Early Career: Measurement and Monitoring Methods for Air Toxics and Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Atmosphere | EPA G2021 STAR C2

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2021 STAR C2

This EPA funding opportunity, offered through the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, supports research that improves how air toxics and contaminants of emerging concern are measured and monitored in the atmosphere. The focus is strongly methodological: the agency is looking for projects that push the state of the science in detecting and quantifying problematic air pollutants, especially in ways that are useful for real-world monitoring, exposure assessment, and emissions characterization. Awards are made as grants or cooperative agreements under CFDA 66.509, and the opportunity is framed as a discretionary environmental research competition.

The solicitation lays out two main technical priorities. First, EPA wants advances in measurement techniques that enable real-time, continuous monitoring of pollutant concentrations. A key performance expectation is sensitivity: proposed approaches should be capable of achieving minimum detection limits that are below typical background concentrations or below health risk-based thresholds, which signals an interest in tools that can detect subtle concentration changes relevant to human health and community exposure. This emphasis points toward innovations in sensors, instrumentation, sampling strategies, calibration/validation methods, and data processing techniques that can support continuous monitoring without sacrificing accuracy at very low levels.

Second, the RFA prioritizes near-source monitoring methods that can quantify emission rates from fugitive emissions, using either stationary setups or mobile platforms. “Fugitive emissions” generally refers to releases that are not captured by a stack or vent, such as leaks, evaporative losses, or intermittent releases from industrial facilities and other sources. EPA is therefore encouraging research that improves the ability to measure emissions close to where they originate and to translate concentration observations into emission-rate estimates. This could include better mobile monitoring strategies, improved plume characterization methods, refined inverse modeling techniques, or integrated measurement and analytics approaches that make emission quantification more reliable and defensible.

A notable administrative feature of the solicitation is that it allows projects that may involve human subjects research, but it also makes clear that such work is tightly regulated under EPA’s human subjects protections at 40 CFR Part 26. The announcement highlights that EPA follows the Common Rule (Subpart A) and includes additional protections and prohibitions for research involving pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children (Subparts B, C, and D). In particular, any research that meets the definition of intentional exposure research is prohibited for pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Observational research involving pregnant women/fetuses or children is not automatically prohibited, but it triggers additional protections and review requirements. Regardless of whether an applicant believes their work involves human subjects, every application must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS). If the proposed project does involve human subjects research, it will undergo an added level of review before EPA makes final funding decisions. The notice also points applicants to EPA guidance and training resources related to human subjects requirements.

This competition also includes an early career component, designed specifically to fund smaller-scope, smaller-budget projects led by early career principal investigators. The program’s intent is not simply to have an early career PI listed on the application, but for early career investigators to carry out most of the research and receive a significant share of the project resources. The detailed eligibility rules for what qualifies as “early career” are referenced as being in Section III of the full Request for Applications, meaning applicants need to verify their status and structure the project team, roles, and budget to align with that expectation.

From the funding details provided, the opportunity number is EPA G2021 STAR C2. The award ceiling is $400,000, and EPA anticipated making about two awards. The original closing date listed is June 2, 2021, with a note that applicants should consult the full announcement for any additional deadline information. Eligibility is described broadly as “Others,” with clarification expected in the full eligibility section of the RFA, so prospective applicants would need to confirm whether their institution type and project team meet EPA’s specific eligibility conditions.

Overall, the grant is aimed at early career researchers who can deliver practical, high-sensitivity air monitoring advances, especially those enabling continuous measurements and credible near-source emission-rate quantification for fugitive emissions. The underlying theme is actionable measurement science: tools and methods that can detect very low concentrations in real time and methods that can better attribute and quantify emissions close to sources, all while meeting EPA’s administrative and, where applicable, strict human-subjects compliance requirements.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Career: Measurement and Monitoring Methods for Air Toxics and Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Atmosphere" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.509.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 26, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 02, 2021 See Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for additional close date information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for EPA G2021 STAR C2

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