Effects of MTBE
Request For Proposals
The deadline for this RFP has passed.
The RFP is listed here for informational purposes only.
| Description |
The UC TSR&TP announces a one time only request for Investigator grants in the area of Effects of MTBE, an oxygenation additive used in reformulated gasoline. The California State Legislature recently passed SB 521 appropriating funds to the University of California, mandating specific areas of study of interest to the State, and specific deadlines for completion of reports of the product of such research. To meet this goal we are requesting proposals that specifically address the research topics mandated by SB 521 (listed below).
We anticipate that successful proposals will be scientifically sound, will combine review of the existing literature with original research, and will specifically address, at least in part, one or more of the issues specified in SB 521. Authoritative reviews of the scientific literature regarding the health effects and environmental fate of MTBE have recently appeared from the National Research Council, and from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (Office of the President of the USA). These reviews and policy documents review most, if not all, of the technical literature through mid-1996. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult these reports prior to preparation of proposals to ensure that they are familiar with existing data gaps in the scientific literature.
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| Eligibility |
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Any investigator eligible for PI status in the UC system (including National Labs) in any scholarly discipline is invited to submit a proposal for funding.
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| Application Process |
Pre-proposal: Please send a statement indicating which research topic(s) you intend to cover to the Director, Jerold Last, jalast@ucdavis.edu by November 14, 1997. This is a non-binding statement whose purpose is to aid in the selection of appropriate reviewers.
Proposal Deadline: Final proposals must be received on or before 5:00pm, November 26, 1997. No exceptions will be made to this deadline date.
Grants must be submitted via the appropriate campus Office of Contracts and Grants, on the MTBE grant forms for the UC TSR&TP, which may be downloaded from our website or requested from the Director's Office.
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| Review of Proposals |
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All proposals will be subject to rigorous peer review by experts in the appropriate disciplinary area. Successful applicants will be notified prior to January 1, 1998, and the proposed research should be planned to commence immediately.
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| Project Period & Awards |
Grants will have a total project period from January 1, 1998 to October 31, 1998, and will be for up to $50,000 each (direct costs only) for this period. Under exceptional circumstances (multi-investigator consortia addressing multiple issues specified in SB 521), we will consider requests for larger budget amounts. Up to $500,000 in grants will be awarded.
Grant recipients will be expected to submit two reports of their research, an interim report on or before June 1, 1998, and a final report on or before October 31, 1998. The funds awarded will be paid in three installments, the first at the date of initiation of the grant; a substantial portion of the total amount will be paid upon receipt of the interim report and the remainder of the funds upon receipt of the final report.
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| Research Topics |
The mandated research topics specified in SB 521 are as follows:
**Note** Proposals addressing issue #1 (and, where appropriate, the other issues as well) should focus not only on MTBE, but on comparisons of alternative fuel oxygenate additives with MTBE.
- An assessment of the risks and benefits to human health and the environment of MTBE and its combustion byproducts found in air, water, and soil, and a comparison of those risks and benefits to ETBE, TAME, and ethanol that could be used in lieu of MTBE in gasoline.
- An assessment of available research and data on the impact of MTBE on human health and the environment in each state where MTBE has been used in gasoline at levels of 10 percent or greater, by volume, within the last five years.
- An assessment of the risks to human health and the environment associated with MTBE leaking from underground and aboveground storage tanks, from surface watercraft and other sources of MTBE pollution in surface water bodies, and from oceangoing tankers in coastal waterways of this state.
- An analysis of current levels of MTBE in the state's drinking water, reservoirs, lakes, and streams
- An evaluation of the costs and effectiveness of treatment technologies available to remove MTBE from surface waters, groundwaters, and drinking water.
- An assessment of the impact of MTBE on vehicle parts and the efficient operation of vehicles.
- An assessment of the corrosive effects of MTBE on the structural integrity of fiberglass storage tanks, which may be undertaken in consultation with the California Fire Chiefs Association and other recognized experts on the matter.
- A comparison of the incidence of asthma before and after the level of MTBE was increased in California gasoline, considering appropriate factors relating to a nexus between any change in the incidence of asthma and the actual introduction of MTBE into California gasoline.
- Identification and quantification of all of the combustion byproducts of MTBE in California's reformulated oxygenated fuel and the type of analytical methods used and their sensitivity.
- An evaluation of the scientific peer-reviewed research and literature on the human health and environmental effects of MTBE, as well as any original research necessary to provide the information specified in paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive.
- A focused assessment of the subjects provided for in paragraphs (1), (3), (4), (5), and (8) for the Lake Tahoe Basin.
- In addition to the 11 areas specified above, the UC TSR&TP specifically wishes to solicit additional proposals that address integration of the scientific information obtained by investigators funded by this program, and that will develop a set of policy options for the legislature, based insofar as possible on sound scientific principles and cost-benefit analysis. It is envisioned that interim and final reports for each project will be available for analysis at the specified deadline dates by the grantee(s) in this area
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