SSWR EAR RFA V2.pdf

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

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

LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT COST-

EFFECTIVE ENHANCED AQUIFER RECHARGE

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2022-STAR-C1

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.509

Solicitation Opening Date: October 27, 2021 Solicitation Closing Date: January 13, 2022: 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 https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

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 G. 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

For Updates and Additional Information (https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities) Access Standard STAR Forms (https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms) View research awarded under previous solicitations (https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas)

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 to develop cost-benefit tools to support Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR) as a viable, safe, and cost-effective water management strategy. Specifically, the proposed project should address the following research areas: (1) Identification of Priority Research and Development Needs to Support EAR, and (2) Development of Tools, Models, and Frameworks to Support EAR Implementation.

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 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-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas 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.6.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.F of this solicitation.

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

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

Award Information:

Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative agreement Estimated Number of Awards: 1 award Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $2 million total Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $2 million, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 3 years. Cost-sharing is not required. Applications with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.

Eligibility Information:

Public and private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, 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. 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 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.

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 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.

https://www.epa.gov/osa/basic-information-about-human-subjects-research-0 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40cfr26_main_02.tpl https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-how-apply-and-required-forms

If you do not have the appropriate internet access 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: Jacquelyn Bell; phone: 202-564-4811; email: bell.jacquelyn@epa.gov Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson; phone: 202-564-7823; email: josephson.ron@epa.gov Electronic Submissions Contact: Debra M. Jones; phone: 202-564-7839; email:

jones.debram@epa.gov

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction

One of the high-priority research areas identified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Office of Water (OW) is to establish best practices for enhanced aquifer recharge and decentralized stormwater reuse. Under the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the responsibility for ensuring public water systems provide safe drinking water is divided among EPA, states, tribal nations, water systems and the public (U.S. EPA, 2020a). In addition, the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) was established in 2020 with federal, state, tribal, local, and water sector partners to build technical, financial, and institutional capacity for communities to pursue water reuse practices. This research is relevant to WRAP action 7.4 on increasing the understanding of current aquifer storage and recovery practices.

Overdraft of groundwater can lead to many issues that impact water quality and water security.

Enhanced aquifer recharge (EAR) can be an important strategy to improve water security by restoring overdrawn or saline aquifers and enhancing water quality and supplies (Ross and Hasnain 2018). Research is needed to assist communities throughout the United States in evaluating whether to invest in EAR strategies that can improve water management and security in multiple ways. EPA is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) to support research to develop cost-benefit tools to support EAR as a viable, safe, and cost-effective water management strategy.

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 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 mailto:bell.jacquelyn@epa.gov mailto:josephson.ron@epa.gov mailto:jones.debram@epa.gov 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

In many locations, EAR can be a cost-effective way to augment water supplies and increase water security. Since the 1960s, the implementation of EAR has increased at an accelerated rate with more than 544 EAR active wells across the United States (Payne 2014). However, the rate of adoption is not keeping pace with increasing groundwater extraction (Dillon et al. 2019).

According to recent data, an estimated 20 percent of the world’s aquifers are being over-exploited, as many people depend on aquifers for their water supply (Ross and Hasnain, 2018).

The overuse of groundwater can lead to many issues that impact water quality and water security. Additionally, climate variability may exacerbate the need for aquifer recharge in areas experiencing increased intensity, frequency and duration of drought and extreme heat (Taylor, Richard G., et al. 2013). Wildland fires are also expected to increase in severity with drier and warmer climate patterns resulting in decreased water infiltration through post-burn hydrophobic soil (Parise and Cannon 2012).

EAR can be employed to augment water resources directly, or indirectly, for a variety of end uses. For the purpose of this RFA, EAR is defined as the intentional recharge of aquifers, including managed aquifer recharge (MAR), artificial recharge, aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) and related practices (NRC 2008). Examples include infiltration basins, dry wells, 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 injection wells, and other engineered structures and practices. As defined here, EAR does not include distributed green infrastructure (e.g., urban raingardens or swales) designed primarily for stormwater management (this was addressed in a previous RFA). EAR can increase water resource resiliency to mitigate the impacts of drought exacerbated by climate change, provide ways to combat saltwater intrusion near coastal communities, provide potable water where native groundwater has high mineral or metals content, help minimize land subsidence and aquifer compaction due to over consumption of existing groundwater supplies, aid in addressing surface water quality issues, and yield other benefits. In some cases, EAR can also be implemented to reduce demand on drinking water utilities by supplying water for irrigation and industrial uses (Jakeman et al. 2016).

Water managers need to integrate seasonal and long-term increases and decreases in precipitation patterns into planning efforts. In addition to accounting for increasing climatic spatiotemporal variability, EAR can be used as a risk management tool to provide inflows to surface water during droughts, or to store excess water when surface water levels are unusually high. Although currently less utilized in northeastern and midwestern states, EAR is a popular and reliable water supply option in southeast, southwest, and western states, and could become an essential tool to meet future water requirements in other regions (U.S. EPA, 2021).

The Arbuckle Simpson aquifer, a single-source, karst aquifer in Oklahoma is of particular relevance to this RFA. The aquifer provides drinking water to 39,000 people, including the Chickasaw Nation, and the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, which receives approximately

3.4 million visitors per year. Aquifer overdraft concerns resulted in extensive studies starting in 2002 to characterize the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer. While the results from these studies have provided better understanding about the subsurface movement of water and water quality, the Arbuckle Simpson case illustrates current difficulties of implementing EAR, such as the lack of comprehensive economic analyses to characterize potential infrastructure and treatment investments (Maliva, 2014).

Water sources for EAR operations can include highly treated municipal wastewater, captured stormwater, agricultural irrigation water runoff, and surface water (e.g., stream diversion). While treated wastewater and stormwater can be tightly controlled based on the types and degree of treatment used, water quality can vary widely for untreated stormwater and surface water. The use of treated wastewater for EAR has been implemented in the United States for decades (Dillon et al. 2019) and research has focused mainly on technical aspects. Fewer studies target life-cycle costs and benefits, including economic externalities, along with other economic, legal/regulatory, and institutional/planning level issues affecting the implementation of EAR, although these are also recognized as important potential challenges to implementation (Ross and Hasnain 2018, Dillon et al. 2009, Dillon et al. 2020, Miller et al. 2021). In addition to technical resources, water resource managers need cost/benefit tools and frameworks to guide navigation of legal/regulatory, planning, and organizational/institutional challenges to help with decisions on EAR options (Dillon et al. 2009, Miller et al. 2021). Additional research is needed to develop tools and methods to determine where EAR would be a cost-effective water management strategy (Dillon et al. 2019).

EAR operations around the world vary widely (Ross and Hasnain 2018). Most of the EAR operations studies targeted augmentation of drinking/municipal water supplies. In general, infiltration/spreading basins using untreated water are relatively inexpensive, while operations using injection wells with highly treated water are more expensive. This RFA aims to identify the key economic, technological, institutional, and legal factors that affect the ability to implement EAR projects. For example, funding may support work to evaluate the costs and benefits of a variety of EAR systems in the U.S. from a life-cycle perspective, including capital, operations and maintenance costs, while quantifying the benefits with comparisons to other alternative water supply strategies. The RFA also seeks to identify best practices, including various fit-for-purpose uses of EAR and ancillary benefits (e.g., reduced stormwater discharges, flood mitigation, saline aquifer quality improvement, etc.).

Priorities for developing new tools, frameworks, and models to assist planning and implementation of EAR should be based on the results of a literature review, and also take into account current studies including experience with existing projects, and engagement with key stakeholders and water managers working on EAR. Additional information from EPA related to EAR can be found in EPA’s recently published technical literature review (EPA, 2021) and through the Water Reuse Action Plan.

C. Authority and Regulations

The authorities for this RFA and resulting awards are contained in the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1, Section 1442, and the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1254, Section 104(b)(3).

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.

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 https://www.epa.gov/waterreuse/national-water-reuse-action-plan-online-platform?action=7.4 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 (https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). Activities to be funded under this announcement support Goal 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance, and Effectiveness, Objective 3.3:

Prioritize Robust Science, of EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective identified above. Awards made under this announcement will further EPA’s priorities supporting robust science for Safe and Sustainable Water Resources. The proposed research awards support the STAR Program’s goal of stimulating and supporting scientific and engineering research that advances EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment in the area of Safe and Sustainable Water Resources by promoting quality research to support cost-effective EAR and improving access to clean and safe drinking water.

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 priorities described above.

The Agency is soliciting research that will improve life-cycle cost-benefits analysis to support cost-effective enhanced aquifer recharge. Applications under this solicitation should address both of the following research areas. Applications that do not address both research areas may not be rated as highly as those that do. Bulleted topics are listed under each research area for applicants to consider in shaping their research project. Applicants are not required to respond to all of the bulleted topics or limit the research scope to these bulleted topics.

Research Areas Research Area 1: Identification of Priority Research and Development Needs to Support EAR

• Literature review.

o Summarize available methodologies for quantifying costs and benefits of different water management and supply options.

o Identify and characterize costs and treatment needs associated with different methods of EAR such as injection and spreading grounds using sources of water and different hydrological settings.

o Identify costs associated with EAR conveyance and treatment needs to protect groundwater quality. This can include both conveyance to a treatment facility before injection/infiltration as well as conveyance to an injection or infiltration site.

o Summarize methods for quantifying full life-cycle costs and benefits of EAR, taking into account energy costs and other environmental costs and benefits.

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan 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 o Evaluate and summarize regulatory and organizational/institutional approaches and issues associated with EAR in the U.S.

o Evaluate and summarize the state of understanding of geochemical and physical considerations for EAR.

• EAR Stakeholder/Proponent Engagement Design and implement a process to engage water managers, EAR stakeholders, including tribes, and project proponents to identify the highest research priorities and frameworks for EAR implementation.

• Based on the literature review and EAR stakeholder/proponent engagement, develop a research framework for identified data gaps.

Research Area 2: Development of Tools, Models, and Frameworks to Support EAR Implementation

• Develop methods for addressing priority needs identified under Research Area 1, including, for example, economic models, and/or life-cycle cost frameworks to assist in planning and comparing/contrasting different EAR operations in different settings, including varying source water quality, subsurface conditions, impacts to the receiving aquifer, recharge rates, operation and maintenance, and end-uses. Potential regulatory, legal, and/or institutional barriers should be identified and, where feasible, be addressed in developed frameworks (e.g., recharge wells are regulated as Class V injection wells by EPA and state regulations vary) (EPA/CDM, 2017). Economic models should incorporate environmental benefits (e.g., elimination or reduction of stormwater/wastewater discharges) and other environmental and social factors.

• Develop tools to help water resource managers identify and implement planning strategies and best management practices for EAR to address the following end user goals to ultimately provide secure and clean sources of drinking water. Examples may include:

o Clean drinking water o Municipal water supply o Saline water intrusion barriers o Ecological restoration o Other end user goals that supply water for non-potable uses to conserve other sources and help ensure access to drinking water such as:

Agricultural or landscape irrigation Livestock water Industrial uses

• Develop relevant cost and benefit tools that include different drivers and co-benefits of EAR. Examples may include:

o Water supply augmentation and resiliency o Potential impacts to groundwater quality o Protection of existing water supplies (e.g., through a saline water intrusion barrier) o Management of stormwater and/or wastewater discharges and associated water quality benefits o Co-benefits of multiple benefit project approaches o Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions o Aquifer recharge credits

• Case Studies: The development of tools should incorporate the use of case studies to validate the research approach and demonstrate how the tools can be used by utilities and other regional water management entities in a practical scenario.

Expected Outputs and Outcomes

Outputs: Outputs expected from the award under this solicitation may include publications of research results in peer-reviewed journals, guidance documents, decision support tools, models, demonstrations and case studies, reports, and presentations related to EAR analysis and strategies.

These tools, models, and frameworks should be transferable to different regions of the United States, account for regional variations in costs, and be applicable in different physical/site and hydroclimatic settings, including consideration of extreme weather events and climate change.

They should allow individual communities to insert place-specific data on capital costs; labor costs; hydrogeochemical conditions; historical, current and projected weather conditions; and other local factors that contribute to variations in life-cycle costs.

These methods, approaches, and models should help users to estimate the life-cycle costs of EAR projects in a simple and understandable manner. Furthermore, methods, approaches, and models should be scientifically robust and transparently convey uncertainties in the analyses. Models should be non-proprietary, open-source and based on open-access data. Principal investigators should describe how they intend to develop their life-cycle analysis models in a manner that can be shared with the general public in a programming language that is generally accessible.

Moreover, they should describe how they intend to share data in an open, machine-readable format. They should also describe how they intend to document the metadata so that any secondary user will understand the data sources, consistent with the best practices articulated by EPA’s data quality guidelines. Tools, models, and frameworks developed as part of this research should be user-friendly, transparent, and provide actionable information for local decision-makers.

Outcomes: The expected outcomes from the award include an improved understanding of the life-cycle analysis of EAR so that state, local and other decision-makers understand the costs and benefits of pursuing EAR strategies. The economic models and/or life-cycle cost frameworks, planning strategies, and best management practices developed under this award should:

• Empower decision-makers to make informed water management decisions that incorporate the environmental and social costs and benefits of different EAR applications.

• Include climate change considerations, such as atmospheric influences on groundwater levels and how changes in surface temperature can impact groundwater chemistry and water quality.

https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-data-quality-assessment

• Enable adaptive decision-making to account for how increasing demand will combine with decreased supply exacerbated by drier and warmer climate patterns.

Innovation and Sustainability To the maximum extent practicable, research applications must embody innovation and sustainability. 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 applications must include a discussion on how the proposed research is innovative (see Section IV.C.6.a). The goal of sustainability, derived from the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), is to “create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.” Research applications must include a discussion on how the proposed research will seek sustainable solutions that protect the environment and strengthen our communities (see Section IV.C.6.a). Reviewers will draw from all of the above-mentioned innovation and sustainability definitions in the review/evaluation process of research applications (see Section V.A).

Community Engagement Plan Collaboration and cooperative partnerships are strongly encouraged in the design and execution of the proposed research. Therefore, applications must include a Community Engagement Plan.

Applications should, at minimum, describe how: a) applicants will work in partnership with appropriate partners (states, tribes, academia, industry groups, utilities, 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 local 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” generally means a nongovernmental organization 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.

The community engagement plan should:

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

• Describe how the collaboration/engagement will enhance the overall impact of the project such that the project results are useable by state/local agencies, utilities, and impacted communities. This includes the capacity of the project to more effectively communicate risk and translate scientific results into easily understandable outreach and education materials.

• 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 performance.

Describe the partner(s)’ intent to participate in the proposed research including evidence of support of an active partnership with states, tribes, academia, industry groups, utilities, non-profit organizations, associations, and/or local communities/community-based organizations (e.g., letter(s) of intent or support from community-based organizations, community leaders, state or local government agencies, non-government organizations, industry-based organizations, water utility managers, site managers or operators). Any letters demonstrating evidence of collaboration and support should be included as part of section IV.C.10.a. Letters of Intent/Letters of Support.

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/engagement.

E. References

Dillon, P. J., et al. "Managed aquifer recharge." An introduction waterlines report series 13 (2009): 1-64, https://recharge.iah.org/files/2016/11/MAR_Intro-Waterlines-2009.pdf

Dillon, P. et al. 2019. “Sixty years of global progress in managed aquifer recharge.”

Hydrogeology Journal (2019) 27 1–30, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1841-z

Dillon, P. et al. “Lessons from 10 Years of Experience with Australia’s Risk-Based Guidelines for Managed Aquifer Recharge.” Water 12.2 (2020):537, https://doi.org/10.3390/w1202

Hadjikakou, M. et al. A flexible framework for assessing the sustainability of alternative water supply options. Science of The Total Environment 671 (2019) 1257-1268, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.288

Maliva, Robert G. "Economics of managed aquifer recharge." Water 6.5 (2014): 1257-1279, https://doi.org/10.3390/w6051257

Miller, Kathleen, Anita Milman, and Michael Kiparsky. "Introduction to the Special Collection Institutional Dimensions of Groundwater Recharge." Case Studies in the Environment 5.1 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2021.1245648

National Research Council (NRC). Prospects for Managed Underground Storage of Recoverable Water. National Academies In Press, 2008, https://doi.org/10.17226/12057.

https://recharge.iah.org/files/2016/11/MAR_Intro-Waterlines-2009.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1841-z https://doi.org/10.3390/w1202 https://doi.org/10.3390/w6051257 https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2021.1245648 https://doi.org/10.17226/12057

Parise, M., Cannon, S.H. “Wildfire impacts on the processes that generate debris flows in burned watersheds.” Natural Hazards 61.1 (2012): 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9769-9

Pyne, R. David G. "The economics of aquifer storage recovery technology." Boletin Geologico y Minero 125.2 (2014): 219-225. http://www.igme.es/boletin/2014/125_2/10_Articulo%207.pdf

Ross, Andrew, and Sunail Hasnain. “Factors affecting the cost of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) schemes.” Sustain Water Resource Management, 4.2,(2018) 179- 190.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-017-0210-8

Taylor, Richard G., et al. "Ground water and climate change." Nature climate change 3.4 (2013):

322-329. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1744

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Aquifer Recharge and Aquifer Storage and Recovery.”

4 4 August 2021. Available at https://www.epa.gov/uic/aquifer-recharge-and-aquifer-storage-and-recovery

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Enhanced Aquifer Recharge of Stormwater in the United States: State of the Science Review (Final Report). Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-21/037, 2021.

Available at https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=352238

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and CDM Smith. Potable Reuse Compendium, Report No. EPA/810/R-17/002, 2017. Available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018- 01/documents/potablereusecompendium_3.pdf

Jakeman, Anthony, et al. . "Integrated Groundwater Management: An Overview of Issues and Options." Integrated Groundwater Management, edited by Anthony Jakeman, Anthony, Olivier Barreteau, Randall Hunt, Jean-Daniel Rinaudo, and Andrew Ross, Springer Nature, 2016, pp 3- 20.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23576-9_1

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. EPA’s Policy for Increasing Access to Results of EPA-Funded Extramural Scientific Research may be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/research/non-epa-researcher-requirements. Terms and conditions implementing this policy may be accessed at:

https://www.epa.gov/research/non-epa-researcher-requirements.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9769-9 http://www.igme.es/boletin/2014/125_2/10_Articulo%207.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-017-0210-8 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1744 https://www.epa.gov/uic/aquifer-recharge-and-aquifer-storage-and-recovery https://www.epa.gov/uic/aquifer-recharge-and-aquifer-storage-and-recovery https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-01/documents/potablereusecompendium_3.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-01/documents/potablereusecompendium_3.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23576-9_1 https://www.epa.gov/research/non-epa-researcher-requirements https://www.epa.gov/research/non-epa-researcher-requirements https://www.epa.gov/research/non-epa-researcher-requirements

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 as discussed in EPA’s Policy for Increasing Access to Results of EPA-Funded Extramural Scientific Research, 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.

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.6.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.

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a consortium and submit a single application for this assistance agreement. The application must identify which organization will be the recipient of the assistance agreement and which organizations(s) will be subawardees of the recipient.

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.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

It is anticipated that a total of approximately $2,000,000 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 one award under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $2,000,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 3 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 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.

EPA will award a cooperative agreement under this announcement. When addressing a research question/problem of common interest, collaborations between EPA scientists and the institution’s principal investigators are permitted under a cooperative agreement. These collaborations may include data and information exchange, providing technical input to experimental design and theoretical development, coordinating extramural research with in-house activities, the refinement of valuation endpoints, and joint authorship of journal articles on these activities. Applications may not identify EPA cooperators, specific interactions between EPA’s investigators and those of the prospective recipient for cooperative agreements will be negotiated at the time of award.

Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated Federal involvement proposed by EPA for this project may include:

• Coordination with the National Water Reuse Action Plan to share information as well as coordinate with ongoing projects being developed on enhanced aquifer recharge.

• Sharing EPA data from related projects.

• Quality assurance support including guidance on refining the applicants’ Quality

Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to be written after award.

• Assistance in coordinating with other Federal Agencies and states to help grantees gain access to state and other agency/state/utility information.

• Assisting with data analysis and interpretation https://www.epa.gov/waterreuse/water-reuse-action-plan

• Sharing EPA research findings

• Joint authorship of journal articles

• Facilitating meetings between researchers and cities and/or state agencies

• Coordinating with researchers on public outreach

• Coordinating communication regarding STEM activities with researchers

• Identifying EPA regional experts that could provide information, research sharing, and other technical assistance to researchers

Potential applicants should contact Jacquelyn Bell; phone: 202-564-4811; email:

bell.jacquelyn@epa.gov regarding questions pertaining to EPA’s substantial involvement.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

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.

Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR 200.1, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization, not including IHEs, that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operations of the organization. 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 non-profit 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 described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply.

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. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the mailto:bell.jacquelyn@epa.gov

EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism.

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 ORD, phone: 202-564-7823, email: josephson.ron@epa.gov.

B. Cost sharing

Institutional cost-sharing is not required.

C. Other

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limitation is expressed in Section IV with respect to parts of the application, pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. In addition, applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (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 announcement.