[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26316]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: October 24, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Notice 95-04]
Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 95-04:
Terrestrial Carbon Process Research of the Global Change Program
AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications to support research
and analysis of ``terrestrial carbon processes'' (TCP) that affect
changes of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. This
notice is the second cycle of solicitations for refocused DOE research
on terrestrial carbon that was formerly carried out on the global
carbon cycle, and on the response of vegetation to CO2. The
refocused research supports the Department's Global Change Research
Program (specifically climate change), the U.S. Global Change Research
Program (USGCRP), and the Administration's goals to understand and
mitigate the rise in greenhouse gases.
This notice requests grant applications for research that will (i)
Advance the scientific understanding of terrestrial processes
regulating carbon balance of ecosystems that have a major influence on
atmospheric CO2 concentration; (ii) evaluate changes of carbon
quantities of ecosystems in relation to the rising concentration of
atmospheric CO2, altered temperature and precipitation regimes,
including key interactions of these forcings with other factors
affecting carbon processes; and (iii) model terrestrial carbon
processes, including mechanistic controls on exchanges of CO2 with
the atmosphere, and approaches for extending ecosystem-level results to
regional/global scales. Expected products of TCP research are the
quantified relationships and mechanisms of terrestrial ecosystems that
affect secular trends and interannual variations of atmospheric
CO2, including the scientific understanding needed to model and
predict the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the global carbon cycle.
This second cycle of the Terrestrial Carbon Process notice will invite
applications from academic institutions.
DATES: Formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be
received by 4:30 PM, EST, January 5, 1995, to permit timely
consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1995.
ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 95-04 should
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research,
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64 (GTN),
Washington, D.C. 20585, ATTN: Program Notice 95-04. The following
address must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal
Service Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or when
hand-carried by the applicant: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Energy Research, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64,
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Roger C. Dahlman, Office of Health
and Environmental Research, Environment Sciences Division, ER-74 (GTN),
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, (301) 903-4902/4951,
or by Internet address, roger.dahlman@mailgw.er.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The solicited TCP research seeks to enhance
the scientific understanding of natural processes of the terrestrial
carbon cycle, thereby providing the foundation for conceptual and
mathematical models of carbon change in terrestrial ecosystems.
Process-based models are sought for extending fundamental knowledge of
carbon processes to the global carbon cycle; applications include the
capability to quantitatively estimate CO2 sequestered in
terrestrial ecosystems, and, for various emissions scenarios,
predictions of the rate of CO2 increase in the atmosphere. In this
context, the research is an important adjunct to policies and actions
being considered for slowing the rise of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. For example, improved understanding of carbon processes
will help build scientific foundations for evaluating the effectiveness
of policy instruments like the Climate Change Action Plan for slowing
the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase. This research will help
provide the scientific basis for quantifying the role of the
terrestrial biosphere in regulating changes in atmospheric CO2,
which defines an important forcing for assessment of climate change--a
central research activity of the USGCRP and DOE's Global Change
research.
While it is recognized that energy-related emissions contribute to
the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it is also evident
that natural earth system processes exert a major control on ultimate
atmospheric concentration of the gases. This is especially true for
CO2, where for the past few years the rate of increase of
atmospheric CO2 has fluctuated markedly. Causes of this and other
variations are unknown, and the observed phenomena raise questions
about whether these fluctuations are due to as yet unexplained natural
processes that can affect the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase.
Priority will be placed on field experiments of physiological/
ecological controls of carbon processes; on studies of metabolism/
retention of carbon in major terrestrial ecosystems; and on coupled
modeling and experimental analysis. This includes research to improve
the understanding of metabolic processes of vascular plants, and their
influence on CO2 removal from the atmosphere, including
biological, ecological and other factors controlling retention of
carbon in soils and biomass of terrestrial ecosystems. While processes
to be investigated may range from fundamental studies of plant carbon
metabolism (e.g., photosynthesis, respiration, etc.) to ecosystem
controls on carbon balance, the experimental/analytical/modeling
products must logically contribute to the analysis carbon balance of
ecosystems and to natural controls on the global carbon cycle.
Applications should identify theoretical underpinnings for the proposed
research on processes; identify/describe appropriate field approaches
for generating experimental or critical systematic data; and show how
the research products contribute to global-scale analysis of
atmospheric CO2 change.
Collaborative studies are encouraged, particularly those involving
multidisciplinary research organized around existing field facilities
designed to manipulate CO2 concentrations and other global change
variables (e.g., temperature, moisture). With emphasis on field
investigations, any proposed research using closed-environment chambers
and/or greenhouses will be considered only when the mechanism to be
elucidated requires unique experimental controls/manipulations that are
not practical to carry out in the field. Also, investigators of
meritorious applications may be encouraged to conduct research at
established field facilities; therefore, to the extent it is possible,
applicants should identify which, if any, existing facilities or
locations they would cooperate with if they received an award.
For proposed modeling research, priority will be given to research
that demonstrates close linkage of modeling to experimentally derived
process information. This includes extrapolation of experimental
results and process-based observations to ecosystem or larger scale
biotic units; i.e., the development and testing of process-based
scaling techniques, and tests of reliability of process models to
predict whole-system carbon balances.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief
preapplication in accordance with 10 CFR 600.10(d)(2), which consists
of two to three pages of narrative describing research objectives.
Preapplications will be used to identify potential opportunities for
coordinated experimental and modeling research; to enable DOE to advise
potential applicants of DOE's interest in their research ideas; and to
serve as a basis for arranging reviews of formal applications.
Preapplications should include no more than two to three double-
spaced pages (10 pt), including proposed research; names and telephone
numbers for all principal investigators (PIs), co-principal
investigators (CO-PIs), and collaborators; and telefax number, Internet
address (if available) and mail address for the PI. Preapplications
referencing Program Notice 95-04 should be received by November 15,
1994, and sent to Dr. Roger C. Dahlman, Office of Health and
Environmental Research, ER-74, Washington, DC 20585, or to the Internet
address noted above. A response to the preapplications will be
communicated to the PI by December 6, 1994.
The technical portion of the application should not exceed 20
double-spaced 10 pt pages (1-inch margins) plus 5 pages for curriculum
vitae and all other data, and should include a short one-half page
abstract. Applications that deviate from the terms of this notice will
be returned, and will not be considered for support in the second cycle
of TCP. Applications received after the deadline will not be eligible
for award in Fiscal Year 1995.
Preapplications and formal applications will be reviewed relative
to the DOE interests described by this notice and in reference to scope
and research priorities of the U.S. Global Climate Change Research
Program (USGCRP). Preapplications will be reviewed for relevance to
Program needs and interests. Formal applications will be subjected to
merit review and will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria set
forth in 10 CFR Part 605. The USGCRP priority task on CO2 and
Trace-Gas research (described in the USGCRP draft report entitled,
``Special Issue on Enhanced Terrestrial Ecology Research on Global
Change'' (TECO)) is also a relevant term of reference for evaluating
applications responding to this notice.
It is anticipated that approximately $1.5 million will be available
for grant awards in Fiscal Year 1995, contingent upon availability of
appropriated funds. Previous awards for this type of research have
ranged from $100,000 up to $400,000 per year, with most not exceeding
$250,000. While most awards are expected to range from $100,000 to
$250,000 per year, a few larger awards may be granted for coordinated
experiments requiring special designs or facilities for manipulating
CO2 and other environmental variables. Funding of multiple year
grant awards is expected, and is also contingent upon availability of
appropriated funds.
Information about the development and submission of applications,
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other
policies and procedures, may be found in the Application Guide for the
Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part
605. The Application Guide is available from the U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Environmental
Sciences Division, ER-74, Washington, DC 20585. Telephone requests may
be made by calling (301) 903-4902. Supplemental documentation
including: (1) Examples of existing DOE research on carbon cycle and
the response of vegetation to CO2, the two programs that will be
refocused as research on ``terrestrial carbon processes,'' and (2) a
Draft USGCRP report on the ``Special Issue on Enhanced Terrestrial
Ecology Research on Global Change'' (TECO) is available upon request by
calling (301) 903-4902.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this
program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10
CFR part 605.
Issued in Washington, DC, on October 13, 1994.
D.D. Mayhew,
Director, Office of Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 94-26316 Filed 10-21-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
