Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with The Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G25AS00236

FAQs: USGS Cooperative Agreement G25AS00236 (Pacific Northwest CESU)

What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?

The funding opportunity number is G25AS00236.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a cooperative agreement through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Which CESU network is this opportunity tied to?

It is specifically for partners affiliated with the Pacific Northwest CESU.

Who is leading the project?

The project is being led by the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10.

What problem is the project trying to address?

The project focuses on understanding the impacts of stormwater runoff on salmon health in Pacific Northwest watersheds, with particular attention to tire-derived organic chemicals found in runoff.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The core purpose is to improve scientific understanding of (1) how stormwater-associated organic contaminants become bioavailable to salmon and (2) how these chemicals distribute across salmon tissues after exposure.

Which chemical is a central focus of this research?

A central compound of concern is 6PPD-quinone (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-Napos-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine quinone), a transformation product associated with tire wear that has drawn attention due to links with acute toxicity in some salmonids.

Does the project only focus on 6PPD-quinone?

No. In addition to 6PPD-quinone, the work also targets similarly structured tire-derived contaminants and related organic pollutants commonly present in stormwater runoff.

What types of research questions is this project trying to answer?

Based on the description, the project aims to connect measured chemical burdens in salmon tissues to (1) toxicological mechanisms and (2) species-specific sensitivity, helping explain why impacts may vary among salmon species, life stages, or populations.

What analytical approach is emphasized in the opportunity?

The opportunity emphasizes applying high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantify bioaccumulation and tissue burden of stormwater-associated organic contaminants in salmon.

Is method development part of the scope?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly calls for method development and refinement, including improving analytical sensitivity and reproducibility for 6PPD-quinone and related compounds.

What does improving sensitivity and reproducibility mean in practical terms for this project?

It means developing or optimizing laboratory workflows that can reliably detect very low concentrations of target chemicals in complex biological matrices, generate consistent results across analytical runs, and support defensible comparisons across samples, tissues, and exposure conditions.

Does the project include work on contaminants coming from tire wear particles that salmon might ingest?

Yes. The project includes work on contaminants that can be leached from ingested tire wear particles that end up in streams and creeks.

What does the opportunity say about identifying tire-derived chemicals from particles?

It includes characterizing and updating the list of tire-derived chemicals that may be released from tire wear particles inside organisms or under environmental conditions.

Does the project consider transformation products and their stability?

Yes. The scope includes assessing the stability of transformation products, such as how long they persist, whether they degrade into other byproducts, and under what conditions those changes occur.

How does the opportunity describe the overall exposure pathway it wants to understand?

The description frames a more complete “fate and transport” picture linking sources (stormwater and tire wear) to exposure pathways (waterborne and dietary/ingestion) to internal dose (tissue distribution) and ultimately to toxicity.

What are the expected outcomes or deliverables from this work?

The expected outcome is actionable information for researchers and resource managers about where these compounds go in salmon bodies, how persistent or transformable they are, and which metabolites or pathway products may be most relevant to toxicity. The intent is to strengthen risk assessment and help explain differences in vulnerability across salmon groups in the Pacific Northwest.

How is this award mechanism described?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism.

What does a cooperative agreement imply for project execution?

The description indicates that federal partners typically expect substantial involvement as the project is carried out, such as coordination on study design, methods, data interpretation, and reporting.

What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 15.808.

What is the posted award ceiling?

The posted award ceiling is $228,000.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2025-02-11.

What is the original closing date?

The original closing date is 2025-03-11.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to entities that are already participating partners in the Pacific Northwest CESU Program, consistent with the CESU model of channeling research and technical assistance through established partnership networks.

Is this opportunity open to organizations outside the Pacific Northwest CESU partnership?

Based on the eligibility statement provided, the opportunity is limited to existing Pacific Northwest CESU partners, so organizations outside that partnership would not be eligible under the terms described.