[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26316]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 24, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Notice 95-04]

 

Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 95-04: 
Terrestrial Carbon Process Research of the Global Change Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy (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, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications to support research 
and analysis of ``terrestrial carbon processes'' (TCP) that affect 
changes of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. This 
notice is the second cycle of solicitations for refocused DOE research 
on terrestrial carbon that was formerly carried out on the global 
carbon cycle, and on the response of vegetation to CO2. The 
refocused research supports the Department's Global Change Research 
Program (specifically climate change), the U.S. Global Change Research 
Program (USGCRP), and the Administration's goals to understand and 
mitigate the rise in greenhouse gases.
    This notice requests grant applications for research that will (i) 
Advance the scientific understanding of terrestrial processes 
regulating carbon balance of ecosystems that have a major influence on 
atmospheric CO2 concentration; (ii) evaluate changes of carbon 
quantities of ecosystems in relation to the rising concentration of 
atmospheric CO2, altered temperature and precipitation regimes, 
including key interactions of these forcings with other factors 
affecting carbon processes; and (iii) model terrestrial carbon 
processes, including mechanistic controls on exchanges of CO2 with 
the atmosphere, and approaches for extending ecosystem-level results to 
regional/global scales. Expected products of TCP research are the 
quantified relationships and mechanisms of terrestrial ecosystems that 
affect secular trends and interannual variations of atmospheric 
CO2, including the scientific understanding needed to model and 
predict the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the global carbon cycle. 
This second cycle of the Terrestrial Carbon Process notice will invite 
applications from academic institutions.

DATES: Formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be 
received by 4:30 PM, EST, January 5, 1995, to permit timely 
consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1995.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 95-04 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64 (GTN), 
Washington, D.C. 20585, ATTN: Program Notice 95-04. The following 
address must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal 
Service Express Mail or 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, MD 20874.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Roger C. Dahlman, Office of Health 
and Environmental Research, Environment Sciences Division, ER-74 (GTN), 
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, (301) 903-4902/4951, 
or by Internet address, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The solicited TCP research seeks to enhance 
the scientific understanding of natural processes of the terrestrial 
carbon cycle, thereby providing the foundation for conceptual and 
mathematical models of carbon change in terrestrial ecosystems. 
Process-based models are sought for extending fundamental knowledge of 
carbon processes to the global carbon cycle; applications include the 
capability to quantitatively estimate CO2 sequestered in 
terrestrial ecosystems, and, for various emissions scenarios, 
predictions of the rate of CO2 increase in the atmosphere. In this 
context, the research is an important adjunct to policies and actions 
being considered for slowing the rise of greenhouse gases in the 
atmosphere. For example, improved understanding of carbon processes 
will help build scientific foundations for evaluating the effectiveness 
of policy instruments like the Climate Change Action Plan for slowing 
the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase. This research will help 
provide the scientific basis for quantifying the role of the 
terrestrial biosphere in regulating changes in atmospheric CO2, 
which defines an important forcing for assessment of climate change--a 
central research activity of the USGCRP and DOE's Global Change 
research.
    While it is recognized that energy-related emissions contribute to 
the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it is also evident 
that natural earth system processes exert a major control on ultimate 
atmospheric concentration of the gases. This is especially true for 
CO2, where for the past few years the rate of increase of 
atmospheric CO2 has fluctuated markedly. Causes of this and other 
variations are unknown, and the observed phenomena raise questions 
about whether these fluctuations are due to as yet unexplained natural 
processes that can affect the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase.
    Priority will be placed on field experiments of physiological/
ecological controls of carbon processes; on studies of metabolism/
retention of carbon in major terrestrial ecosystems; and on coupled 
modeling and experimental analysis. This includes research to improve 
the understanding of metabolic processes of vascular plants, and their 
influence on CO2 removal from the atmosphere, including 
biological, ecological and other factors controlling retention of 
carbon in soils and biomass of terrestrial ecosystems. While processes 
to be investigated may range from fundamental studies of plant carbon 
metabolism (e.g., photosynthesis, respiration, etc.) to ecosystem 
controls on carbon balance, the experimental/analytical/modeling 
products must logically contribute to the analysis carbon balance of 
ecosystems and to natural controls on the global carbon cycle. 
Applications should identify theoretical underpinnings for the proposed 
research on processes; identify/describe appropriate field approaches 
for generating experimental or critical systematic data; and show how 
the research products contribute to global-scale analysis of 
atmospheric CO2 change.
    Collaborative studies are encouraged, particularly those involving 
multidisciplinary research organized around existing field facilities 
designed to manipulate CO2 concentrations and other global change 
variables (e.g., temperature, moisture). With emphasis on field 
investigations, any proposed research using closed-environment chambers 
and/or greenhouses will be considered only when the mechanism to be 
elucidated requires unique experimental controls/manipulations that are 
not practical to carry out in the field. Also, investigators of 
meritorious applications may be encouraged to conduct research at 
established field facilities; therefore, to the extent it is possible, 
applicants should identify which, if any, existing facilities or 
locations they would cooperate with if they received an award.
    For proposed modeling research, priority will be given to research 
that demonstrates close linkage of modeling to experimentally derived 
process information. This includes extrapolation of experimental 
results and process-based observations to ecosystem or larger scale 
biotic units; i.e., the development and testing of process-based 
scaling techniques, and tests of reliability of process models to 
predict whole-system carbon balances.
    Potential applicants are strongly 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. 
Preapplications will be used to identify potential opportunities for 
coordinated experimental and modeling research; to enable DOE to advise 
potential applicants of DOE's interest in their research ideas; and to 
serve as a basis for arranging reviews of formal applications.
    Preapplications should include no more than two to three double-
spaced pages (10 pt), including proposed research; names and telephone 
numbers for all principal investigators (PIs), co-principal 
investigators (CO-PIs), and collaborators; and telefax number, Internet 
address (if available) and mail address for the PI. Preapplications 
referencing Program Notice 95-04 should be received by November 15, 
1994, and sent to Dr. Roger C. Dahlman, Office of Health and 
Environmental Research, ER-74, Washington, DC 20585, or to the Internet 
address noted above. A response to the preapplications will be 
communicated to the PI by December 6, 1994.
    The technical portion of the application should not exceed 20 
double-spaced 10 pt pages (1-inch margins) plus 5 pages for curriculum 
vitae and all other data, and should include a short one-half page 
abstract. Applications that deviate from the terms of this notice will 
be returned, and will not be considered for support in the second cycle 
of TCP. Applications received after the deadline will not be eligible 
for award in Fiscal Year 1995.
    Preapplications and formal applications will be reviewed relative 
to the DOE interests described by this notice and in reference to scope 
and research priorities of the U.S. Global Climate Change Research 
Program (USGCRP). Preapplications will be reviewed for relevance to 
Program needs and interests. Formal applications will be subjected to 
merit review and will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria set 
forth in 10 CFR Part 605. The USGCRP priority task on CO2 and 
Trace-Gas research (described in the USGCRP draft report entitled, 
``Special Issue on Enhanced Terrestrial Ecology Research on Global 
Change'' (TECO)) is also a relevant term of reference for evaluating 
applications responding to this notice.
    It is anticipated that approximately $1.5 million will be available 
for grant awards in Fiscal Year 1995, contingent upon availability of 
appropriated funds. Previous awards for this type of research have 
ranged from $100,000 up to $400,000 per year, with most not exceeding 
$250,000. While most awards are expected to range from $100,000 to 
$250,000 per year, a few larger awards may be granted for coordinated 
experiments requiring special designs or facilities for manipulating 
CO2 and other environmental variables. Funding of multiple year 
grant awards is expected, and is also contingent upon availability of 
appropriated funds.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures, may be found in the Application Guide for the 
Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 
605. The Application Guide is available from the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Environmental 
Sciences Division, ER-74, Washington, DC 20585. Telephone requests may 
be made by calling (301) 903-4902. Supplemental documentation 
including: (1) Examples of existing DOE research on carbon cycle and 
the response of vegetation to CO2, the two programs that will be 
refocused as research on ``terrestrial carbon processes,'' and (2) a 
Draft USGCRP report on the ``Special Issue on Enhanced Terrestrial 
Ecology Research on Global Change'' (TECO) is available upon request by 
calling (301) 903-4902.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this 
program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 
CFR part 605.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 13, 1994.
D.D. Mayhew,
Director, Office of Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 94-26316 Filed 10-21-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P