Effects of CECs on Fish, Trailer Validation Study

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking to continue to the contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) project by validating some of the laboratory analyses with environmental analyses. This project is funded under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and managed from the USFWS Region 3 Office in Bloomington, MN. The rich matrix of chemical and biological data developed during the first five years of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's contribution to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative offered a unique opportunity in which predictive models were developed which identified CEC chemicals and mixtures of greatest concern in Great Lakes tributaries. Laboratory analysis followed which assessed how the mixture models affected fish behavior and physiology in a controlled lab setting. The goal of this research is to use the findings from the first 5 years of the project and the laboratory results and validate those findings with field analysis. The project will consist of using a stream side trailer in which to house environmentally controlled aquarium in which biological endpoints of fish will be collected after exposure to in situ water samples. The field work data collection will be completed in the summer of 2017 with final project completion by September 30th, 2020. The final product will include a final report with data analysis and interpretation of results. Thesis and manuscripts produced as a result of this research will be provided to USFWS for review and final drafts upon completion. This project will also fund one research analyst position for one year to aide in data analysis and manuscript completion, with possible renewal on a year to year basis. The project will also meet the goals and objectives of the USFWSâ¿¿s CEC investigation and priorities of St. Cloud State University's Aquatic Toxicology Lab which allow for continued consistency with this project and to build on previous research. There is not an application process for this funding opportunity; this is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to the St. Cloud State University Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory under justification 505DM 2.14.B. 2 and 4 without competition. Competition for this award is not practical as the intended recipient is uniquely qualified to perform the project duties based on technical expertise and continuation from previous projects. The funding instrument will be a Cooperative Agreement as substantial involvement on the part of Service is required for the successful completion of the activities to be funded. In particular, Service will be responsible for the following; provide field and lab CEC effects data collected in previous years studies for use in project development, Service will provide expert and technical advice with project formation to aid in the creation and function of the validation study, Service will have free exchange of data on all aspects of the project with St. Cloud State University's Aquatic Toxicology Lab, Service will be included and allowed to review all relevant publications which are a result of this project.