[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5734]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 11, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 94-14; 
Electron Beam Irradiation of Medical Waste

AGENCY: Office of Energy Research, DOE.

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the 
Office of Energy Research (ER), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 
announces its interest in receiving applications in support of research 
to study the feasibility of electron beam irradiation for treatment of 
infectious medical waste. The research should be conducted at a medical 
research center with proven experience with this technology. In recent 
years, the practice of handling medical infectious waste by shipping to 
special disposal sites, incinerating, or by other physical and chemical 
treatments has resulted in public concern over environmental, public 
health, and cost-related issues. Irradiation of medical infectious 
waste by electrons may provide an environmentally safe (publicly 
acceptable), and cost effective method for disposing of this waste. 
Applications should address research plans for: (a) The pre-irradiation 
processing of waste, (b) monitoring and validating treatment efficacy, 
and (c) investigating the advantages and disadvantages of on-site 
versus regionally based electron beam irradiation facilities. They 
should also address how the research could demonstrate technical 
feasibility of the technique. Applicants may include technical 
expertise from industry and/or National Laboratories.

DATES: Formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be 
received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., May 31, 1994, to be accepted for a June 
merit review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal 
Year 1994.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 94-14 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64, (GTN), 
Washington, DC 20585. Attn: Program notice 94-14. The following address 
must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail, any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand 
carried by the applicant: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Research, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64, 19901 
Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 20874.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Matesh N. Varma, Office of Health 
and Environmental Research, ER-73, U.S. Department of Energy, GTN, 
Washington, DC 20585, telephone: (301) 903-3209.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Before preparing a formal application, 
potential applicants are encouraged to submit a brief preapplication in 
accordance with 10 CFR 600.10(d)(2), which consists of two to three 
pages of narrative describing research objectives and methods of 
accomplishment. These will be reviewed relative to the scope and 
research needs for the electron irradiation technology for medical 
waste treatment. Preapplications referencing program notice 94-14 
should be received by April 1, 1994, and sent to Dr. Matesh N. Varma, 
Office of Health and Environmental Research, ER-73, Washington, DC 
20585, (301) 903-3209. Telephone and fax numbers are required to be a 
part of the preapplication. A response to the preapplication discussing 
potential relevance of a formal application will be communicated by 
April 15, 1994. It is anticipated that approximately $1 million will be 
available for grant awards during Fiscal Year 1994 contingent upon 
availability of funds. We expect to award two to three grants in this 
area of research ranging from $300,000 per year up to $500,000 per year 
for 1 year. Information about development and submission of 
applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluations and selection 
process, and other policies and procedures may be found in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research Financial 
Assistance Program 10 CFR part 605. The Application Guide is available 
from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64, Washington, DC 
20585. Telephone requests may be made by calling (301)903-5349.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this 
program is 81.049.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28, 1994.
Dale C. Stubenrauch,
Acting Director, Office of Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 94-5734 Filed 3-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P