65940 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–

800–877–8339.

[FR Doc. 01–31441 Filed 12–20–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science Financial Assistance

Program Notice 02–11: Ocean Carbon

Sequestration Research Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting grant

applications.

SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and

Environmental Research (OBER) of the

Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department

of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its

interest in receiving applications for

research on Carbon Sequestration in the

Oceans.

DATES: Applicants are strongly

encouraged to submit a brief

preapplication for programmatic review

no later than January 18, 2002.

The deadline for receipt of formal

applications is 4:30 p.m., E.S.T., March

26, 2002, to be accepted for merit review

and to permit timely consideration for

award in Fiscal Year 2002 and early

Fiscal Year 2003.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications should be

sent via E-mail to Dr. Anna Palmisano

at: anna.palmisano@science.doe.gov.

Formal applications, referencing

Program Notice 02–11, should be sent

to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of

Science, Grants and Contracts Division,

SC–64, 19901 Germantown Road,

Germantown, MD 20874–1290, ATTN:

Program Notice 02–11. This address

must also be used when submitting

applications by U.S. Postal Service

Express Mail or any other commercial

overnight delivery service, or when

hand-carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Anna Palmisano, Environmental

Sciences Division, SC–74, Office of

Biological and Environmental Research,

Office of Science, U.S. Department of

Energy, 19901 Germantown Road,

Germantown, MD 20874–1290,

telephone: (301) 903–9963, E-mail:

anna.palmisano@science.doe.gov, fax:

(301) 903–8519. The full text of Program

Notice 02–11 is available via the

Internet using the following web site

address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/

production/grants/grants.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Predictions of global energy use in the

next century suggest a continued

increase in carbon emissions and rising

concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2)

in the atmosphere unless major changes

are made in the way we produce and

use energy—in particular, how we

manage carbon.

One way to manage carbon is to use

energy more efficiently to reduce our

need for a major energy and carbon

source—fossil fuel combustion. A

second way is to increase our use of

low-carbon and carbon-free fuels and

technologies, such as nuclear power and

renewable sources such as solar energy,

wind power, and biomass fuels.

A third way to manage is by ‘‘carbon

sequestration’’: The capture and long

term storage of carbon either from the

global energy system or directly from

the atmosphere in oceanic or terrestrial

ecosystems. Although many options

exist to capture and sequester carbon

dioxide, the focus of this solicitation is

on fundamental research that would

enable: (a) The enhancement of the

absorption and retention of atmospheric

carbon by ocean biota; and (b) the use

of the deep ocean to store carbon

dioxide that has been already separated,

captured, and transported.

Any viable system for sequestering

carbon must have a number of

characteristics. It must be effective and

cost-competitive with alternative means,

such as renewable energy. Unintended

environmental consequences must be

benign compared to alternative

solutions, including no action. A carbon

sequestration system must be able to be

monitored quantitatively and verified,

because contributions to carbon

sequestration almost certainly need to

be measured. Research sponsored by

this program could contribute to any of

these goals.

This solicitation invites applications

for basic research projects on carbon

sequestration in the oceans. The

proposed research should be

fundamental in nature. Applications

that test demonstrations of engineered

technologies are not relevant to this

solicitation.

Technical Areas of Interest

The ocean represents a large current

sink for the sequestration of

anthropogenic CO2 emissions as well as

a large potential for further

enhancement. Two strategies for

enhancing carbon sequestration in the

ocean are the focus of the DOE Ocean

Carbon Sequestration Research Program.

One strategy is the enhancement of the

net oceanic uptake from the atmosphere

by fertilization of phytoplankton with

micronutrients, such as iron. A second

strategy is the direct injection of a

relatively pure CO2 stream to ocean

depths greater than 1000 m. Sources of

CO2 for direct injection might include

power plants, industries or other

sources. This solicitation seeks

applications that specifically address

the long term effectiveness and potential

environmental consequences of ocean

sequestration by these two strategies.

Research projects currently being

funded under the DOE Ocean Carbon

Sequestration Research Program may be

accessed at: http://cdiac2.esd.ornl.gov/

ocean.html. The program currently

funds projects in a wide range of

scientific disciplines including marine

biology and ecology; biological,

physical, and chemical oceanography;

computational science and modeling;

and physical chemistry and engineering.

Iron Fertilization

Much has been learned about the

important role of iron in photosynthesis

over the past 15 years through both

laboratory and field iron enrichment

experiments. Iron deficiency has been

shown to limit the efficiency of

photosystem II in phytoplankton.

Evidence from paleoceanographic

samples also links iron supply with

marine primary production and carbon

flux. However, critical questions

remain: How does iron enrichment

accelerate carbon flux in high nutrient,

low chlorophyll (HNLC), low nutrient,

low chlorophyll (LNLC), sub-mixed

layer and coastal ecosystems? What are

the time scales of remineralization?

What are the long term ecological and

biogeochemical consequences of

fertilization on surface and midwater

processes? Basic research is needed on

the biogeochemistry of iron and carbon

in the ocean. The accurate measure of

carbon flux following iron fertilization

is critical to the objective evaluation of

this strategy for carbon sequestration.

We need to understand the regulation of

carbon fluxes and the role of mineral

ballast in export of organic carbon from

the surface to the deep ocean. Our

understanding of the concentrations,

sources, sinks and ligands of iron in

marine systems is also very limited. The

complexity of marine ecosystems

necessitates careful research on

potential environmental consequences

of iron fertilization. These consequences

may include the potential to impact key

oceanic biogeochemical cycles as well

as on populations of marine organisms

and their trophodynamic interactions.

Examples of relevant research areas

for enhancement of the biological pump

through iron fertilization include:

1. Environmental consequences of

long term ocean fertilization. Research

might focus on:

• Examining changes in structure and

function of marine ecosystems

including community structure of

phytoplankton and zooplankton, ocean

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices 65941

food webs and trophodynamics,

resulting from ocean fertilization.

• Examining changes in natural

oceanic biogeochemical cycles (carbon,

nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon)

resulting from carbon sequestration.

2. Effectiveness of ocean fertilization

on a large scale. Research might focus

on:

• Understanding the biological

pumping of carbon to deep waters, the

export of particulate organic carbon and

particulate inorganic carbon to the deep

sea, and mineralization or dissolution of

all forms at depth. This includes

understanding the role of

micronutrients (such as iron) and

macronutrients (such as nitrogen and

phosphorus) in regulation of the

biological pump.

• Determining to what extent

increased carbon fixation in surface

waters would result in an increase in

carbon sequestered in the deep ocean,

and how long it would remain

sequestered.

Research proposed on iron

fertilization should also support the

USGCRP Carbon Cycle Science

Initiative. For a copy of the Carbon

Cycle Science Plan, access the following

web site: http://www.gcrio.org/

OnLnDoc/pdf/carb_cycle_toc.html. In

particular, the proposed research should

provide the scientific foundation for

estimating the capacity of the ocean to

sequester and store carbon dioxide

released as a result of human activities.

Direct Injection

The overarching question for this

research area is: Can direct CO2

injection effectively sequester CO2 in

the ocean with minimal adverse

environmental impacts? Fundamental

research is needed to assess the

efficiency and consequences of direct

injection to sequester a maximum level

of CO2 while minimizing the impact on

deep sea ecosystems. Current scientific

literature on the physiology of deep sea

animals suggests a high sensitivity of

deep sea animals to acidosis and

hypercapnia (CO2 stress), however,

there are few data on impacts of specific

levels of CO2 on animals from various

marine habitats. Moreover, there are

virtually no data on the potential effects

of CO2 on microbially-mediated

biogeochemical transformations of

nutrients in the deep sea. Models are

needed that provide information on the

fate of injected CO2, particularly in the

100m to 100km range, from the point of

injection. The ultimate goal is to be able

to develop a coupled model that can

predict the fact of injected CO2 and its

chemical, physical and biological effects

on marine ecosystems.

Examples of relevant research areas

for direct injection of carbon dioxide

into the deep ocean include:

1. Environmental consequences of

direct injection of CO2 into the ocean in

midwater or deep sea habitats. Research

might focus on:

• Determining the effects of changes

in pH and CO2 on the physiology and

survival of organisms (including

microbes) from midwater and deep sea

habitats.

• Understanding the effects of

sustained release of concentrated CO2

on biogeochemical processes, and on

ecosystem structure and function. This

includes investigations of

biogeochemical interactions of seafloor

sediments with a hydrated CO2 plume.

2. Effectiveness of direct injection of

CO2 for carbon sequestration. Research

might focus on:

• Understanding the longer-term fate

of carbon that is added to the ocean

including the carbonate chemistry of

mid- and deep-ocean water.

• Addressing weaknesses in Ocean

General Circulation Models (OGCMs),

specifically their ability to simulate

accurately western boundary currents,

ocean bottom currents and plume to

eddy circulation, and testing models

using natural or experimental tracers.

• Coupling near-field with far-field

effects of CO2 injection, for example,

couple plume modeling at the basin and

global scale with ocean circulation

models.

Collaboration

Applicants are encouraged to

collaborate with researchers in other

institutions, such as: universities,

industry, non-profit organizations,

federal laboratories and Federally

Funded Research and Development

Centers (FFRDCs), including the DOE

National Laboratories, where

appropriate, and to include cost sharing

and/or consortia wherever feasible.

Additional information on collaboration

is available in the Application Guide for

the Office of Science Financial

Assistance Program that is available via

the Internet at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/

production/grants/Colab.html.

Program Funding

It is anticipated that up to $1,000,000

will be available for awards in this area

during Fiscal Year 2002, contingent

upon availability of appropriated funds.

An additional $1,000,000 will be

available for competition by DOE

National Laboratories under a separate

solicitation (LAB 02–11). Projects

involving single investigators or small

groups of investigators may be funded at

a level up to $300,000 per year for up

to 3 years. Applications for field

experiments involving larger groups of

investigators will be considered, but

must be approved at a preapplication

level. Multiple year funding of awards

is expected, and is also contingent upon

availability of funds, progress of the

research, and continuing program need.

Preapplications

An informal preapplication may be

submitted by E-mail. The preapplication

should identify the institution, Principal

Investigator name, address, telephone,

fax and E-mail address, title of the

project, and proposed collaborators. The

preapplication should consist of a one

to two page narrative describing the

research project objectives and methods

of accomplishment. These will be

reviewed relative to the scope and

research needs of the Ocean Carbon

Sequestration Research Program.

Preapplications are strongly encouraged

prior to submission of a full application,

especially for large, field-based

collaborations. Notification of a

successful preapplication is not an

indication that an award will be made

in response to the formal application.

Merit Review

Applications will be subjected to

scientific merit review (peer review) and

will be evaluated against the following

evaluation criteria listed in descending

order of importance as codified at 10

CFR 605.10(d):

1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of

the Project,

2. Appropriateness of the Proposed

Method or Approach,

3. Competency of Applicant’s Personnel

and Adequacy of Proposed Resources,

4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness

of the Proposed Budget.

The evaluation will include program

policy factors such as the relevance of

the proposed research to the terms of

the announcement and the agency’s

programmatic needs. Note, external peer

reviewers are selected with regard to

both their scientific expertise and the

absence of conflict-of-interest issues.

Both non-federal and federal reviewers

may be used, and submission of an

application constitutes agreement that

this is acceptable to the investigator(s)

and the submitting institution.

Formal Applications

Information about the development

and submission of applications,

eligibility, limitations, evaluation,

selection process, and other policies and

procedures may be found in 10 CFR part

605, and in the Application Guide for

the Office of Science Financial

Assistance Program. Electronic access to

65942 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2001 / Notices

the Guide and required forms is

available via the World Wide Web at:

http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/

grants/grants.html. DOE is under no

obligation to pay for any costs

associated with the preparation or

submission of applications if an award

is not made. The research project

description must be 15 pages or less,

exclusive of attachments and must

contain an abstract or summary of the

proposed research. On the SC grant face

page, form DOE F 4650.2, in block 15,

also provide the PI’s phone number, fax

number and E-mail address.

Attachments include curriculum vitae, a

listing of all current and pending federal

support, and letters of intent when

collaborations are part of the proposed

research. Curriculum vitae should be

submitted in a form similar to that of

NIH or NSF (two to three pages), see for

example: http://www.nsf.gov:80/bfa/

cpo/gpg/fkit.htm#forms-9.

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 December 14,

2001.

John Rodney Clark,

Associate Director of Science for Resource

Management.

[FR Doc. 01–31468 Filed 12–20–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–02–U

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Los Alamos;

Meeting

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a

meeting of the Environmental

Management Site-Specific Advisory

Board (EM SSAB), Los Alamos. The

Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub.

L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that

public notice of these meetings be

announced in the Federal Register.

DATE: Wednesday, January 23, 2002.

1 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

ADDRESS: Holiday Inn Santa Fe, 4048

Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Menice Manzanares, Northern New

Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board, 1660

Old Pecos Trail, Suite B, Santa Fe, NM

87505. Phone (505) 995–0393; fax (505)

989–1752 or e-mail:

mmanzanares@doeal.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of the Board: The purpose of

the Board is to make recommendations

to DOE and its regulators in the areas of

environmental restoration, waste

management, and related activities.

Tentative Agenda:

1–5 p.m.

—Openness Plan

—Recruitment/Membership

—Budget Review (1st Quarter)

—Report from Chair

—Report from Staff

—Report from Committees

5–6 p.m.

—Dinner Break

6–8:30 p.m.

—Recommendations to DOE

—Resource Conservation Recovery

Act (RCRA) Permit Update

—Priorities for LANL EM Budget

—Public Comment

Other Board business will be

conducted as necessary.

This agenda is subject to change at

least one day in advance of the meeting.

Public Participation: The meeting is

open to the public. Written statements

may be filed with the Committee either

before or after the meeting. Individuals

who wish to make oral statements

pertaining to agenda items should

contact Menice Manzanares at the

address or telephone number listed

above. Requests must be received five

days prior to the meeting and reasonable

provision will be made to include the

presentation in the agenda. The Deputy

Designated Federal Officer is

empowered to conduct the meeting in a

fashion that will facilitate the orderly

conduct of business. Each individual

wishing to make public comment will

be provided a maximum of five minutes

to present their comments at the

beginning of the meeting.

Minutes: Minutes of this meeting will

be available for public review and

copying at the Freedom of Information

Public Reading Room, 1E–190, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585 between 9

a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday–Friday, except

Federal holidays. Minutes will also be

available at the Public Reading Room

located at the Board’s office at 1660 Old

Pecos Trail, Suite B, Santa Fe, NM.

Hours of operation for the Public

Reading Room are 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

on Monday through Friday. Minutes

will also be made available by writing

or calling Menice Manzanares at the

Board’s office address or telephone

number listed above. Minutes and other

Board documents are on the Internet at:

http://www.nnmcab.org.

Issued at Washington, DC on December 17,

2001.

Rachel Samuel,

Deputy Advisory Committee Management

Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–31470 Filed 12–20–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6405–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science; High Energy Physics

Advisory Panel; Meeting

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a

meeting of the High Energy Physics

Advisory Panel (HEPAP). Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public

notice of these meetings be announced

in the Federal Register.

DATES: Monday, January 28, 2002; 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, January 29,

2002; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESS: The Latham Hotel,

Georgetown, 3000 M Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glen

Crawford, Executive Secretary; High

Energy Physics Advisory Panel; U.S.

Department of Energy; 19901

Germantown Road; Germantown,

Maryland 20874–1290; Telephone: 301–

903–9458.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of Meeting: To provide

advice and guidance on a continuing

basis with respect to the high energy

physics research program.

Tentative Agenda: Agenda will

include discussions of the following:

Monday, January 28, 2002, and

Tuesday, January 29, 2002.

• Discussion of Department of Energy

High Energy Physics Programs.

• Discussion of National Science

Foundation Elementary Particle Physics

Program.

• Discussion of the DOE/NSF High

Energy Physics Advisory Panel,

Subpanel on Long Range Planning for

U.S. High Energy Physics.

• Discussion of High Energy Physics

University Programs.

• Reports on and Discussion of U.S.

Large Hadron Collider Activities.

• Reports on and Discussions of

Topics of General Interest in High

Energy Physics.

• Public Comment (10-minute rule).

Public Participation: The meeting is

open to the public. If you would like to

file a written statement with the Panel,

you may do so either before or after the

meeting. If you would like to make oral

statements regarding any of these items