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February
4, 2002
Secretary
of Energy Unveils DOE '03 Budget
FY2003 Budget Details President Bush's Top Priorities:
National Security, Homeland Defense and Economic
Growth
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of Energy Spencer
Abraham today released the Department of Energy's
(DOE) Fiscal Year 2003 Budget request to Congress,
calling the plan a blueprint to "build a
stronger foundation for energy security in the
21st century."
The budget request of $21.9 billion will deliver
concrete benefits, fulfilling the Bush administration's
commitment to ensuring our national security,
energy security, energy efficiency, environmental
quality, and science and technology. Additionally,
the Secretary discussed the department's evolution
from an agency focused on Cold War missions to
a well-managed, accountable department that is
changing the way it does business in the 21st
century.
"We have not turned our backs on tough decisions,"
Secretary Abraham said in remarks made this afternoon.
"We've accelerated nonproliferation programs
with Russia, improved the plutonium disposition
program and helped to protect Americans from future
terrorist attacks."
"After careful study, we are poised to recommend
a permanent disposal site for nuclear waste, we
moved ahead to cure the persistent Path 15 bottleneck
in California, we challenged old ideas in our
environmental cleanup program, and we set a new
course for automobile transportation with FreedomCAR,"
Abraham added.
Following on the President's call in the State
of the Union address to "do what is necessary
to ensure our nation's security," the department
requested $8 billion for the National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA) that directs additional
funding to nuclear nonproliferation and stockpile
stewardship programs.
"We will ensure the safety, security and
reliability of the nuclear stockpile. And we'll
make sure future research, development and production
plans are geared to the Administration's defense
strategy," continued Abraham.
Secretary Abraham also discussed the department's
efforts to devote resources to implement the Administration's
National Energy Plan, direct research and development
toward new ideas and innovation, and move technologies
from the laboratory to the marketplace.
Funding priorities for the FY2003 budget highlights
are as follows:
National Nuclear Security Administration ($8 billion
for FY2003, an increase of $433 million above
FY2002)
The total funding for the National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) is $8 billion. This is a
5.7 percent increase over the FY2002 appropriations.
Included in that appropriation is $358 million
for activities in response to the September 11
events. Within the FY2003 total, funding is provided
to continue and expand activities to respond to
the rapidly changing security environment. The
budget requests $510 million for the physical
and cyber security activities at the laboratories,
plants and Nevada Test Site.
The FY2003 Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation request
of $1.1 billion, is $87 million over the FY2002
appropriations. Included in that appropriation
is an additional $223 million for activities related
to the war on terrorism.
Directed Stockpile Work and Campaigns budget totals
$3.3 billion. This funding will support the maintenance
and evaluation of the existing stockpile and weapons
refurbishment programs as well as fund 15 scientific,
engineering and readiness campaigns to develop
new capabilities to assess weapon status, extend
weapon life and certify the reliability of the
stockpile.
In addition to the NNSA programs, there are five
other essential national security programs, reporting
directly to Secretary Abraham - Intelligence,
Counterintelligence, Security, Independent Oversight
and Performance Assurance, and Energy Security
and Assurance. The FY2003 request for these five
programs total $318 million, an increase of $32
million or 11 percent.
Energy ($2.4 billion for FY2003)
The department has requested $277.1 million for
the Weatherization Assistance Program to provide
heating assistance to at least 123,000 low-income
families. This funding supports the President's
commitment to double funding for Weatherization
Assistance over the next 10 years.
Approximately $150 million is included in the
budget for FreedomCAR, a program dedicated to
refocusing transportation research and development
toward cost-effective, fuel cell powered vehicles
and developing the infrastructure needed to make
hydrogen an available fuel source.
The budget request also includes funding to implement
the President's $2 billion, 10-year clean coal
technology initiative as well as increased research
into carbon sequestration, a promising long-term
approach for reducing carbon emissions that President
Bush cited last June in announcing his climate
change policy.
The department has allocated approximately $38.5
million to launch a major new nuclear initiative,
Nuclear Power 2010. Nuclear Power 2010 is a cooperative,
cost-shared initiative with industry that will
develop advanced nuclear technologies and demonstrate
new regulatory processes leading to the startup
of new nuclear plants by 2010.
This year's budget also supports the collaboration
of nine leading nuclear nations to develop Generation
IV nuclear energy systems. These are the next
generation of reactor and fuel cycle technologies,
available after 2010 but before 2030, that are
safer, more reliable, and proliferation resistant.
Environment ($7.4 billion for FY2003, a $169 million
increase above FY2002)
Last year, the Department announced that it would
conduct a sweeping review of its Environmental
Management programs and activities while maintaining
the Department's commitment to health and safety
and continued environmental cleanup with the ultimate
goal of a "stronger, more effective and efficient
environmental management program."
The results of the top-to-bottom Environmental
Management Program review were unveiled last week.
Secretary Abraham announced a total of $6.7 billion
will be allocated to support the goals of the
new plan. The plan includes provisions for basic
funding at every site and an $800 million expedited
cleanup account out of which those sites that
agree to participate in the new plan will receive
additional funds to fast-track cleanup. To access
this cleanup account, a site and DOE will have
to reach agreement on an expedited schedule that
shows measurable gains and accountability ensuring
that site more resources.
The plan also calls for a refocusing of the Environmental
Management Program's Science and Technology program
to concentrate on high-priority technical needs
at closure sites, short and intermediate-term
projects, and high-risk, high-payoff projects.
As a part of the compelling national interests,
including the maintenance of our energy options,
the Secretary has requested $527 million for the
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
to advance the geologic disposal program to dispose
of high-level radioactive waste, defense and commercial
spent nuclear fuel, and to preserve our environment.
This request is $150 million over the FY2002 appropriations.
The increase in funds will provide for technical
activities to support the development of the license
application; continue design work to develop final
construction drawings and specifications; conduct
performance confirmation testing, monitoring and
evaluation activities, as required by the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's licensing regulations;
and continue development of the Nevada transportation
design and planning. The Nevada Transportation
budget element is new in FY2003 and includes $6
million for initial conceptual design and technical
support.
The budget also includes $130 million for the
Office of Environment, Safety, and Health and
$26 million for the Office of Worker and Community
Transition.
Office of Science ($3.3 billion for FY2003)
The request for the Office of Science will support
increased funding for operations and instrumentation
at Office of Science user facilities used by over
18,000 university, industry and government researchers.
The request also provides for:
funding to keep the construction of the Spallation
Neutron Source on schedule; increases in research,
including nanoscience research to understand how
to "tailor" materials for specific uses;
climate change research, including a new Climate
Change Research Initiative, the Human Genome and
Genomes to Life programs, and Scientific Discovery
through Advanced Computing, supercomputer research
and development to harness the full capability
of modern supercomputers to solve scientific problems;
and funds to counter the infrastructure deterioration
at Office of Science laboratories.
The entire FY 2003 budget can be accessed via
the internet at http://www.mbe.doe.gov/budget/03budget/index.htm.
Media Contact:
Number: PR-02-016
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