FY 1998 Department of Energy Budget

Request Stressing the dual themes of “fiscal discipline” and science as an investment for future generations, Acting Department of Energy Secretary Charles B. Curtis described, on February 6, DOE’s FY 1998 budget request, up 2.6% from the current year. There are four major components of the $16.6 billion “core budget” request:
Environmental Quality - $6.3 billion or 38% of the request
National Security - $5.6 billion or 34%
Science and Technology - $2.5 billion or 15%
Energy Resources - $1.9 billion or 12%

DOE categories around 39% of its core budget request as R&D, an increase of 4% or $200 million over current spending. It claims to be the top supporter of the physical sciences in the federal government.

The department is also requesting $1.6 billion in up-front funding for major new construction, and $1 billion for the privatization of environmental clean-up.

Office of Energy Research Administrator Martha Krebs described the OER request as “fundamentally a good news budget” which would provide a sustained level of effort and increases in selected programs. OER’s request is up about $32 million, or 1%, over the current year (without up-front facilities funding) to $2,485.3 million. Within this budget, total funding for Basic Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, and Computational & Technology Research would increase; Nuclear Physics and Multiprogram Energy Labs -- Facilities Support would stay even; and Fusion Energy Science and Biological & Environmental Research would decline. Outward appearances seem to indicate that the OER request is considerably improved over projections made last year.

A handout identifies OER’s five major “FY 1998 Budget Priorities":
International Leadership in Neutron Science
National Spallation Neutron Source (NSNS)
Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center (LANSCE)
Develop the Next Generation Internet
Enhance Science Facilities Utilization
New Directions for High Energy Physics
Large Hadron Collider
Build Fusion and Plasma Science

In Chapter 4, Promoting Research, of the mammoth “Budget of the United States,” the following description is found on Civilian Basic Science Programs: “The Administration has designated High Energy and Nuclear Physics, Basic Energy Sciences, and Biological and Environmental Research as high-priority areas of DOE basic science in 1998. These programs, which have a large university-based component, contribute to both our national basic research enterprise and to DOE’s core activities. In addition, these programs build and operate large user facilities that serve over 15,000 university, government, and industry scientists. The budget proposes $2.1 billion in 1998 for these activities.” A similar paragraph is found regarding the Large Hadron Collider Project, which will be included in a future FYI. Fusion is not mentioned in this chapter.

Forthcoming issues of FYI will describe DOE’s request in the above areas in greater detail, as well as defense activities of the department.