Environmental Remediation ScienceProgram | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the name of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (ERSP), within the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD).

Which DOE office is sponsoring the grants?

The sponsor is the DOE Office of Science, with the program housed in BER (Office of Biological and Environmental Research) under CESD (Climate and Environmental Sciences Division).

What is the main purpose of ERSP funding under this notice?

The purpose is to support basic, hypothesis-driven research that strengthens the scientific foundation for understanding, predicting, and ultimately mitigating contamination remaining from past nuclear weapons production. A central goal is generating fundamental knowledge DOE needs for long-term stewardship of contaminated sites and nuclear waste disposal.

Is this opportunity focused on basic research or applied cleanup demonstrations?

This notice emphasizes foundational, publishable science rather than applied cleanup demonstrations. The intent is to develop the underpinning science that makes remediation concepts more reliable, predictive, and defensible over decades.

What kinds of contaminants are the focus of the research?

The focus is on inorganic contaminants commonly found at DOE sites, including targeted radionuclides and heavy metals identified as contaminants of concern in the full announcement.

Are organic contaminants included?

No. Organic contaminants are explicitly out of scope; the scientific needs are centered on inorganic radionuclides and heavy metals and the subsurface processes that control their behavior.

Is phytoremediation included in the scope?

No. Phytoremediation is explicitly out of scope for this solicitation.

What environments or settings does the program emphasize?

The program emphasizes complex terrestrial subsurface environments, including the vadose zone (unsaturated soils), saturated groundwater zones, and interfaces where groundwater and surface water interact.

What scientific processes does DOE want applicants to address?

Proposed work is expected to advance understanding and prediction of coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes that control contaminant form, mobility, transformation, and transport in subsurface systems over long time frames.

What approach is DOE looking for in proposed research?

DOE is looking for multidisciplinary projects that identify major knowledge gaps and address them through an integrated, iterative approach that connects controlled experimentation with advanced computational modeling, spanning scales from molecular and pore-scale mechanisms to field-scale behavior.

What is the program trying to improve in remediation decision-making?

The opportunity targets improvements in how coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes are represented in environmental remediation and long-term stewardship decisions, particularly for predictions over long time frames.

How should applicants demonstrate alignment with BER goals?

Competitive proposals should clearly explain how the work advances BER's long-term performance measure: enabling DOE sites to incorporate coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes into environmental remediation and long-term stewardship decision-making.

What kinds of outcomes are expected from funded work?

Expected outcomes include contributions to the public good through publishable advances in the scientific literature on subsurface contaminant cycling and transport, improving the scientific basis for prediction and stewardship.

What funding instrument is used for this opportunity?

This is a continuation category funding opportunity using a grant instrument.

Is cost sharing required?

No. The notice states there is no cost sharing requirement.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The listing is under CFDA 81.049, Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals.

Are DOE National Laboratories and FFRDCs eligible to apply under this notice?

No. Researchers from DOE National Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) are not eligible to respond to this notice.

Can researchers from other federal agencies apply?

Researchers from other federal agencies are encouraged to submit a preproposal first. If invited to submit a full proposal, they must follow DOE instructions for federal agency submissions.

What are the key dates for this opportunity?

The opportunity was posted on December 24, 2008. The application closing date was April 9, 2009. The opportunity was archived on April 24, 2010.

Which DOE service center is associated with this listing?

This opportunity is associated with the DOE Chicago Service Center.

Who can applicants contact for technical or program questions?

The program contact listed is Deborah Greenawalt at Deb.Greenawalt@science.doe.gov.

Who can applicants contact for submission system or IIPS support?

The support contact listed is the IIPS HelpDesk at iipshelpdesk@e-center.doe.gov.

What is the overarching scientific emphasis of the solicitation?

The solicitation emphasizes understanding how inorganic contaminants move and transform in complex subsurface environments, with strong emphasis on predicting contaminant transport under realistic conditions and across scales.