Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Clears Fiscal 2008 Funding Legislation

Source: US Senate Committee on Appropriations

The legislation allocates a total of $32.273 billion for the Army Corps of
Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Department of Energy (DOE).
The Committee allocation is more than $1.8 billion over President Bush’s budget
request and nearly $2 billion over FY 2007. The Subcommittee approaches
funding energy efficiency technologies, renewable energy, electricity, fossil
energy, nuclear energy, and other energy activities in a fiscally responsible
manner.

“The Energy and Water Appropriations bill is a strong investment in our
nation’s infrastructure and energy-related research,” said Subcommittee
Chairman Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. “We’ve worked hard to put together a fiscally
responsible bill that will help build America for the future.”

“This legislation brings us another step closer to energy independence
and reducing the country=s reliance on Middle East oil by investing in the
ingenuity and natural resources we have here at home," said Senate
Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va. “We are finally
putting real dollars into the research and development that will help to cut
through the chains of foreign oil. I am proud to support this bill that devotes real
dollars to innovation and ingenuity to energy policy and will help blaze new trails
in this sector. America has no greater domestic challenge than finding better,
cleaner, and safer ways to provide energy to communities across the nation."

The FY 2008 Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
Appropriations bill includes provisions for the following:

National Infrastructure

• More than $5.4 billion to fund the Army Corps of Engineers. This is $109
  million over FY 2007 and $577 million over the President’s budget
  request.
  • $172 million for the Corps planning program in the General
    Investigations account;
  • $2.059 billion for the Corps Construction General Account which
    funds approximately 235 projects as opposed to 66 recommended
    in the President’s budget request;
  • $375 million for the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project,
    $115 million above President’s budget request. This funding level
    will allow the Corps to continue with all phases of the Mississippi
    River and Tributaries Project that provides dependable, navigation
    and flood control benefits to the lower Mississippi River;
  • $2.292 billion for Operation and Maintenance, an increase of
    $319 million above the FY 2007 and funds needed repairs to the
    nation’s aging water resource infrastructure. This is the first real
    increase to the maintenance budget of the Corps in a number of
    years.
  • $140 million for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action
    Program, $10 million more than the President’s budget request, to
    continue radiological clean-ups at former sites of the Manhattan
    project.
  • $50 million for the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies
    account, $10 million above the President’s budget request. This
    account funds the Corps’ readiness and preparedness activities
    for natural disaster preparation and planning. The additional
    funds above the budget request further the National Flood
    Inventory Study. The study’s ultimate goal is to create a national
    database of federal and non-federal flood control projects, and to
    assess the protection level offered by these projects that will help
    evaluate the flood risks of the dependent populations.
• More than $1.1 billion to fund the Department of Interior - Bureau of
  Reclamation. This is $66 million over FY 2007 and $142 million over the
  President’s budget request.
  • $950 million for Water and Related Resources, $134 million
    above the President’s budget request, to ensure that Reclamation
    can continue their mission of delivering water and power to the
    West;
  • $41 million for the California Bay-Delta program, $9 million above
    the President’s budget request, to address the competing
    demands on water in the Delta area of California for both
    environmental needs as well as for consumers.

National Competitiveness

• $4.497 billion for the Science Program in the Energy Department, $99
  million above the President’s budget request. This legislation makes
  critical investments in scientific research and technology to improve
  America’s competitiveness.
  • $73 million to fund Biological and Environmental Research;
  • Increases are also included for Basic Energy Sciences and
    Laboratory Infrastructure.

Clean Energy and Climate Change

• $3.715 billion for the DOE’s energy activities, this is $536 million above
  the President’s budget request. While the President has rhetorically
  stated that energy is an important issue, in reality many important
  programs have been largely under funded. This year, the Committee
  provides real dollars to fund his empty promises.
  • $228 million to fund hydrogen technologies;
  • $244 million to pursue investments in alternative and advanced
    fuels;
  • $240.5 million to fund the weatherization assistance program;
  • $169.4 million to fund the Office of Electricity Delivery;
  • $808.1 million for fossil energy research and development;
  • Additional funds are provided for the Clean Coal Power Initiative
    as well as coal, oil, and natural gas research, including funds for
    carbon capture and storage programs;
  • Strong support is provided for a range of renewable technologies
    including solar, wind, geothermal, and water power technologies.
    Additional resources are provided to energy efficiency programs
    that were cut in the FY 2007 budget.

Environment, Health and Safety

• $5.996 million for Environmental Cleanup of the nuclear weapons and
  civilian energy complexes, $341 million above the President’s budget
  request. The increase keeps cleanup on track at sites in Washington,
  Idaho, Tennessee and New Mexico;
• $765 million for defense and $35 million for non-defense Health, Safety
  and Security, and Legacy Management functions. The funding levels are
  equal to the President’s budget request.

National Security

• $9.565 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration, $178
  million above the President’s budget request;
• $1.873 million for Nuclear Nonproliferation, $200 million over the
  President’s budget request, to provide additional funding for securing
  civilian nuclear materials and technology and providing for international
  monitoring of various nuclear facilities;
• $808 million to fund the Naval Reactors program and $395 million to
  fund the Office of the Administrator, both levels are equal to the
  President’s budget request.

Economic Development

• $118.8 million to provide infrastructure, health, transportation, and
  economic development programs for vulnerable regions of our nation, $46
  million above the President’s request. The funds will also help coordinate
  critical aid with other local and state agencies engaged in these efforts.
  • $75 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission;
  • $12 million for the Delta Regional Authority;
  • $31.8 million for the Denali Commission.

Contact:

Brenden Timpe (Chairman Dorgan), 202-224-4654
Jenny Thalheimer (Chairman Byrd), 202-224-3904

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