EPA-G2023-STAR-J1 (FINAL).pdf

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement Office of Research and Development Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program

RESEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING PFAS UPTAKE

AND BIOACCUMULATION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS

IN AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, AND TRIBAL

COMMUNITIES

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2023-STAR-J1

Assistance Listing Number: 66.509

Solicitation Opening Date: October 6, 2023 Solicitation Closing Date: December 6, 2023: 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction

B. Background C. Authority and Regulations D. Specific Research Area of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes E. References F. Special Requirements G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing C. Other

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures B. Application Package Information C. Content and Form of Application Submission D. Submission Dates and Times E. Funding Restrictions F. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Peer Review B. Relevancy Review C. Past Performance History Review D. Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Review E. Evaluation of the Scientific Data Management Plan F. Funding Decisions

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

For Updates and Additional Information see https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities.

View research awarded under previous solicitations at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas.

A. Introduction

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS are resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation and can build up in the environment and the human body over time [1]. The substances may be found in soil, air, water, and food as well as in materials in homes or workplaces (e.g., fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, biosolids, personal care packaging, etc.) [2,3]. Due to their widespread use, most people in the United States have been exposed to some level of PFAS. Exposure to certain PFAS may lead to detrimental health impacts including reproductive effects, developmental effects, increased risks of cancers, weakening of the immune system, and endocrine system disruption [4,5]. Agriculture and PFAS chemicals can intersect through soil, air, and water. These resources may be contaminated through dust particles, application of biosolid residues, and leaching [6,7,8,9].

A large portion of current PFAS research has prioritized data generation and information collection through theoretical science instead of practical application. Identifying, characterizing, and understanding PFAS uptake within agricultural environments will provide vital information related to exposure pathways and will help inform the development of scalable solutions.

Research is essential to increase knowledge related to biological uptake in agricultural and rural settings, improve farm viability, and to explore approaches to understand PFAS accumulation in plants and animals. Future research should build upon previous foundations and develop science that has the potential to guide scalable on-farm solutions. Further research is needed to explore the exposure mechanisms of PFAS, develop mitigation strategies, and increase the general knowledge of PFAS and its health risks.

The Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program’s goal is to stimulate and support scientific and engineering research that advances EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.

It is a competitive, peer-reviewed, extramural research program that provides access to the https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas nation’s best scientists and engineers in academic and other nonprofit research institutions.

STAR funds research on the environmental and public health effects of air quality, environmental changes, water quality and quantity, hazardous waste, toxic substances, and pesticides.

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the Nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities;

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions;

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions.

B. Background

Over the last two decades, PFAS research in integrated crop–livestock systems and related fields has increased substantially [10]. EPA has released a preliminary report establishing that PFAS has a wide range of fates and transport pathways [11]. The chemicals may be transported cyclicly between soil, water, and air [12]. Wastewater treatment residuals and irrigation waters have been some of the most evaluated sources of PFAS in agricultural soils [13,14]. Recent research has pointed towards agriculturally applied, waste-derived products as being a substantial PFAS source [15,16]. PFAS have been found to transfer from soils to plant roots and then translocated from roots to plant tissue [17,18]. PFAS may also be taken up into foliar tissue through contaminated precipitation and aerial deposition. PFAS distribution in plants has been associated with PFAS chain length where short chains tend to bioaccumulate in plant leaves and long-chain PFAS are more likely to be found in the roots [19]. PFAS can also be detected in livestock https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 whose diets may consist of contaminated feed [20, 21]. Fish and the muscle tissue, organs, and dairy products of livestock have the potential to be contaminated.

PFAS may bioaccumulate in agricultural operations through a combination of different pathways. Therefore, a single remediation strategy may not be sufficient for PFAS management.

For PFAS impacted farms, alterations to agricultural practice schedules and a variety of management methods may need to be employed [22].

C. Authority and Regulations

The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C.

1254, Section 104(b)(3), the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1, Section 1442, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. 6981, Section 8001, the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C.

2609, Section 10, as amended by P.L. 106-74, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Public Law 117-328.

For research with an international aspect, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(I).

Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed above. Generally, a project must address the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of air pollution, water pollution, solid/hazardous waste pollution, toxic substances control, or pesticide control depending on which statute(s) is listed above. Further note applications dealing with any aspect of or related to hydraulic fracking will not be funded by EPA through this program.

Additional applicable regulations include: 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR Part 1500, and 40 CFR Part 40 (Research and Demonstration Grants).

D. Specific Research Area of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes

Note to applicant: The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective.

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). Awards made under this solicitation will support Goal 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities, Objective 5.1: Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure; Goal 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities, Objective 6.2: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination;

and/or Goal 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment, Objective 7.1:

Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety and/or Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention, of the Plan. All applications must be for projects that support one or more of the goal(s) and https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan objective(s) identified above which should align with the research area category(ies) selected for the proposed research identified below.

Awards made under this announcement will contribute to the achievement of the EPA STAR program’s goals to mitigate the impacts of PFAS contamination and protect public health. The EPA is seeking to award projects that support research to reduce human PFAS exposure via the food supply and promote farm viability. The research will provide scientific foundations to advance EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment through the collection of PFAS bioaccumulation data in agricultural settings and exploring strategies for preventing PFAS exposure.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the goal(s) and objective(s) described above.

EPA is soliciting novel research that proposes innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to better understand PFAS uptake in plants and animals in agricultural environments. PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies should also be an aspect of the research.

The proposed research should further the knowledge of PFAS bioaccumulation in agriculture within the scope of mitigating PFAS exposure from the food supply. It’s strongly recommended that applicants develop research proposals that may produce results that can be translated into real-world applications and utilized in future decision-making. Strong research proposals should leverage any existing scientific research regarding PFAS plant and animal uptake in agricultural operations and incorporate approaches to understand PFAS accumulation in agricultural environments. The development of different agricultural PFAS management perspectives and outlooks should also be a facet of the proposed research.

The specific objective of the research should focus on mitigating PFAS exposure from the food supply through the exploration of PFAS bioaccumulation in plants and animals in agricultural settings with the goal of promoting farm viability and public health. The proposed research should support cost-effective solutions and management strategies that address agricultural environments at scales appropriate to mitigate PFAS concerns on farms that may have high volumes of water or soil with relatively low PFAS concentrations.

Research Area of Interest

Applicants should address the research area described below:

Develop research that provides new understanding of PFAS bioaccumulation in plants and animals within agricultural operations. Multidisciplinary research is encouraged. The information collected should clearly support the development of agronomic strategies for the https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements management and mitigation of PFAS in the food supply, which will ultimately lead to improved farm viability and protection of public health. Applicants should concisely describe how the proposed research will better inform decisions in agricultural environments. Applications that do not support the development of agronomic (on-farm) management strategies for mitigating PFAS accumulation in the food supply will not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V as those that do.

The research should also address at least one of the research area categories listed below.

Applicants may select and integrate as many categories as desired. Applications that do not address at least one of the following research area categories may not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V as those that do. Applications that address multiple categories will not necessarily be rated more highly than those that address fewer categories.

Research Area Categories:

• PFAS contamination and bioaccumulation through biosolid agricultural use and approaches to ensure biosolid application does not contribute to PFAS soil concentration.

• PFAS contamination and bioaccumulation in livestock (including aquaculture) from feed and water.

• PFAS contamination and bioaccumulation through the utilization of irrigation water, possibly including recycled municipal wastewater or water from effluent dominated waterbodies.

• Potentially substantial PFAS contamination in pre-harvest agricultural operations through previously unidentified or lesser-known sources.

• PFAS contamination and bioaccumulation in whole-food webs, wildlife and game, and culturally sensitive plants as it relates to Tribal agricultural settings and communities.

Applicants should associate the research area category(ies) they choose with the relevant EPA Strategic Plan Goal(s) and Objective(s) stated earlier in this section.

Expected Outputs and Outcomes Proposed research outputs include: comprehensive scientific information, publications, tools, fact sheets, and specific knowledge on PFAS in relation to scalable agricultural on-farm actions and processes. Research should also produce information on managing PFAS agricultural impacts.

The outputs will result in expanding the scientific understanding associated with the relationship between PFAS and agriculture. The proposed research should support cost-effective solutions and management strategies that address PFAS contamination in agricultural environments at scales appropriate to mitigate its impacts on farms with high volumes of water or soil with relatively low PFAS concentrations.

An expected outcome of the proposed research is the development of improved knowledge on the mitigation of PFAS exposure, gained through a better understanding of the linkages between different PFAS and agricultural resources. Increased understanding of the factors behind the plant and/or livestock-PFAS exchange will be an important aspect of future agriculture-based PFAS decision making and is a desired outcome of the proposed research. An additional outcome includes improved support for the development of agronomic (on-farm) management strategies for mitigating PFAS accumulation in the food supply, which ultimately aids the promotion of farm viability and public health.

Community Engagement Plan A community engagement plan is required. See Section IV.C.5.iii.e. Applicants should involve agricultural communities or community-based organizations in the formulation of research objectives. Applications should, at minimum, describe how: a) applicants will work in partnership with appropriate partners (e.g., states, tribes, farmers, ranchers, rural communities, agricultural communities, non-profit organizations, associations, and local communities/community-based organizations) to effectively design and implement the proposed project; b) to the extent possible, coordinate with and/or complement other projects or activities being performed by others that will result in a greater positive impact; and c) demonstrate how the proposed project will address the needs and concerns of agricultural communities including how community-based organizations (as defined below) and/or other appropriate parties will be engaged to enhance the project’s effectiveness and/or efficiency.

For the purpose of this announcement, a “community-based organization” means a non-governmental organization (NGO) that has demonstrated effectiveness as a representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that helps members of that community obtain environmental, educational, or other social services. A community-based organization must be a nonprofit or not-for-profit corporation in good standing under State or Tribal law with authority to enter into binding legal agreements. The community-based organization need not be tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code but may use documentation of tax-exempt status to demonstrate that it is a nonprofit.

Applicants may utilize a Community Engagement Research (CEnR) framework, defined as a collaborative process of research involving researchers, community, agricultural, and/or tribal representatives, to meet this requirement. The CEnR process of scientific inquiry requires that community members or other key community stakeholders be included in the identification of research problems and objectives and in the formulation of community-driven solutions.

Although a range of levels of community involvement can be considered CEnR, CEnR is characterized by substantial community input and involvement in the project. The applicant will need to justify the level of community involvement that is proposed in the application. While not required, each applicant is encouraged to form a CEnR framework to meet the requirement for community involvement in the project that may include relevant community leaders and a committee or an advisory group.

The Community Engagement Plan should:

• Describe the type of proposed collaboration/engagement and what role it will play in the overall project including the degree of partner/community input or engagement in the conceptualization, hypothesis/question development, design, methods, analyses, and implementation of the research.

• Describe how the proposed collaboration/engagement will enhance the overall impact of the project such that the project results are applicable and useable by impacted communities (i.e., farms, rural communities, tribal communities affected by PFAS in the food supply) and address the needs and concerns of agricultural communities. This includes the capacity of the project to communicate risk and translate scientific results into easily understandable outreach and education materials more effectively.

• Describe how activities of the project will be coordinated with related or complementary projects and studies.

• Describe how the collaboration/engagement will materialize during project. Describe the partner(s)’ intent to participate in the proposed research including evidence of prior support of a partnership with a community engagement research committee, a community-based organization or advisory group members (e.g., letter(s) of intent or support from a U.S. agriculture producer as a collaborator, or assembling an industry advisory committee such as a farmer’s advisory committee for the project that can include producer-based organizations, agricultural community representatives, crop consultants, feed manufacturers, animal health industry, etc.). Any letters demonstrating evidence of collaboration and support should be included as part of section IV.C.5.viii.a.

Letters of Intent/Letters of Support.

In addition, applicants may cooperate with a private entity, including an agricultural producer or cooperative. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards under this grant program but may receive procurement contracts. See “Coalitions” under Section IV.E Funding Restrictions.

Applicants that do not plan on collaborating/engaging with other groups in project performance must still include a community engagement plan in their application describing how they will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration.

E. References

1. Gaines, Linda. Historical and current usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS):

A literature review. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 66; 5. 353-378. (2022) Available at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23362 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23362

2. Buck, Robert, James Franklin, Urs Berger, James Condor, Ian Cousins, Pim de Voogt, Allen Jensen, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Scott A Mabury. Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment: Terminology, Classification, and Origins. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. 7; 4. 513-541. (2011) Available at https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.258

3. Buck, Robert, Stephen H. Korzeniowski, Evan Laganis, Frank Adamsky. Identification and

Classification of Commercially Relevant Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. 17;5. 1045-1055. (2021). Available at https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4450

4. Fenton, Suzanne, Alan Ducatman, Alan Boobis, Jamie DeWitt, Christopher Lau, Carla Ng, James S. Smith, and Stephen Roberts. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Toxicity and Human Health Review: Current State of Knowledge and Strategies for Informing Future Research. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 40;3. 606-630. (2020). Available at https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fetc.4890

5. Blake, Bevin, Suzanne Fenton. Early life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

(PFAS) and latent health outcomes: A review including the placenta as a target tissue and possible driver of peri- and postnatal effects. Toxicology. 443. (2020). Available at https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tox.2020.152565

6. Abunada, Ziyad, Motasem Y.D Alazaiza, Mohammed J.K Bashir. An Overview of Per- and

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Environment: Source, Fate, Risk and Regulations.

Water. 12(12):3590. (2020). Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123590

7. Costello, M. Christina Schilling, and Linda S. Lee. Sources, Fate, and Plant Uptake in

Agricultural Systems of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Current Pollution Reports.

(2020). Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-020-00168-y

8. Jiao, Xingchun, Qingyang Shi, Jay Gan. Uptake, accumulation, and metabolism of PFASs in plants and health perspectives: A critical review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 51:23, 2745-2776. (2021). Available at https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2020.1809219

9. Ghisi, Rossella, Teofilo Vamerali, Sergio Manzetti. Accumulation of perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in agricultural plants: A review. Environmental Research, Volume 169.

ISSN 0013-9351. (2019). Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.023

10. Jha Gaurav, Vanaja Kankarla, Everald McLennon, Suman Pal, Debjani Sihi, Biswanath Dari, Dawson Diaz, Mallika Nocco. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems: Environmental Exposure and Human Health Risks. International Journal Environmental Research and Public Health. 28;18(23):12550. (2021). Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312550 https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.258 https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4450 https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fetc.4890 https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tox.2020.152565 https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123590 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-020-00168-y https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2020.1809219 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.023 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312550

11. Cousins, Ian, Jamie DeWitt, Julianne Glüge, Gretta Goldenman, Dorte Herzke, Rainer Lohmann, Carla Ng, Martin Scheringer, Zhanyung Wang. The high persistence of PFAS is sufficient for their management as a chemical class. Environmental Science: Process Impacts. 22(12):2307-2312. (2020). Available at https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EM00355G

12. U.S. EPA. Multi-Industry Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Study –2021

Preliminary Report. U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. (2021) Available at https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/multi-industry-pfas-study_preliminary-2021-report_508_2021.09.08.pdf

13. Blaine, Andrea, Courtney Rich, Erin Sedlacko, Katherine Hyland, Cecil Stushnoff, Eric

Dickenson, Christopher Higgins. Perfluoroalkyl Acid Uptake in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) Irrigated with Reclaimed Water. Environmental Science & Technology 48 (24). ISSN 14361-14368. (2014). Available at https://doi.org/10.1021/es504150h

14. Mroczko, Olivia, Heather Preisendanz, Christopher Wilson, Michael Mashtare, Herschel

Elliott, Tamie Veith, Kathy Soder, John Watson. Spatiotemporal patterns of PFAS in water and crop tissue at a beneficial wastewater reuse site in central Pennsylvania. Journal of Environmental Quality 51 (6). ISSN 1282-1297. (2022). Available at https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20408

15. University Of Arizona, Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department, Jacobs

Engineering, National Science Foundation. PFAS in Biosolids: A Southern Arizona Case Study. (2020). Available at https://nwbiosolids.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PFAS-in- Biosolids_A-Southern-Arizona-Case-Study.pdf

16. Blaine, Andrea, Courtney Rich, Lakhwinder Hundal, Christopher Lau, Marc Mills, Kimberly

Harris, Christopher Higgins. Uptake of Perfluoroalkyl Acids into Edible Crops via Land Applied Biosolids: Field and Greenhouse Studies. Environmental Science & Technology 47 (24), ISSN 14062-14069. (2013). Available at 10.1021/es403094q

17. Li, Jiuyi, Jing Sun, Pengyang Li. Exposure routes, bioaccumulation and toxic effects of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on plants: A critical review. Environment International. Volume 158.106891, ISSN 0160-4120. (2022). Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106891

18. Tian, Ying, Yiming Yao, Shuai Chang, Zhen Zhao, Yangyang Zhao, Xiaojia Yuan, Fengchang Wu, and Hongwen Sun. Occurrence and phase distribution of neutral and ionizable per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the atmosphere and plant leaves around landfills: A case study in Tianjin, China. Environmental Science & Technology. 52 (3), 1301-1310. (2018). Available at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b05385

19. Blaine, Andrea, Courtney Rich, Erin Sedlacko, Lakhwinder Hundal, Kuldip Kumar, Christopher Lau, Marc Mills, Kimberly Harris, Christopher Higgins. Perfluoroalkyl Acid Distribution in Various Plant Compartments of Edible Crops Grown in Biosolids-Amended https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EM00355G https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/multi-industry-pfas-study_preliminary-2021-report_508_2021.09.08.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/multi-industry-pfas-study_preliminary-2021-report_508_2021.09.08.pdf https://doi.org/10.1021/es504150h https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20408 https://nwbiosolids.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PFAS-in-Biosolids_A-Southern-Arizona-Case-Study.pdf https://nwbiosolids.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PFAS-in-Biosolids_A-Southern-Arizona-Case-Study.pdf https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es403094q https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106891 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b05385 soils. Environmental Science & Technology 48 (14). ISSN 7858-7865. (2014) Available at https://doi.org/10.1021/es500016s

20. Xiaomin Li, Shujun Dong, Wei Zhang, Xia Fan, Ruiguo Wang, Peilong Wang, Xiaoou Su.

The occurrence of perfluoroalkyl acids in an important feed material (fishmeal) and its potential risk through the farm-to-fork pathway to humans. Journal of Hazardous Materials Volume 367. Pages 559-567. ISSN 0304-3894. (2019). Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.12.103

21. Vestergren, Robin, Francis Orata, Urs Berger, Ian T. Cousins. Bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl acids in dairy cows in a naturally contaminated environment. Environmental Science Pollution Research. 20, 7959–7969. (2013). Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1722-x

22. Mikkonen, Antti, Jennifer Martin, Richard N. Upton, Andrew O. Barker, Carolyn M.

Brumley, Mark P. Taylor, Lorraine Mackenzie, Michael S. Roberts. Spatio-temporal trends in livestock exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) inform risk assessment and management measures. Environmental Research Volume 225, 115518, ISSN 0013-9351.

(2023). Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115518

F. Special Requirements

It is EPA Policy to ensure that the results of EPA-funded extramural scientific research are accessible to the public to the greatest extent feasible consistent with applicable law; policies and Orders; the Agency’s mission; resource constraints; and U.S. national, homeland and economic security. This entails maximizing, at no charge, access by the public to peer-reviewed, scientific research journal publications or associated author manuscripts, and their underlying digital research data, created in whole or in part with EPA funds, while protecting personal privacy;

recognizing proprietary interests, confidential business information, and intellectual property rights; and avoiding significant negative impact on intellectual property rights, innovation, and U.S. competitiveness.

Applications submitted under this announcement shall include a Scientific Data Management Plan (SDMP) that addresses public access to EPA-funded scientific research data. See the SDMP clause in Section IV for details on the content of an SDMP. Applicants will also be asked to provide past performance information on whether journal publications or associated author manuscripts, and the associated underlying scientific research data and metadata, under prior assistance agreements were made publicly accessible. These items will be evaluated prior to award.

Reasonable, necessary, and allocable costs for data management and public access may be included in extramural research applications and detailed in the budget justification described in Section IV.

Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage.

https://doi.org/10.1021/es500016s https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.12.103 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1722-x https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115518 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115518

Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.

Multiple Investigator applications may be submitted as: (1) a single Lead Principal Investigator (PI) application with Co-PI(s) or (2) a Multiple PI application (with a single Contact PI). If you choose to submit a Multiple PI application, you must follow the specific instructions provided in Sections IV and V of this RFA. For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies).

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.C.5.iii.c of this solicitation). If the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.D and V.F of this solicitation.

These awards may involve the collection of “Geospatial Information,” which includes information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the Earth or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.

G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to sections III, IV, V, and VI of this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses. These provisions are important for applying to this solicitation and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please contact the EPA point of contact listed in this solicitation (usually in Section VII) to obtain the provisions.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

It is anticipated that a total of approximately $8,000,000 will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding approximately five awards under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $1,600,000 per award, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed four years.

The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards, or make fewer awards than anticipated, under this RFA. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process. Awards may be fully or incrementally funded, as appropriate, based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

EPA intends to award only grants under this announcement.

Under a grant, EPA scientists and engineers are not permitted to be substantially involved in the execution of the research. However, EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant Principal Investigators after the award of an EPA grant for the sole purpose of exchanging information in research areas of common interest that may add value to their respective research activities. This interaction must be incidental rather than substantial to achieving the goals of the research under a grant. Interaction that is “incidental” does not involve resource commitments by EPA.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Note: Additional provisions that apply to this section can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses.

A. Eligible Applicants

Public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public and private institutions of higher education (IHEs), and hospitals located in the U.S. and its territories or possessions; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to apply.

Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization at 2 CFR § 200.1, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. The term includes tax-exempt nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. Note that 2 CFR § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR § 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR § 200.1 are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611.

Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, “FFRDCs”) may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. An award recipient may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research.

Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement. Federal employees may not receive salaries or augment their Agency’s appropriations through awards made under this program unless authorized by law to receive such funding.

The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.

Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Ron Josephson in the Office of Research and Development (ORD), phone: 202-564-7823, email:

josephson.ron@epa.gov.

B. Cost sharing

Cost sharing is not required.

C. Other

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Sections III.A., B., and C. to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

mailto:josephson.ron@epa.gov

a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

b. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this solicitation (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this solicitation. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this solicitation to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submitting through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section IV, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

c. Applications submitted outside of Grants.gov will be deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was due to EPA mishandling or technical problems associated with Grants.gov or SAM.gov. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a submission outside of Grants.gov.

If an applicant submits more than one application under this announcement, each application must be submitted separately, and the scope of work proposed in each application must be significantly different from the other application(s) in order for them to all be deemed eligible. If applications are submitted with scopes of work that do not significantly differ, then EPA will only accept the most recently submitted application and all other applications will be deemed ineligible.

In order to be deemed eligible, the application must include a Community Engagement Plan (Section IV.C.5.iii.e) that demonstrates collaboration/engagement with partner(s)/community(ies) in the design and execution of the proposed research or how the applicant will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration/engagement.

Also, applications exceeding the funding limits or project period described herein will be rejected without review. See Section II. Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal agency) will not be funded.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Note: Additional provisions that apply to this section can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses.

Formal instructions for submission through Grants.gov are in Section F.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/

A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods. Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only are addressed in section F. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements below.

B. Application Package Information

Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package. Make sure to include the current and pending support form in your Grants.gov submission.

C. Content and Form of Application Submission

The application is made by submitting the materials described below. Applications must contain all information requested.

1. Standard Form 424

The applicant must complete Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance.

Instructions for completion of the SF-424 are included with the form. However, note that EPA requires that the entire requested dollar amount appear on the SF-424, not simply the proposed first year expenses. The form must contain the signature of an authorized representative of the applying organization.

2. Key Contacts, EPA Form 5700-54

The applicant must complete the “Key Contacts” form found in the Grants.gov application package. An “Additional Key Contacts” form is also available at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major subawards (i.e., principal investigators). Do not include information for consultants or other contractors. Please make certain that all contact information is accurate.

For Multiple PI applications: The Additional Key Contacts form must be completed (see Section I.F. for further information). Note: The Contact PI must be affiliated with the institution submitting the application. EPA will direct all communications related to scientific, technical, and budgetary aspects of the project to the Contact PI; however, any information regarding an https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement application will be shared with any PI upon request. The Contact PI is to be listed on the Key Contact Form as the Project Manager/Principal Investigator (the term Project Manager is used on the Grants.gov form, the term Principal Investigator is used on the form located at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms). For additional PIs, complete the Major Co-Investigator fields and identify PI status next to the name (e.g., “Name: John Smith, Principal Investigator”).

3. EPA Form 4700-4, Preaward Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and Recipients Requesting EPA Financial Assistance (For tips on completing the form see:

https://www.epa.gov/grants/tips-completing-epa-form-4700-4.)

4. SF-424A Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs

Prepare a master budget table using Standard Form 424A, Budget Information for Non- Construction Programs, available in the Grants.gov electronic application package. Only complete “Section B-Budget Categories”. Provide the object class budget category (a. - k.)

amounts for each budget year under the “Grant Program, Function or Activity” heading. Each column reflects a separate budget year. For example, Column (1) reflects budget year 1. The total budget will be automatically tabulated in column (5).

Applicants may not use subawards to transfer or delegate their responsibility for successful completion of their EPA assistance agreement. Note: Prior to naming a contractor (including consultants) or subrecipient in your application as a “partner”, please carefully review Section IV.d, “Contracts and Subawards”, of EPA’s Announcement Clauses that are incorporated by reference in this announcement (See Section I.G).