Opportunity Information: Apply for G16AS00123
Apply for G16AS00123
- The Department of the Interior, Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 01, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 12, 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 $190,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G16AS00123), was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a discretionary science and technology research opportunity to be supported through a cooperative agreement. The program is structured for a single expected award, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $190,000. The opportunity was created on August 1, 2016, with an original application closing date of August 12, 2016, indicating a short submission window typical of targeted, partner-focused research solicitations.
The central purpose of the grant is to support research, through a Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partner, aimed at improving how wind-generated atmospheric dust deposition is measured in real-world field settings across much of the western United States. The problem the USGS is trying to address is not simply that dust is present, but that dust produced by wind erosion can contribute to environmental degradation, reduced air quality, and public health concerns. In many western landscapes, wind erosion can mobilize fine soil and sediment particles, transporting them into the air where they can impact visibility, respiratory health, and ecological processes. Because these impacts are widespread and can vary significantly from site to site and season to season, agencies need consistent, defensible ways to quantify what is in the air and what is being deposited onto landscapes.
A key gap highlighted in the opportunity description is that federal agencies and research partners do not currently have a broadly accepted method for characterizing ambient aerosol concentrations that performs reliably under widely variable field conditions. In practice, this means that existing approaches may be too sensitive to changing weather, too fragile or maintenance-intensive for remote deployments, inconsistent in their readings across different environments, or not standardized enough to be trusted across multiple projects and jurisdictions. Without a robust, widely usable method, it becomes harder to compare results across regions, evaluate trends over time, or translate scientific findings into concrete land management decisions.
Because of that gap, the stated priority is to advance toward development of a field instrument capable of measuring particulate matter (PM) in its critical size classes. The emphasis on "critical size classes" reflects how particle size is closely tied to both health and environmental effects. Smaller particles can remain airborne longer, travel farther, penetrate deeper into lungs, and contribute differently to atmospheric and ecological processes than larger particles. The opportunity frames instrument development as a foundational step: before agencies can substantially improve understanding of dust dynamics or evaluate wind-erosion management practices, they need dependable field measurements of PM concentrations and deposition that are credible across the range of conditions encountered in western U.S. landscapes.
Eligibility is restricted to CESU partners under the Great Basin CESU framework, with the listing indicating "Others" and directing applicants to additional eligibility information (not included in the text provided). This suggests the opportunity was intended for a defined network of qualified research institutions and partners already participating in the CESU program, which is designed to facilitate collaborative research between federal agencies and partner organizations, often with an emphasis on applied science that supports management needs.
In short, this USGS cooperative agreement opportunity is a focused, applied research solicitation intended to strengthen the scientific and technical toolkit for measuring windblown dust and associated particulate matter. By investing in development or advancement of a rugged, field-ready PM measurement instrument that works reliably under diverse conditions, the project aims to remove a major barrier to consistent dust monitoring, improve the evidence base for wind-erosion and land management decisions, and ultimately support efforts to protect environmental quality and public health in the western United States.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU" and is issued as a discretionary science and technology research opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is G16AS00123.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
What type of award is being used for this opportunity?
Support is intended to be provided through a cooperative agreement.
Is this opportunity competitive, and how many awards are expected?
The program is structured for a single expected award.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $190,000.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on August 1, 2016.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was August 12, 2016.
How long was the submission window based on the dates provided?
Based on the stated creation date (August 1, 2016) and the original closing date (August 12, 2016), the submission window was short and consistent with a targeted, partner-focused solicitation.
What is the central purpose of the grant?
The central purpose is to support research, through a Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partner, aimed at improving how wind-generated atmospheric dust deposition is measured in real-world field settings across much of the western United States.
What environmental problem is USGS trying to address with this project?
The opportunity targets wind-generated dust produced by wind erosion, which can contribute to environmental degradation, reduced air quality, and public health concerns.
Why is windblown dust a concern in western landscapes?
In many western landscapes, wind erosion can mobilize fine soil and sediment particles. These can become airborne, affecting visibility, respiratory health, and ecological processes, with impacts that vary by location and season.
What measurement challenge does the opportunity highlight?
A key gap is the lack of a broadly accepted method for characterizing ambient aerosol concentrations that performs reliably under widely variable field conditions.
What does "performs reliably under widely variable field conditions" mean in this context?
The description indicates existing approaches may be too sensitive to changing weather, too fragile or maintenance-intensive for remote deployments, inconsistent across environments, or insufficiently standardized to be trusted across multiple projects and jurisdictions.
Why is standardization important for dust and aerosol measurements?
Without a robust and widely usable method, it becomes harder to compare results across regions, evaluate trends over time, or translate scientific findings into concrete land management decisions.
What is the stated priority of the work to be funded?
The stated priority is to advance toward development of a field instrument capable of measuring particulate matter (PM) in its critical size classes.
What does the opportunity mean by "critical size classes" of particulate matter?
The opportunity emphasizes that particle size is closely tied to health and environmental effects. Smaller particles can remain airborne longer, travel farther, and penetrate deeper into lungs, and they can influence atmospheric and ecological processes differently than larger particles.
Is the focus on measuring airborne dust, deposited dust, or both?
The opportunity discusses the need to quantify what is in the air (ambient aerosol concentrations/PM) and what is being deposited onto landscapes (dust deposition), indicating interest in both airborne concentrations and deposition in field settings.
What geographic area is the project intended to support?
The work is framed around field settings across much of the western United States.
Why does the opportunity emphasize "real-world field settings"?
The solicitation highlights that field conditions can vary widely and that current methods may not be robust enough for remote or variable environments. A field-ready instrument is positioned as essential for dependable monitoring across diverse western landscapes.
What role does instrument development play in the overall goals?
Instrument development is described as a foundational step. The opportunity suggests that dependable PM measurement in the field is needed before agencies can substantially improve understanding of dust dynamics or evaluate wind-erosion management practices.
How does this project connect to land management decisions?
By improving measurement consistency and credibility across conditions, the work is intended to strengthen the evidence base used to assess wind erosion, compare outcomes across regions, and support practical land management decisions.
How does this project connect to public health and environmental quality?
Because windblown dust can reduce air quality and pose respiratory risks, better measurement of PM concentrations and deposition supports efforts to protect environmental quality and public health.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is restricted to CESU partners under the Great Basin CESU framework.
Does the opportunity provide additional eligibility details?
The listing indicates "Others" and directs applicants to additional eligibility information, but that additional information is not included in the text provided here.
What is the intended applicant community based on the description?
The description suggests it was intended for a defined network of qualified research institutions and partners already participating in the CESU program, which is designed to facilitate collaborative research between federal agencies and partner organizations.
What kind of research is this opportunity supporting?
It is a focused, applied research solicitation in science and technology, centered on improving measurement methods and advancing a rugged, field-ready instrument for particulate matter monitoring relevant to windblown dust.
What is the overall outcome USGS is aiming for?
The opportunity aims to remove a major barrier to consistent dust monitoring by improving measurement capability, thereby enabling more credible monitoring across diverse conditions and strengthening the basis for wind-erosion and land management actions in the western United States.
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