[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13736-13739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6205]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science; Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 
Notice 00-11; Atmospheric Chemistry Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) of 
the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications for participation in 
the Atmospheric Chemistry Program (ACP) Science Team. The research 
program supports the Department's Global Change Research Program, the 
U.S. Global Change Research Program, and the Administration's goals to 
understand atmospheric chemistry associated with air quality and 
climate change. Of particular interest are experimental and

[[Page 13737]]

theoretical studies of atmospheric chemistry processes affected by 
energy-related air pollutants, e.g., sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, 
organic aerosols, and tropospheric ozone.

DATES: Formal applications in response to this Notice must be received 
by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., May 3, 2000, to be accepted for merit review and 
to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year 2001. 
Applications that are collaborative with or complementary to DOE 
laboratory proposals are strongly encouraged.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 00-11 should 
be sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, ATTN: Program Notice 00-11. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Lunn, Environmental Sciences 
Division, SC-74, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, 
Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone: (301) 903-4819, E-mail: 
[email protected], fax: (301) 903-8519. The full text of 
Program Notice 00-11 is available via the Internet using the following 
web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The goal of the overall Atmospheric Science Program of the 
Department of Energy (DOE) is to develop a comprehensive understanding 
of the atmospheric processes that control the transport, 
transformation, and fate of energy related chemicals and particulate 
matter. The drivers for the program include urban, regional, national, 
and global concerns for air quality, climate change (global warming), 
and other atmospheric issues related to energy policy. The current 
emphasis is upon urban and regional scales.
    The objectives of the program are: (1) To improve understanding of 
the chemical and physical processes affecting energy related air 
pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and tropospheric ozone, 
including gas-to-particle conversion processes, and the deposition and 
resuspension of aerosols; (2) to improve understanding of the 
meteorological processes that control the dispersion and air chemistry 
of energy-related trace gases and particulate matter in or released to 
the atmosphere; and (3) to develop predictive models for the above 
processes and acquire the data to test them.
    The overall Atmospheric Science Program consists of several 
closely-related science programs and facilities. Each program or 
activity includes scientist-participants from DOE laboratories, other 
federal laboratories, colleges and universities, and private industry. 
All research projects are fully peer reviewed.

The Atmospheric Chemistry Program (ACP)

    This program focuses on regional, continental, and global scale 
research on energy related air pollutants, including: (a) Chemical 
transformations relating to tropospheric energy-related materials in 
the troposphere, (b) aerosol influences on air quality and climate 
forcing, and (c) origin, fate, and characterization of fine particles 
in the atmosphere. Activities include field measurement campaigns, 
laboratory studies, modeling, and instrument development. More 
information can be obtained via the ACP web site at http://
www.atmos.anl.gov/ACP/.

The Environmental Meteorology Program (EMP)

    This program focuses on the atmospheric transport of energy-related 
materials through specific and timely program components. Previous 
components include the Atmospheric Studies of Complex Terrain (ASCOT), 
the Mexico City Air Quality Study (MCAQS), and the Atmospheric Boundary 
Layer Experiment (ABLE). The current component and focus of EMP is the 
Vertical Transport and Mixing Program (VTMX). More information can be 
obtained via the VTMX web site at http://www.pnl.gov/VTMX/.

The NARSTO Program Office

    The Atmospheric Science Program supports NARSTO (formerly known as 
the North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone). NARSTO is 
a public/private partnership, whose membership spans government, the 
utilities, industry, and academe throughout Mexico, the United States, 
and Canada. Recently the scope of interest has been broadened to 
include aerosols. More information can be obtained via the NARSTO web 
site at http://www.cgenv.com/Narsto.

The Research Aircraft Facility (RAF)

    The Research Aircraft Facility consists of a Gulfstream 1 (G1) twin 
turboprop aircraft research facility, equipped by participating 
scientists for measurements in atmospheric chemistry, aerosols, 
turbulence, and radiant energy. The G1 is available to support ACP and 
EMP projects as well as related research endeavors by other agencies. 
More information can be obtained via the RAF web site at http://
www.pnl.gov/atmos__sciences/as__g1.html.

The Tropospheric Aerosol Program (TAP)

    This program is under development. More information can be obtained 
via the TAP web site at http://www.tap.bnl.gov.

This Announcement is specific to the Atmospheric Chemistry Program 
(ACP)

    ACP is concerned primarily with the atmospheric chemistry of energy 
related pollutants. Collaborations are maintained with counterparts in 
other agencies, e.g., EPA, NOAA, NSF, and NASA, as well as with other 
parts of DOE, i.e., and programs concerned with environmental issues 
related to energy consumption and/or energy production.
    Research applications are encouraged that demonstrate the 
continuity and progress of the DOE ACP during the 1997-2000 period (see 
research abstracts in http://www.atmos.anl.gov/ACP), i.e., new work 
that builds upon on or complements previous ACP activities.
    The objective of the ACP is to identify and understand the 
atmospheric processes that are key to anticipating and predicting the 
effects of energy-related emissions on air quality. This capability is 
needed by DOE for both short-range and long-range energy planning. 
Although ACP activities do not include research in human health or 
other biological sciences, those air quality issues that are related to 
human health and effects on ecosystems in the United States are 
currently of direct concern. Tropospheric processes are addressed that 
affect the amounts and geographic distribution of ozone, particulate 
matter, air toxics, and the associated precursors compounds near the 
surface of the Earth. Research is conducted by modeling, laboratory, 
and field studies. Analysis and publication of results, including those 
from past ACP field experiments, are an integral part of the ACP 
program.
    Information on national issues that the DOE is addressing in 
coordination with other federal agencies can be found in several 
publications:

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    1. ``Rethinking the Ozone Problem in Urban and Regional Air 
Pollution'' by the Committee on Tropospheric Ozone Formation and 
Measurement of the National Research Council; ``Air Quality Research 
Subcommittee Strategic Plan'' by the Committee on Environment and 
Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology Council. 
http://www.nnic.noaa.gov/CENR/AQRS/Aqrs__sp.pdf.
    2. ``Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: I. 
Immediate Priorities and a Long-Range Research Portfolio'' by the 
Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter of the 
National Research Council.
    3. ``Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: II. 
Evaluating Research Progress and Updating the Portfolio'' by the 
Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter of the 
National Research Council.
    4. ``Global Environmental Change, Research Pathways for the Next 
Decade'' by the Committee on Global Change Research of the National 
Research Council.
    5. In addition, considerable information on current air quality 
issues involving ozone, aerosols, and volatile organic compounds can be 
found on the NARSTO web site http://www.cgenv.com/Narsto/.

Categories

    This ACP Program Announcement consists of three categories. 
Prospective investigators should explicitly specify in the abstract 
what category or categories are addressed by the proposed research. 
Individuals or groups intending to participate in field experiments 
should describe what measurements they intend to make and what 
instruments will be used to make them, and what process information the 
measurements are intended to provide. Those intending to analyze data 
from one or more instruments or who will use data in numerical or 
conceptual modeling should specify what data are required for their 
purposes.
    Category 1. Oxidant Studies. Research to evaluate the causes of 
spatial and temporal variations in tropospheric concentrations of ozone 
and other oxidants, especially for areas that experience non-attainment 
of U.S. ozone standards. Modeling, theoretical, and experimental 
efforts to address geographic regions having different mixes of 
atmospheric trace chemicals and atmospheric transport conditions are 
encouraged. Studies of nighttime as well as daytime chemistry involving 
oxidants are encouraged. Research may include the application and 
testing of numerical models to evaluate the causes of high ozone 
concentrations over regional and urban scales and to generalize 
findings.
    Category 2. Aerosol Studies. Research in conjunction with ACP 
oxidant studies to evaluate causes of spatial and temporal variations 
of tropospheric aerosol chemical composition and concentrations, 
particularly with regard to national standards on particulate matter 
and visibility (and issues of concern to human health). Topics of 
interest include particle nucleation and growth, processes affecting 
chemical composition, interactions with water, and aerosol 
characterization emphasizing particle chemical composition as a 
function of particle size. Numerical models may be used to develop 
methods of estimating aerosol composition over regional and urban 
scales.
    Category 3. Heterogeneous Chemistry. Research on heterogeneous 
processes that affect chemical rates of reactions involving oxidants, 
nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and sulfur oxides, and 
precursors in the troposphere and planetary boundary layer. Studies 
that lead to information important for evaluating, simulating, and 
predicting oxidant and particle concentrations and composition are 
particularly encouraged. Topics of interest include reactions of 
nitrogen oxides on organic aerosol surfaces, halogen atom-releasing 
surface reactions, interactions of gas-phase organic gases with aerosol 
surfaces, interactions of inorganic gases with organic surfaces, 
photochemistry at the surface and aqueous phase reactions.

Programmatic Issues

    Experimental field campaigns may be carried out in collaboration 
with the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, the DOE 
Environmental Meteorology Program, and with other relevant programs 
supported by federal, state, and private agencies. Collaborative 
efforts contributing to NARSTO are encouraged. Collaborative use of the 
DOE Research Aircraft Facility is also encouraged.
    Possible future field studies are listed at the ACP web site. A 
diversity of atmospheric conditions, some of which might exist outside 
the United States, needs to be addressed by ACP. In such studies, the 
dynamic atmospheric conditions that affect chemical reactions need to 
be considered. Air-surface exchange rates of gases and particles are 
sometimes an important component of the atmospheric budget of 
chemicals.
    Modeling and laboratory experiments are important aspects of this 
research. Modeling studies devoted to interpretation and generalization 
of the experimental findings are particularly encouraged. Laboratory 
studies may include studies of the reactions of oxidant precursors, 
formation and distribution of product species, aerosol formation, and 
heterogeneous processes relevant to oxidant formation and loss in the 
atmosphere. Development and deployment of advanced field 
instrumentation to make surface and aircraft-based observations 
necessary for ACP field studies are encouraged.

Educational Opportunities

    Opportunities exist for the financial support of undergraduate and 
graduate students wishing to participate in this program through the 
Department of Energy's Global Change Education Program. Information can 
be obtained at http://www.atmos.anl.gov/GCEP/.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that up to $2 million in first-year funding will 
be available for participation in the Atmospheric Chemistry Program. 
Multiple awards are expected to be made in Fiscal Year 2001 in the 
categories described above, contingent upon availability of 
appropriated funds. Applicants may request project support up to four 
years, with out-year support contingent on availability of appropriated 
funds, progress of the research, and programmatic needs. The number of 
awards and range of funding will depend on the number of applications 
received and selected for award. Typical annual budgets range from 
$60,000 to $200,000 in total costs. Some studies involving field 
measurements may have larger budgets.

Merit Review

    Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer 
review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria 
listed in descending order of importance as 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 process will include program policy factors such as 
the relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement 
and an

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agency's programmatic needs. Note that 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.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR part 605, and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance 
Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is made 
available via the World Wide Web at http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html. DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs 
associated with the preparation or submission of applications if an 
award is not made.
    The research project description must be 20 pages or less, 
exclusive of attachments and must contain a 1 or 2-page abstract or 
summary of the proposed research and a 1 or 2-page statement of 
relevance to the DOE and national interest. On the SC grant face page, 
form DOE F 4650.2, in block 15, also provide the PI's phone number, fax 
number, and E-mail address. Attachments must include curriculum vitae, 
a listing of all current and pending federal support, and letters of 
intent when collaborations are part of the proposed research. 
Applications should include detailed and justified budgets for each 
year of support requested. Lengthy application appendices are 
discouraged. Curriculum vitae should be submitted in a form similar to 
that of NIH or NSF (two to three pages), see for example: http://
www.nsf.gov:80/bfa/cpo/gpg/fkit.htm#forms-9.
    Although the required original and seven copies of the application 
must be submitted, researchers are asked to submit an electronic 
version of their abstract of the proposed research in ASCII format and 
their E-mail address to the Program Director for Atmospheric Sciences, 
Peter Lunn, by E-mail to [email protected].
    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 10, 2000.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 00-6205 Filed 3-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P