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Opportunity number: EPA-G2018-STAR-B2
Issued by: Environmental Protection Agency

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Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landflls, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Numbers:

EPA-G2018-STAR-B1, Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landfills, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment

EPA-G2018-STAR-B2, Early Career: Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landfills, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.509

Solicitation Opening Date: August 17, 2018 Solicitation Closing Date: October 2, 2018, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Table of Contents:

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Synopsis of Program

Award Information

Eligibility Information

Application Materials

Agency Contacts

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction

B. Background

C. Authority and Regulations

D. Specific Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes

E. References

F. Special Requirements

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. Funding Decisions

F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Disputes

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Access Standard STAR Forms (How to Apply and Required Forms) View research awarded under previous solicitations Past Research Funding Opportunities

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Synopsis of Program:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing research that will lead to: (1) https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas

Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landfills, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment | Research Grants | US EPA https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/practical-methods-analyze-and-treat-emerging-contaminants-pfas-solid-waste-landfills[8/20/2018 9:54:14 AM] better understanding and characterization of the types and quantities of current and historical per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS-containing waste associated with waste disposal (e.g., landfills), as well as media containing PFAS released from these activities (e.g., PFAS in leachate collected by landfills or PFAS leaching to subsurface soils and groundwater); (2) increased knowledge of the fate, transport, potential for degradation or other changes to PFAS, and their mobility during materials management (e.g., under different landfill conditions such as pH, temperature, moisture content) that facilitate or retard such transformation or movement; and (3) new or improved methods that are more effective, efficient (in cost, energy, etc.), and practical in controlling, treating, destroying, or removing PFAS in waste and wastewater, landfill leachates, biosolids, or environmental media. The main goal is to promote innovation in evaluating and managing PFAS in solid waste, landfills, and environmental media that will lead to improved decision making, management practices, and technical methods to minimize the risks to both humans and ecosystems.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.C.5.c of this solicitation), and 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.E of this solicitation.

Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:

Basic Information about Human Subjects Research Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human Research Conducted or Supported by EPA

The 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 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.

In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career PIs. Please see Section III of this Request for Applications (RFA) for details on the early career eligibility criteria.

Award Information:

Anticipated Type of Award: Grant or cooperative agreement Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 8 awards; 5 regular and 3 early career.

Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $6 million total for all awards Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $900,000 for a regular award and up to a total of $500,000 for an early career award, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 3 years. Cost-sharing is not required. Proposals with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.

Eligibility Information:

https://wcms.epa.gov/osa/basic-information-about-human-subjects-research-0 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40cfr26_main_02.tpl http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40cfr26_main_02.tpl

Public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, and hospitals located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Special eligibility criteria apply to the early career award portion of this RFA. See full announcement for more details.

Application Materials:

To apply under this solicitation, use the application package available at Grants.gov (for further submission information see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at Research Funding Opportunities: How to 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.

If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one month to complete the registration process. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a unique entity identifier (e.g., ‘DUNS number’) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more.

Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. This registration, and electronic submission of your application, must be performed by an authorized representative of your organization.

If you do not have the technical capability to utilize the Grants.gov application submission process for this solicitation, see Section IV.A below for additional guidance and instructions.

Agency Contacts:

Technical Contact: Intaek Hahn (hahn.intaek@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-4377 Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7823 Electronic Submissions: Debra M. Jones (jones.debram@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7839

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction

An urgent, high-priority research area identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to expand the understanding of the environmental risks posed by per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and identify practical approaches to manage their potential environmental impacts. EPA is issuing this RFA to support research to better understand the behaviors and potential impacts of PFAS in waste streams (e.g., landfills) and in the surrounding environmental media. PFAS are a broad group of compounds that have unique properties which have resulted in their widespread use in industrial, commercial and consumer applications and products. The EPA is committed to support the public (states, tribes, and local communities) in addressing issues and challenges posed by PFAS in our environment. See (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Website). The EPA recently issued an RFA titled, “National Priorities:

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances,” which seeks new information on the impacts of PFAS on water quality and water availability across the U.S. The National Priorities RFA (closed on June 18, 2018) broadly solicited research that would build on the current understanding of the fate and transport of PFAS in the environment, human and ecosystem exposure to PFAS, and PFAS toxicological effects. Through this companion STAR RFA, the EPA seeks more targeted research on PFAS in solid waste, landfills, landfill leachate, and surrounding environmental media such as air within landfills (landfill gas), surface soil, surface water, sediment, subsurface soil, and groundwater.

PFAS are a broad group of chemicals with unique properties which make them useful as products, but difficult to address when released to the environment. Effective approaches to understanding and controlling PFAS may therefore require innovative approaches to research, or research that identifies novel solutions to these problems.

https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms mailto:hahn.intaek@epa.gov mailto:josephson.ron@epa.gov mailto:jones.debram@epa.gov https://wcms.epa.gov/pfas https://wcms.epa.gov/pfas https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/national-priorities-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances#Introduction https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/national-priorities-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances#Introduction

Characterizing and understanding the nature and behavior of PFAS in solid waste, materials management, landfills and the surrounding environments is a critical basis for developing environmental risk assessments for these chemicals. Understanding the quantities, types, and fate and transport of PFAS is necessary to determine which PFAS pose the greatest risks to human health and the environment and to know where these risks are most likely to occur. Because PFAS have been used in a wide and broad range of consumer goods and in industrial products and applications, these chemicals are likely to be in diverse and different types of waste streams from manufacturing, industrial applications, and end-of-life commercial and consumer products. PFAS have been found in solid waste, landfills and surrounding environmental media (soil, groundwater), leachates, landfill gas, wastewater effluents, and biosolids. However, current treatment options are limited, as many conventional treatment methods are ineffective. (1, 2)

EPA is interested in soliciting research to increase the understanding of the occurrence and fate and transport of PFAS and to identify methods or technologies for better management of PFAS-containing waste. EPA is interested in soliciting research that quantifies PFAS additions to landfills, accumulations in landfills, and releases from landfills to determine the relative importance of landfills and waste management practices on the magnitude and occurrence of PFAS in the environment. EPA also seeks to support research that will generate additional information on the mobility of PFAS within landfills that are released to surface and subsurface environmental media such as soil and groundwater (e.g., via leaching from unlined landfills or failed containment in lined landfills), as well as any chemical transformation that may occur following disposal. Further, EPA is interested in research to develop, test, and validate new methods to analyze, control, reduce, degrade or destroy PFAS present in wastes being landfilled, or potentially released from landfills to various media, or to significantly improve the effectiveness of existing methods. EPA also seeks to promote research to identify or develop innovative methods to treat or manage PFAS in solid waste landfills, surrounding environmental media (soil, sediment, groundwater), leachates, landfill gas, wastewater effluents, and biosolids to minimize their risks to humans and ecosystems.

EPA is asking the scientific community to submit proposals for research that will lead to: (1) better understanding and characterization of the types and quantities of current and historical PFAS and PFAS-containing waste associated with waste disposal (e.g., landfills), as well as media containing PFAS released from these activities (e.g., PFAS in leachate collected by landfills or PFAS leaching to subsurface soils and groundwater);

(2) increased knowledge of the fate, transport, potential for degradation or other changes to PFAS, and their mobility during materials management (e.g., under different landfill conditions such as pH, temperature, moisture content) that facilitate or retard such transformation or movement; and (3) new or improved methods that are more effective, efficient (in cost, energy, etc.), and practical in controlling, treating, destroying, or removing PFAS in waste and wastewater, landfill leachates, biosolids, or environmental media. The main goal is to promote innovation in evaluating and managing PFAS-containing waste that will lead to improved decision making, management practices, and technical methods to minimize the risks to both humans and ecosystems.

In addition to regular awards, this solicitation includes the opportunity for early career awards. The purpose of the early career award is to fund research projects smaller in scope and budget by early career PIs. Please see Section III of this RFA for details on the early career eligibility criteria.

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). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059(c)). 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)). HSIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application for this grant. 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(a)(2)).

AANAPISIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 % students who are Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander. A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander- Serving Institutions; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), incorporated into the Higher Education Act in 2008 (codified in Section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C.

1059e.). PBIs are defined as institutions that: serve at least 1,000 undergraduate students; have at least 50% low-income or first-generation degree-seeking undergraduate enrollment; have a low per full-time undergraduate student expenditure in comparison with other institutions offering similar instruction; and, enroll at least 40% African-American students. A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions.

B. Background

As this RFA is a companion to the recent national priority research RFA titled, “National Priorities: Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances”, potential applicants are strongly recommended to read that RFA, as well as visit the EPA website on PFAS, for relevant background information regarding PFAS and EPA’s efforts to address PFAS hazards.

PFAS are a large group of approximately 5,000 human-derived chemicals that are used in a large number of consumer products and industrial applications. (3, 4) PFAS products that people use daily include cookware, food containers and packaging, stain repellant fabrics (clothes, carpets, fabrics, etc.) and others. Industrial applications include food processing, chrome plating, electronics manufacturing, fire-fighting foam, and others. Major contributors to environmental releases include fire training and fire response; industrial production from primary and secondary manufacturing; landfills;

and wastewater treatment operations. (5, 6) While historical PFAS usage often (but not exclusively) focused on perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), industries in the United States have phased out production of PFOS and PFOA because of concerns about health risks to humans and are using replacement PFAS, such as GenX, with shorter carbon chain compounds. PFAS can accumulate and persist in the environment and the human body for long periods. The ubiquitous nature of PFAS-containing consumer/commercial products, combined with these chemicals’ persistence and mobility, presents serious environmental challenges.

Many PFAS-treated consumer goods are eventually disposed as municipal solid waste (MSW). Modern MSW landfills are designed with liners and leachate collection systems, with the specific purpose of managing the waste’s liquid releases (leachate and gas condensate) and gaseous emissions (landfill gas). Some discarded PFAS products (e.g., carpeting) may instead be sent to industrial RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) non-hazardous or construction and demolition landfills, which have more variable designs based on individual state requirements. PFAS present in landfills may not degrade like other waste components, thus, there is a concern that PFAS can leach from the waste over the long-term and could be released from landfills through leachate and gas emissions. Scientific research studies have reported PFAS in U.S.

landfill leachate. (7, 8, 9) http://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ http://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ http://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ http://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/hsi-eligibles-2016.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.5864458618728%2C-148.2822824999999 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.5864458618728%2C-148.2822824999999 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/national-priorities-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/national-priorities-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances https://wcms.epa.gov/pfas

The fate and transport of PFAS in different types of landfills can be complex and more research is needed to better understand these processes. Depending on a number of different factors such as the types of waste received and the design and condition of the waste containment system (e.g., liner type, if any, or leachate collection system, if any) and leachate management protocols, landfills could impact PFAS releases into the environment. Therefore, more research is needed to quantify and characterize potential PFAS releases associated with managing disposal of these wastes. More effective treatment and removal methods are needed to control and reduce human and ecological exposure to PFAS originating from materials management.

Leachate collected from landfills is typically sent directly to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for treatment, although some landfills practice pre-treatment before discharge. PFAS concentrations in landfill leachates or industrial wastewaters may impact WWTPs acceptance of such wastewaters, as conventional waste water treatment methods are often ineffective, resulting in PFAS discharge to surface waters.

Wastewater treatment residues (e.g., biosolids) may also contain PFAS. These difficulties illustrate the need for research assessing the types, concentrations, and occurrence of PFAS in landfill leachates, wastewaters, and other wastes across the U.S., as well as improved methods for controlling release and treatment. Furthermore, similar treatment technologies (physio-chemical or biological treatments) for leachate are also used for groundwater and drinking water. (10, 11) For example, biologically-active coated sand grains are used in biofiltration of wastewater and drinking water. In-situ groundwater bioremediation involves injection of biological active agents that may also coat sand grains, if present. Therefore, leachate treatment methods that may also be applicable for treating groundwater and drinking water for effectively removing PFAS are desirable.

The proposed research should extend the current understanding of the fate, transport, and other characteristics beyond just PFOS and PFOA. It should provide information on other emerging PFAS including but not limited to: perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs); per- and poly-fluorinated carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, and ethers; per- and poly-fluoropolyethers (PFPE); and their precursors, byproducts and transformation products.

The proposed research should be based on scientifically defensible and verifiable methods to identify, detect, and measure with reasonable or acceptable confidence different types of PFAS. Applicants are strongly recommended to ensure the innovativeness of their research by reviewing existing scientific research activities on PFAS from such sources as the EPA CLU-IN PFAS collection:

https://cluin.org/contaminantfocus/default.focus/sec/Perand_Polyfluoroalkyl_Substa nces_(PFASs)/cat/Overview/, the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) bibliography of PFAS research publications (https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org) and the DoD SERDP/ESTCP Environmental Restoration research program (https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Program-Areas/Environmental-Restoration).

C. Authority and Regulations

The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Solid Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. 6981, Section 8001, the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1254, Section 104(b)(3), Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7403, Section 103(b)(3), and Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C.

300j-1, Section 1442.

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

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. In addition, research supported under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or CERCLA https://cluin.org/contaminantfocus/default.focus/sec/Perand_Polyfluoroalkyl_Substances_(PFASs)/cat/Overview/ https://cluin.org/contaminantfocus/default.focus/sec/Perand_Polyfluoroalkyl_Substances_(PFASs)/cat/Overview/ https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/ https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Program-Areas/Environmental-Restoration https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Program-Areas/Environmental-Restoration

(i.e., Superfund sites) are not eligible for funding under this RFA.

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

D. Specific Areas 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 announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Activities to be funded under this announcement support Goal 3: Rule of Law and Process, Objective 3.3: Prioritize Robust Science, of EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will further EPA’s priorities supporting robust science for:

Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) and/or Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC)

Specifically, the Agency is soliciting research that proposes more effective, efficient, and practical approaches for estimating PFAS concentrations in solid waste, landfills, landfill outputs such as leachates and wastewaters, and in surrounding environmental media (e.g., air within landfills, soils, surface waters, and groundwater). Proposed approaches, tools, and data should contribute to providing a better scientific understanding of the magnitude of PFAS and, if feasible, lead to more effective, efficient, and practical methods to manage and mitigate PFAS risks. The proposed research will provide the best available science needed to manage PFAS in waste and landfills. The research will also improve the scientific foundation for environmental policy and decision-making related to PFAS, and will ultimately reduce risks to human health and the environment from PFAS resulting in cleaner water resources and healthier communities. All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective identified above.

EPA 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). 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 priorities described above.

Applicants should address at least one of the three research areas described below.

Applications may respond to one research area in detail or integrate across two or three research areas. The proposed research project should be as responsive as possible to as many of the research questions listed under the selected research area.

Applications should clearly indicate which research area(s) is being addressed.

Applications that address more than one research area will not necessarily be rated more highly than those that address just one of the areas.

Research Areas

(1) Better understanding and characterization of the types and quantities of current and historical PFAS and PFAS-containing waste associated with waste disposal (e.g., landfills), as well as media containing PFAS released from these activities (e.g., PFAS in leachate collected by landfills or PFAS leaching to subsurface soils and groundwater):

What types and quantities of PFAS are released to the environment during waste management and how do the releases occur? What are the relative contributions of different types of waste and landfills to environmental PFAS? What are the characteristics of current wastes containing long-chain and short-chain PFAS, https://wcms.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://wcms.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://wcms.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

Practical Methods to Analyze and Treat Emerging Contaminants (PFAS) in Solid Waste, Landfills, Wastewater/Leachates, Soils, and Groundwater to Protect Human Health and the Environment | Research Grants | US EPA https://wcms.epa.gov/research-grants/practical-methods-analyze-and-treat-emerging-contaminants-pfas-solid-waste-landfills[8/20/2018 9:54:14 AM] including PFAS from past and current chemical production and use (e.g., use in manufacturing processes, consumer goods, firefighting foam and other products), and PFAS-treated goods being disposed at their end-of-life, and other solid waste streams (e.g., waste incinerator ash)? What types and concentrations of PFAS are likely to be found in landfills? What are the potential ways to characterize PFAS in pre-landfill wastes and to treat PFAS-containing wastes before land disposal? Are there novel ways to characterize different PFAS leaching from the landfill under plausible landfill conditions? What are the most effective ways to characterize the PFAS from previously disposed wastes (as long as decades ago) found in landfills (e.g., MSW lined and abandoned unlined landfills as well as other RCRA nonhazardous waste landfills)? What are the types and concentrations of PFAS found in previously disposed waste and/or in leachate, contaminated soils and landfill gas? Is there a temporal signature in the waste that can be discerned from any degradation, transformation, or loss?

(2) Increased knowledge of the fate, transport, potential for degradation or other changes to PFAS, and their mobility during materials management (e.g., under different landfill conditions such as pH, temperature, moisture content) that facilitate or retard such transformation or movement:

Are there more effective, practical, and efficient methods of evaluating the fate, transport, potential for degradation or other changes to PFAS, and their mobility in different types of landfills, soils, and subsurface environments, and environmental or other factors affecting the changes or movements? Are there novel, rapid, and cost-efficient analytical methods that will enable more confident and accurate analyses of PFAS in soil, leachate, groundwater and landfill gas? What are the main sorption/desorption reactions that govern the mobility of PFAS in landfills? Are there innovative technologies or methods (other than landfill liners) that can immobilize or otherwise prevent PFAS release from landfills into environmental media?

(3) New or improved methods that are more effective, efficient (in cost, energy, etc.), and practical in controlling, treating, destroying, or removing PFAS in waste and wastewater, landfill leachates, biosolids, or environmental media:

What are the most effective and efficient chemical/biological/physical methods for treating solid waste, landfill leachate, wastewaters, biosolids, or contaminated environmental media to remove or destroy the PFAS? How can the methods be tested and validated in a bench- and pilot-scale? Are there new ways to bring synergies between leachate treatment and PFAS-contaminated groundwater potentially used for drinking water? How can the new methods be developed, tested, and validated so wastewater/leachate treatments that can also be used for treating groundwater potentially be used for drinking water?

Expected Outputs: Detailed, scientifically valid and defensible technical documents, publications, methods, processes or procedures to effectively and efficiently analyze, characterize, quantify, and treat a variety of PFAS chemicals in solid waste, landfill byproducts, leachates, wastewaters, landfill gases, and contaminated environmental media (air, soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater). New or improved techniques, processes and methods to reduce, remove, or destroy PFAS in solid waste, landfill leachates, wastewaters, biosolids, landfill gas or environmental media (air within landfills, soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater). The methods, techniques, processes or practices developed must clearly demonstrate how they will contribute to the understanding of PFAS and result in meaningful reduction or minimization of harmful effects to ecosystems and potential exposure pathways to humans.

Some examples of desirable outputs are listed below:

1. Understanding and characterizing PFAS in waste entering landfills and landfill outputs:

a. New or improved methods for evaluating PFAS in waste in MSW and other RCRA nonhazardous waste landfills.

b. Databases, models or technical reports quantifying PFAS containing waste in

c. Databases, models or technical reports quantifying the array and concentration of PFAS in landfills and outputs (e.g., leachate, landfill gas).

2. Characterizing PFAS containing leachate plumes released into groundwater from landfills (construction & demolition landfills, leaking landfills, and unlined abandoned landfills):

a. Innovative analytical and/or computational methods that will enable accurate analyses of PFAS in soil, leachate, groundwater and landfill gas.

b. Database of inventories of PFAS in waste streams and in landfill emissions (e.g., leachate, landfill gas).

c. Scientific documents correlating PFAS in waste streams and PFAS in landfill emissions (e.g., leachate, landfill gas).

3. Innovative methods to treat PFAS contaminated waste or media.

a. New or improved methods to remove or destroy PFAS contained in contaminated soils, surface water, groundwater, and other environmental media.

b. New or improved methods to treat PFAS contaminated landfill leachate, wastewater, or biosolids for safe, beneficial re-use.

Expected Outcomes: The most significant outcome EPA anticipates from the research supported by this RFA is an increase in the ability to identify public health and ecosystem risks from PFAS manufacturing, use and disposal, and an improved ability to mitigate or minimize these risks through the proper management of PFAS wastes, wastewaters, and contaminated media by the facilities (e.g., landfills or wastewater treatment plants) that are charged with these responsibilities. The research will also improve the scientific foundation for environmental policy and decision-making related to PFAS, and will ultimately reduce risks to human health and the environment from

PFAS.

To the extent practicable, research proposals must embody innovation. Innovation for the purposes of this RFA is defined as the process of making changes; a new method, custom or device. Innovative research can take the form of wholly new applications or applications that build on existing knowledge and approaches for new uses. Research proposals must include a discussion on how the proposed research is innovative (see Section IV.C.5.a). Reviewers will draw from the above-mentioned innovation definition in the review/evaluation process of research proposals (see Section V.A).

E. References

1. Ross, I., McDonough, J., Miles, J., Storch, P., Kochunarayanan, P.T., Kalve, El, Hurst, J., Dasgupta, S.S., and Burdick, J., A review of emerging technologies for remediation of PFASs. Remediation, 28:101-126. (2018).

2. Benskin, J.P., Li, B., Ikonomou, M.G., Grace, J.R., and Li, L.Y., Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Landfill Leachate: Patterns, Time Trends, and Sources.

Environmental Science & Technology, 46: 11532-11540. (2012).

3. OECD. OECD/UNEP Global PFC Group, Synthesis Paper on Per- and Polyfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs), Environment, Health and Safety, Environment Directorate, OECD.

(2013).

4. Buck, R.C., Franklin, J., Berger, U., Conder, J.M., Cousins, I.T., de Voogt, P., Jensen, A.A., Kannan, K., Mabury, S.A., and S.P.J. van Leeuwen. Pefluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment: Terminology, Classification, and Origins, Integr. Environ. Assess. Manag.,7(4): 513-541. (2011).

5. Backe, W.J., Day, T.C., and J. A. Field. Zwitterionic, Cationic, and Anionic Fluorinated Chemicals in Aqueous Film Forming Foam Formulations and Groundwater from U.S. Military Bases by Nonaqueous Large-Volume Injection HPLC-MS/MS, Environ.

Sci. Technol., 47: 5226-5234. (2013).

6. Hu, X.C., Andrews, D.Q., Lindstrom, A.B., Bruton, T.A., Schaider, L.A., Grandjean, P., Lohmann, R., Carignan, C.C., Blum, A., Balan, S.A., Higgins, C.P., and E.M.

Sunderland. Detection of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in U.S.

Drinking Water Linked to Industrial Sites, Military Fire Training Areas, and Wastewater Treatment Plants. Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett., 3: 344-350. (2016).

7. Hamid, H., Li-a, L., Grace, J., Review of the fate and transformation of per- and

(2018).

8. Allred, B.M., Lang, J.R., Barlaz, M.A., Field, J.A., Orthogonal zirconium diol/C18 liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis of poly and per-fluoroalkyl substances in landfi ll leachate. J. Chromatogr. A 1359: 202-211. (2014).

9. Huset, C.A., Barlaz, M.A., Barofsky, D.F., Field, J.A., Quantitative determination of fluorochemicals in municipal landfill leachates. Chemosphere 82: 1380-1386. (2011).

10. Merino, N., Qu, Y., Deeb, R.A., Hawley, E.L., Hoffmann, M.R., Mahendra, S., Degradation and removal methods for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water. Environ. Eng. Sci. 33 (9): 615-649. (2016).

11. Rahman, M.F., Peldszus, S., Anderson, W.B., Behaviour and fate of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water treatment: a review. Water Res.

50: 318-340. (2014).

F. Special Requirements

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

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