More funding is required for DOE energy programs

The Energy Committee of the ASME Council on Engineering expressed disappointment in the decreases requested in the administration's fiscal year 2004 budget for the fossil energy and energy efficiency research and development programs at the Department of Energy (DOE).

In its statement to the Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittees, the Energy Committee said, "The Department's (DOE's) R&D program in Fossil Energy (FE) focuses on coal, natural gas and oil." It pointed out that the fiscal 2004 budget request for FE is $106.6 million less than the fiscal 2003 enacted level.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy supports research and development to develop technologies for improving the efficiency with which energy and bioenergy research are used. The administration request for the office for fiscal 2004 is $21.8 million less than the fiscal 2003 enacted level.

In the statement, the committee also emphasized that "the National Energy Policy calls for R&D for exploration and production and for the development of gas hydrates. We recommend increased investments in analysis and modeling techniques, which are currently inadequate for what will be required to develop safe and effective future oil and gas fields in ultra-deep water and remote areas." The COE Energy Committee wants funding for oil exploration and production and gas hydrates research at a minimum of the fiscal 2003 level of $54 million, $35.5 million above the administration's request.

The position statement can be found at http://www.asme.org/gric/ps/2003/03-24.html. For more information, contact Francis Dietz at dietzf@asme.org.

EPA's Draft Report on environment takes note of achievements

The Environmental Protection Agency's "Draft Report on the Environment 2003," which was released in June, lists the EPA's accomplishments during the past three decades to protect human health and water, air, and land quality in the United States.

The report, a two-year effort to assess the current state of the environment and human health, indicates that significant air and water quality improvements have been made during the past three decades, but it warns that problems remain.

Outgoing Administrator Christine Todd Whitman said the report and its accompanying 453-page technical document will provide a road map for EPA policy and budget priorities.

Controversy over the omission of climate change report language occupied Whitman's last two weeks as EPA administrator. Her tenure at the agency ended June 27. An internal EPA memo leaked to the media revealed that the White House removed climate change language from an earlier version of the draft report.

The removed language said that "climate change has global consequences for the health and the environment." It also made references to climate change studies, including the 2001 National Research Council report that suggested global warming was unusual and likely caused by human factors.

EPA's Draft Report on the Environment 2003 is available at http://www.epa.gov/indicators.

STEM groups thank Ehlers for his efforts to aid education

On June 10, the ASME-led K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition and the Math/Science Partnership Working Group, led by the American Electronics Association (AeA), hosted a breakfast in honor of Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich. He is viewed as a champion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

Nearly 20 organizations were represented at the limited-seating event. Rep. Ehlers' experience and passion for STEM education began more than 30 years ago, when he helped train pre-service elementary science teachers.

Much of Ehlers' legislative activity has focused on improving STEM education. His latest education efforts address teacher recruitment, preparation and pre-kindergarten standards.

His national science policy study can be viewed at http://www.access.gpo.gov/
congress/house/science/cp105-b/science105b.pdf.

For additional information, contact Patti Burgio at burgiop@asme.org.

— Melissa Murray
ASME Government Relations

back to columns