Opportunity Information: Apply for G15AS00031
Apply for G15AS00031
- The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Southern Appalachian CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808 U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 2, 2015 and posted on Feb 2, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 13, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $355,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- 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).
- This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Southern Appalachian CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00031) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding notice that supports science and technology research focused on contaminated sediment cleanup outcomes in the Great Lakes. The project centers on how to evaluate "remedy effectiveness" at Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), which are locations with longstanding environmental damage largely tied to historically contaminated sediments. These sediments often contain legacy pollutants such as persistent organic contaminants, mercury, and trace metals, which can continue to affect ecosystems and human health long after the original discharges have stopped.
A key part of the problem the grant aims to address is the relationship between cleanup actions and the official criteria used to determine whether an AOC can be considered recovered. AOCs are tracked based on specific Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), which are formal indicators of harm such as fish consumption advisories and other ecological or public-use restrictions. For an AOC to be delisted, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be able to remove all BUIs, demonstrating that conditions have returned to a baseline, reference, or otherwise pre-defined target. The EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) leads the management of AOCs and, under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, is responsible for overseeing remediation intended to eliminate BUIs. Even with significant remediation investments, the announcement notes that there are still major open questions about the best, most defensible ways to measure whether the remedies used at AOCs (and similar large sediment sites) are actually working as intended over time.
The funding is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the federal agency typically expects to have substantial involvement during the project rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal interaction. Only one award was expected, with an estimated total funding amount of $355,000. The notice lists no cost sharing or matching requirement. While the posting does not specify an award ceiling or floor, the total anticipated funding level provides a practical sense of the project scale and suggests a targeted, research-intensive effort rather than a broad multi-award program.
Eligibility is restricted to partners within the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. CESUs are formal partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with academic and other qualified organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. In this case, an applicant would need to be a recognized participating partner of the Southern Appalachian CESU Program to be considered eligible, which effectively narrows the competition to that established partner community.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on February 2, 2015, with an original and current closing date of February 13, 2015, and it was archived on May 2, 2015. The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The public-facing listing points applicants to Grants.gov for the full announcement and provides a USGS contact (Faith Graves, 703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov) for access issues or questions about obtaining the complete materials.
In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at improving the scientific and technical basis for determining whether sediment remediation in the Great Lakes is achieving the ecological recovery outcomes required for BUI removal and eventual AOC delisting. It highlights the ongoing need for better methods, metrics, and study approaches that can link remediation actions to real-world improvements in environmental conditions and beneficial uses, especially in complex systems where contamination sources, food web exposure, and long-term sediment behavior can complicate straightforward before-and-after comparisons.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Southern Appalachian CESU grant opportunity. It is identified as Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00031.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding notice.
What is the main purpose of this project?
The project supports science and technology research focused on contaminated sediment cleanup outcomes in the Great Lakes, with a central emphasis on how to evaluate "remedy effectiveness" at Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs).
What does "remedy effectiveness" mean in this context?
In this context, "remedy effectiveness" refers to how well contaminated sediment cleanup actions at Great Lakes AOCs perform over time in achieving intended environmental recovery outcomes, especially outcomes connected to the removal of formal impairment criteria.
What are Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs)?
AOCs are locations with longstanding environmental damage, largely linked to historically contaminated sediments. They are tracked and managed based on defined indicators of harm and recovery.
Why are contaminated sediments a focus of this opportunity?
The sediments at AOCs often contain legacy pollutants such as persistent organic contaminants, mercury, and trace metals. These pollutants can continue affecting ecosystems and human health long after the original discharges have stopped.
How is recovery at an AOC officially tracked?
AOCs are tracked based on Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), which are formal indicators of harm. Examples mentioned include fish consumption advisories and other ecological or public-use restrictions.
What are Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs)?
BUIs are formal indicators used to represent harm or restrictions on ecological conditions or public uses. They are used to determine whether an AOC has met recovery criteria.
What must happen for an AOC to be delisted?
For an AOC to be delisted, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be able to remove all BUIs, demonstrating that conditions have returned to a baseline, reference, or other pre-defined target.
Which EPA office leads management of AOCs?
The EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) leads the management of AOCs.
How does the Great Lakes Legacy Act relate to this work?
Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, EPA GLNPO is responsible for overseeing remediation intended to eliminate BUIs.
What problem or gap does the funding notice highlight?
The notice emphasizes that even with significant remediation investments, major questions remain about the best and most defensible ways to measure whether remedies used at AOCs (and similar large sediment sites) are working as intended over time.
What kinds of research needs are implied by the notice?
The opportunity highlights the need for better methods, metrics, and study approaches that can link remediation actions to real-world improvements in environmental conditions and beneficial uses, particularly in complex systems where long-term sediment behavior, food web exposure, and contamination sources can complicate before-and-after comparisons.
What is the funding mechanism (grant type)?
The funding is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expects substantial involvement during the project rather than minimal interaction.
How many awards were expected?
Only one award was expected.
What is the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount is $355,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice lists no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Is there an award ceiling or floor?
The posting does not specify an award ceiling or floor. However, the total anticipated funding level of $355,000 provides a practical sense of the overall project scale.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is restricted to partners within the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. An applicant must be a recognized participating partner of the Southern Appalachian CESU Program to be considered eligible.
What is a CESU and why does it matter for eligibility?
CESUs are formal partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with academic and other qualified organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. For this opportunity, being a partner in the Southern Appalachian CESU is a requirement, which narrows eligibility to that established partner community.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on February 2, 2015. The original and current closing date listed is February 13, 2015.
What does it mean that the opportunity was archived?
The listing indicates it was archived on May 2, 2015, meaning it is presented as a historical posting rather than an active, open opportunity.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 15.808, listed as U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.
Where can applicants find the full announcement materials?
The public-facing listing points applicants to Grants.gov for the full announcement.
Who is the USGS contact for questions or access issues?
The notice provides a USGS contact for access issues or questions about obtaining complete materials: Faith Graves, 703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov.
What geographic area is the research focused on?
The scientific focus described is on contaminated sediment cleanup outcomes in the Great Lakes, specifically at Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs).
What is the intended outcome of the research supported by this opportunity?
The intended outcome is to improve the scientific and technical basis for determining whether sediment remediation in the Great Lakes is achieving ecological recovery outcomes required for BUI removal and eventual AOC delisting.
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