Environmental▼News quest. However, two weeks later, Colwell announced that she was resigning her position to join Canon U.S. Life Sciences. The President has requested an increase for NSF when other agencies are facing budget cuts, Colwell stressed. In the FY ’05 request, Bush would provide research and related activities a 4.7% increase over current appropriations, while major research equipment funds would jump 38%. Within this line, $47.35 million is slated to continue Earthscope, a nationwide geological observation network, and $16 million to start up the National Ecological Observation Network, a series of centers to detect abrupt environmental changes and monitor long-term trends. Among NSF’s priority areas, Nano Science and Engineering
would increase 20% to $305 million, whereas Biocomplexity in the Environment would remain at FY ’04 levels. Graduate student fellowships would plateau in the FY ’05 request, but the number available would increase to 5500. In addition, the average grant size would increase by $3000 to $142,000. To provide American scientists and engineers with opportunities to engage with the world’s top researchers and access the best facilities, Colwell says, the request also includes a 21% increase to funding for NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering. NSF’s request came within days of the National Science Board’s report to Congress required under the Doubling Act, which states that NSF would need $19 billion to address “budgetary and program-
matic growth” through FY ’07. “Despite signing [the Doubling Act] to glowing reviews, the President has sent us two successive budgets that fall far short of reaching that goal. With this budget submission we stand $3 billion below the doubling path,” wrote research subcommittee ranking member, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “The only thing more surprising is the 18% cut to the [NSF] education and human resources budget account from an Administration that has claimed education of our youth as one its rhetorical hallmarks.” However, history shows that more money could still come to NSF. Last year, Congress appropriated $5.57 billion to NSF, which was $97 million more than the President’s request. —RACHEL PETKEWICH
NOAA gets less money
PHOTODISC
and Atmospheric Research (OAR) program, which falls $60 million The fiscal year 2005 (FY ’05) redecisions related to climate change.” from congressional levels to $350 quest for the National Oceanic However, environmentalists disputmillion. Within OAR, climate change and Atmospheric Administration ed those claims, pointing out that research is slated for a $13.5 million (NOAA) is higher than the Bush the National Ocean Service—the increase—Lautenbacher highlighted Administration’s FY ’04 budget for agency that manages coastal waters the sustained ocean observation the agency—jumping $147 miland habitats—faced a $215 million program to look at climate influlion, or about 5%, to $3.4 billion— (35%) cut from 2004 enacted levels ence, which garners an extra but about 8% less than the $11 million, $6.6 million $3.69 billion Congress is more for a 5-year study of estimated to have authohow aerosols affect climate rized for 2004. Hard hit are change, and another $6.5 many of the agency’s scimillion for a carbon cycle atentific programs, including mospheric observing system. those that study climate Lautenbacher also anchange and coastal water nounced $5.5 million more protection, which the for twice-daily air quality American Association for ozone forecasts, which begin the Advancement of in the northeastern states Science says drop overall this year and will spread by $21 million to $611 milnationwide by 2008. EcoNOAA’s National Marine Fisheries program, which is lion. system protection and charged with protecting marine mammals like this NOAA’s administrator, restorations overall were endangered manatee, is slated for a $22 million cut Conrad Lautenbacher, also slated for a $145 million in FY ’05. praised the budget, saying, gain to $1.16 billion, accord“This budget request allows us to $379 million, and the National ing to Lautenbacher, but that is to develop the science necessary Marine Fisheries—which conserves below Congress’s 2004 estimated to improve weather, water, and fish stocks and marine mammals— budget of $1.4 billion. ecosystem forecasts of the future, is slated for a $22 million (3%) drop For more information, go to as well as give policy makers the to $623 million. www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/ data they need to make important Also facing cuts is the Oceanic budget2005. —ALAN NEWMAN
124A ■ ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / APRIL 1, 2004
