House Appropriations Committee Marks Up FY 2000 DOE Bill

There is both good and bad news in yesterday’s mark up by the full House Appropriations Committee of the $20.2 billion FY 2000 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. In general, physics-related programs did well, with the exception of money for the Spallation Neutron Source, which was greatly reduced and restricted.

Spending caps limited the FY 2000 bill to a level $880 million below 1999. This bill is $1.5 billion less than the Senate version. Commenting on the House legislation, subcommittee chairman Ron Packard (R-CA) said it funds a “vigorous civil works program,” and he asked his fellow committee members to hold any amendments to full House consideration of the bill, expected on July 27. Packard said that the $880 million reduction was “not a smoke and mirrors cut,” and in trying to head off any move to make further floor cuts, added “we’ve already cut ourselves to the bone.”

Here are the numbers and the committee’s recommendations on physics-related programs, taken from a draft copy of the report accompanying the bill:

IN GENERAL: “The Committee continues its very strong support for these basic science programs. While the Committee has eliminated many Department of Energy programs and substantially reduced funding for others, the Committee has provided generous increases for physics programs and other basic research activities funded under this account. [paragraph break] The Committee has taken extraordinary steps to provide the increases included in this recommendation. This year, the Committee was forced to reduce net funding for domestic programs by more than $200,000,000 from the amount provided in last year’s bill and more than $300,000,0000 from the amount in the budget request. As in prior years, the Committee was able to identify lower priority programs for reductions while protecting basic research programs funded in the Science account.”

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS: “The recommendation continues the Committee’s strong support for these fundamental pursuits. [paragraph break] The recommendations is $715,525,000, a $19,025,000 increase over the amount provided in the current fiscal year and an $18,435,000 increase over the amount of the budget request. The recommendation includes a $16,435,000 increase over the budget request for facility operations, and a $2,000,000 increase for the research and development program. The increase reflects the Committee’s continued support for full utilization of user facilities. The recommendation also includes funding for orderly and complete transition of the use of the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron for the nuclear physics program.”

NUCLEAR PHYSICS: “The recommendation continues the Committee’s support for these fundamental pursuits. The recommendation is $357,940,000, a $22,840,000 increase over the amount provided in the current fiscal year and a $5,115,000 increase over the amount requested. The increase reflects the first full year of operations at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the budget amendment to continue operations at the Bates Laboratory and the Committee’s continued support for full utilization of the Department’s world-class user facilities.”

BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES: “The Committee recommendation for basic energy sciences is $735,989,000, a reduction of $73,111,000 from the current fiscal year, and a $152,095,000 reduction from the budget request. [paragraph break] The Committee remains committed to robust basic energy research programs which are characterized by cutting-edge basic research, availability of world-class facilities to the scientific and research community, and direction to meet current and future energy-related challenges.”

High Flux Beam Reactor - “The Committee has included statutory language prohibiting the Department from re-starting the High- Flux Beam Reactor. . . . The Department has failed to meet its own deadlines for making a decision about the future of this reactor. The Committee directs that the Department complete the environmental impact study (EIS) no later than the date provided to the Committee, November 30, 1999, and issue a record of decision no later than thirty days after issuing the final EIS. . . .”

Spallation Neutron Source - The committee report language is almost two pages long; the following selections highlight the appropriators’ recommendations. “The recommendation provides $67,900,000, including $17,900,000, the same amount as the budget request, for underlying research and development needed to confirm design for this unique machine and $50,000,000 for construction, a reduction of $146,100,000 from the amount requested. The Committee has again recommended a reduction in the funding level for this project based on several unfavorable reviews of the management of this project. . . .” “Each of these are significant [organization] issues that must be addressed before construction commences.” “Despite these problems, the Committee is encouraged that the Department is re-evaluating the costs and proposals submitted by the proposed participating laboratories. The Department has already announced that the project is now on track. . . . The Committee has grown accustomed to the Department immediately solving all problems with the issuance of a press release; however, the Committee is holding onto its confetti.”

“Consistent with the authorization bill recently passed by the House Committee on Science, the Department is prohibited from obligating [Spallation Neutron Source] funds provided in this Act”until four authorizing and appropriating committees are provided with certifications, budgets, schedules, and agreements. (Note that this prohibition language was not limited to construction funds.)

FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES: The report language was also expansive, running almost one page. Some of the highlights: “The Committee recommendation is $250,000,000, a $27,386,000 increase over the amount provided in the current fiscal year. The Committee commends the Department for its efforts to pursue the most promising paths towards producing electricity from fusion. The Committee has provided sufficient funding to accelerate and fully utilize the user facilities currently in operation. The Committee will work closely with the Department to review the work done by the Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board and continue to support the goals of the fusion energy sciences program. [paragraph break] The Committee remains committed to a fusion program that is based on both quality science and the ultimate goal of practical fusion energy. A positive development in this regard is the ‘road mapping’ process, which the fusion community is now undertaking and which includes both the MFE and IFE approaches. Positive aspects of this process include the emphasis on increasing diversity in the program and the strengthening of peer review. The Committee is pleased with the advanced -tokamak emphasis of current tokamak research, which is in keeping with the program emphasis on innovation.”

“Additional funds are provided to support new work in concept innovation in both MFE and IFE, to provide for more effective utilization of the existing national research facilities, and to support the underlying technology development which sustains this research. The Department is directed to provide an updated spending plan to the Committees on Appropriations within thirty days of enactment of the accompanying bill. The Committee looks forward to working with the Department on budget and program plans to accelerate the accomplishments in the fusion program.”

“The recommendation includes $13,600,000, the same amount as the budget request, to continue landlord activities and begin decontamination and decommissioning of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR).” DOE is to ensure that this work proceeds “without negatively affecting the ongoing research program.”

Under the separate program of Stockpile Stewardship, “The Committee recommends $475,700,000 for the inertial fusion program, an increase of $10,000,000 over the budget request of $465,700,000, and $32,300,000 less than fiscal year 1999.”