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Stage 2. Pilot Testing: Plant Down -Select. During Stage 2, the LEAPSTM pilot will be 'seeded' with aquatic plants, operated and monitored for eight weeks. The updated configuration of the pilot system is presented in Figure Al and a detailed schematic of the LEAPSTM process modules are presented in the Proposal (page 29). The pilot will consists of one LEAPSTM treatment system with a floating aquatic plant module, (containing Water Lettuce), a downstream PEARO module and a final emergent plant module. An in-depth discussion of each treatment module is found in the Proposal. The main goal of Stage 2 is to evaluate the LEAPSTm and PEARO system and experi- mentally identify the most efficient aquatic plant combinations/strategy. As described in the Proposal, the floating aquatic plant species selected for testing was based on our survey of the available/abundant species in the NRC; since Water Lettuce is the domi- nant floating aquatic plant species it was selected as the test plant. The emergent aquatic species to be tested in Stage 2 will be finalized in consultation with Steve Bee- man of BEEMATS, LLC (consultation is free), once Stage 1 water quality is available. Since our current data indicates a low level of suspended solids in the NRC, the float- ing aquatic plant modules are configured to also function as settling units. To measure the impacts of the settled material on floating aquatic plant health and nutrient uptake dynamics, the LEAPSTM test system will use two, serial tanks (725 gallons each) for cultivation of the Water Lettuce. The hydraulic detention time of these tanks, coupled with our current Imhoff Cone settling data, suggests the first tank will capture the vast majority, if not all, of the settleable solids. Therefore, we will be able to assess the spe- cific impacts of solids on plant health and productivity in Water Lettuce and the fate and impacts of solids on the PEARO unit. The water quality and plant tissue data in Stage 2 is critical to gauging the perfor- mance of the two treatment systems and the relative contributions of specific plants/ modules in the LEAPSTM. Our testing strategy is designed to generate comparative da- ta between the parallel treatment systems, as well as between the individual modules of the LEAPSTM (see Proposal, page 29 for sampling points). The data from Stage 2 will allow us to identify and select the most effective emergent aquatic plants for Stage 3 pilot testing. Our primary selection criteria will be based on plant heath, growth, tissue composition and bioassimilation efficiency; other factors could impact plant selection, including crop management considerations (eg., harvest- ing logistics). Biomass harvested from Stage 2 operations will be transported to VEN's farm and windrow composted. Key deliverables for this stage (see Table 1) include written confirmation of pilot start- up and a formal report at the end of the stage on species, water chemistry and treat- ment performance. In addition, the Stage 2 report will detail the rationale for the spe- cies `down -select' and the configuration for the Stage 3 pilot. 6 269