Opportunity Information: Apply for M22AS00274
AT-22-08: Sediment-borne Wave Disturbances and Propagation and Potential Effects on Benthic Fauna is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) research grant action focused on understanding how vibrations generated by offshore wind activities move through the seabed and what those vibrations might do to bottom-dwelling marine life. The central idea is that installation and operation of offshore wind projects, especially pile driving, can create substrate-borne disturbances (often described as vibroacoustic energy or particle motion) that travel through sediments. While underwater noise in the water column has been studied extensively, the sediment-coupled component that benthic organisms actually experience in or on the seabed has received far less direct research attention. This project is meant to fill that gap by characterizing the physical properties of these sediment-borne waves, how they propagate under different conditions, and how those exposures could translate into biological effects for benthic fauna.
The work is framed as both a measurement and prediction effort. On the physics side, the study aims to describe the nature of the waves produced by offshore wind construction and operations when energy couples into the seabed, including how wave intensity, frequency content, and attenuation change with distance and sediment type. Understanding propagation through different substrates matters because sandy, silty, or mixed sediments can transmit and damp vibrations differently, which in turn affects what an organism experiences at a given distance from an activity like pile driving. On the biology and impact side, the project is intended to use the physical findings to predict potential effects on benthic fauna, recognizing that many benthic organisms are sensitive to particle motion, vibration, and pressure changes within their habitat. The opportunity highlights that pile-driving particle motion has long been recognized as a potentially important stressor for benthic organisms, but that the specific sediment-borne mechanisms and exposure pathways remain understudied, referencing foundational work by Popper and Hawkins and others to situate the research need.
Although the immediate motivation is offshore wind farm construction (particularly pile driving), BOEM emphasizes that the results are expected to be broadly useful for other seabed-coupled marine engineering activities. Examples explicitly noted include subsea drilling and dredging, removal of offshore structures (decommissioning), and underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonation. In other words, the methods and findings are intended to inform environmental assessments and mitigation approaches across multiple types of activities that introduce vibration into the seafloor, not just wind energy development.
Administratively, this opportunity is not a typical competitive grant solicitation. It is a discretionary funding action using a Cooperative Agreement, with an identified single-source intent to work with the University of Rhode Island. BOEM states directly that it is not open for outside proposals; the announcement functions as a public notice of intent to undertake the specific project described. The funding opportunity number is M22AS00274, the activity category is Environment under CFDA 15.423, and the stated award ceiling is $500,000. The original closing date listed is May 23, 2022, and the notice was created April 21, 2022.
Finally, BOEM notes standard expectations for research leadership and collaboration. Research projects require a staff member of the applying organization to serve as the Principal Investigator, consistent with how Cooperative Agreements are typically managed. Even though the award is intended as a single-source agreement, the announcement also encourages cooperative research arrangements with other interested organizations such as state agencies, public universities, and nonprofits in affected states, suggesting BOEM sees value in bringing in regional expertise, data-sharing, and complementary capabilities where feasible.Apply for M22AS00274
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AT-22-08: Sediment-borne Wave Disturbances and Propagation and Potential Effects on Benthic Fauna" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-04-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-23. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the AT-22-08 grant opportunity about?
AT-22-08, titled "Sediment-borne Wave Disturbances and Propagation and Potential Effects on Benthic Fauna," is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) research funding action focused on how vibrations from offshore wind activities move through seabed sediments and what those vibrations may do to bottom-dwelling marine life (benthic fauna).
Which agency is offering this funding action?
The opportunity is issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
What problem or research gap is BOEM trying to address?
BOEM is targeting a gap in direct research on sediment-coupled disturbance (often described as vibroacoustic energy or particle motion) that travels through the seafloor. While underwater noise in the water column has been studied extensively, BOEM notes that the seabed-coupled component that benthic organisms experience in or on sediments has received far less direct research attention.
What kinds of offshore wind activities are most relevant to this study?
Offshore wind installation and operations are relevant, with pile driving highlighted as a key source of substrate-borne disturbances. The opportunity specifically notes pile-driving particle motion as a potentially important stressor for benthic organisms.
What are "sediment-borne waves" or "substrate-borne disturbances" in this context?
In this announcement, sediment-borne waves refer to vibrations generated by offshore activities (especially pile driving) that couple into the seabed and propagate through sediments. They are commonly discussed as vibroacoustic energy or particle motion traveling within the substrate rather than through the water column.
What is the overall goal of the project?
The overall goal is to characterize the physical properties of sediment-borne waves produced by offshore wind activities, understand how those waves propagate under different conditions, and use that information to predict potential biological effects on benthic fauna.
Is the work focused on measurement, prediction, or both?
Both. BOEM frames the work as a combined measurement and prediction effort: describing the nature of the seabed-coupled waves and then using those physical findings to predict how exposures could translate into effects on benthic organisms.
What physical characteristics of seabed-coupled waves does the study aim to describe?
The announcement describes interest in wave intensity, frequency content, and attenuation with distance, as well as how these properties vary by sediment type and other conditions affecting propagation.
Why does sediment type matter for this research?
BOEM notes that different substrates (for example sandy, silty, or mixed sediments) can transmit and damp vibrations differently. That matters because it affects the exposure an organism experiences at a given distance from an activity like pile driving.
What does "propagation" mean in this project?
Propagation refers to how the sediment-borne waves travel through seabed sediments, including how their intensity and frequency characteristics change with distance and how they are attenuated (reduced) by different sediment types.
What are the biological endpoints or concerns mentioned?
The biological focus is on potential effects on benthic fauna. The opportunity notes that many benthic organisms can be sensitive to particle motion, vibration, and pressure changes within their habitat, and the project is intended to connect physical exposure information to predictions of possible effects.
Which organisms are included under "benthic fauna" for this project?
The announcement uses the general term "benthic fauna" and describes them as bottom-dwelling marine life living in or on the seabed, without listing specific species.
Does this opportunity focus only on offshore wind?
No. While offshore wind construction (especially pile driving) is the immediate motivation, BOEM states the results are expected to be broadly useful for other seabed-coupled marine engineering activities as well.
What other activities does BOEM explicitly say could benefit from the results?
The opportunity explicitly notes subsea drilling and dredging, removal of offshore structures (decommissioning), and underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonation as examples of activities that could benefit from the methods and findings.
How is this funding action structured (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
BOEM describes this as a discretionary funding action using a Cooperative Agreement.
Is this a competitive opportunity open to outside proposals?
No. BOEM states directly that it is not open for outside proposals. It is presented as a public notice of intent for a single-source award.
Who is the identified recipient for the single-source intent?
BOEM identifies the University of Rhode Island as the intended single-source partner for this Cooperative Agreement.
Why does the announcement exist if proposals are not being accepted?
Based on the text provided, the announcement functions as a public notice of BOEM's intent to undertake the specific project described via a single-source Cooperative Agreement, rather than as an open call for applications.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is M22AS00274.
What is the activity category and CFDA listing mentioned?
The activity category is Environment, and the CFDA listing provided is 15.423.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The stated award ceiling is $500,000.
What are the key dates listed in the announcement?
The notice was created on April 21, 2022, and the original closing date listed is May 23, 2022.
What does BOEM say about project leadership roles like Principal Investigator (PI)?
BOEM notes standard expectations for research leadership under Cooperative Agreements, including that research projects require a staff member of the applying organization to serve as the Principal Investigator (PI).
Does BOEM encourage collaboration even though it is single-source?
Yes. The announcement encourages cooperative research arrangements with other interested organizations, such as state agencies, public universities, and nonprofits in affected states, indicating BOEM sees value in regional expertise, data-sharing, and complementary capabilities where feasible.
What kinds of partners are specifically mentioned as potential collaborators?
The opportunity mentions state agencies, public universities, and nonprofits in affected states as examples of organizations that may participate through cooperative research arrangements.
How will the results be used, according to BOEM?
BOEM indicates that the methods and findings are intended to inform environmental assessments and mitigation approaches across multiple types of activities that introduce vibration into the seafloor.
Does the announcement reference prior scientific work to justify the need?
Yes. The opportunity references foundational work by Popper and Hawkins and others in the context of pile-driving particle motion being recognized as a potentially important stressor, while noting that sediment-borne mechanisms and exposure pathways remain understudied.
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