[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12626-12627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6587]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research
[Notice 97-12]


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program; Atmospheric 
Chemistry Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

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 the 
continuation of its Atmospheric Chemistry Program (ACP). The 
applications should address the continuation of experimental and 
theoretical study of atmospheric chemistry processes affected by 
energy-related air pollutants (i.e., sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, 
aerosols, and ozone). These studies are intended to be in support of 
DOE information needs under the National Energy Policy Act (Public Law 
102-486).

DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1998, 
formal applications submitted in response to this notice should be 
received by 4:30 p.m. E.D.T., June 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 97-12 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 97-12. This address 
must also be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail or any other commercial overnight delivery service, or 
when hand-carried by the applicant. An original and seven copies of the 
application must be submitted; however, applicants are requested not to 
submit multiple application copies using more than one delivery or mail 
service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rickey Petty, Environmental 
Sciences Division, ER-74, Office of Health and Environmental Research, 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown 
Road,

[[Page 12627]]

Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone: (301) 903-5548, E-mail: 
[email protected], fax: (301) 903-8519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atmospheric Chemistry Program is part of 
the DOE's Global Change Research Program and is closely linked with 
other national and international programs. Collaborations are 
maintained with global change counterparts in other agencies, 
particularly NASA, NOAA, and the NSF. Internationally, the DOE ACP 
links with the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Global 
Atmospheric Watch (GAW) program, particularly through the North 
American Regional Experiment (NARE), the Aerosol Chemistry Experiment 
(ACE) 1 and 2, North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone 
(NARSTO), and the Southern Oxidant Study (SOS).
    Detailed descriptions of ACP plans, rationale, and foci are 
provided on the DOE ACP homepage at: http://www.atmos.anl.gov/ACP.
    Research applications that demonstrate the continuity and progress 
of the DOE ACP during the 1993-1997 period (see research abstracts in 
http://www.atmos.anl.gov/ACP) addressing midlatitude tropospheric ozone 
and heterogeneous chemistry, atmospheric chemical-conversion processes, 
and wet-removal and air/surface exchange is encouraged. More so, 
applications addressing ozone research that is in support of the NARSTO 
are also encouraged.
    In coordination with other federal agencies, the DOE is addressing 
recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences report, ``Aerosol 
Radiative Forcing and Climate Change.'' Thus, projects that enhance 
ongoing aerosol research, such as coupled aerosol-oxidant research 
through modeling, laboratory and field studies, are encouraged.
    This notice requests applications for grants to support:
    (Category 1): Research to understand the fundamental scientific 
phenomena associated with atmospheric ozone formation and removal 
processes. Such fundamental studies can take the form of modeling, 
laboratory, field, and theoretical investigations and analyses of 
mechanistic behavior. The research should also address the possible 
catalytic/inhibition effects of aerosols (especially in the lower 
stratosphere), and possible new chemical mechanisms influencing ozone 
behavior in the remote free troposphere, and a variety of scientific 
topics aimed at enhancing our ability to manage midlatitude regional-
scale tropospheric ozone pollution. Field activities may be conducted 
cooperatively with major ACP field campaigns. ACP field campaigns may 
also include using the ACP G-1 Research Aircraft Facility.
    (Category 2): Ozone and UV-B trend analysis, using past and 
emerging data sets. Of special interest in this category are 
investigations of interactions among ozone and ultraviolet (UV) 
radiation with regards to competing/compensating effects of other trace 
gases, aerosols and clouds, and their obscurance of ozone trend 
evaluations and associated UV-B impacts.
    (Category 3): Research to understand the fundamental scientific 
phenomena associated with aerosol radiative forcing and climate change. 
Such studies should include research on aerosol forcing of climates 
that advances knowledge in the representation of aerosols in global 
climate models, particularly with respect to indirect climate effects; 
laboratory and theoretical research on aerosol optical properties; 
identification of aerosol molecular composition, particularly the 
organic fraction; development of an understanding of aerosol formation 
and growth in the atmosphere; studies elucidating the aerosol-CCN-cloud 
droplet-albedo relationship; execution of atmospheric closure 
experiments to test theoretical understanding; application of 
instrumentation technology for measuring aerosol properties in situ; 
and system integration and assessment utilizing sensitivity/uncertainty 
analyses.
    It is anticipated that approximately $3 million will be available 
for multiple grant awards in FY 1998, contingent upon availability of 
appropriated funds. Applications may request project support up to 
three years, with out-year support contingent on availability of funds, 
progress of the research, and programmatic needs. Annual budgets are 
expected to range from approximately $50,000 to $500,000. Applications 
should include detailed and justified budgets for each year of support 
requested. The technical portion of the application should not exceed 
twenty-five (25) double-spaced pages. Lengthy application appendices 
are not encouraged.
    Applications will be subjected to formal merit review (peer review) 
and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria listed 
in descending order of importance codified at 10 CFR 605.10(d):
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project;
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach;
    3. Competency of Applicant's personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources;
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers will often be 
used, and submission of an application constitutes agreement that this 
is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    To provide a consistent format for the submission, review and 
solicitation of grant applications submitted under this notice, the 
preparation and submission of grant applications must follow the 
guidelines given in the Application Guide for the Office of Energy 
Research Financial Assistance Program 10 CFR Part 605. Access to ER's 
Financial Assistance Application Guide is possible via the World Wide 
Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

    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 March 5, 1997.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 97-6587 Filed 3-14-97; 8:45 am]
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