In introducing the Department of Energy's FY 2002 budget request
last week, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham declared, "Unfolding the
mysteries of science is one of our core missions. We can all take pride
in it. DOE is the third largest funder of basic research in the United
States and the largest government sponsor of the physical sciences. And
the science we support is critical to many areas, from human health to
quantum physics." Abraham continued, "The President has told us
that science is critical to American competitiveness around the world.
We have responded by funding the Department's Office of Science, slightly
above the 2001 level."
DOE has requested a 0.1%, or $4.4 million, increase for programs that
it identifies as "Science" for FY 2002. Funding would increase from
$3,155.5 million to $3,159.9 million. Descriptive summaries from DOE's
Budget Highlights document for the High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics,
Basic Energy Sciences, and Fusion Energy Sciences requests follow:
HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS
The budget that DOE sent to Congress last week is in the process
of being amended. The High Energy Physics request will be $5.0 million
less than shown in the current budget document. This $5.0 million,
and additional reductions totaling $5.0 million from other Science
program requests, will be shifted to the Fusion Energy Sciences request.
The amended High Energy Physics budget would increase 0.6%, or $4.1
million, from $712.0 million to $716.1 million.
Language from the budget document follows. All amounts are in millions
of dollars. Note that this language does NOT account for the amendment:
"The focus of the program is related to the 'windows of opportunity'
in finding the Higgs Boson (Fermilab) and on CP violation (SLAC) to
explore the preponderance of matter over antimatter. HEP will continue
its participation in the Large Hadron Collider project, but at a reduced
level as agreed to by CERN. Construction funding is reduced with completion
of two projects in FY 2001 and another nearing completion in FY 2002."
The document continues: "Funding for Research and Technology
(FY 2001 $242.9; FY 2002 $247.9) increases by $5.0 million primarily
to support research and future facility upgrades at Fermilab (related
to the search for the Higgs Boson) (FY 2001 $33.4; FY 2002 $35.1),
and at SLAC (for CP violation investigations) (FY 2001 $34.4; FY 2002
$36.6). University R&D declines by $5.6 million (FY 2001 $110.9; FY
2002 $105.3). Other changes, including a transfer of SBIR funds (+$6.5)
net to +$6.7 million."
Also: "High Energy Physics Facilities (FY 2001 $436.8; FY 2002
$456.8) focuses on enhanced operations of Fermilab and SLAC. Fermilab
(FY 2001 $211.4; FY 2002 $244.7) will operate for 22 weeks in FY 2001
and 39 weeks in FY 2002 as it increases its search for the Higgs Boson.
Fermilab funding includes continued fabrication of the MINOS Detector
(FY 2001 $15.0; FY 2002 $18.0) for the Neutrinos at the Main Injector
(NuMI) project, and other facility improvement projects. SLAC (FY
2001 $116.4; FY 2002 $125.1) will operate for 34 weeks in FY 2001
and 35 weeks in FY 2002, concentrating on CP violation investigations.
SLAC funding includes a $2.5 increase for GLAST, a joint DOE/NASA
effort to study cosmic radiation from a satellite. Funding for the
Large Hadron Collider declines to a level agreed upon by CERN (FY
2001 $58.9; FY 2002 $49.0). Other changes, including a transfer of
SBIR funds to Research and Technology (-$6.5) net to -$12.1 million."
Finally: "Construction funding decreases at Fermilab with completion
of the Wilson Hall Safety Improvements project in FY 2001 (-$4.2)
and completion of funding for the NuMI project in FY 2002 (FY 2001
$22.9; FY 2002 $11.4). At SLAC the SLAC Research Office Building is
completed in FY 2001 (-$5.2)."
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
The amendment does not affect the Nuclear Physics request. The budget
document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars):
"The Nuclear Physics budget, unchanged from FY 2001, is $360.5
million. All research and facility operations activities are continued
below FY 2001 levels, including research and operation of the Thomas
Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) and the Relativistic
Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)."
The document continues: "Medium Energy Nuclear Physics (FY 2001
$118.6; FY 2002 $118.0) reflects a reduction for completion of the
MIT BLAST detector (FY 2001 $1.2; FY 2002 $0); this and other small
savings are used to maintain operation of the MIT Bates accelerator
(13 weeks in FY 2001 and 14 weeks in FY 2002) and the TJNAF (27 weeks
in FY 2001 and 26 weeks in FY 2002) at near FY 2001 levels."
Also: "Heavy Ion Nuclear Physics (FY2001 $155.8; FY 2002 $156.3)
primarily funds research and operations of RHIC. Total BNL funding
for RHIC, which will operate 27 weeks in FY 2001 and 20 weeks in FY
2002, increases by $1.0 million (FY 2001 $113.6; FY 2002 $114.6) while
university research declines from FY 2001 (FY 2001 $12.0; FY 2002
$11.5)."
In addition: "Low Energy Nuclear Physics (FY 2001 $62.7; FY 2002
$62.7) has no change in funding but has minor reallocations between
research and facility operations. The facilities funded by this subprogram
will have relatively stable budgets but reduced operating times (HRIBF-14
weeks in FY 2001 and 13 weeks in FY 2002; ATLAS - 34 weeks in FY 2001
and 23 weeks in FY 2002; 88-inch Cyclotron 33 weeks in FY 2001 and
27 weeks in FY 2002). R&D and preconceptual design for the Rare Isotope
Accelerator (RIA) continues (FY 2001 $2.8; FY 2002 $3.0)."
Finally: "Nuclear Theory (FY 2001 $23.4; FY 2002 $23.5) will
continue theoretical research and the Nuclear Data program at the
FY 2001 funding level."
BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES
The BES budget would increase 1.3%, or $13.0 million, from $991.7
million to $1,004.7 million. It would not be affected by the budget
amendment.
The budget document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars):
"Most of the increase in BES is related to construction: Funding
for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), a world-class facility for
neutron scattering, increases from $258.9 million in FY 2001 to $276.3
million in FY 2002; and new funding of $4.0 million is requested for
plant engineering and design for Nanoscale Science Research Centers.
Research and facility operations is funded at or slightly below FY
2001 levels, and small increases are offset by a transfer of funding
for the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) (-$15.3) to the Office of Environmental
Management."
The document continues: "Materials Sciences (FY 2001 $443.2;
FY 2002 $434.4): In FY 2002 responsibility for the High Flux Beam
Reactor at BNL is transferred to the Office of Environment Management
for surveillance and decommissioning (- $15.3). Some of the HFBR funds
made available will support increases for neutron and x-ray scattering
at three existing facilities and the new Spallation Neutron Source
(FY 2001 $31.2; FY 2002 $36.3). The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR)
Beam Tube project at ORNL was completed in FY 2001 (FY 2001 $1.2,
FY 2002 $0) and provides access for six additional experiments at
higher flux; acquisition of new and upgraded neutron scattering instruments
for HFIR are initiated (FY 2001 $0; FY 2002 $2.0). Project related
costs for the Spallation Neutron Source are reduced according to schedule
(FY 2001 $19.1; FY 2002 $15.1). Other changes net to +$4.5 million."
Also: "Chemical Sciences (FY 2001 $216.5; FY 2002 $218.7) maintains
research and facility operations funding at near FY 2001 levels. There
is a small increase in operations of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation
Laboratory (FY 2001 $16.8; FY 2002 $17 .8) and the High Flux Isotope
Reactor at ORNL (FY 2001 $28.8; FY 2002 $30.1)."
In addition: "Engineering and Geosciences (FY 2001 $39.8; FY
2002 $38.9) and Biosciences (FY 2001 $33.2; FY 2002 $32.4) have small
funding reductions."
Finally: "Construction (FY 2001 $258.9; FY 2002 $280.3): Funding
for the SNS (FY 2001 $258.9; FY 2002 $276.3) increases by $17.4 million
as planned. New plant engineering and design funds of $4.0 million
are requested for Nanoscale Science Research Centers."
FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES
The proposed budget amendment, by shifting $10.0 million from other
requests within the Science account, would enable this budget to remain
level at $248.5 million.
The budget document states (all numbers are in millions of dollars):
"The budget will continue funding for three subprograms: Science will
focus on Tokamak and alternative concept experiments, theory, and
general plasma science; Facility Operations will fund operation of
the 3 primary fusion facilities and will continue decontamination
and decommissioning of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor; and Enabling
R&D will fund removal of recoverable tritium from the Tritium Systems
Test Assembly (TSTA) facility at LANL."
The document continues: "Science (FY 2001 $136.3; FY 2002 $133.4)
will continue research at DIII-D, National Spherical Tokamak Experiment
(NSTX), and the Alcator C-Mod and through international collaboration.
To absorb part of the FES reduction [note: this is pre-amendment
language] experimental plasma research in tokamaks and alternative
concepts is reduced by $1.5 million (FY 2001 $31.5; FY 2002 $30.0).
Inertial Fusion Energy research (FY 2001 $13.8; FY 2002 $13.2) and
Theory (FY 2001 $27.3; FY 2002 $26.0) also decline. Other changes
net to +$0.6 million."
In addition: "Facility Operations: (FY 2001 $77.9; FY 2002 $72.0)
The DIII-D at General Atomics in San Diego will operate 17 weeks in
FY 2001 and 14 weeks in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $29.3; FY 2002 $26.7); the
Alcator C-Mod at MIT will operate 12 weeks in FY 2001 and 8 weeks
in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $10.6; FY 2002 $9.6); the National Spherical Tokamak
Experiment at Princeton will operate 15 weeks in FY 2001 and 11 weeks
in FY 2002 (FY 2001 $14.4; FY 2002 $13.2). Funding for the Tokamak
Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) decontamination and decommissioning (FY
2001 $19.0; FY 2002 $18.0) should bring the project to completion.
Other changes net to -$0.1."
Finally: "Enabling R&D: (FY 2001 $34.3; FY 2002 $33.1) Funding
for the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) (FY 2001 $2.2; FY 2002
$3.3) increases to reduce the tritium inventory in preparation for
transfer of this excess facility to Environmental Management (+$1.1).
This is offset by minor reductions and transfer of SBIR/STTR to the
Science subprogram (-$2.3)."
Richard M. Jones
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
(301) 209-3095
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