Grantee Research Project Results
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program
Special AnnouncementEPA cannot issue any weather related extensions to the closing date for application submittal for this RFA. The closing date for the Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices RFA remains February 18, 2014. |
CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY
Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices
This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.
Funding Opportunity Number:
Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices - EPA-G2014-STAR-F1
Early Career Awards: Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices - EPA-G2014-STAR-F2
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.509
Solicitation Opening Date: December 17, 2013
Solicitation Closing Date: February 18, 2014, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time
Technical Contact: Cynthia McOliver (mcoliver.cynthia@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-0311
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-0442
Electronic Submissions: Todd Peterson (peterson.todd@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-7224
Access Standard STAR Forms (Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page)
View research awarded under previous solicitations (Funding Opportunities: Archive Page)
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Synopsis of Program:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications to conduct research on and demonstration of human and ecological impacts of treated wastewater applications (reclaimed water and wastewater reuse), and water conservation practices including the use of non-traditional water sources as well as more comprehensive long-term management and availability of water resources.
In the U.S., nearly 32.4 billion gallons of municipal wastewater are treated by publically owned treatment works (POTWs). According to the 2012 National Research Council (NRC) Report Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater 
(1), approximately 12 billion gallons of municipal wastewater effluent is discharged to an ocean or estuary per day. The remainder is presumed discharged to freshwater, helping maintain flow for downstream ecology and human uses, and could be considered a form of “reuse”. The Report also identified reuse of wastewater as a potential reliable source for both potable and non-potable uses for communities facing water challenges. However, unknowns about the exact quality of this water source remain a challenge. A variety of contaminants may be present in wastewater and stormwater such as metals, salts, organic chemicals, nutrients, pathogens and emerging contaminants such as nanoparticles, pharmaceuticals and other personal care products (PPCPs). For purposes of this RFA, treated wastewater or reclaimed water refers to reuse of municipal wastewater and stormwater; grey water1 and yellow water2 applications with considerations for planned and unplanned reuse, including direct and indirect potable and nonpotable applications. This RFA is especially interested in research that measures and quantifies health and ecological impacts from unplanned potable reuse, also termed de facto water reuse and planned reuse in comparison to conventional systems.
Eligible applicants, including Minority Academic Institutions (MAIs) as defined in Section I.A of this solicitation, are strongly encouraged to apply for funding under this competition.
This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B.5.c), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.
Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:
Ethics, Regulations, and Policies
Human Subjects Research at the Environmental Protection Agency: Ethical Standards and Regulatory Requirements
In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career investigators. Please see Section III of this Request for Applications (RFA) for details on the early career eligibility criteria.
1 Greywater - Household wastewater from bathroom sinks, showers, bathtubs, and clothes washers. See Rainwater & Reuse
2 Yellow water - urine
Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Grant or cooperative agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 4 regular awards and 3 early career awards
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $4 million total for all awards
Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $750,000 for regular awards, and up to a total of $330,000 for early career awards, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 3 years. Cost-sharing is not required. Proposals with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.
Eligibility Information:
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply.
Special eligibility criteria apply to the early career award portion of this RFA. See full announcement for more details.
Application Materials:
To apply under this solicitation, use the application package available at Grants.gov (for further submission information see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and other Submission Requirements”). The necessary forms for submitting a STAR application will be found on the National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) web site, Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page.
If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one month to complete the registration process. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. This registration, and electronic submission of your application, must be performed by an authorized representative of your organization.
If you do not have the technical capability to utilize the Grants.gov application submission process for this solicitation, send a webmail message at least 15 calendar days before the submission deadline to assure timely receipt of alternate submission instructions. In your message provide the funding opportunity number and title of the program, specify that you are requesting alternate submission instructions, and provide a telephone number, fax number, and an email address, if available. Alternate instructions will be emailed whenever possible. Any applications submitted through alternate submission methods must comply with all the provisions of this Request for Applications (RFA), including Section IV, and be received by the solicitation closing date identified above.
Agency Contacts:
Technical Contact: Cynthia McOliver (mcoliver.cynthia@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-0311
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-0442
Electronic Submissions: Todd Peterson (peterson.todd@epa.gov); phone: 703-308-7224
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction
The Nation’s finite water resources are under increasing pressure to supply drinking water; to treat, transport and manage wastewater; to provide water for other societal needs (including energy, agriculture, manufacturing and industry); and to restore and sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems (2). In the face of these competing pressures, a continuous supply of water, of sufficient fit-for-purpose quality, is critical to ensure the Nation’s health and security, ecosystem services, and economy. One of the high-priority research areas identified by the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) is the assessment of potential human and ecological impacts from water reuse and conservation. In support of this, ORD’s STAR Program and the Safe and Sustainable Water Research (SSWR) Program announces an extramural funding competition for projects that focus on understanding the life cycle aspects of water reuse or water conservation practices on human and ecological health, and how they relate to broader issues of energy-efficient processes for water conservation and nutrient management/recovery.
Reuse of reclaimed water is becoming a more common practice for augmenting existing surface and groundwater systems and maintaining healthy river and wetland habitats. The potential ecological risks from these applications need to be more holistically assessed, with considerations for the effects of chemical, biological and physical stressors on ecological communities. Human exposure may occur when reclaimed water is used for purposes such as groundwater recharge, pipe flushing, irrigation, aquaculture, toilet flushing, clothes washing, fire extinguishing, live stock watering, and facility washing. Further research is needed to elucidate potential human and ecological health impacts from these exposure scenarios.
Water conservation practices that use non-traditional water sources are becoming increasingly important to water management, especially in the western United States, where factors such as climate change, extreme drought and storm events, and increased population and (sub)urban growth are decreasing water availability while increasing demand. For example, rainwater harvesting via catchment systems has the potential to supplement water resources and manage stormwater/combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and promotes water conservation. As with reclaimed water, the water quality and permitting requirements are influenced by the specific locale. Further research is needed to elucidate potential human health impacts from the use and storage of these water sources and to assess the role of site-specific parameters.
This RFA is especially interested in research that measures and quantifies health and ecological impacts from unplanned potable reuse, also termed de facto water reuse (3) and planned reuse in comparison to conventional systems. Communities, through de facto reuse, may be unknowingly exposed to potentially harmful contaminants, even with conventional water treatment systems. Given the increase in de facto reuse of wastewater, the Agency is interested in supporting research relevant to any associated impacts to drinking water sources that have been augmented with untreated or treated wastewater effluents, how that may impact treatment, and how human and ecological health impacts from these de facto water reuse practices compare with those derived from planned water reuse projects. An assessment of the extent and impacts of wastewater discharges on potable water supplies has not been conducted in over 30 years (4, 5).
The Agency is interested in supporting research on water reuse and water conservation practices that promotes public and aquatic ecosystem health protection and how that may be assessed over the long-term, so as to manage the availability of water resources more holistically. Research needs include:
- how de facto reuse, reclaimed water applications, broadly applied harvesting of non-traditional sources, and stormwater reuse systems could affect public health and the health of ecological communities,
- best practices and sustainable water management that incorporate water reuse, broadly applied harvesting of non-traditional sources and stormwater reuse systems,
- life cycle costs of water harvest and reuse systems, and uses and treatment trains for reuse applications and broad-scale harvest.
Options to achieve these endpoints include developing models, tools and methods, developing surveys, field studies, or a combination of these approaches.
EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation’s future well being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, persons with disabilities, and women historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants, including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply. At the same time, the EPA seeks to expand environmental conversations by including members of communities which have not previously participated in such dialogues; therefore EPA strongly encourages such eligible applicants, including applicants from Minority Academic Institutions, to apply.
For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MAIs:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1061). A list of these schools can be found at White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
- Tribal Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1059(c)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities ;
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1101a(a)(5). There is no list of HSIs. HSIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application for this grant; and
- Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1059g(a)(2)). There is no list of AANAPISIs. AANAPISIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 % students who are Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander.
This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B.5.c), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.
Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:
Ethics, Regulations, and Policies
Human Subjects Research at the Environmental Protection Agency: Ethical Standards and Regulatory Requirements
In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career investigators. Please see Section III of this RFA for details on the early career eligibility criteria.
B. Background
In 2012, EPA updated their Guidelines for Water Reuse (6), on the range of water reuse applications being implemented globally. A new emphasis on potable reuse as well as agricultural water reuse was noted. Despite the absence of federal regulations that govern water reuse in the United States, 30 states and one U.S. territory have adopted water reuse regulations (1). Based on the research gaps identified in the Guidelines and the recent NRC water reuse report (1), this solicitation is intended to support science at the national scale to assist communities considering water reuse and conservation options and applications. For example, funded research might address the need for on-line operational management tools to guarantee water quality, given the short times between treatment and reuse. This RFA is especially interested in research that measures and quantifies health and ecological impacts from unplanned potable reuse, also termed de facto water reuse and planned reuse in comparison to conventional systems.
The treatment and use of reclaimed water is one alternative to augment water supplies and reduce demand on conventional water sources. Traditionally, there has been a negative perception of wastewater reuse; however, with adequate treatment, wastewater and associated residuals are a valuable source of water energy and nutrients. The recovery of energy from traditional residuals, such as biosolids is feasible, however; when considering the life-cycle implications of the system to produce them, it is far from what could be achieved from different sanitation system configurations. This is even more evident for nutrients, most of which occur within the urine stream that constitutes less than one percent of the wastewater flow in a sewer, but for example, some 80 percent of the nitrogen. Keeping the yellow water stream separate for a source of plant nutrients, however; comes with some poorly characterized impacts such as those associated with residual personnel care products and environmental pathogens when used to fertilize food crops. In addition to municipal wastewater, stormwater and surface runoff should be considered as potential sources for augmenting water supplies and has the co-benefits of reducing runoff pollution and recharging groundwater and natural hydrology.
As with conventionally treated drinking water systems, there may be harmful chemicals (7), chlorine-resistant infectious microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium, and as in untreated groundwater systems, other pathogens (8, 9) and antibiotic -resistant gene-containing bacteria (resistomes) (10) . For example, communities drinking untreated groundwater impacted by leaking sewer lines may have increased human virus counts and associated acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) (11), even in the absence of Total Coliform Rule violations. Inadequately treated drinking water, such as bank filtered surface water (treated only with chlorine), perhaps affected by de facto reuse, could be the cause of the measured excess drinking water AGI (12).
In addition to AGI, there is an increased potential for chronic disease subsequent to AGI episodes (13-18). Microbial drinking water regulations and treatment practices attempt to be protective of the population and are continually updated, but risks to general (or sensitive) life-stages associated with reuse or conservation storage and use have not been systematically assessed.
As communities incorporate reclaimed water and non-traditional water sources into their water management plans, there are also concerns beyond those directly impacting human health. The economic and non-economic impacts to the ecosystem must also be considered holistically. For example, there are distinct considerations related to stream flow, recreational uses, wetland health, endangered and sensitive species, fisheries and wildlife habitats, and hydrologic changes when reuse activities are put in place.
The specific Strategic Goal and Objective from the EPA’s Strategic Plan that relate to this solicitation are:
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters, Objective 2.2: Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems
More information can be found in EPA’s FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan
C. Authority and Regulations
The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1, and the Clean Water Act, Section 104, 33 U.S.C. 1254.
For research with an international aspect, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).
Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed above. Generally, a project must address the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of air pollution, water pollution, solid/hazardous waste pollution, toxic substances control, or pesticide control depending on which statute(s) is listed above. These activities should relate to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. Proposals should emphasize this “learning” concept, as opposed to “fixing” an environmental problem via a well-established method. Proposals relating to other topics which are sometimes included within the term “environment” such as recreation, conservation, restoration, protection of wildlife habitats, etc., must describe the relationship of these topics to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control.
Applicable regulations include: 40 CFR Part 30 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations), 40 CFR Part 31 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments) and 40 CFR Part 40 (Research and Demonstration Grants). Applicable OMB Circulars include: OMB Circular A-21 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions) relocated to 2 CFR Part 220, OMB Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments) relocated to 2 CFR Part 225, and OMB Circular A-122 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations) relocated to 2 CFR Part 230.
D. Specific Research Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes
Note to applicant: The term “output” means an environmental activity or effort, and associated work products, related to a specific environmental goal(s), (e.g., testing a new methodology), that will be produced or developed over a period of time under the agreement. The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from the above activit(ies) that is related to an environmental or health-related objective.
The Agency is interested in supporting research that takes a systems view of water reuse and water conservation that promotes public and ecosystem health protection and considers the long-term management and availability of water resources more holistically. The research needs include data and information that would be most valuable in helping municipalities and their stakeholders to assess their options for selecting and implementing water reclamation, reuse or harvesting projects in their water management districts. Research needs include assessments and measurements of economic and non-economic impacts (e.g., health, economic, societal, and ecological), and identification and evaluation of impacts of implementing these projects. Options to achieve these endpoints include developing novel tools, models and methods, developing surveys, conducting field studies, or a combination of these approaches.
Please recognize that proposals are not expected to address all priority areas listed below. Successful proposals will specifically identify what aspects of wastewater reclamation or stormwater use will be addressed, and at what scale the research will be performed.
Additionally, proposals are expected to be specific regarding measures and quantification of health impacts that will be addressed, and how the data will support the understanding of the sustainable management of water resources. All applications should clearly address relevant underlying factors and stressors that may impact long-term planning and implementation.
Please note: Applicants should address at least one of the priority areas below to be considered for funding:
- how reclaimed water applications and large scale harvest will affect public and ecological health, including indirectly, e.g. via energy needs;
- best practices and sustainable water management incorporating water reuse and larger-scale rainwater harvesting/stormwater reuse systems;
- life cycle costs of large scale harvest and reuse systems;
- uses and treatment trains for reuse applications and large scale harvest, and assessments and measurements of economic and non economic impacts (e.g., human health, economic, societal, and/or ecological health).
Projects should also address 2 or more of the following questions:
- What are the existing and emerging microbiological and chemical human and ecological health exposure scenarios and pathways? How can levels of impact be quantified and compared across these scenarios so as to better inform system management?
- What specific benefits are achievable (economic, societal, and ecologic) from the de facto reuse; planned reuse, stormwater reuse or large scale harvest of non-traditional sources projects?
- What approaches or metrics can be developed to help stakeholders assess the economic and non-economic impacts of integrating reclaimed water or stormwater, or large scale harvest of non-traditional sources into water planning, development and day-to-day operations to meet water quality objectives?
- What strategies and approaches can be used to promote adaptive management strategies that ensure communities and multiple stakeholders share in the development and planning of water reuse and conservation projects, and what steps can be taken to ensure meaningful involvement?
The outputs of the proposed projects may include reports, presentations, peer-reviewed journal publications, tools, models and methods.
The expected outcome of this research is a quantitative understanding of the impacts of implementing the use of reclaimed water and harvest applications. Specific outcomes could include:
- Increased ability to more cost-effectively and sustainably assess and measure impacts of implementing water reuse and associated resource recovery processes including programs using non-traditional water sources.
- Increased systemic capacity for adoption and implementation of reclaimed water, energy, nutrients and non-traditional water sources.
- More systematic approaches for evaluating ecosystem health as it relates to the above water reuse-related activities.
- Increased community and stakeholder engagement and involvement in the planning, design, and implementation of water/resource reuse and non-traditional water programs.
To the extent practicable, research proposals must embody innovation and concepts promoting sustainability (19). Innovation for the purposes of this RFA is defined as the process of making changes; a new method, custom or device. Innovative research can take the form of wholly new applications or applications that build on existing knowledge and approaches for new uses. Research proposals must include a discussion on how the proposed research is innovative (see Section IV.B.5.a). The concept of sustainability is based on language in the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This definition is reiterated in Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environment, Energy, and Economic Performance, stating that the goal of sustainability is to, “create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.” Research proposals must include a discussion on how the proposed research will seek sustainable solutions that protect the environment and strengthen our communities (see Section IV.B.5.a). ORD will draw from all of the above-mentioned innovation and sustainability definitions in the review/evaluation process of recommending research proposals (see Section V.A).
E. References
Journals /Books/Reports
- Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater, National Academies’ Press.
- Testimony of Nancy K. Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water before the Sub Committee on Water and Wildlife, Committee on Environment and Public Works, US Senate, Oct. 4, 2011
- The term “de facto reuse” is “a situation where reuse of treated wastewater is in fact practiced, but is not officially recognized (e.g., a drinking water supply intake located downstream from a wastewater treatment plant discharge point)” Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater , National Academies’ Press.
- Guidance for Planning the Location of Water Supply Intakes Downstream from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1978.
- Wastewater in Receiving Waters at Water Supply Abstraction Points, EPA-600/2-80-044. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1980.
- 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse (PDF). EPA/600/R-12/618. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002.
- Drewes, J.E., P. Anderson, N. Denslow, A. Olivieri, D. Schlenk, S.A. Snyder, and K.A. Maruya. Designing monitoring programs for chemicals of emerging concern in potable reuse – what to include and what not to include? Water Science and Technology , 67:433–439 (2013).
- Westrell T., C. Schönning, T. A. Stenström, and N.J. Ashbolt. QMRA (quantitative microbial risk assessment) and HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points) for management of pathogens in wastewater and sewage sludge treatment and reuse. Water Science & Technology 50:23-30 (2004).
- Collier, S.A., L.J. Stockman, L.A. Hicks, L.E. Garrison, F.J. Zhou , and M. J. Beach. Direct healthcare costs of selected diseases primarily or partially transmitted by water. Epidemiology and Infection 140:2003-2013 (2012).
- Ashbolt, N.J., A. Amézquita , T. Backhaus, S.P. Borriello, K. Brandt, P. Collignon, A. Coors, R. Finley, W.H. Gaze, T. Heberer, et al: Human health risk assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance. Environmental Health Perspectives (2013), 121(9):993-1001.
- Borchardt, M.A., Spencer, S.K. Kieke Jr., B.A., Lambertini, E. and F.J. Loge. Viruses in nondisinfected drinking water from municipal wells and community incidence of acute gastrointestinal illness. Env. Health Perspect. 120(9):1272-1279 (2012).
- Colford, J.M., J.F. Hilton, C.C. Wright, B. F. Arnold, S. Saha, T.J. Wade, J.Scott, and J.N.S. Eisenberg. The Sonoma Water Evaluation Trial: A Randomized Drinking Water Intervention Trial to Reduce Gastrointestinal Illness in Older Adults. American Journal of Public Health, 99(11):1988-95 (2009).
- Clark, W.F. et al. The Walkerton Health Study, 2002-2008. Final Report submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2008.
- Clark, W.F. et al. Long term risk for hypertension, renal impairment, and cardiovascular disease after gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7: a prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal BMJ 341:c6020 (2010).
- Moorin, R.E., J.S. Heyworth, G.M. Forbes, and T.V. Riley. Long-term health risks for children and young adults after infective gastroenteritis. Emerging Infectious Diseases 16(9): 1440-1447 (2010).
- Havelaar, A.H., M.A. de Wit,R. van Koningsveld, and E. van Kempen. Health burden in the Netherlands due to infection with thermophilic Campylobacter spp. Epidemiology and Infection 125:505-522 (2000).
- Tariq L., J. Haagsma, and A. Havelaar. Cost of illness and disease burden in The Netherlands due to infections with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157. Journal of Food Production 74:545-552 (2011).
- Niklasson, B., B. Hörnfeldt, and B. Lundman. Could myocarditis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and Guillain-Barré‚ syndrome be caused by one or more infectious agents carried by rodents? Emerging Infectious Diseases 4:187-193 (1998).
- National Research Council. Sustainability and the U.S. EPA. Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press (2011).
F. Special Requirements
Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage. Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.
Multiple Investigator applications may be submitted as: (1) a single Lead Principal Investigator (PI) application with Co-PI(s) or (2) a Multiple PI application (with a single Contact PI). If you choose to submit a Multiple PI application, you must follow the specific instructions provided in Sections IV. and V. of this RFA. For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (Research Business Models Working Group).
Please note: Early career awards will not accommodate a Multiple PI application. Early career awards shall be submitted as a single Lead PI application. Special eligibility criteria apply to the early career portion of this RFA. Please see Section III of this RFA for details on the early career eligibility criteria. The application must include an early career verification (see “Early Career Verification” in Section IV.B.5.e).
This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. There are many scientific and ethical considerations that must be addressed in such studies by the study sponsor and research team, including, but not limited to, those related to recruitment, retention, participant compensation, third-party issues, researcher-participant interactions, researcher-community interactions, communications, interventions, and education. All such research must comply with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 26, and any human observational exposure studies must also adhere to the principles set forth in the Scientific and Ethical Approaches for Observational Exposure Studies (SEAOES) (EPA/600/R-08/062) (PDF) (133 pp, 1.21 MB) document. SEAOES, which was published by researchers in EPA and which discusses the principles for the ethical conduct of human research studies, serves as a resource for applicants interested in applying under this solicitation. References to “SEAOES Principles” in this solicitation refers, in general, to the issues of interest in conducting human subjects research studies that maintain the highest scientific and ethical standards and safety during the conduct of these studies. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.B.5.c) and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.
The application shall include a plan (see “Data Plan” in section IV.B.5.d) to make available to the NCER project officer all data generated (first produced under the award) from observations, analyses, or model development used under an agreement awarded from this RFA. The data must be available in a format and with documentation such that they may be used by others in the scientific community.
These awards may involve the collection of “Geospatial Information,” which includes information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the Earth or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $4 million will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding approximately seven awards (4 regular, 3 early career) under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $750,000 for regular awards and $330,000 for early career awards, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 3 years.
The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards, or make fewer awards than anticipated, under this RFA. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.
In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals/applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal/application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal/application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.
EPA may award both grants and cooperative agreements under this announcement.
Under a grant, EPA scientists and engineers are not permitted to be substantially involved in the execution of the research. However, EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant Principal Investigators after the award of an EPA grant 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.
Where appropriate, based on consideration of the nature of the proposed project relative to the EPA’s intramural research program and available resources, the EPA may award cooperative agreements under this announcement. When addressing a research question/problem of common interest, collaborations between EPA scientists and the institution’s principal investigators are permitted under a cooperative agreement. These collaborations may include data and information exchange, providing technical input to experimental design and theoretical development, coordinating extramural research with in-house activities, the refinement of valuation endpoints, and joint authorship of journal articles on these activities. Proposals may not identify EPA cooperators or interactions; specific interactions between EPA’s investigators and those of the prospective recipient for cooperative agreements will be negotiated at the time of award.
A. Eligible Applicants
Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.
Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations that meet the definition of nonprofit in OMB Circular A-122, located at 2 CFR Part 230. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply.
EPA particularly encourages Minority Academic Institutions as described in Section I.A to apply.
Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.
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 applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an 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 an assistance agreement, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency’s appropriations in other ways through awards made under this program.
The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, 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. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.
The early career awards will support research performed by PIs with outstanding promise at the Assistant Professor or equivalent level. Principal investigators from applicant institutions applying for the early career portion of the RFA must meet the following additional eligibility requirements:
- Hold a doctoral degree in a field related to the research being solicited by the closing date of the RFA;
- Be untenured at the closing date of the RFA;
- By the award date, be employed in a tenure-track position (or tenure-track-equivalent position) as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) at an institution in the U.S., its territories, or possessions. Note: For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent position, it must meet all of the following requirements: (1) the employing department or organization does not offer tenure; (2) the appointment is a continuing appointment; (3) the appointment has substantial educational responsibilities; and (4) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the goals of the department/organization.
Senior researchers may collaborate in a supporting role for early career awards. Early career applications should not propose significant resources for senior researchers and may not list senior researchers as co-PIs. The application must include an early career verification (see “Early Career Verification” in Section IV.B.5.e).
Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov) in NCER, phone: 703-308-0442.
B. Cost-Sharing
Institutional cost-sharing is not required.
C. Other
Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limitation is expressed in Section IV with respect to parts of the application, pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted through grants.gov or by other authorized alternate means (see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for further information) on or before the solicitation closing date and time in Section IV of this announcement or they will be returned to the sender without further consideration. Also, applications exceeding the funding limits or project period term described herein will be returned without review. Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal agency) will not be funded.
Applications deemed ineligible for funding consideration will be notified within fifteen calendar days of the ineligibility determination.
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can be found at Fiscal Year 2010 Competitive Grant Awards
These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.
Formal instructions for submission through Grants.gov follow in Section E.
A. Internet Address to Request Application Package
Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see Section E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package.
An email will be sent by NCER to the Lead/Contact PI and the Administrative Contact (see below) to acknowledge receipt of the application and transmit other important information. The email will be sent from receipt.application@epa.gov; emails to this address will not be accepted. If you do not receive an email acknowledgment within 30 days of the submission closing date, immediately inform the Eligibility Contact shown in this solicitation. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed. See Section E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for additional information regarding the application receipt acknowledgment.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
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Standard Form 424
The applicant must complete Standard Form 424. Instructions for completion of the SF424 are included with the form. (However, note that EPA requires that the entire requested dollar amount appear on the SF424, not simply the proposed first year expenses.) The form must contain the signature of an authorized representative of the applying organization.
Applicants are required to provide a “Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System” (DUNS) number when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. Organizations may receive a DUNS number by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting the web site at Dun and Bradstreet
.Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” does not apply to the Office of Research and Development's research and training programs unless EPA has determined that the activities that will be carried out under the applicants' proposal (a) require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), or (b) do not require an EIS but will be newly initiated at a particular site and require unusual measures to limit the possibility of adverse exposure or hazard to the general public, or (c) have a unique geographic focus and are directly relevant to the governmental responsibilities of a State or local government within that geographic area.
If EPA determines that Executive Order 12372 applies to an applicant's proposal, the applicant must follow the procedures in 40 CFR Part 29. The applicant must notify their state's single point of contact (SPOC). To determine whether their state participates in this process, and how to comply, applicants should consult Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List). If an applicant is in a State that does not have a SPOC, or the State has not selected research and development grants for intergovernmental review, the applicant must notify directly affected State, area wide, regional and local entities of its proposal.
EPA will notify the successful applicant(s) if Executive Order 12372 applies to its proposal prior to award.
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Key Contacts
The applicant must complete the “Key Contacts” form found in the Grants.gov application package. An “Additional Key Contacts” form is also available at Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major sub-agreements (i.e., primary investigators). Do not include information for consultants or other contractors. Please make certain that all contact information is accurate.
For Multiple PI applications: The Additional Key Contacts form must be completed (see Section I.F. for further information). Note: The Contact PI must be affiliated with the institution submitting the application. EPA will direct all communications related to scientific, technical, and budgetary aspects of the project to the Contact PI; however, any information regarding an application will be shared with any PI upon request. The Contact PI is to be listed on the Key Contact Form as the Project Manager/Principal Investigator (the term Project Manager is used on the Grants.gov form, the term Principal Investigator is used on the form located on NCER’s web site). For additional PIs, complete the Major Co-Investigator fields and identify PI status next to the name (e.g., “Name: John Smith, Principal Investigator”).
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Table of Contents
Provide a list of the major subdivisions of the application indicating the page number on which each section begins.
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Abstract (1 page)
The abstract is a very important document in the review process. Therefore, it is critical that the abstract accurately describes the research being proposed and conveys all the essential elements of the research. Also, the abstracts of applications that receive funding will be posted on the NCER web site.
The abstract should include the information described below (a-h). Examples of abstracts for current grants may be found on the NCER web site.
- Funding Opportunity Title and Number for this proposal.
- Project Title: Use the exact title of your project as it appears in the application. The title must be brief yet represent the major thrust of the project. Because the title will be used by those not familiar with the project, use more commonly understood terminology. Do not use general phrases such as “research on.”
- Investigators: For applications with multiple investigators, state whether this is a single Lead PI (with co-PIs) or Multiple PI application (see Section I.F.). For Lead PI applications, list the Lead PI, then the name(s) of each co-PI who will significantly contribute to the project. For Multiple PI applications, list the Contact PI, then the name(s) of each additional PI. Provide a web site URL or an email contact address for additional information.
- Institution(s): In the same order as the list of investigators, list the name, city and state of each participating university or other applicant institution. The institution applying for assistance must be clearly identified.
- Project Period and Location: Show the proposed project beginning and ending dates and the performance site(s)/geographical location(s) where the work will be conducted.
- Project Cost: Show the total funding requested from the EPA (include direct and indirect costs for all years).
- Project Summary: Provide three sub
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.