DOE Appropriations Bill: Conference Report

On August 4, members of the House-Senate conference committee on H.R. 4506, the fiscal year 1995 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, reached agreement on a conference report. This report now must be voted on by both chambers. This FYI contains funding amounts and selected report language on provisions of interest to physicists.

Conference report funding (in millions of dollars):

Below is report language on selected provisions:

MAGNETIC FUSION

“It is the intent of the conferees that the Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX) project proceed with design activity only, including industrial participation in the engineering design and research and development and includes $42,000,000 for this activity. The conferees recognize the very significant scientific accomplishments of the deuterium-tritium (D-T) experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) in support of the ITER design, and it is the intent of the conferees that these important experiments continue until construction of TPX is approved. Therefore, in fiscal year 1995, $65,000,000 is provided for continuation of TFTR experiments. $8,000,000 is included for the PBX-M program. With regard to TPX design, the Department of Energy is directed to use standard, phased industrial contracts for these design activities, with options for construction that would permit continuity and would allow the project to be completed in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. $2,000,000 may be used for the purchase of long lead-time superconducting material critical to maintaining the schedule of the project.

“The conferees also provide $52,000,000 for the DIII-D Tokamak facility and $8,700,000 for the Inertial Confinement Fusion program including an increase of $2,000,000 for the induction linac systems experiment (ILSE) to enable this program to proceed on a timely and cost-effective schedule.

“Because of the large budgetary requirements needed in the future for the fusion energy development program and other issues related to the development of fusion as an attractive energy resource, the conferees urge the President’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology to undertake a review and evaluation of magnetic fusion and inertial confinement fusion energy development. The Council is also urged to issue a report that will help shape the direction of the Nation’s effort on these important energy sources for the future.”

ADVANCED NEUTRON SOURCE:

“The conferees recommend $20,000,000 for operating expenses and $1,000,000 for capital equipment to continue the research and design of the Advanced Neutron Source. It is the intent of the conferees that the ANS project proceed with the design activity including immediate implementation of the planned industrial participation in the engineering design and research and development.”

SSC TERMINATION:

“The managers on the part of the House will offer a motion to recede and concur in [e.g., the House will be asked to agree with] the amendment of the Senate which provides that not to exceed $65,000,000 [of previously-appropriated funds] shall be available as a one-time contribution for the completion, with modification, of partially completed facilities at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project site if the [DOE] Secretary determines such one-time contribution (i) will assist the maximization of the value of the investment made in the facilities and (ii) is in furtherance of a settlement of the claims that the State of Texas has asserted against the United States in connection with the termination of the SSC project. No funding shall made made available as a contribution to operating expenses of such facilities.”

HIGH ENERGY AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS, BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES:

The conference report did not include language on these three programs. The result of this is that the Senate report language cited in FYI #94 (High Energy Physics), FYI #95 (Nuclear Physics), and FYI #101 (Basic Energy Sciences) serves as guidance to the Department of Energy, subject to the changes in the appropriations levels specified above.