Monitoring Potential Cadmium Levels in Avian Tissues Associated with the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) | W81EWF 24 SOI 0022

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0022

The grant opportunity "Monitoring Potential Cadmium Levels in Avian Tissues Associated with the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP)" is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) cooperative agreement focused on tracking whether dredged-material disposal associated with the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project could be exposing birds to cadmium and other metals. The work is centered in the Savannah Harbor Dredged Material Containment Areas (DMCAs) in Jasper County, South Carolina. Earlier phases of the monitoring program established pre-construction baseline conditions by collecting and analyzing bird blood and tissue samples across several DMCAs (12A, 13A, 13B, 14A, and 14B). After construction began, and continuing into the post-construction period, monitoring has mainly targeted DMCA 14A because it received cadmium-laden sediments. The program also allows sampling in nearby DMCAs 13B and 14B when access or construction activity prevents work in 14A or when bird numbers are too low there to meet sampling needs.

The main purpose of the award is to carry out structured, multi-year biological monitoring that can detect potential short-term or long-term effects of the project on birds that use these disposal areas and surrounding marsh and river habitats. The DMCAs include a mix of upland and aquatic environments bordered by salt marsh and riverine systems, which makes them attractive to many bird species for feeding, foraging, and nesting. Because dredged sediment placement can create a contaminant exposure pathway, the monitoring results are intended to support science-based management decisions and document whether SHEP-related activities are influencing contaminant levels in avian tissues, including for species that receive public attention and conservation concern (examples noted include bald eagles, least terns, and wood storks).

The required work is organized around three core objectives. Objective 1 covers field sampling: the recipient must conduct post-construction fieldwork to collect avian blood and tissue samples from USACE-approved DMCAs during the period after construction, during the placement of the cap/cover over dredged material, and potentially for up to three years after cap placement is completed. Depending on the species and permitting requirements, samples may be obtained through live capture and release or through lethal collection when allowed by permit. The set of "target species" has changed over time due to practical constraints like low abundance or trapping difficulty, and the opportunity makes clear that the most current target list and field methods are documented in recent SHEP progress and annual reports posted on the project website (http://www.shep.uga.edu/). Any future changes to the target species list require USACE approval, emphasizing that the monitoring design is controlled and must remain consistent with agency expectations.

Objective 2 covers lab work and data generation: collected biological materials (blood and tissues) must be chemically analyzed for cadmium, with additional testing for a broader suite of metals including arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc. This reflects an interest in understanding cadmium exposure in context and in identifying whether other metals may co-occur in ways that could complicate interpretation or indicate broader sediment-related exposure issues.

Objective 3 focuses on reporting and communication. The awardee must prepare quarterly progress reports and comprehensive annual reports aligned to the federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). These reports must document methods, any software used (if applicable), and the analyses performed across the reporting period. Beyond written products, the recipient should be prepared to present findings to natural resource agencies and/or the public when requested. Attendance at the annual SHEP stakeholder meeting is mandatory, and the awardee must present monitoring results from the previous year at that meeting, reinforcing that this is an ongoing, transparent monitoring effort with direct stakeholder engagement.

From a public-benefit standpoint, the opportunity highlights that these DMCAs are used not only by wildlife but also by birding and conservation groups, including tour groups associated with the National Audubon and Georgia Ornithological Societies. The monitoring program is paired with a public-facing web portal that is already active and frequently visited, intended to increase public awareness of monitoring outcomes and related management actions tied to the physical, chemical, and biological impacts of SHEP. In practice, this means the project is not just a technical exercise; it is expected to produce understandable, defensible information that can be shared with agencies and the public to demonstrate accountability and environmental stewardship around harbor expansion and sediment management.

Administratively, this is a discretionary opportunity from the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630, within the science and technology / research and development category. The funding opportunity number is W81EWF 24 SOI 0022, with an anticipated single award (ExpectedAwards: 1) and an award ceiling of $105,400. The original closing date listed is 2024-06-18, and the opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU), meaning only eligible CESU non-federal partners may apply and receive an award under this solicitation.

• The Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Monitoring Potential Cadmium Levels in Avian Tissues Associated with the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-18. (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 $105,400.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W81EWF 24 SOI 0022

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