03/21/08

ASME Energy Committee Submits testimony to Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee

The Energy Committee of ASME Technical Communities submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee on the FY 2009 Department of Energy (DOE) budget request.  The Energy Committee comprises over 30 members from 17 ASME Divisions, representing approximately 40,000 ASME members.
 
Although the ASME Energy Committee was pleased overall with the President’s FY 2008 budget request, the Committee did raise some concerns in the statement regarding the U.S. workforce shortage and the annual process by which Congress and the Administration reconcile the federal budget, which has had a damaging effect upon the DOE’s ability to retain workers who may be lured to work in the private sector.  Still, the ASME Energy Committee  applauded the recognition by both Congress and the Administration that “DOE research can play a critical role in allowing the U.S. to use our current resources more effectively and to create more advanced energy technologies.”    
 
In the statement, the ASME Energy Committee indicated its support of the President’s FY 2009 budget request for the DOE Office of Science that would increase its funding $4.72 billion in FY 2009, a $749 million increase above the FY 2008 estimate that would restore the path to doubling proposed in the recently passed America COMPETES Act.  The ASME Energy Committee was also particularly pleased to see $214.5 million in the FY 2009 request for the ITER fusion energy program, which was not funded in the FY 2008 final omnibus spending measure.
  
The ASME Energy Committee also expressed its support for funding increases for the DOE Offices of Fossil Energy and Nuclear Energy, at levels of $754 million and $1.4 billion respectively.  While the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office received $467 million less in the FY 2009 request ($1.25 billion), the ASME Energy Committee felt this amount still “(provided) a balanced and diverse portfolio of solutions to address the urgent energy and environmental challenges currently facing our nation.”  
  
More information about the FY 2009 DOE budget request can be found here

02/11/08

On February 4th, 2008 the Administration released its budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year 2009 (FY09). 

To view the Administration's FY09 budget proposal for the Department of Energy (DOE) please click on the link here.

The FY09 Budget request is $25 billion. This is $1.13 billion above the FY08 appropriation level of $23.9 billion and is the largest requested increase in five years.

Included in the budget is:

$4.7 billion for the Office of Science. This is $749 million above the FY08 appropriation and brings the Office of Science back on track to fulfilling the obligations set forth by the "America COMPETES Act of 2007."  

$1.26 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). This is $467 million less than the FY08 appropriation.  

$1.42 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy. This is $385 million above the FY08 appropriation.

$5.5 billion for the Office of Environmental Management. This is $166 million less than the FY08 appropriation.

$1.1 billion for the Office of Fossil Energy. This is $223 million above the FY08 appropriation. This is $128 million above the FY08 appropriation. Included in this is $241 million for advanced coal research. 

$9.1 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). This is $300 million above the FY08 appropriation.

$494 miilion for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. This is $108 million above the FY08 appropriated request.

For more information on the FY 2009 Budget Request for the Department of Energy please click this link