Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
march 2018

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budget

House Science Committee discusses NASA FY 2019 budget and project plans

March 13, 2018

On March 7, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space held a hearing on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) budget for fiscal year (FY) 2019. Under the FY 2019 President’s Budget Request, NASA would receive a total of $19.9 billion in funding, a 1.2 percent increase from the FY 2017 enacted funding level. The budget request proposes shifting the agency’s existing resources to focus on deep space exploration activities, starting with another human mission to the Moon in 2023, with the intent of setting the stage for future human missions to Mars. It also proposes to eliminate the Office of Education in order to redirect its funding, which was appropriated at $100 million in FY 2017, for deep space exploration.

As part of the FY 2019 budget request, NASA is proposing to pursue a bold new lunar exploration program through an Exploration Campaign funded at $10.5 billion in FY 2019 and a total of $52 billion over five years. NASA’s Acting Director Robert Lightfoot explained to the subcommittee that long-term U.S. deep space exploration preeminence depends on the nation’s near future dominance of cislunar space, or the space between the Earth and the Moon. The agency intends to achieve this goal by developing a Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway in the early 2020’s. Furthermore, to offset the costs of the new exploration initiatives, the FY 2019 budget includes plans to encourage public-private partnerships and to transition to the use of commercial capabilities, particularly for research and technology in low Earth orbit (LEO). Acting Director Lightfoot indicated that the LEO commercial sector would be able to sustain the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025, when the Administration intends to end direct federal government support. In response to members of the subcommittee apparently skeptical of the ISS private sector handoff, Acting Director Lightfoot noted the proven commercial viability of LEO remote sensing and earth observational technologies.

The President’s FY 2019 budget request would provide $5.8 billion for NASA’s Science program, an increase of $133 million from FY 2017. Within this amount, the Earth Science sub-directorate would receive $1.8 billion, a $124 million or 6.5 percent decrease from FY 2017 funding levels. Acting Director Lightfoot noted in his testimony that two missions recommended by the 2017-2027 Earth Science Decadal Survey will be launching in 2018 to expand the long-term collection of key Earth observations. These include the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-on and the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) missions. He also stated that although the FY 2019 budget would no longer support Education programs, “a common vision, mission, and focus areas will drive NASA’s future endeavors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and public engagement.”

Members of the subcommittee applauded Mr. Lightfoot’s lifelong career at NASA, and expressed their frustration over the Senate’s delay in confirming Representative James Bridenstine as NASA Administrator. Just five days after the hearing, Acting Director Lightfoot announced his retirement from the agency to occur on April 30, even as the Senate has not yet confirmed an administrator nor has the President nominated a deputy administrator for the agency.

Sources: American Institute of Physics, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York Times

Hearings examine priorities outlined in the FY 2019 Department of the Interior budget request

March 15, 2018

Following the release of President Donald Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke defended the budget proposal for his department to members of Congress on relevant House and Senate committees.

The President’s request for the Department of the Interior (DOI) includes a total of $11.7 billion in discretionary appropriations for FY 2019, which is a reduction of more than $1 billion from the current funding level. The budget request includes funding for construction and deferred maintenance to help address DOI’s existing maintenance backlog of over $16 billion. It also includes a legislative proposal to establish the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund (PLIF), supported by revenue from energy and mineral development, that will provide up to $18 billion for repairs and other infrastructure improvement needs of the national parks, national wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools.

At the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on March 13, Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) noted that while she does not agree with everything in the FY 2019 request, she appreciates that it focuses on taking care of the lands the federal government already owns and will help the U.S. increase responsible production of our abundant natural resources. However, the tone of the hearing shifted when Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stated her belief that the Secretary has abandoned the responsibility of stewardship of our public lands, referencing this Administration’s controversial national monument reductions at Bears Ears and Grande Staircase-Escalante and proposed five-year leasing plan for offshore oil and gas production. Senator Cantwell later questioned Secretary Zinke about recent allegations that he used public funds for "a private jet home from Las Vegas," an issue which the inspector general is now investigating, as well as other reports of questionable spending at the agency. Secretary Zinke responded that he “never took a private jet anywhere" and defended his travel, asserting that these allegations are misleading, insulting, and inappropriate.

Two days later, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a similar hearing, where Secretary Zinke again provided his testimony expressing that the budget supports Interior programs that play a critical role in encouraging national infrastructure development. The hearing also addressed the proposed reorganization plan to create common regional boundaries for all Interior bureaus, which includes the potential for relocation of certain bureau headquarters to western states – a change intended to improve internal agency collaboration and efficiency by shifting more authority to communities out West, where the government owns huge swaths of land. Although some committee members noted their support of these reorganization ideas as well as recent DOI efforts, such as those to increase energy revenue for the nation, other members criticized the Administration’s five-year plan to expand offshore drilling and the proposed elimination of the of the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund in the President’s FY 2019 budget request. Secretary Zinke defended the Administration's budget, explaining that while the Department will continue to emphasize energy development, its priorities this year revolve around "conservation, infrastructure, and reorganization."

Sources: E&E News, U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Western Governors Association

House science committee delves into NSF budget request for FY 2019

March 15, 2018

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to review the fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request and funding priorities for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Although the Administration initially proposed a $2.2 billion cut to NSF’s budget compared to FY 2017, an addendum released with the budget request provided flat funding for the agency at approximately $7.47 billion. While the FY 2019 budget request would sustain the same FY 2017 funding level for the agency overall, it proposes a different distribution of funds for programs within NSF. This would include, for instance, large increases to support NSF’s 10 Big Ideas, new convergent interdisciplinary research initiatives, and the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO), while simultaneously proposing high, double-digit percentage cuts to Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction and Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) programs.

Throughout the hearing, members of Congress from both parties as well as experts on the witness panel expressed concern that the Unites States would eventually be surpassed by China as the top global technological innovator, referring to recent findings of the NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2018 report released in January this year. According to the report, China’s research and development (R&D) expenditures have been increasing on average 18 percent annually since 2000, which is substantially higher than the United States’ 4 percent annual increase over the same time frame. If current trends continue, predictions estimate that China will surpass the United States’ total R&D investment sometime this year.

Many Democratic committee members also aired their concerns regarding real dollar value devaluation inherent in flat funding, which does not reflect inflation over time. However, several Republicans on the committee argued that the flat-level budget request for FY 2019 would still allow for “frivolous” spending by the agency. Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX-21) challenged the validity of certain NSF project grants, particularly criticizing those associated with SBE, and pinpointed several projects that he believes do not truly serve national interests. In response, NSF Director France Córdova and National Science Board (NSB) Chair Maria Zuber pointed out the rigor of NSF’s merit-based grant vetting process and highlighted examples of nationally important SBE projects, including active research into the opioid epidemic and facial recognition software, in addition to other national achievements such as the Physics Nobel Prize winning discovery of gravitational waves, which came as a result of forty years of NSF-funded research.

Sources: Eos, National Science Foundation, U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, White House

Congress passes FY 2018 omnibus with record funding of geoscience agencies

March 23, 2018

After a series of continuing resolutions to provide more time to craft a comprehensive appropriations omnibus bill for fiscal year (FY) 2018, Congress finally passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill on March 23, 2018, that will fund the federal government through September 2018. The 2,232-page Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 with accompanying committee report language funds some of the priorities outlined in President Donald Trump’s FY 2018 budget request, such as increased spending for military, infrastructure, border security, and solutions to the opioid epidemic, but mostly rejects the Trump Administration’s proposed deep cuts to science agencies. Instead, many science agencies received increased funding reflecting the increased budget authority for FY 2018 non-defense discretionary spending agreed to last month in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

Click on a link below to jump to details of the sections on this page:

For more information on the federal budget process, including a more detailed programmatic funding analysis for geoscience-related agencies, please visit AGI’s Overview of Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations.

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

The committee report acknowledges Members of Congress are aware that agencies are working to implement Executive Order 13781, a Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive Branch, and highlights the longstanding requirements that agencies must submit reorganization proposals for committee review prior to their implementation. The report specifically directs agencies not to implement any part of a reorganization that modifies regional boundaries, unless they receive approval consistent with these guidelines.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

The bill provides $1.148 billion for the USGS – a $63 million or 6 percent increase from the FY 2017 enacted level, and a $230 million or 25 percent increase above the President’s FY 2018 request of $922 million. The Natural Hazards mission area received a 23 percent increase from FY 2017, mostly due to significant increases for the Earthquake and Volcano Hazards programs funded at $83.4 million and $42.6 million, respectively. Within this funding, the report language directs $12.9 million for continued development of an earthquake early warning system and for the first limited public rollout of ShakeAlert, $5 million for upgrades and replacement equipment for the Advanced National Seismic System, and $1.4 million for adoption of seismic stations currently deployed as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Earthscope USArray project. It also directs the USGS to report back to Congress identifying specific areas of the country that are at highest risk from landslide hazards. Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health received a 9 percent increase from FY 2017 levels with report language directing $1 million toward the domestic mineral base survey, $4.7 million for implementation of Secretarial Order 3352, which provides for development of energy resources in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska, and $12.4 million for toxic substances hydrology supporting comprehensive research on harmful algal blooms.

Core Science Systems received essentially flat funding at $116.3 million, which includes $23 million for 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) National Enhancement and continued flat funding of $24.4 million for the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. For Water Resources, the omnibus bill provided a modest increase of two percent that includes funding directed towards groundwater resource studies and streamgages. Congress accepted the Administration’s proposal for restructuring and renaming the Climate and Land Use Change mission area to Land Resources, providing $152.5 million for this mission area. Landsat 9 is fully funded at $78.5 million and funding is provided for the eight regional science centers and grant awards. Furthermore, Congress allocated $120 million for Facilities, including more than double the amount appropriated for deferred maintenance in FY 2017 with an allowance of $11.8 million for moving from the Menlo Park location.

Other Interior Agencies:

The FY 2018 omnibus provides $1.33 billion for Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is a $79 million increase above the FY 2017 enacted level and $110 million above the President’s FY 2018 request. This amount includes $1.17 billion for Management of Lands and Resources, with increases providing for improved rangeland and multiple-use management and responsible natural resource development activities. Additionally, the committee report notes their concern about maintaining the United States' global competitiveness in the production of natural soda ash, and directs BLM to consider using its authority to reduce the Federal royalty rate for soda ash to 2 percent.

The request for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) efforts to initiate a new five-year offshore leasing program is fully funded and the committee report language encourages an expeditious and thorough review. The appropriations committees do not approve of the proposal in the President’s budget request to divert outer continental shelf oil and gas revenues from Gulf of Mexico coastal communities. The FY 2018 omnibus also appropriated $3.19 billion for the National Park Service (NPS), an increase of $255 million above the FY 2017 enacted level. This includes a $175 million increase for construction backlog, maintenance, and funding for new park units.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

Rejecting President Trump’s FY 2018 proposed cuts of 31 percent to the EPA, Congress retained the EPA’s funding at the FY 2017 enacted level of $8.1 billion. Accordingly, EPA’s Science and Technology program remains flat at $706 million. The bill retains or increases funding for the EPA’s geographic programs, which were targeted for elimination by the President’s request. The bill also provides additional funding for high priority permitting, infrastructure, and cleanup work. Dismissing EPA’s proposal for agency-wide workforce restructuring, Congress emphasizes in report language that it does not expect the EPA to consolidate or close any regional offices nor undertake large-scale adverse personnel actions or incentive programs in FY 2018.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

National Science Foundation (NSF):

Overall, Congress appropriated $7.77 billion for NSF, an increase of $295 million or 4 percent above FY 2017 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President’s budget request. Report language justified this strong investment in basic science research due to Congress’ growing concern that China and other competitors are outpacing the United States in terms of research spending, as noted in the 2018 Science and Engineering Indicators report. Research and Related Activates received $6.3 billion – an increase of 5 percent from FY 2017 – which includes $1.8 million for the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernization for Science program. The committee report language also reiterated the importance of ensuring that NSF-funded marine research vessels with unique seismic capabilities remain available to the academic marine geology and geophysics community to support a variety of important undersea research efforts. Major Research and Equipment Facilities Construction received a 13 percent decrease in funding to $182.8 million, with $10 million for continuing construction of three Regional Class Research Vessels. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

The bill provides NOAA with $5.9 billion, an increase of $234 million or 4 percent above the FY 2017 enacted level and $1.1 billion above the President’s FY 2018 request. The bill provides full funding for NOAA’s flagship weather satellites including funds for the Polar and Space Weather Follow-ons, and provides funding to procure an additional Hurricane Hunter to provide backup for future hurricane reconnaissance missions. Report language included a strong warning to the National Weather Service regarding management and staffing challenges and directs funding to improve failing infrastructure at Weather Forecast Offices across the country. Funding is also included to continue NOAA’s fleet recapitalization to replace the agency’s oldest research vessels. Increased funding across NOAA’s line offices continues to support hydrographic charting, the National Sea Grant College program, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and the Integrated Ocean Observing System. Congress rejected the Administration’s request to eliminate NOAA’s Office of Education and provided funding for the program at $28 million, a 5 percent increase from FY 2017.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):

Congress increased NASA’s budget to $20.7 billion, an increase of $1.1 billion or 6 percent above FY 2017 enacted level and $1.6 billion above the President’s FY 2018 request. While Science received an eight percent increase to $6.2 billion, Earth Science funding remained flat at $1.9 billion. This amount includes $147,000,000 for the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE), $17,000,000 for the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder, $1,700,000 for the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), $9,700,000 to launch the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3, and $175,800,000 for LandSat-9. The bill also maintains $100 million for NASA’s Office of Education despite the President’s request to decrease funding to $37 million.

Energy and Water, and Related Agencies

Department of Energy (DOE):

DOE received one of the largest increases in FY 2018 with Congress appropriating $34.7 billion for the Department, an increase of $3.8 billion or 12 percent from FY 2017 enacted level and $6.5 billion above the President’s FY 2018 request. DOE’s Office of Science received $6.26 billion for an increase of 16 percent above the FY 2017 enacted level. Rejecting the President’s proposal to eliminate ARPA-E, the bill increased funding for the program to $353 million, which is $47 million above the FY 2017 enacted level. In the report language, Congress prioritizes and increases funding for energy programs that encourage U.S. economic competitiveness and advance “all-of-the-above” solutions to U.S. energy independence. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy received an 11 percent increase to $2.32 billion in FY 2018, despite the President’s proposal to reduce the program’s funding to $636 million. Funding for Fossil Energy Research and Development increased by 9 percent to $727 million – $447 million above the President’s budget request. The bill also includes $7.1 billion for environmental management activities, including $6 billion for defense environmental cleanup and $298 million for non-defense environmental cleanup.

Sources: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Department of Interior, Federal Register, Library of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations