Dear Colleagues, NOAA's Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research would like to alert the appropriate research and management communities to the release of our announcement of opportunities for Fiscal Year 2008 under its new Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP). The fact sheet included below, summarizes the program elements emphasized under this opportunity. We would also appreciate if you could forward this message to other appropriate individuals that might have an interest in the REPP request for proposals.
If you have any questions pertaining the announcement or the particular program elements, do not hesitate to contact the appropriate Program Officers listed in the fact sheet below. ------------------------- *FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES* *Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program (REPP) 2008* NOAA's Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR) announces its Fiscal Year 2008 solicitation for proposals to support regional ecosystem approaches to managing (1) invasive species in the Great Lakes (2) shoreline habitat alterations in the Mid-Atlantic, and (3) the downstream effects of the Florida Everglades Restoration. Partnerships between coastal/resource managers and scientists are required for these proposals. *Summary Description:* CSCOR provides a focal point for regional ecosystem-scale competitive coastal ocean research in NOAA's National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Together with external partners, those within NOAA and other organizations responsible for coastal resources, CSCOR advances the scientific understanding needed to protect coastal resources and ensure their viability for future generations. By targeting critical regional ecosystem issues of the Great Lakes and coastal ocean, and promoting interactive and predictive approaches, CSCOR aims to provide scientific knowledge that directly benefits management of U.S. coastal resources and helps NOAA, other federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments achieve their coastal stewardship responsibilities. The intent of the Regional Ecosystem Prediction Program is to consider a limited number of regions and issues each year but, through annual announcements and multi-year awards, maintain a portfolio of regional research with a high degree of diversity, both geographically and of issues addressed. In some cases there may also be announcements for issues that span multiple regions. This announcement solicits regional ecosystem proposals from the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and South Florida, briefly described below. See the full announcement for complete detail of the individual program elements. *Program Elements:* *1) "Invasive Species in the Great Lakes - A Regional Scale Approach." * In contrast to the more typical targeted studies that focus on individual species and specific management and mitigation tools, this solicitation requests proposals that will develop scientific capabilities and tools (models or forecasts) that address the interactions between invasive species and regional ecosystem-based management, including interconnections between the Great Lakes. This could include but is not limited to items from the Ecosystem Response and Impacts, Prevention, Control and Management and Economics recommendations of the Great Lakes Commission <http://www.glc.org/ans/pdf/researchpriorities2005.pdf>. *2) "Cumulative Impacts of Stressors at the Land-Water Interface in the Mid-Atlantic."* (/For the purposes of this announcement, the Mid-Atlantic is defined as the region from Delaware Bay to southern border of Virginia/.) Proposals are solicited for regional-scale ecosystem research programs in the Mid-Atlantic investigating the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors (as described in the announcement) at the land-water interface of estuaries and bays on recreationally, economically or ecologically important living resource populations and communities, including the identification of thresholds that place these population and communities at risk. Proposals must, therefore, address this issue on a regional scale that includes a significant portion of the range of target populations and communities within mid-Atlantic estuaries and/or coastal bays, and be interdisciplinary, comprehensive, integrated, and multiple-investigator to develop forecasts and predictions that will support innovative regional ecosystem approaches to managing these critical habitats and their stressors. *3) "Ecosystem Goal-Setting in Coastal Waters and Reefs of South Florida."* Proposals are solicited to develop, undertake and conclude a consensus-building process that results in scientifically-based quantifiable goals for aquatic resources and habitats of the Florida Bay and Keys that are of concern to or fall within the legal mandates of management agencies at the federal, state and local level. This is the next phase of CSCOR's longstanding South Florida Program to understand and eventually provide predictive tools to manage the downstream impacts of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Proposals must demonstrate that products of this research are likely to be adopted and implemented by relevant management agencies. *Closing Dates and Time for Applications:* Applications are due no later than 3:00 PM (EST) on October 01, 2007 (for Great Lakes), October 15, 2007 (for Mid-Atlantic), and October 29, 2007 (for South Florida). *For More Information:* Detailed information on this Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement can be found in the Grants.gov <http://www.grants.gov/> website as part of the NOAA FY 2008 Omnibus Federal Register Notice. You can search for the FFO in Grants.gov using the "basic search" feature and searching for CFDA number 11.478 in the appropriate search box. The FFO may also be accessed via the CSCOR website <http://www.cop.noaa.gov/> under "Funding Opportunities." You can also obtain information by contacting the appropriate Federal Program Officers as follows: Great Lakes ([EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 301-713-3338 x153), Mid-Atlantic ([EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 603-862-4680), and South Florida ([EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 301-713-3338 x160). -- <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Felix A. Martinez, Ph.D. NOAA/NOS/NCCOS Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research N/SCI2, SSMC4 Rm. 8326 ph: 301-713-3338 x153 1305 East-West Hwy. fax: 301-713-4044 Silver Spring, MD 20910 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note: The content of this message does not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or of NOAA unless otherwise specified. The information therein is only for the use of the individuals or entities for which it was intended even if addressed incorrectly. If not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, disseminate, or distribute the message or its content unless otherwise authorized. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< -- <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Felix A. Martinez, Ph.D. NOAA/NOS/NCCOS Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research N/SCI2, SSMC4 Rm. 8326 ph: 301-713-3338 x153 1305 East-West Hwy. fax: 301-713-4044 Silver Spring, MD 20910 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note: The content of this message does not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or of NOAA unless otherwise specified. The information therein is only for the use of the individuals or entities for which it was intended even if addressed incorrectly. If not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, disseminate, or distribute the message or its content unless otherwise authorized. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< -- <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Felix A. Martinez, Ph.D. NOAA/NOS/NCCOS Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research N/SCI2, SSMC4 Rm. 8326 ph: 301-713-3338 x153 1305 East-West Hwy. fax: 301-713-4044 Silver Spring, MD 20910 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note: The content of this message does not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or of NOAA unless otherwise specified. The information therein is only for the use of the individuals or entities for which it was intended even if addressed incorrectly. If not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, disseminate, or distribute the message or its content unless otherwise authorized. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
