[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: 94-5741]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 11, 1994]


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Part IV





Department of Agriculture





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Cooperative State Research Service



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Special Research Grants Program, Energy Biomass/Biofuels for Fiscal 
Year 1994; Solicitation of Applications; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research Service

 
Special Research Grants Program, Energy Biomass/Biofuels for 
Fiscal Year 1994; Solicitation of Applications

    Applications are invited for competitive grant awards under the 
Special Research Grants, Energy Biomass/Biofuels Program for fiscal 
year 1994.

Authority and Funding

    The authority for this program is contained in Section 2(c)(1)(A) 
of the Act of August 4, 1965, Public Law No. 89-106, as amended by the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, Public Law No. 
101-624 (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(1)(A)). This program is administered by the 
Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS) of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA). Under this program, and subject to the availability 
of funds, the Secretary may award grants for periods not to exceed five 
years, for the support of research projects to further the program 
discussed below. Proposals may be submitted by State agricultural 
experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research 
institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations 
or corporations, and individuals. Proposals from scientists at non-
United States organizations will not be considered for support.
    Pursuant to section 719 of Public Law No. 103-111, (the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994), funds available in fiscal 
1994 to pay indirect costs on research grants awarded competitively by 
CSRS may not exceed 14 per centum of the total Federal funds provided 
under each award.
    In addition, pursuant to section 727(b) of Public Law No. 103-111, 
in the case of any equipment or product that may be authorized to be 
purchased with funds provided under this program, entities receiving 
such funds are encouraged to use such funds to purchase only American-
made equipment or products.

Applicable Regulations

    Regulations applicable to this program include the following: (a) 
The administrative provisions governing the Special Research Grants 
Program, 7 CFR part 3400, as amended (56 FR 58146, November 15, 1991), 
which set forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant 
proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals and the awarding 
of grants, and regulations relating to post-award administration of 
grant projects; (b) the USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations, 7 
CFR part 3015; (c) the USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, 7 CFR 
part 3016; (d) the Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants), 7 CFR part 3017, as amended; and (e) New 
Restrictions on Lobbying, 7 CFR part 3018; (f) Audits of Institutions 
of Higher Education and Other Nonprofit Institutions, 7 CFR part 3051; 
and (g) the CSRS regulations implementing the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 7 CFR part 3407.

Program Description

    CSRS Contact: Dr. Wayne K. Murphey; Telephone: (202) 401-4089.
    Approximately $443,000 will be available for this program in fiscal 
year 1994. Research into various areas constraining the development and 
acceptance of fuels derived from biological sources (biofuels) is 
solicited. The topics of interest are:
    a. Benefit/costs associated with the production of biomass, its 
conversion into biofuels;
    b. Environmental impacts of using biofuels including carbon 
sequestration, emissions upon conversion and use, systems 
sustainability, and life cycle (growing, processing, and use) analysis;
    c. Economic analysis of costs of alternative fuels including 
infrastructure changes, equipment purchases and/or modifications, 
vehicle conversion and/or new alternative fuel vehicle costs, and other 
costs associated with establishing biofueled vehicle fleets; and 
development of biofuels including production, materials compatibility 
and assessment, and mitigation of engine deposits and emissions;
    d. Development of co-products directly resulting from the 
production of biofuels.
    In future years, the guidelines for this program will be adjusted 
as additional researchable issues arise or program progress dictates.

Format for Research Grant Proposals

    Members of review committees and the staff expect each project 
description to be complete. The administrative provisions governing the 
Special Research Grants Program, 7 CFR part 3400, set forth 
instructions for the preparation of grant proposals. The following 
proposal format requirements are in addition to or deviate from those 
contained in 7 CFR 3400.4(c). In accordance with 7 CFR 3400.4(c), to 
the extend that any of the following additional requirements are 
inconsistent or in conflict with the instructions at 7 CFR 3400.4(c), 
the provisions of this solicitation shall apply.
    Length of Proposal. Grant proposals must be limited to 15 pages 
(singled-spaced exclusive of required forms, bibliography, vitae of the 
principal investigator(s), senior associate(s) and other professional 
personnel, and the NEPA statement with its supporting documentation. 
Information should be typed on one side of the page only. Reduction by 
photocopying or other means for the purposes of meeting the 15-page 
limit is not permitted. Attachment of appendices is discouraged and 
should be included only if pertinent to understanding the proposal. 
Reviewers are not required to read beyond the 15-page maximum to 
evaluate the proposal.
    Application for Funding. Attach a completed and signed 
``Application for Funding,'' Form CSRS-661, to the front of the 
proposal. The ``Special Research Grants Program'' should be indicated 
in Block 7, and ``Energy Biomass/Biofuels'' should be indicated in 
Block 8. One copy of this form, preferably the original, must contain 
pen-and-ink signatures of the principal investigator(s) and the 
authorized organizational representative. (Form CSRS-661 and the other 
required forms and certifications are contained in the Application 
Kit.)
    Budget Form CSRS-55. A copy of the Form CSRS-55, along with 
instructions for completing it, is included in the Application Kit. 
Applicants should note the special instructions shown below when 
completing Form CSRS-55:
    Item D., ``Nonexpendable Equipment.'' Requested items of equipment 
must be itemized (by description and cost) on a separate sheet of paper 
attached to Form CSRS-55, or in the body of the proposal. The need for 
all requested equipment must be fully justified in the proposal.
    Item F., ``Travel.'' The type and extent of travel and its 
relationship to project objectives should be described and justified.
    Item I., ``All Other Direct Costs.'' Subawards are to be shown on 
each budget sheet of the primary budget. Subawardee budgets should be 
provided on separate forms in the same detail.
    Item K., ``Indirect Costs.'' The recovery of indirect costs under 
this program may not exceed the lesser of the grantee institution's 
official negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 14% of 
total Federal funds awarded. This limitation also applies to the 
recovery of indirect costs by any subawardee or subcontract and should 
be reflected in the subrecipient budget.

Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act

    As outlined in 7 CFR part 3407 (CSRS's implementing regulations of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)), the 
environmental data for any proposed project is to be provided to CSRS 
so that CSRS may determine whether any further action is needed. In 
some cases, however, the preparation of environmental data may not be 
required. Certain categories of actions are excluded from the 
requirements of NEPA. The applicant shall review the following 
categorical exclusions and determine if the proposed project may fall 
within one of the exclusions.

(1) Department of Agriculture Categorical Exclusions (7 CFR 1b.3)

    (i) Policy development, planning and implementation which are 
related to routine activities such as personnel, organizational 
changes, or similar administrative functions;
    (ii) Activities which deal solely with the functions of programs, 
such as program budget proposals, disbursement, and transfer or 
reprogramming of funds;
    (iii) Inventories, research activities, and studies, such as 
resource inventories and routine data collection when such actions are 
clearly limited in context and intensity;
    (iv) Educational and informational programs and activities;
    (v) Civil and criminal law enforcement and investigative 
activities;
    (vi) Activities which are advisory and consultative to other 
agencies and public and private entities; and
    (vii) Activities related to trade representation and market 
development activities abroad.

(2) CSRS Categorical Exclusions (7 CFR 3407.6)

    Based on previous experience, the following categories of CSRS 
actions are excluded because they have been found to have limited scope 
and intensity and to have no significant individual or cumulative 
impacts on the quality of the human environment:
    (i) The following categories of research programs or projects of 
limited size and magnitude or with only short-term effects on the 
environment:
    (A) Research conducted within any laboratory, greenhouse, or other 
contained facility where research practices and safeguards prevent 
environmental impacts;
    (B) Surveys, inventories, and similar studies that have limited 
context and minimal intensity in terms of changes in the environment; 
and
    (C) Testing outside of the laboratory, such as in small isolated 
field plots, which involves the routine use of familiar chemicals or 
biological materials.
    (ii) Routine renovation, rehabilitation, or revitalization of 
physical facilities, including the acquisition and installation of 
equipment, where such activity is limited in scope and intensity.
    In order for CSRS to determine whether any further action is needed 
with respect to NEPA, pertinent information regarding the possible 
environmental impacts of a particular project is necessary; therefore, 
a separate statement must be included in the proposal indicating 
whether the applicant is of the opinion that the project falls within 
one or more of the categorical exclusions listed above and the reasons 
therefore. If it is the applicant's opinion that the project proposed 
falls within the categorical exclusions, the specific exclusion must be 
identified. The information submitted shall be identified in the Table 
of Contents as ``NEPA Considerations'' and the narrative statement with 
supporting documentation shall be placed after the cover sheet of the 
proposal.
    Even though a project may fall within the categorical exclusions, 
CSRS may determine that an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental 
Impact Statement is necessary for an activity, if substantial 
controversy on environmental grounds exist or if other extraordinary 
conditions or circumstances are present which may cause such activity 
to have a significant environmental effect.

How to Obtain Application Materials

    Copies of his solicitation, the Application Kit, and the 
administrative provisions governing this program, 7 CFR part 3400, may 
be obtained by writing to the address or calling the telephone number 
below: Proposal Services Branch, Awards Management Division, 
Cooperative State Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 303, Aerospace Center, Ag Box 2245, Washington, DC 20250-2245, 
Telephone: (202) 401-5048.
    These materials may also be requested via Internet by sending a 
message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and phone number 
to [email protected]. which states that you want a copy of the 
application materials for Fiscal Year 1994 Special Research Grants 
Program, Energy Biomass/Biofuels. The materials will then be mailed to 
you (not e-mailed) as quickly as possible.

What to Submit

    An original and nine copies of each proposal must be submitted. 
This number of copies is necessary to permit thorough, objective peer 
evaluation of all proposals received before funding decisions are made.
    Every effort should be made to ensure that the proposal contains 
all pertinent information when submitted. Prior to mailing, compare 
your proposal with the guidelines contained in the administrative 
provisions which govern the Special Research Grants Program, 7 CFR part 
3400.
    All copies of each proposal shall be mailed in one package. Please 
make sure that each copy of each proposal is stapled securely in the 
upper left-hand corner. DO NOT BIND.
    One copy of each proposal not selected for funding will be retained 
for a period of one year. The remaining copies will be destroyed.

Where and When To Submit Applications

    To be considered for funding during Fiscal Year 1994, proposals 
must be submitted by April 25, 1994.
    Proposals submitted through the regular mail must be postmarked by 
April 25, 1994, and should be sent to the following address: Proposal 
Services Branch; Awards Management Division; Cooperative State Research 
Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; room 303, Aerospace Center; Ag 
Box 2245; Washington, DC 20250-2245. The telephone number is: (202) 
401-5048.
    Hand-delivered proposals must be submitted to an express mail or a 
courier service, or brought to the following address by April 25, 1994: 
Proposal Services Branch; Awards Management Division; Cooperative State 
Research Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; room 303, Aerospace 
Center; 901 D Street, SW.; Washington, DC 20024. The telephone number 
is: (202) 401-5048.
    Supplementary Information: The Special Research Grants Program is 
listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10.200. 
For reasons set forth in the final Rule-related Notice to 7 CFR part 
3015, subpart V (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983), this program is excluded 
from the scope of Executive Order 12372 which requires 
intergovernmental consultation with State and local Officials.
    Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 
U.S.C. 3504(h)), the collection of information requirements contained 
in this Notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 0524-0022.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 8th day of March, 1994.
William D. Carlson,
Associate Administrator, Office of Grants and Program Systems.
[FR Doc. 94-5741 Filed 3-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-M