided free of charge to new grantees.
Upon completion of an NSF project, a Final Project Report (NSF Form 98A) form will be sent to the grantee. Applicants should review this form prior to proposal submission so that appropriate tracking mechanisms are included in the proposal plan to ensure that complete information will be available at the conclusion of the project.
Activities described in this publication are in the following categories in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 47.041 Engineering; 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences; 47.050 Geosciences; 47.074 Biological Sciences; 47.075 Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences.
8.2 EPA GRANT ADMINISTRATION
The funding mechanism for all EPA awards made in response to this announcement will consist of a grant agreement between EPA and the recipient institution. In accordance with Public Law 95-224, a grant is used to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute rather than acquisition for the direct benefit of the Agency.
EPA grants awarded as a result of this announcement will be administered in accordance with 40 CFR Part 30 and 40 , or FDPII terms and conditions, depending upon the grantee institution.
EPA provides awards for research in the sciences and engineering related to environmental protection. The awardee is solely responsible for the conduct of such activities and preparation of results for publication. EPA, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.
(NOTE: A complete proposal forms kit is provided in the Grant Proposal Guide , NSF 95-27)
Go to:
2.0 TOPIC A : Water and Watersheds
3.0 TOPIC B: Technology for a Sustainable Environment
4.0 TOPIC C: Decision Making and Valuation for Environmental Policy
Technology for a Sustainable Environment
EPA/NSF Joint Competition
Interagency Announcement of Opportunity
3.0 TOPIC B: TECHNOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
3.1 INTRODUCTION
As a nation, we seek long-term economic growth that creates jobs while improving and sustaining the environment. It is increasingly clear that the "end-of-pipe" pollution controls are not a sufficient means of reaching these goals. A new generation of cleaner industrial manufacturing and processing technologies is needed that supports pollution prevention, efficient resource use, and industrial ecology. Such a strategy can help companies become more competitive by lowering resource and energy needs, reducing waste and emissions control costs, and fostering sustainable development.
This competition is designed to address pollution prevention processes, methodologies, and technology research. Research proposals are invited that advance the development and use of innovative technologies and approaches directed at avoiding or minimizing the generation of pollutants at the source. This competition is not intended to address issues related to waste monitoring, treatment, remediation, or containment other than those aspects that pertain to in-process recycling of waste. Research in the areas of remediation and treatment of hazardous materials, while very important, is supported by other program activities in both agencies.
NSF and EPA are providing funds for fundamental and applied research in the physical sciences and engineering that will lead to the discovery, development, and evaluation of advanced and novel environmentally benign methods for industrial processing and manufacturing. The competition addresses technological environmental issues of design, synthesis, processing, and the production and use of products in continuous and discrete manufacturing industries. Projects must employ fundamental new approaches and address, or be relevant to, current national concerns for pollution prevention.
3.2 DESCRIPTIONS OF POSSIBLE RESEARCH PROJECTS
Chemistry for Pollution Prevention
The long-range goal of this program activity is to develop safer commercial substances and environmentally friendly chemical syntheses to reduce risks posed by existing practices. Pollution prevention has become the preferred strategy for reducing the risks posed by the manufacture, use, and disposal of commercial chemicals. A fundamental approach, a "green chemistry" approach, is to prevent pollution at its source, which includes:
- Design of alternative synthetic pathways for new or existing chemicals which do not utilize toxic reagents or solvents or do not produce toxic by-products or co-products.
- Design or redesign of useful chemicals and materials such that they are less toxic to health and the environment or safer with regard to accident potential.
- Appropriate areas of investigation include: chemical synthesis and catalysis; analysis and detection; separation processes; and reaction mechanisms. Examples include:
- Use of innovative methods such as catalysis and biocatalysis; photochemistry or biomimetic synthesis; and use of alternative starting materials which are innocuous or renewable.
- Use of creative reaction conditions, such as using solvents which have a reduced impact on health and the environment or increasing reaction selectivity thus reducing wastes and emissions.
Engineering for Pollution Prevention.
The focus of this program activity is to develop novel engineering approaches for preventing or reducing pollution from industrial manufacturing activities, both for continuous and discrete processes. The scope includes: equipment and technology modifications, reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of alternative materials, and in-process changes. Although these methods are often thought of in relation to the chemical, biochemical, and materials process industries, they can be utilized in many other industries-such as semiconductor manufacturing systems. Potential areas of research include:
- Novel, cost-effective methods for the highly efficient in-process separation of useful materials from the components of the process waste stream, for example, field-enhanced and hybrid separation processes.
- Materials substitutions and process alternatives which prevent or reduce environmental harm, such as change of raw material or the use of less hazardous solvents, organic coatings, and metal plating systems.
- New bulk materials and coatings with durability, long life, and other desirable engineering properties that can be manufactured with reduced environmental impact.
- Improved reactor, catalyst, or process design in order to increase product yield. Approaches might include novel reactors such as reactor-separation combinations that provide for product separation during the reaction, alternative energy sources for reaction initiation, and integrated process design and operation.
- Development of environmental technologies that use physical processes to alter biologically refractory pollutants-both known and potential-into forms that are amenable to biodegradation.
- New or improved manufacturing processes that reduce production of hazardous effluents at the source. Examples include: machining without the use of cutting fluids that currently require disposal after they are contaminated; eliminating toxic electroplating solutions by replacing them with ion or plasma-based dry plating techniques.
- Improved manufacturing processes that employ novel thermal or fluid and/or multiphase/particulate systems resulting in significantly lower hazardous effluent production. Examples include: novel refrigeration cycles using safe and environmentally-benign working fluids to replace halogenated hydrocarbons hazardous to upper atmosphere ozone levels; improved automobile combustion process design for reduced pollutant production.
- Optimization of process manufacturing operations to prevent, reduce, or eliminate waste. Concepts include: increased in-process or in-plant recycling and improved and intelligent process control and sensing capabilities; in-process techniques that minimize generation of pollutants in industrial waste incineration processes.
Measurement, Assessment, and Feedback Techniques for Pollution Prevention.
This competition also encourages research in physical sciences and engineering that will lead to the development of novel measurement and assessment techniques for pollution prevention. Topics in this program activity include life cycle analysis, computational simulations, and process design algorithms for product life cycle analysis, as well as the development of appropriate measurement methods to use as input for such analyses. The methods developed should provide the basis for scientifically sound and quantitative comparisons of the environmental impact of various technologies. The following examples provide some areas of investigation:
- Innovative, full scale, quantitative methodologies for conducting life cycle analysis which permit sound quantitative comparisons of impacts of different pollutants on different media.
- Streamlined, targeted life cycle analysis and environmental product design methodologies and systems that can provide scientifically sound comparisons with less comprehensive data inputs and computational analysis.
- Algorithms incorporating pollution prevention into process design, intelligent control, and simulation methodologies for process and manufacturing design.
- Process simulator modules for new technologies such as novel membrane processes.
- Improved and intelligent sensors and control algorithms for real time, in-process multivariate control of manufacturing equipment and systems to reduce waste material and hazardous emissions.
3.3 RELATION TO CURRENT AND PAST AGENCY ACTIVITIES
The NSF/EPA Technology for a Sustainable Environment activity is an integral part of EPA's research program and supports the Green Chemistry, Common Sense Initiative, and other pollution prevention activities in the Agency. For NSF, this activity is an integral part of its Environmentally Benign Chemical Synthesis and Processing program and its Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing program as described below.
Environmental Protection Agency
Green Chemistry Program: This program is directed at preventing pollution by promoting design of less toxic chemical substances and identifying alternative chemical pathways that involve less toxic reagents or solvents and generate fewer toxicity-products or co-products. As part of this program, EPA has initiated the Green Chemistry Challenge. The Challenge includes an awards component to recognize those in industry and academia who have met the Green Chemistry objectives in an exemplary way, and a research component to enhance support for cutting edge research in this area.
Common Sense Initiative: EPA's Common Sense Initiative is directed toward finding better, cheaper, and faster ways of achieving environmental improvement through a stakeholder-based dialogue in six specific industrial sectors: metal finishing, printing, iron and steel, electronics, automobile assembly , and petroleum refining.
National Science Foundation
Environmentally Benign Chemical Synthesis and Processing (EBCS&P): This program, described in NSF 92-13, is aimed at preventing pollution by providing financial support for fundamental research in the identification of environmentally benign synthesis and related manufacturing processes. For the NSF Engineering Directorate's Chemical and Transport Systems Division, the Technology for a Sustainable Environment activity subsumes the EBCS&P activity in Fiscal Year 1996. For the NSF Directorate of Mathematics and Physical Science's Division of Chemistry, research proposals are also accepted for EBCS&P activities throughout the year as part of its normal review process, as well as through this special NSF/EPA activity.
Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing (ECM): This competition addresses specific aspects of the Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing Initiative Announcement, NSF 95-91. Therefore in Fiscal Year 1996, the ECM activity is largely subsumed in this announcement. However, only those areas described in this solicitation will be considered; proposals in all other ECM topic areas may be submitted under the normal procedures for unsolicited NSF proposals to the relevant divisions. Copies of NSF 95-91 announcement are available upon request and can also be obtained via STIS and the World Wide Web.
3.4 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
A clearer understanding of problems and more creative solutions often result from collaboration of academic and industrial investigators who represent the eventual customers for the products of the research. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to seek meaningful project collaboration with industrial partners on fundamental research issues that link basic and applied aspects of pollution prevention. In some cases, state government agencies, or other professional organizations may be an appropriate substitute for an industrial partner. The NSF Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) program announcement (NSF 94-138) outlines several possible approaches. Additional approaches will also be considered.
Proposals may be submitted by individuals or small groups who are working on projects that will advance the concepts and technologies of pollution prevention. Researchers in a broad range of disciplines are encouraged to help fill the knowledge gaps in this area both individually and as interdisciplinary teams.
Researchers from both academic and non-profit institutions may apply for support (see Section 5.0). Projects involving the training and education of junior scientists and engineers (such as graduate students) in academia through the research experience are strongly encouraged.
Approximately $5 million will be available for the Technology for a Sustainable Environment competition, with a projected award range from $75,000 to $150,000 per award year, and a duration of up to 3 years. Multi-investigator projects may be considered for a higher funding level. Multi-year funding of any project will be considered. Respondents wishing to propose projects for more than one year should include annual budgets and should justify this need. Proposals that include resource contributions (cost sharing) from submitters and/or their partners will receive special consideration.
In the present competition, reviewers will consider the potential impact of the research on pollution prevention, in addition to NSF's standard review criteria described in Section 7.0 of this announcement.
Please see Section 6.0 for complete instructions for proposal submission.
Proposals received by NSF under its normal unsolicited proposal mechanisms may also be deemed appropriate for consideration by the Technology for a Sustainable Environment competition, and may be funded under this joint program.
The total number of awards for this activity is dependent upon the technical merit of the proposals, their relation to the agencies' mission, and the financial support available to both agencies for this program. Projects selected for support may receive funds either individually from NSF or EPA, or selected projects may be jointly supported by both agencies. This is at the agencies' option, not the grantee's.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Robert Wellek
Internet: rwellek@nsf.gov
fax (703) 306-0319
Dr. Marge Cavanaugh
Internet: mcavanau@nsf.gov
voice (703) 306-1842
Mr. Stephen A. Lingle
Internet: lingle.stephen@epamail.epa.gov
voice (202) 260-5748
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.