Funding Opportunities

A. TECHNOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT (Prevention)

Introduction

As a nation, we seek long-term economic growth that creates jobs while improving and sustaining the environment and preserving economic opportunities and resources for future generations. It is increasingly clear that "end-of-pipe" pollution controls for industrial operations are not always a sufficient means of reaching these goals, nor is unconstrained development of the supporting infrastructure of industrial facilities. A new generation of cleaner industrial manufacturing, processing, and construction technologies is needed that supports pollution avoidance/prevention (at the source), efficient resource use, and industrial ecology. Such a strategy can help industries become more competitive by lowering resource and energy needs and reducing waste/emissions-control costs, thereby fostering sustainable development while maintaining a strong economy.

Besides addressing industrial and economic issues, more environmentally-benign TSE industrial approaches could contribute to the solution of global environmental problems by, for example, lessening the negative impacts of industrialization on the climate and the biosphere.

Research proposals are invited that advance the development and use of innovative manufacturing and processing technologies and approaches directed at avoiding or minimizing the generation of pollutants at the source. Other than those aspects that pertain to materials flows and reuse within industrial processes, the TSE portion (Part A) of this competition is not intended to address issues related to waste monitoring, treatment, remediation, environmental sensors (except in-process sensors), recycling or containment. These areas are very important, and they are supported by the program activities in Part B, New Technologies for the Environment, (NTE).

NSF and EPA are offering funds for fundamental and applied research in the physical sciences and engineering that will lead to the discovery, development, and evaluation of advanced and novel environmentally benign methods for industrial processing, manufacturing, and construction. The competition addresses technological environmental issues of design, synthesis, processing, and the production, use, and ultimate disposition of products in construction and in continuous and discrete manufacturing industries. Projects must employ fundamental new approaches, and address or be relevant to current national concerns for pollution avoidance/prevention (at the source). Projects that are "on the cutting edge" or are "high-risk/high-payoff" are encouraged. Projects that show the potential to change research infrastructure by developing teams, using systems approaches, and introducing new ways of conducting research will also be considered.

Answering research questions related to environmental sustainability issues often requires the analysis and evaluation of scientific and engineering information and complex phenomena over large spatial and time domains. In addition, the use of modern information technology and high-end computing resources to do this research presents exciting opportunities to the research community, and proposals using these approaches may fit in with this program. Other examples of newer research emphases that are expected to have major impacts on scientific and engineering approaches to sustainability could include nanotechnology, molecular modeling, computational chemistry, sensors, smart materials and buildings, adaptive infrastructure, and simulation of physical, biological, and chemical phenomena. Environmental technology research can also have a critical, albeit indirect, role in developing reliable and affordable alternative energy systems.

This is the seventh joint NSF/EPA solicitation of TSE. About 1,200 proposals have been submitted to the competitions, and about 13% of those (more than 156 TSE projects) were funded. Previous TSE projects were typically funded for three years at a level of about $120,000 per year.

Refer to the NSF/EPA Partnership websites for funding details and abstracts of grants: http://www.nsf.gov/tse or http://www.epa.gov/ncer.

Description of Possible TSE Research Projects (PREVENTION)

The general areas covered by this part (Part A - TSE/Prevention) of the solicitation are:

• Chemistry, Bioengineering, and Chemical Reaction-Based Science and Engineering for Pollution Avoidance or Prevention;
  
• Non-Reaction-Based Engineering for Pollution Avoidance and Prevention;
  
• Environmentally Benign Systems and Design, Manufacturing, Processing, and Industrial Ecology for Sustainable Product/Services Realization; and
  
• Sustainable Construction Processes.

1. Chemistry, Bioengineering, and Chemical Reaction-Based Science and Engineering for Pollution Avoidance or Prevention

The long-range goal of this activity is to develop substances and processes that are safer, reduce health risks, and are environmentally friendly. For the chemical industry, preventing pollution at the source, or "green chemistry and engineering," involves the design of chemicals and alternative chemical processes that do not use toxic feedstocks, reagents or solvents; or processes that reduce the production of toxic by-products or co-products. Data-oriented environmental research is also invited.

Appropriate areas of investigation span the broad range of chemistry and chemical reaction-based engineering and include chemical synthesis and catalysis; computational modeling; sensor innovation (for in-process sensing); reaction mechanisms; and environmentally benign materials. Some specific examples are:

• Alternative Reaction Conditions: Development of alternative new reaction conditions, such as using solvents that are environmentally benign, developing advanced laser control of reactivity, or increasing reaction selectivity to reduce wastes and emissions.
  
  
• Safer Chemicals: Discovery or redesign of useful chemicals and materials that are less toxic to health and the environment or safer in terms of accident potential.
  
  
• Catalysis and Biocatalysis: Development of innovative synthetic methods using catalysis or biocatalysis, including combinatorial or self-assembly approaches; photochemical, electrochemical or biomimetic activation; or starting materials that are environmentally benign or renewable. Examples of catalyst research include: new multifunctional catalysts that reduce the number of process stages or decrease reaction temperatures; super-selective catalysts exploiting innovative nano- and meso-scale structured environments; novel heterogeneous catalysts that replace state-of-the-art homogeneous ones; supported biocatalysts and biomimetic catalytic materials achieving high yields through more efficient reaction pathways, especially in the specialty/fine/pharmaceutical industries; and novel catalysts for currently uncatalyzed reactions. Examples of biocatalysis include research to convert waste biomass into useful products; genetic engineering to produce more specific biocatalysts; and bioprocessing to decrease use of hazardous reactants and eliminate harmful byproducts.
  
  
• Unit Chemical and Material Processes: Improved reactor or chemical/material process design in order to increase product yield, improve selectivity, or reduce unwanted by-products. Novel reactors such as reactor-separator combinations that provide for product separation during the reaction, alternative energy sources for reaction initiation, and integrated chemical process design and operation, including in-process sensing and control, are of interest. (NSF will not be funding reaction engineering proposals through this competition. Instead, chemical reactor design and control proposals may be submitted directly to the NSF Process and Reaction Engineering program as regular research proposals. However, EPA will still consider funding such projects via the TSE part of this solicitation.)
  
  
• Computational Chemistry and Molecular Simulation: Rapid advances in computational speed along with the development of highly efficient computational algorithms have begun to make computational chemistry and molecular simulation viable partners to experimental efforts. Areas of interest include molecular modeling work on catalytic and reaction processes in zeolites, electrochemical systems, and other heterogeneous systems, all with environmentally beneficial effects. Applications of new, basic computational methods for the design of chemical plants and/or control of their operation are also of interest.
  
  
• Materials: Materials substitutions and process alternatives which prevent or reduce environmental harm, such as changes in raw materials or the use of less hazardous solvents in organic coatings, use of materials less harmful to the environment, and materials substitutions in metal plating systems. Combinatorial methods for rapid identification of superior catalytic materials can also be used to optimize the environmental performance of the reactor and process.

2. Non-Reaction-Based Engineering for Pollution Avoidance and Prevention

The focus of this program activity is to develop novel benign engineering approaches for preventing or reducing pollution from industrial manufacturing and processing activities, for non-discrete and discrete processes. The scope includes: technology and equipment modification, reformulation or redesign of parts or products, substitution of alternative materials, in-process changes, process controls/testing methodologies to reduce in-process waste, exploitation of intelligent control or computational intelligence, and development of systems technology to enable the practical insertion of pollution-free technologies.

Potential areas of research include:

• Bioengineering and Technology: Research in this area includes development of innovative environmental technologies using bioengineering techniques such as bioprocessing in bio-manufacturing processes. Examples include: bioprocessing to increase energy efficiency, or to develop more cost effective methods of producing environmentally benign products. Bio-remediation research is not covered by the TSE portion of this solicitation; it is covered by Part B - NTE.
  
  
• Separations, Mass Transport, and Interfacial Phenomena: Non-reactive mass transport and interfacial processes, including novel processes for molecularly-controlled synthesis of thin films, and the use of special surfactant systems for surface cleaning and reactions. Solution thermodynamics of environmentally-benign solvents such as ionic or near critical solutions. Separation methods, such as novel cost-effective methods for the highly efficient in-process separation of useful materials from the components of the process stream (for example, field-enhanced and hybrid separation processes); separation methods that reform feedstocks for improved efficiency; and separation methods for recovering waste and other spent materials for reuse as process feedstocks. Development of materials for advanced in-process sensors with potential for reducing resource use or improving production selectivity.
  
  
• Fluid and Thermal Transport Processes: Improved thermal processes and systems that employ novel thermal or fluid and/or multiphase/particulate systems resulting in significantly lower hazardous effluent production. Examples include: novel refrigeration cycles including heat-operated absorption systems using safe and environmentally-benign working fluids to replace halogenated hydrocarbons hazardous to upper atmosphere ozone levels; innovative heat and mass transfer concepts and devices that facilitate commercialization of such systems, heat transfer and fluid flow of refrigerants such as carbon dioxide at supercritical pressures for implementation in trans-critical heat pump cycles, development of technologies for integrated space-conditioning and water heating systems and the investigation of phase-change processes at the corresponding near-critical pressures, application of micro-channel geometries to the development of compact space-conditioning systems, portable and wearable meso-scale heat pumps for operation in hazardous environments, improved fuel-cell heat and mass transfer for reduced pollutant production. (Combustion-related environmental research is not supported in this solicitation.)
  
  
• Breakthrough in Control Systems for Energy Conversion or Transportation Technologies: Proposals in this area should not involve incremental progress within the scope of existing funding programs elsewhere. Examples might include the use of new methods in intelligent control to reduce NOx fifty percent beyond what seems achievable with conventional methods, or new categories of energy conversion system relevant to distributed generation and non-hydrocarbon transportation systems. (This research area generally relates to electrical power and control systems; however, the representative from the NSF/ECS division should be consulted as to program priority interests.)

Research related to flow stream recycle and process modification or improvement inside the industrial plant is acceptable in this section. Research involving recycle of materials from outside the industrial plant boundaries is not acceptable in this section.

3. Environmentally Benign Systems and Design, Manufacturing, Processing, and Industrial Ecology for Sustainable Product/Services Realization

Industrial ecology requires that an industrial system be viewed not in isolation from its surrounding systems, but in concert with them. An assessment of global manufacturing demonstrates the need for research on environmentally benign manufacturing/processing and re-manufacturing of materials and products, with particular emphasis on the connectivity within industrial ecology. The systems view requires the approach by which one seeks to optimize the total materials life cycle from extraction, processing, design, and manufacture of product, through use and re-manufacture, to recycling and ultimate disposal. Factors to be optimized include resources, energy and capital.

Potential research topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA): Innovative methodologies for streamlined and targeted life-cycle assessment and analysis, including product use interactions with the environment and impact prioritization models. Examples include: thermodynamic basis for LCA; strategic metals extraction, usage and capture; cradle-to-grave budgets and cycles; material and energy tradeoffs/balances.
  
  
• Green Design and Materials Cycles: Environmentally benign product design methodologies, considering the entire life cycle for the materials employed in the production, use, and disposal of products. Examples include: decision-making tools for design based on scientifically sound principles requiring less comprehensive data inputs; re-manufacturing and refurbishing methods and tools including those that evaluate the impact of product use and multi-life cycles; material and energy flows studies ("industrial metabolism"); design for disassembly, reuse, recycling and re-manufacturing.
  
  
• Environmentally Benign Manufacturing: Research in creating new or modifying current manufacturing processes to reduce or eliminate environmental impacts while also considering manufacturing competitiveness. This includes process design for material and energy minimization and indirect as well as direct impacts of manufacturing over the life cycle. Examples include: novel joining/welding processes that render fumes harmless and/or lead to enhanced disassembly/separation; novel benign hybrid additive/subtractive processing that improves energy and material use efficiency; reduction of contaminant and sludge generation in processes such as electrochemical machining; modified foundry approaches that reduce or reuse current waste streams; novel hybrid processes including plasma or beam processing that create functionality without the addition of new material constituents; dry or controlled environment machining; and nanomanufacturing that addresses pollution prevention or remanufacturing.

4. Sustainable Construction Processes

The built environment provides services that sustain our economy and way of life, though at the cost of heavy resource use and waste generation. In 1997, about 80% of all materials, by volume, were used by the construction industry. Buildings over the course of their life-cycle account for 17% of fresh water withdrawals, 25% of wood harvest, 40% of materials use, 54% of energy used, and 50% of fossil fuels consumed. The construction phase of U.S. commercial buildings alone generates on average 740 million tons of carbon dioxide, 25% of CFC emissions, and 8-20% of all solid waste annually. Many environmental consequences of the built environment, namely buildings, are already being addressed. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have active programs dealing with the energy use and materials problems of building design and operations.

Environmental issues that extend beyond the building envelope to encompass the construction site and neighboring areas are now ripe for investigation. Specifically, the resources used and wastes generated at the construction site over the life of the project should be defined and eventually integrated with life-cycle metrics of the facilities themselves. As we move from traditional design and construction engineering and management toward environmentally-conscious construction, new tools and types of service will be needed to effectively and efficiently optimize construction processes and materials, reduce design errors and omissions and construction defects, meet the users needs, reduce resource requirements, and reduce the environmental burdens associated with construction projects. New processes and material options must then be evaluated on the basis of the economic goals of the industry and concerns for global competitiveness.

Proposals in this section (Section A. 4) will be funded by NSF only. Please contact the program directors for topic interest and funds availability before submission.

Research in the following two areas is solicited:

• Environmentally Conscious Construction Processes: Construction can constitute a very large-scale project of relatively long duration. During a construction project various nonroad vehicles, engines, and equipment contribute to air quality issues as mobile sources. Examples of these are asphalt and concrete pavers, compaction, earth-moving, and excavation equipment, concrete and industrial saws, cement and mortar mixers, concrete trucks, cranes, etc. Additional construction site equipment includes generators, pumps, compressors, welders, and pressure washers. The impacts of these technologies remain largely unquantified. Precipitation and construction-process water transport other construction wastes, such as sealants, adhesives, mortar, and eroded soil, without being subject to full accounting. Scrap and other solid wastes are regularly generated and planned for, but design errors and omissions as well as defects during construction processes occur frequently, increasing both material use and waste. The full impact of construction work requires characterization, quantification, and improvement through:
  
  
  • Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA): Adapted and new methodologies for life-cycle assessment and analysis of construction site operations, including interactions with the natural environment. Examples include: nonroad vehicle emissions and energy use; waste generation, transport and fate; strategic and nonrenewable materials use and extraction; cradle-to-grave budgets and cycles; material and energy tradeoffs/balances.
    
    
  • Environmentally Benign Construction Processes: Research in creating new or modifying current construction processes to reduce or eliminate environmental impacts while also considering construction costs and construction competitiveness. This includes process design for material and energy minimization and indirect as well as direct impacts of construction-related decisions over the facility life cycle. Examples include: real-time sensing and monitoring of construction processes to reduce defects and the resulting additional wastes and emissions; equipment substitution, technology innovation, or energy recovery for reduced energy requirements and air emissions; novel materials handling processes that improve energy and material use efficiency; novel construction connections and reinforcement technologies that facilitate deconstruction and material reuse rather than demolition.
    
    
• Disaster Management for a More Sustainable Environment: Disaster management, often a cyclical decision-making process, offers numerous opportunities and challenges to move toward more sustainable construction and construction practices. Research is needed that links post-disaster recovery to mitigation and protection measures that will result in more sustainable built and natural environments. Pre-disaster mitigation measures also must be examined as they relate to sustainable built and natural environments. Finally, construction materials, methods, and design must be re-examined in light of their possible failure and potential concomitant environmental impact. Examples include improved understanding of the cost and benefits of structural and non-structural mitigation measures in geographies vulnerable to hazard(s); expected environmental impact of debris from building collapse, and building design for material reuse in the event of building failure.

New Grants for Past TSE Projects: Industrial Collaboration Required

Proposals that request new grants for continuing work on past or on-going TSE projects MUST include some form of academic-industrial collaboration, partnership or involvement.

Additional Information

Please refer to Section C for additional information on priorities and special proposal requirements.

B. NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (Remediation, Treatment, and Sensing)

Introduction

As population continues to grow, there are increased pressures on society and the ecosystem that supports it, including the global climate. Scarce resources are being depleted. Air and water pollution causes human disease, damages ecosystems, and harms organisms. Collectively, these pressures are one significant reason for human conflict. These pressures are relieved by advancing our scientific understanding of nature and the world around us, as scientific solutions are implemented in engineered systems. Engineered systems can cope with increased societal pressures, provide cleaner air and water, and thereby reduce risks from environmental pollutants. This provides economic benefits that enable a society to move forward, to care for its people, to provide quality education and health care, and to feed, clothe, and protect itself.

The New Technologies for the Environment program (NTE) focuses on new technologies that can be applied to environmental sensing, remediation, and treatment. The program has two parts: Phase I (exploratory feasibility studies) and Phase II (regular research). All three technology areas described below are appropriate for Phase I proposals. If a Phase I exploratory project has already been successfully completed in area 1 or area 3 (not area 2), the PI may apply for a Phase II grant in the same area.

Phase I of NTE emphasizes high-risk/high-return, exploratory feasibility studies of new technologies applied to the environment. Emphasis is placed on the novelty and potential impact of the approach. Successfully completed Phase I studies may compete for Phase II awards. A subsequent Phase II competition may be held to allow successfully completed Phase I projects to compete for Phase II funds. However, a Phase I award in the current 2003 competition does not necessarily imply that the next solicitation will include Phase II, or that Phase II projects will be funded in the future.

Refer to section III. "Eligibility Information," section IV. "Award Information," and section VI. "Proposal Review Information" for further details about how NTE requirements and awards may differ from TSE.

Description of Possible NTE Research Projects

Proposals submitted must focus on one or more of the following three areas of environmental technology.

1. Remediation

Research on new technologies for environmentally benign remediation through biological processes, catalytic chemical processes, transport and separation processes, and thermal and/or fluid processes.

Some examples include:

• Studies of microbial and plant communities and their interactions in contaminated environments, and the use of native and non-native species to effect remediation
  
• Exploration of novel tailored biocatalysts, membranes and micro- or nano-scale environments such as micelles for separations, segregation, and targeted chemical transformations
  
• Transport through porous media such as soil, membranes and macro-fluid and air systems
  
• Transformations driven by electric field processing to ameliorate existing and potential chemical and particulate environmental hazards
  
• Exploration of new materials and process technologies for capture of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from effluent streams, such as powerplant stack gases

Use of cutting-edge molecular simulation and modeling, micro- and nano-scale technology and hybrid technologies (e.g., Bio plus Non-Bio) is encouraged. Fundamental research leading to new remediation technologies in the following focus areas is of special interest: source characterization of pollutants, cost-effective separation technologies for dilute metals and liquid contaminants, heavy metals removal from incineration gases, and remediation of other gases potentially affecting global climate. Other areas may be acceptable, depending on program interests.

2. Treatment Technologies for Arsenic in Small Drinking Water Systems

EPA is soliciting innovative, exploratory Phase I proposals that address the treatment of arsenic in small drinking water systems. These systems must provide low capital and operating cost, simplify operation, require minimal monitoring and maintenance, and reduce residual waste generation. EPA is particularly interested in highly innovative approaches that would be significantly less costly than current treatment approaches. Proposals on this topic should address this cost comparison issue.

Research technologies should be applicable to providing clean drinking water with less than 10 ppb arsenic in a range of systems from dispersed individual to small scale municipal (which serve less than 10,000 persons). Work may involve innovative processes including ion exchange materials, new adsorption methods, coagulation/filtration technologies, electrodialysis, novel membrane processes, reverse osmosis, and/or point of use (at the tap)/point-of-entry technologies.

For more information regarding arsenic in drinking water: visit http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hi-arsenic.htm and http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html. Support for this activity is primarily from EPA.

3. Environmental Sensing

Research on new sensing technologies to assess the impact of anthropogenic (manmade) factors on natural and/or built environments. Examples of new technologies applied to sensing and measurement could include:

• Molecular bioengineering
  
• Large and high-density sensor arrays
  
• Wireless transfer of data from sensor arrays
  
• Robust micro-sensors in the aquatic environment
  
• Intelligent-nose technology, combining on-going research into environmental systems technology, sensor fusion or mixed-signal VLSI to enable breakthrough capabilities in detecting trace organics in the environment
  
• Sensor fusion from multiple modalities with on-board intelligent processing of environmental signals
  
• Engineered sensor systems relevant to monitoring gases that might stress and/or potentially change the global climate
  
• Integrated systems combining advanced electromagnetics and computational intelligence to improve the quality and utility of remote sensing of the environment

C. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS for BOTH PROGRAMS (TSE and NTE)

1. Industrial-Academic, Government, and International Collaboration

A clearer understanding of problems and more creative solutions often result from collaboration between academic researchers and the industrial investigators who represent the eventual customers for the products of the research. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek meaningful project collaboration with industrial partners on research issues that link fundamental and applied aspects of pollution prevention/avoidance. (Industrial collaboration is required for continuing funding of past TSE research.) In some cases, government agencies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or professional organizations may be an appropriate substitute for an industrial partner. The Appendix of the NSF General Grants Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) program announcement (NSF 98-142, available online at www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/goali/) describes several mechanisms for these collaborations. Other mechanisms for collaboration will also be considered.

Government collaborations cannot be supported financially by this program. However, interactions of a non-financial nature are acceptable with non-EPA governmental organizations.

This competition will also entertain proposals that include international collaborative activities, by using a variety of NSF mechanisms.

2. Exploratory Proposals

NSF will accept exploratory proposals in the above technical areas at an early or proof-of-concept stage. These proposals can be prepared using the format found in NSF Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) proposal guidelines (Chapter II, Section D1 of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg); however, these will not be considered SGER proposals. This class of proposal will be reviewed in the same panels as regular TSE and NTE proposals. The level of support for exploratory projects will range up to $50,000 per year for one or two years.

NSF may provide further support to a successful exploratory project. If the initial concept was successful, a full proposal may be submitted in response to a subsequent NSF/EPA Partnership solicitation or to a regular NSF program. (Please note that the NTE program requires successful completion of an exploratory Phase I project before entry to Phase II.)

3. Multidisciplinary Proposals

Environmental problems will often cross disciplinary boundaries. This solicitation welcomes cross-disciplinary proposals that address the TSE and NTE topic areas. Proposals may be submitted by individuals or small cross-disciplinary groups of investigators from eligible institutions.

4. Student Involvement

Projects involving the training and education of junior scientists and engineers in academia through the research experience (both graduate and undergraduate students) are very strongly encouraged. All proposals should address the ways in which education and training are integrated within the research program. Efforts to incorporate interdisciplinary educational activities and encourage student teamwork are also encouraged.

5. Impact of the Proposed Research

All TSE and NTE proposals MUST include a section entitled "Potential Impact". (Refer to Chapter II of the Grant Proposal Guide for detailed requirements.) This section must address the pollutants prevented or remediated by the proposed research at the process industry level (if applicable). It should address the significance of these reductions in terms of reduced risk and other benefits such as reduced energy or other raw materials usage; speculate about unintended consequences; and/or describe a life-cycle approach.

In this section on potential impacts, it is strongly recommended that the proposer address issues such as: the pollutant or class of pollutants the research proposes to prevent or minimize; the seriousness, scope, level, and importance of the environmental problem; and if the proposed technology or method is more economical or more environmentally benign than current technologies or methods. The proposal should contain quantitative information on the pollutants prevented and estimate both process or plant level and national level benefits. It should also address the potential and estimated timeframe for commercial viability of the proposed approach.

While the proposed research may be related to an individual reaction, unit operation, or unit process, the proposer should consider the environmental benefits or impacts of the research in the broader context of the system of which it is a part. In this regard, the proposal must contain a discussion of expected potential environmental benefits or impacts of the proposed research in the broadest systems sense, which may include considerations of the efficient use of natural resources and energy, and materials flows in manufacturing, product use, recycle, recovery or ultimate disposal. This requirement does not imply the need for a full life-cycle analysis, but should be as specific and quantitative as possible.

6. EPA Special Interests

EPA is particularly interested in research proposals that relate to priority areas that have been identified by EPA. These areas may involve priority pollutants or toxic chemicals or materials of importance in furthering the mission of the Agency. Research projects could address the elimination or minimization at the source of certain chemicals in an environmentally benign and cost-effective way, e.g., Persistent Bio-accumulative Toxics (PBTs); Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs); and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Further information on these substances may be found at the EPA websites listed below:

Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics List http://www.epa.gov/pbt/cheminfo.htm
Hazardous Air Pollutants (inc. VOCs) List http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/188polls.html
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Chemicals http://www.epa.gov/triinter/chemical/index.htm
High Production Volume Chemicals http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemrtk/hpv_1990.pdf
Waste Minimization Priority Chemicals http://www.epa.gov/wastemin

7. EPA Pollution Prevention Goals

EPA has developed long-term research goals in Pollution Prevention and New Technologies. These goals may be useful in developing topics for research.

Goals under the EPA Green Chemistry and Engineering area include:

• Provide techniques such as greener synthesis and membrane applications for cleaner manufacturing in the chemical and allied technology sectors, e.g., find benign substitutes for hazardous solvents; provide biotechnological substitutes for current chemical processes; develop new catalysts that improve reactions and prevent formation of hazardous by-products.
• Develop and demonstrate pollution prevention technologies for green manufacturing in high-risk industrial and commercial sectors such as electronics, polymers, steel, petroleum, coatings, and the automotive or metal parts industries.
• Replace environmentally unacceptable materials used in buildings, or in industrial, chemical or consumer sectors

Goals under the EPA Tools area include:

• Develop risk-based design tools for industrial processes using systems approaches as an organizing concept for minimizing adverse impacts on the environment, e.g., create life-cycle assessment tools, develop design-for-the-environment tools
• Develop design tools for environmentally acceptable industrial and consumer products that minimize human health and ecological risks, e.g., design generic predictive tools for environmental impacts, create product or process models
• Develop cost-effective, user-friendly tools for life-cycle assessments of processes and products

Additional information on EPA programs in pollution prevention may be found at:

Green Chemistry Program http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/
Green Engineering http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/greenengineering/
Design for the Environment http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe

Applicants are reminded that proposals will be disqualified if a "Potential Impact" statement is lacking.

The categories of proposers identified in the Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals under this program announcement/solicitation. EPA and NSF welcome applications from all qualified scientists, engineers, and other professionals and strongly encourage women, members of underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the programs described in this solicitation.

In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and EPA and NSF policies, no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from EPA or NSF based on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability.

NTE Phase II Eligibility: NTE Phase II research requires previous support of a successful NTE Phase I exploratory project, such as those funded in NSF's 2000 NTE competition. (Note: NTE will not consider any Phase II proposals in the area of Arsenic Treatment in Small Drinking Water Systems.)

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are dependent upon responsiveness of the proposals to this solicitation, the quality, potential impact, and uniqueness of the proposed research, and the availability of funds. However, the NSF/EPA Partnership expects about $9.5 million in combined funding to be available for "regular" and exploratory grants (approximately $6.0 million from NSF and $3.5 million from EPA).

Award size and duration: Approximately 45 Standard and Continuing grants ranging from $50,000 to $125,000 per year for one to three years. Anticipated date of NSF awards: July 2003. EPA awards may be later.

Award dollar amounts for TSE and NTE may differ. TSE Awards may range from $50,000 to $125,000 per year for one to three years. NTE Phase I Awards may be funded for one or two years at a maximum of $50,000 per year, for a total up to $100,000. NTE Phase II may provide funding for two or three years for a total up to $350,000.

Budgets should include travel funds to Washington, D.C. for one TSE/NTE conference or workshop annually.

Subcontracts which exceed 40 percent of the total direct cost in any one year in which a subcontract is awarded must be especially well-justified.

Upon conclusion of the review process, meritorious applications may be recommended for funding by either NSF or EPA at the option of the agencies, not the applicant. Subsequent grant administration procedures will be in accordance with the individual policies of the awarding agency.

EPA Grant Administration

The funding mechanisms for all EPA awards issued under this solicitation will consist of grant agreements between EPA and the recipient. In accordance with Public Law 95-224, grants are used to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute rather than acquisition for the direct benefit of the Agency. In using a grant agreement, EPA anticipates that there will be no substantial involvement during the course of the grant between the recipient and the Agency.

EPA grants awarded as a result of this solicitation will be administered in accordance with CFR Parts 30 and 40 or the most recent terms and conditions of FDP-III, Federal Demonstration Partnership General Terms and Conditions, depending upon the grantee institution.

EPA provides awards for research in the sciences and engineering related to environmental protection. The awardee is solely responsible for the conduct of such activities and preparation of results for publication. EPA, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.

EPA abstracts (one-page project summaries), annual and final reports and their summaries are to be submitted electronically. Abstracts and summaries will be posted on the NCER home page on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ncer.

The Investigator should consult with the cognizant NSF program officer because individual program officers may have additional or more specific guidelines for these reports.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

This section describes a few of the numerous EPA and NSF activities related to environmental technology. The activities described below are for background information only. They may not necessarily be related to this solicitation, and they may not currently be accepting proposals separate from this solicitation.

Environmental Protection Agency

The NSF/EPA Technology for a Sustainable Environment activity is an integral part of EPA's STAR program (Science To Achieve Results), and supports EPA's Green Chemistry Challenge Program, Green Engineering, Design for the Environment, and other pollution prevention activities in EPA.

The STAR Program (Science To Achieve Results): This is EPA's extramural research grant program, an important mechanism for promoting a sound scientific foundation for environmental protection. STAR is administered by the Office of Research and Development's National Center for Environmental Research (NCER). Specific programmatic announcements will be found on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ncer.

The Green Chemistry Program: This EPA program is directed at preventing pollution by promoting design of less toxic chemical substances and alternative chemical pathways that involve less toxic feedstocks, reagents, or solvents and generate fewer toxic products, by-products, or co-products. As part of this program, EPA has initiated the Green Chemistry Challenge Program to recognize and promote fundamental and innovative chemical methodologies that accomplish pollution prevention through source reduction and that have a broad application in industry. Green chemistry encompasses all aspects and types of chemical processes--including synthesis, catalysis, analysis, monitoring, separations, and reaction conditions--that reduce negative impacts on human health and the environment relative to the current state of the art. Through awards and grants programs, the Green Chemistry Challenge Program recognizes and promotes fundamental and innovative technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, and use. The Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program recognizes those in industry, academia, and government who have met the Green Chemistry objectives in an exemplary way. The Green Chemistry Challenge Grants Program, through projects awarded under TSE, enhances support for cutting-edge research in this area.

National Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference: Held each year in Washington, D.C. by the American Chemical Society with support from EPA, NSF, and several other federal agencies and trade and professional organizations, this conference presents the latest research findings and provides a forum for an annual overview of research in the environmental area.

Design for the Environment (DFE) and the Green Engineering Programs: Through the DFE program, EPA provides businesses with information to make environmentally-informed choices and ultimately prevent pollution and reduce risks. DFE partners with industry, public interest groups, universities, research institutions, labor groups, and other governmental agencies to evaluate cleaner alternatives to existing products, processes, or technologies. Across a wide variety of projects, the DFE program strives to promote the consideration of environmental factors along with the traditional business decision parameters of cost and performance. Currently, DFE supports cooperative industry projects in eight sectors. Other green engineering programs include educational partnerships for curriculum development and professional training in pollution prevention, and a project in environmental accounting.

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation, in its core programs and in special solicitations, supports fundamental research in a broad sweep of environmental areas, including ecosystem studies, marine and freshwater research, atmospheric sciences, risk analysis, polar regions, climate change, as well as environmentall relevant engineering, materials sciences, and computation. Programmatic descriptions are posted on the NSF web site, http://www.geo.nsf.gov/ere.

A special NSF competition on Biocomplexity in the Environment is usually held every one or two years. The last round was held in Spring 2002, and solicited proposals in the following areas: Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems; Coupled Bio-geochemical Cycles; Genome-Enabled Environmental Science and Engineering; Instrumentation Development for Environmental Activities, and Materials Use: Science, Engineering and Society. Those interested in environmental technologies may find opportunities in each of these areas. For example, research related to industrial ecology, life-cycle analysis, genetic engineering, and sensor development may be appropriate in the four areas, respectively. Research is required to be highly interdisciplinary, involve complex systems, and include both physical and living components, including humans. Quantitative methods, education, and a global perspective are essential. See http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf02010 for details.

Environmental Molecular Science Institutes (EMSI) and Collaborative Research Activities in Environmental Molecular Science (CRAEMS): This program, described in NSF 02-015, http://www.nsf.gov/mps/chem/emsi98.htm, is aimed at increasing fundamental issues that underpin the amelioration of environmental problems caused by societal activities that are energy- and pollution-intensive. Projects are expected to advance the discipline of chemistry and related molecular sciences, increase understanding of environmental systems, serve as models for excellence in collaborative interdisciplinary research, and contribute ultimately to beneficial technologies and processes. The program is supported by the Division of Chemistry and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, and are also supported by the Office of Sciences (SC) of the Department of Energy.

Joint NSF and EPA Metabolic Engineering Activities

Interagency Announcement of Opportunities in Metabolic Engineering: Metabolic Engineering proposals will not be funded in TSE or NTE and should be directed to this program instead. This activity is designed to allow two or more agencies to support Metabolic Engineering projects of common interest. The most recent program announcement is NSF 02-037. It provides an interagency definition of Metabolic Engineering and focuses on three topic areas that are of particular interest to the eight participating agencies (including EPA and NSF): bio-remediation, environmentally-conscious manufacturing, and pollution prevention. Researchers are strongly advised to consult with contacts within two or more participating agencies prior to submitting a proposal. (The NSF contact is Fred Heineken.)

Other Agencies

Federal research-support programs in the environmental area can be complementary. For example, the research supported in this solicitation is on the more fundamental end of the research continuum, although collaboration with industrial researchers is strongly encouraged. Funding from other agencies such as the Commerce Department (e.g., the National Institute of Standards and Technology) tends to support more applied stages of research and may require collaboration and co-funding by industry.