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More than nine million tons of plastic waste end up in the planet's oceans each year, with alarming implications for the health of people, wildlife, and ecosystems. Eighty percent of this plastic is believed to be derived from land-based sources, and much of it enters the ocean via major rivers in Asia and Africa. Through this RFP, National Geographic aims to support projects dedicated to reducing plastic pollution at the source, both by reducing per capita plastic consumption and by reducing the flow of plastics into watersheds.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that propose to further the development of Advanced Technology Training (ATT) products for: the health and safety training of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) workers; waste treatment personnel; skilled support personnel associated with an emergency/disaster; emergency responders in biosafety response, infectious disease training and cleanup; emergency responders in disasters and resiliency training; and for ATT tools to assist in research into the acute and long-term health effects of environmental disasters. ATT as defined by the Worker Training Program (WTP) includes, but is not limited to, online training, virtual reality, and serious gaming, which complement all aspects of training from development to evaluation including advanced technologies that enhance, supplement, improve, and provide health and safety training for hazardous materials workers. These products must complement the goals and objectives of the WTP http://www.niehs.nih.gov/careers/hazmat/about_wetp/. The major objective of the NIEHS WTP is to prevent work related harm by assisting in the training of workers in how best to protect themselves and their communities from exposure to hazardous materials. The financial support for this initiative comes directly from NIEHS Worker Education and Training Branch SBIR funds.

EPA is announcing a grant competition to fund two-year Pollution Prevention assistance agreements for projects expected to be performed in each EPA region that provide technical assistance and/or training to businesses/facilities to help them adopt source reduction approaches (also known as "pollution prevention" or "P2"). P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. In keeping with the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, EPA is encouraging P2 because implementing these approaches can result in reductions in toxic pollutants, the use of water, energy and other raw materials, while also lowering business costs. For this current round of grants, EPA is putting additional emphasis on documenting and sharing the P2 best practices and innovations identified and developed through these grants so that others can replicate these approaches and outcomes. If Congress appropriates Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and 2019 funds for the P2 Program at levels comparable to FY 2017 funding levels, the EPA may award a total of approximately $9.38 million in federal P2 grant funding for these two-year assistance agreements (approximately $4.69 million in FY 2018 and approximately $4.69 million in FY 2019 funds).

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks opportunities to co-create, co-design, co-invest, and collaborate in the research, development, piloting, and scaling of innovative interventions for effectively mitigating air, water, and soil pollution, including ocean plastic pollution, electronic and other forms of solid waste in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invites organizations, companies, academic and research institutions, and investors to propose innovative approaches for preventing and mitigating pollution in countries to promote healthier populations, cleaner environments, and inclusive, sustainable economic growth. USAID's Office of Energy and Infrastructure (E&I) within the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3/DDI), in cooperation with regional and Global Health Bureaus and selected Missions, developed this BAA for Pollution Prevention & Mitigation to improve the Agency's ability to assist partner countries in solving complex pollution problems that threaten sustainable development. This BAA seeks to engage with a wide range of actors within the global pollution sector to provide innovative interventions and technologies that further the U.S. Government's commitment to improving human health and the environment. Specific opportunities to do so will be provided through Addenda issued under this BAA.

Support the Regional Framework Agreements (RFA) on Air Pollution in Africa with a focus on East Africa. These RFA contained agreements on actionable targets to address air pollution in the following economic sectors: transport, industry and mining, energy, waste, vegetation fires, indoor air pollution, and urban planning and management.

EPA is announcing a grant competition to fund two-year Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) agreements that support research, investigation, study, demonstration, education and training using source reduction approaches (also known as "pollution prevention" and herein referred to as "P2"). P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. EPA is particularly interested in receiving applications that offer hands on practical P2 tools, information and/or innovative P2 approaches to measurably improve the public health and the surrounding environment, by reducing the use of hazardous substances, reducing toxic pollutants, supporting efficiencies in reducing resource use (e.g., water and energy), and reducing business expenditures and liability costs.

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asia Pacific Affairs (EAP) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a series of small environmental awards to support local and regional small-scale environmental projects in eligible countries in the Pacific Islands region, via the Regional Environmental Office in Suva, at $24,999 or less per award. Since FY 2007, EAP and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) have worked together to award and administer small environmental grants in the EAP region. These awards are funded through EAP regional foreign assistance funds, and managed by the OES Regional Environment, Science, Technology, and Health (ESTH) Officer for the Pacific Island states posted to Suva.Projects should address one or more of the following environmental areas of focus:* Food security: agriculture and/or fisheries* Sustainable economic development* Adaptation to changing environmental conditions, e.g., coastal management* Waste management, including marine litter* Air quality* Maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems * Creation and/or management of marine protected areas * Environment or health-related education (particularly for underserved groups)* Capacity building for scientific research on environmental issues* Deployment of new technology for application to environmental issuesProjects may propose activities targeted through this solicitation in the following countries: Fiji; Kiribati; Marshall Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; Nauru; Palau; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Tonga; Tuvalu; or Vanuatu.Projects

Creating solutions to pressing environmental and sustainability challenges will require input and imaginative approaches from various fields, perspectives, and disciplines. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), in their report "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges," identified five critical challenges we must address as a society: o Sustainably supply food, water, and energy o Curb climate change and adapt to its impacts o Design a future without pollution and waste o Create efficient, healthy, and resilient cities o Foster informed decisions and actions The report further states, "The challenges provide focal points for evolving environmental engineering education, research, and practice toward increased contributions and a greater impact. Implementing this new model will require modifications in educational curriculum and creative approaches to foster interdisciplinary research on complex social and environmental problems." This solicitation aims to address these grand challenges by supporting a collaborative research model that seamlessly integrates sustainability, environmental engineering, and process science and engineering. Accordingly, the Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ECO-CBET) solicitation will support activities that confront vexing environmental engineering and sustainability problems by uncovering and incorporating fundamental knowledge to design new processes, materials, and devices from a systems-level perspective. Projects should be compelling and reflect sustained, coordinated efforts from interdisciplinary research teams.