Subsurface Biogeochemical Research

The Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces interest in receiving applications for research grants for Subsurface Biogeochemical Research (SBR), which is within the Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD) in the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER). SBR seeks to advance fundamental science towards solutions to key DOE environmental challenges including carbon sequestration, contamination from past nuclear weapons production and a scientific basis for the long term stewardship of nuclear waste disposal. The activity supports an integrated portfolio of research ranging from molecular to field scales with emphasis on the use of advanced computer models and multidisciplinary, iterative experimentation to understand and predict contaminant transport in complex subsurface environments. This mission is guided by the BER long term performance measure to ?provide sufficient scientific underst anding such that DOE sites would be able to incorporate coupled physical, chemical and biological processes into decision making for environmental remediation and long-term stewardship.? To meet this measure, BER funds basic research to investigate the key processes affecting the mobility of subsurface contaminants found at DOE sites. The goal of this FOA is to support innovative, fundamental research investigating the coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting the transport of subsurface contaminants at DOE sites. Applications should identify critical knowledge gaps and address hypothesis-driven research to better understand the significant physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing the form and mobility of DOE contaminants in the subsurface. Research projects should aim to provide the scientific basis for the long term stewardship of contaminated sites across the DOE complex and the development of new remediation concepts and strategies. A pplications must address the applicability of the proposed research to understanding DOE relevant, field-scale, contaminant transport processes by including an explanation of how the proposed effort will support the accomplishment of the BER long term performance measure. The environment of interest is the terrestrial subsurface including the vadose zone, the saturated zone and key groundwater-surface water interfaces. The specific radionuclide and heavy metal contaminants and the general science needs for this FOA are outlined in the Supplementary Information section below. Phytoremediation and the study of organic contaminants are NOT addressed in this FOA.