Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G26AS00114

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement to support applied research in coastal wetlands of the Barataria Basin in Louisiana. The work focuses on measuring and interpreting tidal creek water chemistry in both fresh and salt marsh settings and using those results to support a decision support tool for evaluating wetland recovery.

2. What is the main purpose of the project?

The core purpose is to characterize tidal creek water chemistry and use those findings to improve a decision support tool that helps restoration planners and trustees evaluate whether wetlands are recovering as intended, where recovery may be lagging, and what key information gaps still limit confident decision-making.

3. Where will the work take place?

The work is focused on coastal wetlands in the Barataria Basin in Louisiana.

4. What types of wetlands are included?

The project specifically includes both fresh marsh and salt marsh settings, using tidal creek water chemistry to understand conditions and recovery across these wetland types.

5. What is meant by "tidal creek water chemistry" in this context?

In this opportunity, tidal creek water chemistry refers to measuring chemical characteristics of water in tidal creeks that connect marsh interiors with adjacent estuarine and coastal waters. These creeks transport carbon, nutrients, and other constituents into and out of wetlands, so their chemistry can help indicate how wetland biogeochemical functioning is changing over time and with restoration.

6. Why are tidal creeks an important focus area for wetland recovery?

Tidal creeks act as the connective tissue between marsh interiors and nearby estuarine and coastal waters. Because they move carbon, nutrients, and other constituents, monitoring creek chemistry helps link landscape-scale restoration actions to measurable changes in wetland biogeochemical function and resilience.

7. How is this related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

The project is framed around understanding how wetlands were affected by oil spill impacts, especially from the Deepwater Horizon event, and how those wetlands are responding to restoration actions implemented afterward. The opportunity is explicitly tied to the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and restoration process.

8. What is the connection to the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process?

The work supports the trustee-driven NRDA and restoration process by generating field data and analyses that help assess injury and recovery, evaluate restoration outcomes, and support science-based restoration planning and accountability.

9. Under what legal authority is this work being carried out?

The opportunity is carried out under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and also references other authorities that support environmental restoration science and accountability, including the RESTORE Act, NRDA authority, CERCLA, and the Clean Water Act.

10. Why are multiple federal authorities mentioned in the opportunity description?

They help explain why the project is not purely exploratory research. The cited authorities collectively reinforce that the work is tied to mandated restoration responsibilities, science-based decision-making, and long-term monitoring and recovery needs following spill-related injuries and other environmental impacts.

11. What restoration planning framework does the opportunity reference?

The notice references the Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS), as well as the Trustee Council Standard Operating Procedures. These guide how restoration funds are spent and how restoration outcomes are planned, tracked, and justified.

12. How does this fit into Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG) objectives?

Within the broader restoration program, the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG) has identified objectives focused on sustaining ecosystem condition and resilience at coastwide, basin, and subbasin scales. The opportunity emphasizes coordinating benefits across restoration types rather than treating projects as isolated actions.

13. What is the emphasis on carbon and why does it matter?

A key scientific emphasis is improving the ability to quantify wetland net ecosystem carbon balance across pre-spill and post-spill timeframes and across basin or subbasin spatial scales, including carbon export to nearshore Gulf waters. Tidal creek water-chemistry measurements help support this goal because carbon and related constituents move through these creek networks.

14. What is meant by "net ecosystem carbon balance" in the opportunity description?

Based on the description, it refers to quantifying wetland carbon dynamics over time (including pre-spill and post-spill periods) and across spatial scales, and accounting for pathways such as carbon export from wetlands through tidal creeks to nearshore Gulf waters.

15. What kinds of outputs are expected from the project?

The opportunity describes producing field data and analyses that can be used by restoration planners and trustees to judge wetland recovery, identify areas where recovery is lagging, and clarify remaining information gaps that limit decision-making. It also emphasizes supporting a decision support tool used to evaluate wetland recovery.

16. Is this opportunity intended to support basic research or applied work?

It is described as applied research that directly supports restoration accountability and evaluation, including decision support for assessing wetland recovery following oil spill impacts and subsequent restoration actions.

17. What type of award is being offered?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement.

18. What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

In this opportunity, a cooperative agreement means USGS expects to have substantial involvement during the project rather than simply issuing a pass-through grant.

19. How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates one award and is intended for a single recipient.

20. What is the maximum award amount?

The expected maximum (award ceiling) is $400,000.

21. Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are already participating partners of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).

22. Why is eligibility limited to Gulf Coast CESU partners?

The opportunity states that eligibility is restricted to Gulf Coast CESU participating partners, reflecting the CESU program model of building research and technical capacity through established federal-academic and federal-nonprofit partnerships.

23. What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is G26AS00114.

24. What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808.

25. What is the application deadline?

The listed application deadline is June 12, 2026.

26. How does this work support restoration decision-making?

The project is intended to produce measurements and analyses that connect restoration actions to measurable changes in wetland biogeochemical function. This helps trustees and restoration planners evaluate whether wetlands are recovering and functioning as resilient ecosystems, not just persisting as mapped habitat.

27. What larger funding and governance context does this opportunity fit within?

The work aligns with the Deepwater Horizon settlement framework and trustee governance used to restore injured natural resources and ecosystem services. It is guided by planning and oversight documents like the PDARP/PEIS and Trustee Council Standard Operating Procedures, which shape how restoration funds are allocated and how outcomes are justified and tracked.