NSF Budget Request for FY 1994: Major Research Equipment
The fiscal year 1994 National Science Foundation budget request for major research equipment is $72.00 million, which is an increase of 50.00% or $24.00 million above current funding if the supplemental funding legislation is passed.
The budget document states under “Explanation of Increases:"
“Three projects make up the Major Research Equipment Subactivity: the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HMFL) at Florida State University, the Gemini 8-meter Optical/Infrared Telescopes (GEMINI) in Hawaii and Chile, and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) being built by the California Institute of Technology. The HMFL is part of the Advanced Materials and Processing Program.
“The increase of $24.00 million provides:
"$2.00 million decrease to a total of $12.00 million for the HMFL. This returns funding to the original profile. Full operation of the HMFL is planned for 1994, following a total expenditure of $140.00 million, more than half of which is provided by the State of Florida.
"$3.00 million increase to a total of $17.00 million for GEMINI, the international partnership building telescopes in the northern and southern hemispheres. Construction begins in FY 1994. Total costs are planned at $176.00 million, with NSF providing one-half, or $88.00 million on behalf of the U.S.
"$23.00 million increase to a total of $43.00 million for LIGO. The planned level of continuing funding for LIGO is $50.00 million per year. Pending possible reprogramming in FY 1993 (see below), the FY 1994 request level will allow for completion of construction by 1998 at a total cost of $229.10 million.”
In a later section describing changes between the original fiscal year 1993 request, and what NSF will actually spend this year, the budget document states: “Pending satisfactory progress, NSF may reprogram up to an additional $8.00 million in FY 1993, thereby increasing the total amount available in FY 1993 to $28.00 million. NSF will apprise Congress of pending changes in late spring or early summer 1993.”
