NCSE Testifies in Support of Environmental Research and Education

May 18, 2007 -- The National Council for Science and the Environment
(NCSE) called upon Congress to increase investments in environmental
research and education in fiscal year 2008.  NCSE's written testimony is
summarized below and the complete text is available online
<http://ncseonline.org/06policy/cms.cfm?id=1034> .  

National Science Foundation.  NCSE urges Congress to appropriate at
least $6.8 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in FY 2008,
an increase of $892 million or 15.1 percent relative to FY 2007.  NCSE
supports this increase in order to put NSF on the five-year doubling
track authorized in the America COMPETES Act (S. 761), which passed the
United States Senate by a vote of 88-8 on April 25, 2007.  

The President's budget request would increase funding for the National
Science Foundation by $513 million or 8.7 percent to $6.43 billion in
fiscal year 2008.  This proposal is the second installment of the
President's American Competitiveness Initiative, which would double the
budgets of three science agencies over ten years.  

Under the President's budget proposal for NSF, the growth rates for
mathematical and physical sciences (8.9 percent), computer science (9.0
percent), and engineering (8.7 percent) would be above than the ten-year
doubling trajectory, but the growth rates for geosciences (6.3 percent),
biological sciences (4.1 percent), and social sciences (3.9 percent)
would be below the ten-year doubling trajectory.  At a minimum, NCSE
encourages Congress to boost funding for NSF's disciplinary directorates
that would fall below the ten-year doubling trajectory.  

The growth rates proposed for NSF's geosciences, biological sciences,
and social sciences directorates are not sufficient to meet the nation's
needs.  For example, NSF provides 68 percent of federal support for
basic research in non-medical biological sciences at academic
institutions in the United States and this research is critical to
environmental stewardship, human welfare, and economic competitiveness.
The grant funding rate for NSF's Biological Sciences Directorate has
decreased significantly from over 20 percent in FY 2003 to an estimated
13 percent in FY 2007.  Over the past several years, the research grant
funding rate for the Biological Sciences Directorate has been lower than
the NSF-wide funding rate.  When adjusted for inflation, the proposed FY
2008 funding level for NSF's Biological Sciences Directorate would be
nearly equal to the FY 2003 level.  An increasing number of scientists
have sought research support from this directorate as real funding has
remained nearly constant.  Stagnant funding will not invigorate the
nation's innovation enterprise.  

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  NCSE joins with other
members of the Friends of NOAA Coalition to strongly encourage Congress
to appropriate $4.5 billion for NOAA in fiscal year 2008 - the same
level recommended by the Senate for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 and the
same amount recommended by the House Oceans Caucus.  NCSE urges Congress
to appropriate sufficient funds for NOAA to carry out its formal and
informal educational activities at all levels, including development and
implementation of the science education plan required under the America
COMPETES Act.  

NOAA provides important services to all Americans and it is time for
Congress to demonstrate its commitment to NOAA for providing programs
that are vital to our economy and to the health and well being of every
resident.  An investment of $4.5 billion in NOAA averages out to $15 per
person annually.  For that small amount, each American receives weather
forecasting, hurricane tracking, tsunami warnings, navigational
information, fisheries management, hazard mitigation, scientific
research, and local community assistance.  Weather and climate sensitive
industries account for about one-third of the nation's gross domestic
product.  

An investment of $4.5 billion in NOAA would represent significant
progress toward addressing recommendations contained in the reports of
the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, the
report card recently issued by the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative,
and the interagency Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation
Strategy.

U.S. Geological Survey.  The USGS budget has declined in real dollars
for five consecutive years and is targeted for another cut in FY 2008.
In real terms, funding for the USGS is currently at its lowest level
since FY 1996, when the National Biological Service was first integrated
into the USGS.  

Proposed budget cuts would adversely affect the ability of the USGS to
achieve its mission.  For example, more than $20 million would be cut
from the Mineral Resources program, a devastating decrease of more than
40 percent.  The proposed budget would eliminate all funding for the
Water Resources Research Institutes ($6.4 million in FY 2006), which are
located in all 50 states.  Under the President's FY 2008 budget
proposal, net funding for the USGS would decline by approximately $8
million or 1 percent to $975 million.  

As a founding member and co-chair of the USGS Coalition, NCSE joins with
numerous other organizations in recommending an appropriation of $1.2
billion for the U.S. Geological Survey in FY 2008.  This level of
funding would enable the USGS to restore the science cuts proposed in
the budget request, accelerate the timetable for deployment of critical
projects, launch new science initiatives that provide the scientific
basis for addressing emerging national needs, and begin to reverse the
cumulative effects of the long-term funding shortfall that has left the
USGS budget stagnant for the past decade.  After years of stagnant
funding and absorption of uncontrollable cost increases, the USGS has a
large and growing backlog of science and monitoring needs.  The USGS
benefits every American every day.  It deserves the continued support of
Congress.  

Environmental Protection Agency.  In order to fulfill its mission, EPA
needs increased investments in both its intramural and extramural
science programs, as well as such associated services as environmental
education and information.  EPA's strategic plan calls for science-based
decisionmaking, but the agency will be unable to achieve this goal if
its capacity to conduct science is not improved.  

EPA's research and development portfolio has declined while the nation's
environmental challenges continue to grow.  EPA's funding for R&D is at
its lowest level in nearly two decades in real dollars and would fall
even further under the President's budget request for FY 2008.  After
several years of steady declines, EPA's R&D funding level in FY 2008
would be 27 percent below the FY 2004 funding level in real dollars,
according to data compiled by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science.  EPA's extramural research grants program has
suffered disproportionate budget cuts since FY 2002.  

NCSE recommends a minimum appropriation of $700 million for EPA's Office
of Research and Development (bringing it back to FY 2004 levels),
including at least $150 million for EPA's STAR research grants program
and $20 million for EPA's STAR graduate fellowship program.  NCSE
recommends a total of $900 million for EPA's Science and Technology
account. NCSE also urges Congress to restore full funding for the Office
of Environmental Education at a level of at least $10 million.