FY 2010 DOE Office of Science Appropriations Bill

House and Senate conferees have completed work on the final FY 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The House passed this $33.5 billion legislation today; the Senate may vote next week. At this point in the process, only an up-or-down vote is permitted, so H.R. 3183’s provisions are final. President Obama is expected to sign this legislation.

Today is the start of FY 2010, and only one of twelve appropriations bills has been passed. This bill contains a provision that will continue funding at current rates for another month while additional appropriations bills are passed.

Total funding for the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill increased by less than 1 percent, or $200 million, over last year’s funding. Funding for the Department of Energy increased by $318 million to $27.1 billion.

The bill provides funding the Office of Science. In commenting on science funding, a document from both appropriations committees states: “This [FY 2010] funding, in addition to the $4.8 billion appropriated in fiscal year 2009 and $1.6 billion in the Recovery Act, exceeds the goals in the America COMPETES Act.”Funding is provided as follows:

Office of Science:

The current budget is $4,757.6 million.
The Administration requested $4,941.7 million, an increase of 3.9 percent or $184.1 million.

The final bill provides $4,903.7 million, an increase of 3.1 percent or $146.1 million over last year’s budget.

High Energy Physics:

The current budget is $795.8 million.
The Administration requested $819.0 million, an increase of 2.9 percent or $23.3 million.

The final bill provides $810.5 million, an increase of 1.9 percent or $14.7 million over last year’s budget

The report states:

“Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $434,471,000 for Proton Accelerator-Based Physics.”

Nuclear Physics:

The current budget is $512.1 million.
The Administration requested $552.0 million, an increase of 7.8 percent or $39.9 million.

The final bill provides $535.0 million, an increase of 4.5 percent or $22.9 million over last year’s budget

The committee report stated:

“Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $12,000,000 for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, and $20,000,000 for the 12 GeV upgrade of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility at the Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory. The conference agreement includes funding for nuclear medicine application research in Biological and Environmental Research.

“The conference agreement includes not less than $19,200,000 for Isotope Development and Production for Research and Applications, University Operations. The conferees have concerns regarding the state of isotope production in the United States for medical and industrial applications. The conferees support the House and Senate language regarding cost-effectively improving the supply of these isotopes, including through utilizing existing sources and upgrading existing research reactors or accelerators.”

Biological and Environmental Research:

The current budget is $601.5 million.
The Administration requested $604.2 million, an increase of 0.4 percent or $2.6 million.

The final bill provides $604.2 million, an increase of 0.5 percent or $2.7 million over last year’s budget

The committee report stated:

“Within these funds, the conferees direct the Department to provide $17,500,000 for nuclear medicine application research.”

Basic Energy Sciences:

The current budget is $1,572.0 million.
The Administration requested $1,685.5 million, an increase of 7.2 percent or $113.5 million.

The final bill provides $1,636.5 million, an increase of 4.1 percent or $64.5 million over last year’s budget

The committee report stated:

“Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $22,000,000 for EPSCOR, and directs the limit of one Implementation Grant per EPSCOR state be removed and the cap on the maximum allowable award be increased to $2,500,000. The conference agreement provides no funds for an Energy Innovation Hub within the Office of Science. Further, the conferees include funding as requested for the Spallation Neutron Source and the High Flux Isotope Reactor.”

Fusion Energy Sciences:

The current budget is $402.6 million.
The Administration requested $421.0 million, an increase of 4.6 percent or $18.5 million.

The final bill provides $426.0 million, an increase of 5.8 percent or $23.4 million over last year’s budget

The committee report stated:

“The House proposed $20,000,000 for the laser fusion program at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). It also directed the Department of Energy to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the potential of the KrF laser for commercial fusion. The Senate provided no comparable direction. The conference agreement includes no explicit funding for NRL and supports the House reporting requirement. This report is due not later than 60 days following enactment of this Act. The conferees encourage the Secretary to explore all possible opportunities to ensure that this program, which offers unique potential for long-term energy independence, is not abandoned for lack of a bureaucratic home.”

Advanced Scientific Computing:

The current budget is $368.8 million.
The Administration requested $409.0 million, an increase of 10.9 percent or $40.2 million.

The final bill provides $394.0 million, an increase of 6.8 percent or $25.2 million over last year’s budget

The was no committee report language.

Science Workforce Development:

The current budget is $13.6 million.
The Administration requested $20.7 million, an increase of 52.2 percent or $7.1 million.

The final bill provides $20.7 million, an increase of 52.2 percent or $7.1 million over last year’s budget

The was no committee report language.

ARPA-E:

The Administration requested $10.0 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy, the first budget request for ARPA-E.

The Senate and House appropriations bills provided no funding, without comment. There was no mention of ARPA-E in the final report.

Energy Innovation Hubs:

Also, DOE requested $280.0 million for eight Energy Innovation Hubs in various program areas. Most hubs were not funded. There was language in other sections of the conference report providing funding for three hubs at $22 million each:

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