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Category: Environmental Research & Sustainability

NSF & USAID Launch PEER

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The National Science Foundation(NSF) and the United States Agency for International Development(USAID) launched a new collaborative program called PEER (Partnership for Enhanced Engagement and Research) last week. PEER is a new international, interagency joint initiative which will address environmental challenges that affect both the United States and the developing world by reinforcing existing relationships and creating new connections. It will unite NSF’s competitively-awarded scientific investments in U.S. institutions with similarly awarded USAID funding to solve global challenges.

More information can be found here.

White House Oil Spill Commission Report Released

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Yesterday, the commission tasked by President Obama to examine the BP Deepwater Horizon undersea accident of last spring released its findings and recommendations. The commission addressed a range of topics from the need for increased regulation to funding for oil spill research to long-term restoration of the Gulf. 

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.

NOAA Funds Likely in Supplemental Spending Bill

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NOAA has been responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident and providing coordinated scientific weather and biological response services. We are also waiting for action on the FY10 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill (H.R. 4899), which the Senate is set to consider starting Monday.
 
On May 12, the Administration requested $20 M from Congress for supplemental funds for NOAA, which includes:

  • $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

NSF Dear Colleague Letter: Climate, Energy, and Sustainability

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NSF 10-040
Dear Colleague Letter: Climate, Energy, and Sustainability

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. Continue reading “NSF Dear Colleague Letter: Climate, Energy, and Sustainability”

FY11 Budget Overview

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Despite an overall spending freeze proposal from the Obama administration, the student aid and research priorities of the higher education community faired relatively well in the President’s Budget Request for FY11. Within the Department of Education, the PBR seeks to increase the maximum Pell grant to $5,710 in FY11 from the current $5,550 level. More importantly, the proposal would make the Pell grant an entitlement, which would guarantee future increases. However, several of the agency’s student services programs (e.g. TRIO, GEAR UP, Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) were level funded in the proposal.

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.