More information can be found here.

                          

Some of the ideas offered:

• Create a distinct environmental science office within the Department of Interior;
• Formalize the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in offering input on  environmental protection in Interior leasing decisions;
• Assign responsibility for congressional oversight of drilling safety and environmental protection to one specific committee in each chamber and require annual oversight hearings;
• Provide mandatory funding for oil spill research and response technology at a level equal to or greater than that authorized by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990;
• Significantly increase the Oil Pollution Act’s liability cap and financial responsibility requirements for offshore facilities;
• Dedicate 80% of any Clean Water Act penalties from the Deepwater Horizon spill to long-term restoration of the Gulf of Mexico; and
• Along with federal agencies and responsible parties, take steps to restore consumer confidence in the aftermath of a significant spill.

It is expected that Congress will again try to assemble an oil spill bill. During the previous Congress, ideological differences over government regulation and the liability cap hampered efforts to pass a bill. Previous drafts have contained significant investments in research and development, and we will push for those provisions to remain in the mix going forward.

                          

• $15 M for fisheries related impacts
• $5 M for “activities that support the response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but that may not qualify as recoverable from the responsible parties under the Oil Pollution Act or the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.” 

Also last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported out a spending measure with an oil-spill amendment that contains support for NOAA:

• $13 M for fisheries
• $7.0 M for scientific investigations and sampling, with universities, colleges and other research partners eligible for grants to support this work.

Courtesy of NOAA OAR

                          

Directorate for Biological Sciences, Directorate for Computer & Information Science and Engineering, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Directorate for Engineering, Directorate for Geosciences, Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, Office of Cyberinfrastructure, Office of Integrative Activities, Office of International Science and Engineering, Office of Polar Programs

March 2010

In FY 2010, NSF is expanding its support for climate research by issuing five new cross-directorate solicitations:

Water Sustainability and Climate (WSC) (NSF 10-524) -closed
Ocean Acidification (OA) (NSF 10-530) -closed
Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) (NSF 10-542)
Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models (EaSM) (NSF 10-554)
Dimensions of Biodiversity (NSF 10-548)

These solicitations are intended to support innovative research and education that will advance our capability and capacity to understand and predict changes to Earth’s natural and human-dominated systems, to assess the vulnerability and resilience of these systems to change, and to foster workforce development and scientific literacy in these areas. These advances will strengthen the scientific knowledge base for policy decisions at regional and national levels.

Building on recommendations in the August 2009 National Science Board Report, Building a Sustainable Energy Future and the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007, NSF has requested funds in FY 2011 to further expand research support in this area through new and existing programs focused on Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES). SEES is proposed to address challenges in climate and energy research and education using a systemic approach to understanding, predicting, and reacting to change in the linked natural, social, and built environment through:

• short and long term observations enabled by a new generation of experimental and observational networks;
• data analysis, modeling, simulation and intelligent decision-making facilitated by advanced computation;
• research at the energy-environment-society nexus;
• innovative strategies for energy production, distribution and use;
• study of societal factors such as vulnerability and resilience, and sensitivity to regional change; and
• building of research and education partnerships, both nationally and internationally.

The portfolio of SEES will also help develop the workforce required for future economic, energy and environmental sustainability.

Information on NSF’s climate research activities as well as plans for SEES is available at http://www.nsf.gov/sees.

Sincerely,

Karl Erb, Director/Office of Polar Programs
Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Acting Assistant Director/Directorate for Education and Human Resources
Myron Gutmann, Assistant Director/Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
Lance Haworth, Director/Office of Integrated Activities
Timothy Killeen, Assistant Director/Directorate for Geosciences
José Muñoz, Acting Director/Office of Cyberinfrastructure
Thomas Peterson, Assistant Director/Directorate for Engineering
Joann Roskoski, Acting Assistant Director/Directorate for Biological Sciences
H. Edward Seidel, Acting Assistant Director/Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Larry Weber, Director/Office of International Science and Engineering
Jeannette Wing, Assistant Director/Directorate for Computer & Information Science and Engineering

                          

On the research side, the National Institutes of Health were provided an increase of $1 billion (3.2%) over FY10 in the FY11 PBR -representing the largest NIH dollar increase in 8 years (outside of the Recovery Act). Additionally, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is provided an 8% increase to $7.4 billion. Within NSF, the Ocean Observatories Initiative — a UW joint project — was provided $90.7 million for FY11 -as expected. The Department of Energy, Office of Science, is provided a 4.4% increase in the PBR. Within DoE, the Advanced Research Projects Agency -Energy (ARPA-E) is slated for its first significant regular annual appropriation -at a level of $300 million. Additionally, workforce investments for scientists and teachers is identified as a priority area for the agency.

The PBR includes an extension of an additional six months, through June 2011, the temporary Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) increase provided by the Recovery Act. The extension will result in an additional $25.5 billion to States for maintaining support for children and families helped by Medicaid. Details on agency and program line items are provided in previous posts, and additional analysis will be provided by the Office of Federal Relations.

The UW FY11 Federal Agenda will express support for many of the increases in student aid and research contained in the PBR. Additionally, UW specific requests will be made in the following areas: tidal energy research and development; promoting health professions through dental, nursing, and physicians assistant programs; environmental sustainability; increasing student services for our returning veterans; emerging research on the treatment of battlefield injuries to eyes and bone; small business development in the Tacoma area; and increasing K-12 learning outcomes through the use of advanced technology in classrooms.

The FY11 appropriations process will play out in the halls of Congress over much of this calendar year, with the goal of having a final budget in place by October 1, 2010. However, as was the case last year, Congress often requires extra time to push spending bills across the finish line.

                          

Given that the Senate companion bill to the House Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) has been linked to the passage of health care reform, student aid reform remains on hold. Leaders on the Hill have indicated that both chambers will likely be in session until the third full week of December.