Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2023 STAR J1
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a discretionary research grant opportunity focused on better understanding how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) move into and build up within plants and animals in agricultural settings, with an emphasis on agricultural, rural, and Tribal communities. PFAS are a large class of man-made chemicals used widely since the 1940s in industrial applications and consumer products, and they are known for being highly persistent because they resist breakdown in the environment and in living organisms. Because of that persistence and the scale of historical use, PFAS can accumulate over time in soil, air, water, food, and everyday materials, leading to widespread human exposure across the United States.
The core problem this funding aims to address is the intersection between PFAS contamination and agriculture. The opportunity notes several practical pathways by which farming landscapes can become contaminated, including airborne dust particles, land application of biosolids, and leaching through soils into water resources. Once PFAS enter agricultural systems, they may be taken up by crops and forage, transferred through livestock, and ultimately contribute to human exposure through food and water. The EPA highlights that exposure to certain PFAS is associated with serious health concerns, including reproductive and developmental effects, increased cancer risk, immune system impacts, and endocrine disruption, which makes it especially important to understand real-world exposure pathways in communities that rely on local agriculture and local water sources.
A major theme of the solicitation is a push away from purely theoretical or observational data collection and toward research that can inform practical, scalable solutions. The EPA is looking for novel, innovative, and multidisciplinary research that improves understanding of PFAS uptake and bioaccumulation in plants and animals under realistic agricultural conditions. That includes identifying and characterizing how PFAS move through agricultural environments, clarifying the mechanisms that drive uptake and accumulation, and generating knowledge that can support farm viability and risk reduction. The agency also expects applicants to incorporate PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies as part of the research, meaning projects should not only diagnose the problem but also help point toward approaches that can reduce exposure or prevent further contamination on farms and in surrounding communities.
Administratively, this opportunity is an EPA STAR grant competition (Funding Opportunity Number: EPA G2023 STAR J1) under CFDA 66.509 (Environmental Protection Agency research programs). The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is environment. The expected number of awards is five, with an award ceiling of $1,600,000 per award. The funding opportunity was created on October 6, 2023, and the original closing date was December 6, 2023 (with applicants directed to confirm deadlines and submission details in Section IV of the official announcement). Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification provided in the full solicitation under the eligibility section, indicating that prospective applicants should verify whether their institution type and project team structure meet EPA requirements.Apply for EPA G2023 STAR J1
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RESEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING PFAS UPTAKE AND BIOACCUMULATION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.509.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 06, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 06, 2023 See Section IV of funding opportunity announcement for closing date information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this EPA funding opportunity about?
This is an EPA discretionary research grant opportunity focused on improving understanding of how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) move into and build up (bioaccumulate) within plants and animals in agricultural settings. The opportunity emphasizes real-world agricultural conditions and the needs of agricultural, rural, and Tribal communities.
What are PFAS, and why are they a concern in agriculture?
PFAS are a large class of man-made chemicals that have been widely used since the 1940s in industrial applications and consumer products. They are highly persistent because they resist breaking down in the environment and in living organisms. Over time, PFAS can accumulate in soil, air, water, food, and everyday materials, which contributes to widespread human exposure across the United States. In agricultural systems, PFAS may enter farms, be taken up by crops and forage, transfer through livestock, and ultimately contribute to human exposure through food and water.
What specific problem is the EPA trying to address with this grant?
The solicitation targets the intersection between PFAS contamination and agriculture. It highlights how agricultural landscapes can become contaminated and how that contamination can lead to PFAS uptake into crops and animals, contributing to exposure in communities that rely on local agriculture and local water sources.
How can PFAS contaminate farming landscapes, according to the opportunity?
The opportunity notes several pathways, including airborne dust particles, land application of biosolids, and leaching through soils into water resources.
What happens once PFAS enter an agricultural system?
Once PFAS are in agricultural environments, they may be taken up by crops and forage, transferred through livestock, and contribute to human exposure through food and water.
What health concerns are associated with PFAS exposure?
The EPA highlights that exposure to certain PFAS is associated with serious health concerns, including reproductive and developmental effects, increased cancer risk, immune system impacts, and endocrine disruption.
What kinds of research is the EPA looking for?
The EPA is seeking novel, innovative, and multidisciplinary research to improve understanding of PFAS uptake and bioaccumulation in plants and animals under realistic agricultural conditions. This includes research that identifies and characterizes how PFAS move through agricultural environments and clarifies the mechanisms that drive uptake and accumulation.
Is the EPA looking for purely observational studies?
A major theme of the solicitation is moving away from purely theoretical or observational data collection and toward research that can inform practical, scalable solutions.
Does the research need to include solutions or mitigation strategies?
Yes. The EPA expects applicants to incorporate PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies as part of the research. Projects are expected not only to diagnose or describe the problem, but also to help point toward approaches that reduce exposure or prevent further contamination on farms and in surrounding communities.
What types of outcomes is the EPA emphasizing?
The solicitation emphasizes generating knowledge that can support farm viability and risk reduction, alongside improved scientific understanding of PFAS movement, uptake, and accumulation in agricultural systems.
Which communities does the opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity places emphasis on agricultural, rural, and Tribal communities.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA G2023 STAR J1.
What program or competition is this under?
This is an EPA STAR grant competition.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 66.509 (Environmental Protection Agency research programs).
What is the funding instrument and activity category?
The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is environment.
How many awards does the EPA expect to make?
The EPA expects to make five awards.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $1,600,000 per award.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on October 6, 2023.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was December 6, 2023. Applicants were directed to confirm deadlines and submission details in Section IV of the official announcement.
Where should applicants confirm the deadline and submission details?
The opportunity directs applicants to confirm deadlines and submission details in Section IV of the official announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification provided in the full solicitation under the eligibility section. Prospective applicants are expected to verify whether their institution type and project team structure meet EPA requirements.
What does it mean that eligibility is listed as "Others"?
Based on the information provided, "Others" indicates that eligibility is not narrowly described in the summary and that the full solicitation contains the specific eligibility requirements. Applicants should consult the eligibility section of the full announcement to confirm whether they qualify.
What agricultural exposure pathways is this research intended to better understand?
The research is intended to better understand how PFAS move through agricultural environments and how they are taken up and bioaccumulate in plants and animals, including pathways that can lead to PFAS in food and water.
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