Opportunity Information: Apply for L16AS00080
Apply for L16AS00080
- The DOI-BLM in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM Utah Arid Land/Rehabilitation of Soils Study" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.236.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 05, 2016 and posted on Apr 05, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 06, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The BLM Utah Arid Land/Rehabilitation of Soils Study (Funding Opportunity Number L16AS00080) is a Bureau of Land Management (DOI-BLM) cooperative agreement opportunity focused on improving reclamation outcomes on disturbed federal lands in Utahs Uinta Basin, especially where oil and gas development has left plugged and abandoned well pads. The Uinta Basin is a large structural and sedimentary basin in northeast Utah, and BLM noted thousands of plugged and abandoned wells in the broader area. Because the BLM Green River District requires reclamation planning for surface-disturbing activities, this project is framed as applied research meant to strengthen the on-the-ground practices BLM uses to stabilize sites quickly and move them toward long-term ecosystem recovery.
The opportunity is grounded in established federal reclamation expectations described in the BLM/USDA Gold Book, which emphasizes returning sites to stable landforms, salvaging and reusing topsoil, revegetating with native (or otherwise approved) species, controlling invasive and noxious weeds, reducing erosion, and monitoring until a self-sustaining plant community is established. In this setting, successful reclamation is not just bare ground stabilization; it is the development of a vigorous, diverse plant community dense enough to resist erosion and prevent takeover by invasive species, while also restoring wildlife habitat and, where relevant, forage production.
What makes the Uinta Basin particularly difficult is the underlying soil condition. Many local soils are rated poor to fair for use as topsoil and reclamation material because they commonly have elevated salinity, high sodium (sodicity), high alkalinity, low organic matter, shallow depths to bedrock, and high rock content. Those constraints are often compounded by oil and gas disturbance itself, including compaction and the possible introduction of drilling-related chemicals. In a semi-arid environment with limited water, these factors can tip the balance toward invasive annuals, particularly cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), rather than the desired native plant community.
The project lays out three main technical objectives. First, it aims to minimize establishment of invasive weeds, especially cheatgrass and halogeton, by selecting cover crops that can tolerate arid and saline conditions and by timing plantings so those cover crops directly compete with invaders during key establishment windows. The approach is expected to incorporate sustainable dryland farming techniques to get reliable cover crop production without irrigation while still setting the stage for native plant succession. A notable element is the inclusion of testing weed suppressive bacteria (WSB) that are naturally selected to inhibit cheatgrass growth, suggesting the work may combine conventional agronomic tactics with biological tools for weed suppression.
Second, the study targets restoration of lands impacted by salinity and related soil chemistry problems. The stated goal is to develop an organic-matter-rich topsoil layer that is free of weeds and where salinity, sodicity, and trace element contaminants have been mitigated. In practical terms, this objective points toward treatments and soil-building strategies that can improve soil structure, reduce chemical constraints that inhibit plant growth, and create a more functional seedbed for long-term vegetation recovery.
Third, the project intends to identify the most appropriate revegetation species and planting methods to ensure desirable species establish well enough to suppress invasive weeds over time. This is about more than selecting a seed mix; it includes determining how to plant (for example, seeding methods and possibly seasonality or establishment techniques) so native or approved species can persist under harsh soil and moisture conditions and provide durable resistance to reinvasion.
The public benefit described is a detailed, practical reclamation guideline or "recipe" that BLM land managers can apply to reclaim disturbed arid lands more successfully and more consistently. In the short term, better guidance should improve immediate stabilization and reduce erosion and weed outbreaks on newly treated sites. In the long term, the expected outcome is progress toward functioning ecosystems on former well pads and other disturbed areas, including stable soils, reduced sediment delivery to waterways, re-established habitat, and improved forage where appropriate. Because these sites are widespread across the basin, even incremental improvements in reclamation success could translate into substantial cumulative benefits for watersheds, wildlife, and public land health.
Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity issued by DOI-BLM under CFDA 15.236, offered as a cooperative agreement with an award ceiling of $125,000 and an expectation of one award. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice). The opportunity was posted April 5, 2016, created the same day, and had a closing date of June 6, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BLM Utah Arid Land/Rehabilitation of Soils Study?
It is a Bureau of Land Management (DOI-BLM) cooperative agreement funding opportunity focused on applied research to improve reclamation outcomes on disturbed federal lands in Utah's Uinta Basin, particularly on sites affected by oil and gas development such as plugged and abandoned well pads.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is L16AS00080.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (DOI-BLM).
What type of award is this?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.236.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The main purpose is to strengthen on-the-ground reclamation practices used by BLM in the Uinta Basin by developing and testing practical approaches that stabilize disturbed sites quickly and support long-term ecosystem recovery.
Where will the work be focused geographically?
The work is focused on Utah's Uinta Basin, a large structural and sedimentary basin in northeast Utah.
What kinds of disturbed sites are emphasized?
The project especially emphasizes disturbed federal lands where oil and gas development has left plugged and abandoned well pads, noting that there are thousands of plugged and abandoned wells in the broader area.
Why is reclamation in the Uinta Basin challenging?
Reclamation is challenging because many local soils are rated poor to fair for topsoil and reclamation material. Common constraints include elevated salinity, high sodium (sodicity), high alkalinity, low organic matter, shallow depth to bedrock, and high rock content. These constraints can be compounded by oil and gas disturbance (including compaction and potential introduction of drilling-related chemicals) and by the semi-arid environment with limited water.
What does BLM consider "successful reclamation" in this context?
Successful reclamation is described as more than stabilizing bare ground. It includes developing a vigorous, diverse, self-sustaining plant community that is dense enough to resist erosion and prevent takeover by invasive species, while also restoring wildlife habitat and, where relevant, forage production.
What guidance or standards does the opportunity reference for reclamation expectations?
The opportunity is grounded in expectations described in the BLM/USDA Gold Book, which emphasizes returning sites to stable landforms, salvaging and reusing topsoil, revegetating with native (or otherwise approved) species, controlling invasive and noxious weeds, reducing erosion, and monitoring until a self-sustaining plant community is established.
What are the main technical objectives of the project?
The project describes three main technical objectives: (1) minimize establishment of invasive weeds (especially cheatgrass and halogeton) using arid- and salt-tolerant cover crops, planting timing, sustainable dryland farming techniques, and testing weed suppressive bacteria; (2) restore lands impacted by salinity and related soil chemistry issues by developing an organic-matter-rich, weed-free topsoil layer and mitigating salinity, sodicity, and trace element contaminants; and (3) identify appropriate revegetation species and planting methods to improve establishment of desirable species that can suppress invasives over time.
Which invasive weeds are specifically highlighted as targets?
The opportunity specifically highlights cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and halogeton.
What approach does the project propose to reduce invasive weed establishment?
The project proposes selecting cover crops that can tolerate arid and saline conditions and timing plantings so cover crops directly compete with invasive weeds during key establishment windows. It also anticipates using sustainable dryland farming techniques to produce reliable cover crops without irrigation.
Does the project include any biological weed control component?
Yes. A notable element is testing weed suppressive bacteria (WSB) that are naturally selected to inhibit cheatgrass growth.
Is irrigation expected to be part of the cover crop strategy?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of using sustainable dryland farming techniques to achieve reliable cover crop production without irrigation.
What does the opportunity aim to accomplish regarding salinity and soil chemistry problems?
It aims to restore lands impacted by salinity and related soil chemistry issues by developing an organic-matter-rich topsoil layer that is weed-free and where salinity, sodicity, and trace element contaminants have been mitigated.
What is meant by creating an "organic-matter-rich topsoil layer" in this project?
In the context of the opportunity, it refers to soil-building strategies and treatments intended to improve soil structure and function, reduce chemical constraints that inhibit plant growth, and create a more functional seedbed for long-term vegetation recovery, while also being free of weeds.
What does the project intend to determine about revegetation?
The project intends to identify the most appropriate revegetation species and planting methods so desirable native (or otherwise approved) species establish well enough to suppress invasive weeds over time under harsh soil and moisture conditions.
Is this project only about selecting seed mixes?
No. The opportunity describes revegetation as including planting methods (such as seeding methods and potentially timing/seasonality or other establishment techniques), not just selecting a seed mix.
What is the expected public benefit or end product of this work?
The opportunity describes a key public benefit as producing a detailed, practical reclamation guideline or "recipe" that BLM land managers can apply to reclaim disturbed arid lands more successfully and consistently.
What short-term outcomes are expected?
Short-term expectations include improved immediate stabilization of treated sites and reduced erosion and weed outbreaks on newly treated areas.
What long-term outcomes are expected?
Long-term expectations include progress toward functioning ecosystems on former well pads and other disturbed areas, including stable soils, reduced sediment delivery to waterways, re-established habitat, and improved forage where appropriate.
Why might small improvements in reclamation success matter in the Uinta Basin?
Because disturbed sites are widespread across the basin, even incremental improvements in reclamation success could produce substantial cumulative benefits for watersheds, wildlife, and overall public land health.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $125,000.
How many awards did BLM expect to make?
The opportunity indicated an expectation of one award.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity issued by DOI-BLM.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 5, 2016.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 5, 2016 (the same day it was posted).
What was the application closing date?
The closing date was June 6, 2016.
How does this project relate to BLM reclamation planning requirements?
BLM noted that the Green River District requires reclamation planning for surface-disturbing activities, and this project is framed as applied research intended to improve the practices used to meet reclamation needs on the ground.
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