The Chemical World This Week
RESEARCH DOES OKAY IN 1978 FEDERAL BUDGET Federal R&D funding fared relatively Federal R&D spending set well in the proposed fiscal 1978 budat $26 billion for fiscal 7 8 get President Ford submitted to Congress last week. Overall federal $ Billions spending is slated to rise only 6.5% 30 from $413 billion in fiscal 1977 to $440 billion in fiscal 1978. Federal R&D funding, on the other hand, will go up 8%, from $24.4 billion to $26.3 billion. 25 As in the past, defense and energy $ Current R&D are the biggest gainers, but hefty increases also are posted for the National Science Foundation and 20 $ Constanl agricultural R&D. (1972) Submission of this budget to Congress was one of Ford's last official acts before leaving the White House. 15 President Carter can and will make changes. But it is doubtful, given the time allowed, that the new President will be able to make major changes 0 except in a few critical areas, such as 1972 73 74 75 76 77 78 defense spending and job stimulating a Estimate. Note: Fiscal years ending Sept. 30. Sources: National Science Foundation, Office of programs. Management & Budget According to Office of Management & Budget figures, the breakdowns for defense, civil, and space Protection Agency with $60 million or R&D obligations (commitments to 2.8%, and the Department of Interior spend) go like this—defense (in- with $64 million or 2.1%. cluding the military-related programs Major program increases at ERDA of the Energy Research & Develop- include fuel cycle/safeguards, up 54% ment Administration), up 10% to to $350 million; conservation, up 39% $13.1 billion; civilian, up 5.3% to $10 to $68 million; fusion, up 35% to $431 billion; and space, up 3.4% to $3.2 million; enrichment, up 35% to $176 billion. Funding for construction and million; and geothermal, up 28% to renovation of R&D facilities will rise $235 million. And funding for the $181 million or 12% to about $1.6 controversial liquid-metal fast billion. And funding of R&D at col- breeder reactor program also would leges and universities will increase $212 million or 7% to $3.2 billion. For the second year in a row, funding for basic research increases in terms of constant, as well as cur- A citizen's panel in Cambridge, Mass., rent, dollars. Obligations for basic has recommended that that city allow research increase from $2.78 billion in recombinant DNA research to be fiscal 1977 to $3.04 billion in fiscal conducted within the city. The 1978, a rise of 9.3%. Ford's economic Cambridge Experimentation Review advisers predict a 6% rate of inflation Board, which has been holding hearfor fiscal 1978. Largest increases for ings on the matter since last August, basic research are posted by defense, unanimously decided that research up 14.6% to $314 million; NSF, up on recombinant DNA should be per12.4% to $688 million; and agricul- mitted in Cambridge as long as it is ture, up 11.4% to $215 million. done in accordance with the guideIn the energy area Ford's budget lines issued by the National Institutes calls for spending $3.04 billion on di- of Health last summer and additional rect energy R&D and demonstration, safety criteria outlined by the an increase of 26% over fiscal 1977 board. Two major research centers for funding levels. ERDA gets $2.8 billion or 91% of this direct energy money. molecular biology are located in The rest is split among the Nuclear . Cambridge: Harvard University and Regulatory Commission with $134 Massachusetts Institute of Technolmillion or 4.4%, the Environmental ogy. In anticipation of conducting a
increase substantially, up 25% to $854.7 million. NSF's total obligations increase, from $776 million to $855 million. Major program increases include mathematical and physical sciences and engineering, up $26.6 million; astronomical, atmospheric, earth, and ocean sciences, up $24.7 million; and biological, behavioral, and social sciences, up $18.3 million. Funding for NSF's chemistry division increases $4.1 million to $44.3 million. And reversing the downward trend of recent years, funding for the Research Applied to National Needs program increases $14.1 million to $78.0 million. For the National Institutes of Health, Ford proposes increasing R&D obligations only $72 million to $2.5 billion. The largest increase, $15 million, would go to the Institute of General Medical Sciences. Next is the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which increases $9 million; R&D obligations for the National Cancer Institute go up only $4 million. Among other major R&D agencies, the Ford budget increases R&D obligations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture by $73 million to $776 million and at the National Aeronautics & Space Administration by $44 million to $3.83 billion. However, R&D obligations for EPA decrease by $45 million to $266 million. D
Cambridge panel: yes to genetic research
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C&ENJan. 24, 1977
recombinant DNA experiments, both have been renovating lab facilities since NIH guidelines were issued. The Cambridge City Council held the first of two public hearings last week on ordinances that would implement the board's recommendations. These would make it a health violation to conduct research in Cambridge not in accordance with the board's safety criteria. Because the Cambridge group represents one of the first citizen's groups to attempt to evaluate whether a certain type of research represents an unacceptable public risk, its findings may well have implications beyond the limits of that city. Indeed, the board's report tries | to establish a precedent for similar
