Assessing Perchlorate Occurrence in Ambient Waters Following the Usage of Fireworks | EPA G2022 STAR I1

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2022 STAR I1

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant opportunity titled "Assessing Perchlorate Occurrence in Ambient Waters Following the Usage of Fireworks" focuses on improving the scientific understanding of how perchlorate shows up and behaves in surface water and groundwater sources, especially in connection with fireworks events that occur near drinking water supplies. The central public health and environmental driver behind the project is straightforward: clean and safe drinking water depends not only on treating water, but also on understanding and preventing contamination at or near the source. Perchlorate is a contaminant with multiple potential origins, but it is commonly associated with higher concentrations where it is used as an oxidizer in products such as rocket propellants, explosives, road flares, and fireworks. Because fireworks are frequently discharged near lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and other water bodies that can feed drinking water systems, they can introduce perchlorate into waters that may ultimately be used for human consumption.

A key point of the opportunity is that earlier studies have already shown that fireworks can contribute to perchlorate contamination, but important gaps remain. Specifically, the EPA is highlighting uncertainty around the magnitude (how much perchlorate is introduced), the extent (how far contamination spreads and how broadly it affects nearby waters), and the before-and-after profile of perchlorate concentrations surrounding fireworks displays near drinking water sources. In practical terms, this implies the EPA wants research that can more clearly capture baseline conditions prior to fireworks events, measure changes immediately afterward, and track how concentrations evolve over time and space. The aim is not just to confirm that perchlorate can be detected after fireworks, but to characterize real-world patterns of occurrence in ambient waters and to understand the factors that drive those patterns, such as site conditions, hydrology, timing, and possibly the scale and frequency of fireworks use.

The intended outcome is decision-relevant science that states, drinking water utilities, and other water managers can use. By clarifying how perchlorate behaves after fireworks events, the research is expected to help these entities judge whether management options are warranted and what those options might look like. "Management options" in this context can include a range of actions, from targeted monitoring strategies and risk communication to operational changes at utilities or local policies about where and how fireworks are used near sensitive water sources. The grant emphasizes building an evidence base and a practical framework that translates scientific findings into guidance useful for real-world water protection and drinking water source management.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary EPA grant under Funding Opportunity Number "EPA G2022 STAR I1" and is tied to CFDA Number 66.509, which aligns with EPA research and development assistance programs. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is listed as $2,500,000, with the EPA expecting to make a single award. In other words, it appears structured as one relatively large research project rather than several smaller awards. The opportunity was created on July 29, 2022, with an original closing date of September 14, 2022. Eligibility is indicated as "Others" with a note to consult the additional eligibility information in the full announcement, signaling that the applicant pool may extend beyond only state or local governments and could include universities, nonprofits, research institutions, or other qualified entities depending on the detailed eligibility language in the full solicitation.

Overall, the opportunity is designed to fund a focused research effort that fills a specific knowledge gap: understanding perchlorate occurrence and dynamics in ambient surface and groundwater following fireworks usage near drinking water sources. The EPA is positioning this work as a bridge between observed contamination potential and actionable water management, so that public agencies and utilities can better assess risk and decide if, when, and how to respond.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessing Perchlorate Occurrence in Ambient Waters Following the Usage of Fireworks" 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 Jul 29, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2022. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for EPA G2022 STAR I1

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