This monthly review goes out to members of the AGI Government Affairs Program (GAP) Advisory Committee, the leadership of AGI's member societies, and other interested geoscientists as part of a continuing effort to improve communications between GAP and the geoscience community that it serves.
Comprehensive Energy Legislation Introduced in Senate
Science Faces Uphill Budget Battle
Threatened Cut to USGS Sparks Strong Response
Evolution Returns to Kansas; Other States Face Issue
New National Monuments To Remain, Face Revised Management
Second IPCC Report Focuses on Climate Change Impacts
Brownfields Breakthrough on the Horizon?
Report Notes Importance of Science for National Security
Special Update on New Faces in Congress, Administration
Summer Internship Application Deadline is March 15th
Schedule of Upcoming GAP Activities
New Material on Web Site
********************
Comprehensive Energy Legislation Introduced in
Senate
On February 27th, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman
Frank Murkowski (R-AK) formally introduced the National Energy Security
Act of 2001 (S.388 and S.389), calling it "the starting point for what
will be an important debate during this session of the 107th Congress."
The pair of bills, cosponsored by twelve senators, including Sen. John
Breaux (D-LA) as the lone Democrat, aim to decrease the nation's reliance
on foreign oil to 50% by 2011 through a suite of policy changes. Press
attention has focused on the proposed opening of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration. Several senators have already
expressed their opposition to any energy bill that includes petroleum exploration
in ANWR. Other provisions in S. 388 and S. 389 include tax incentives
for domestic oil and gas production, measures to expedite construction
of gas pipelines, measures to promote energy conservation, incentives for
research and development into "clean coal" technology, and many others
addressing a range of energy sources. S. 388 contains the entire
energy package and was referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
S. 389 contains only the tax provisions and has been referred to the Senate
Finance Committee. Because Vice President Cheney's task force is
expected to spend several months developing the administration's energy
proposal, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) has indicated that full
Senate action on these bills will not take place before the summer. A PDF
file of the full text of the National Energy Security Act of 2001 can be
viewed at http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/pdfs/NatEnergySecurityAct.pdf.
A section by section summary is available at http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/pdfs/section_by_section.pdf.
With the California energy crisis still in full swing, energy policy has been the subject of numerous congressional hearings. The House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing February 15th to compare the market structure of different states that have deregulated electricity markets. On February 27th, the same subcommittee held the first in a series of hearings focusing on different energy resources, beginning with natural gas. Subcommittee Chair Joe Barton (R-TX) stated that the hearings would lead to the development of comprehensive energy legislation. The hearing record is being submitted to the Cheney task force. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/energy.html
Science Faces Uphill Budget Battle
An AGI Special Update on February 28th reported on the release of President
Bush’s budget outline for fiscal year (FY) 2002. Entitled "A Blueprint
for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget for America's Priorities," the
document only reveals funding levels for broad budgetary categories and
for agency totals. Detailed numbers will be provided on April 3rd. The
special update inadvertently left out NASA, which is slated for a 2-percent
increase over FY 2001 levels to $14.5 billion. The web version of the special
update contains NASA-related language from the President's proposal: http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/bushbudget0201.html.
As previously reported in the Wall Street Journal, the president's budget proposal limits the National Science Foundation (NSF) to a one-percent increase over FY 2001 with "no new starts or major facility projects in 2002." In response to an AGI alert, many geoscientists have written to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expressing their concern over the below-inflation increase, which would further delay implementation of the Earthscope project. AGI has again signed on to a statement by the Coalition for National Science Funding -- a network of over 70 scientific and engineering societies and university associations -- in support of doubling the NSF budget over the coming decade. The statement is available at http://www.cnsfweb.org.
The release of the president's budget plan is the starting gun for the congressional budget season. Both the House and Senate Budget Committees have begun work on the allocations for appropriations and other government spending. While praising the president's overall goals of tax cuts and limited spending, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) cautions that the budget request does not provide adequate support for key programs. For his part, Bush has threatened to veto any appropriations bill that exceeds his budget numbers. Let the games begin.
Threatened Cut to USGS Sparks Strong Response
Many thanks to the more than 200 geoscientists who have copied us on
letters to Interior Secretary Gale Norton and OMB Director Mitchell Daniels
opposing large cuts to the USGS budget. These letters make a strong case
for the value of the Survey's work and demonstrate that the USGS has a
vocal constituency. No specific numbers were provided for USGS in the president's
budget outline, but it does propose to "better target" USGS programs to
support other Interior Department bureaus. The specific numbers for USGS
will not be released until April 3rd. If you have not sent a letter yet,
you can still have an impact. A sample letter and contact information are
available as part of the alert at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/usgs_alert0201.html.
Evolution Returns to Kansas; Other States Face
Issue
In a February 14th valentine to good science, the Kansas State Board
of Education voted 7-3 to reinstate the teaching of biological evolution
and the origin of the Earth into the state's science education standards.
With this vote, the board adopts science education standards that nullify
the controversial 1999 standards, which had de-emphasized evolution and
removed the age of the Earth and Big Bang theory from teaching requirements.
The Kansas Science Education Standards include teaching guidelines for
all grades. The introductory statement, the eighth grade standards, and
the twelfth grade standards include specific reference to students understanding
biological evolution, the significance of fossils, the geologic time scale,
and theories regarding the origins of the Earth. Although the board's
favorable vote has been applauded by many science organizations, the Kansas
board has received many complaints from those opposed to the new standards.
Geoscientists, especially those residing in Kansas, are encouraged to thank
those school board members who voted for the new standards: Board Chairman
Sonny Rundell, Vice Chairman Janet Waugh, Bruce Wyatt, Sue Gamble, Carol
Rupe, Bill Wagnon, and Val DeFever. Their contact information is at http://www.ksde.org/commiss/bdaddr.html.
The new standards can be viewed at http://www.ksbe.state.ks.us/.
On February 19th, the Montana House Committee on State Administration voted 14-4 to defeat a bill that would have required Montana's science teachers to present additional theories of origin along with evolution. House Bill (HB) 588 would have changed Montana's present administrative rules in which evolution is taught exclusively. Supporters of the bill want to "ensure that children are exposed to all theories of human existence." Many in the state were surprised that the debate was even occurring. The spokesman for the State Office of Instruction, Joe Lamson, said in amazement: "We don't put nonscientific things in a science class."
A bill introduced this month in the Georgia state legislature seeks to amend the official state code to reform the teaching of "scientific theories of the origins about life and living things." The final section of the bill (HB 391) repeals all laws in conflict with it, presumably including the Constitution.
New National Monuments To Remain, Face Revised
Management
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton has stated that she will not
seek to overturn any of the national monument designations created by President
Clinton. In a Washington Post interview, she criticized the previous
administration for moving too quickly: "The monument designations were
more show than substance. We now have to provide the substance."
She has pledged to work with state and local governments as well as landowners
to ensure that the monuments are managed to suit local needs and circumstances.
On Capitol Hill, House Resources Committee Chairman James Hanson (R-UT)
sent a letter to encourage House members who are unhappy with monuments
in their districts to draft legislation challenging the designations. More
at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/natmon.html.
Second IPCC Report Focuses on Climate Change Impacts
On February 19th, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
released a Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of its second report in the ongoing
Third Assessment. Prepared by IPCC Working Group II, this report focuses
on potential effects of climate change on ecosystems, water resources,
and human systems (energy, industry, financial services, and health), as
they are presently understood. All 100 IPCC member countries approved
the SPM, which notes the difficulty of separating changes caused by land-use
alteration, pollution, and increasing human population from changes caused
by global warming. Other uncertainties relate to the future responses of
human and natural systems to climate change and the rate at which change
occurs. Many of the consequences of global warming will provide improvements
in some regions while worsening conditions elsewhere. It is unclear
how much the beneficial changes that occur in one region or season will
offset damages that occur in another region or at a different time of the
year. The report recommends that further research include complete
regional studies of the effects of climate change. The full SPM can be
downloaded from http://www.usgcrp.gov/ipcc/wg2spm.pdf.
AGI's update on this topic provides more information on how IPCC creates
its reports: http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/climate.html.
Working Group I released their SPM detailing the state of climate change science in January. Working Group III is slated to release their summary, which focuses on actions that can be taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change, in early March. Reuters reports that the third report "predicts that if international governments implement measures to limit carbon emissions, the oil and coal industries could be 'forced into decline'."
According to EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman, the Bush Administration recognizes that problems associated with global warming are real. She said, "while scientists can't predict where the droughts will occur, where the flooding will occur, or when, we know they will occur. The science is strong there." As for emissions control, Bush may support regulating power plant emissions of carbon dioxide under a "multi-pollutant" approach to the Clean Air Act.
Brownfields Breakthrough on the Horizon?
On February 27th, the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Control,
and Risk Assessment held a hearing on The Brownfield Revitalization and
Environmental Restoration Act of 2001 (S.350). The popular bill encourages
assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites through revolving loan funds,
grants, enhancement of state programs, and non-liability measures to protect
landowners. Brownfields have historically been included in Superfund
legislation, but S.350 allows the lower toxicity sites to stand alone.
A similar bill last Congress got stuck in committee because some felt that
the legislation should be part of broader Superfund reform. In her
debut performance before the committee as EPA Administrator, Christine
Todd Whitman announced that the Administration supports S. 350: "Brownfields
clean-up is an important redevelopment tool that provides an alternative
to development of greenfields." With 67 co-sponsors in the Senate
and support from the Administration, S.350 may break through legislative
gridlock this session. A full committee vote is scheduled for the coming
week. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has also pledged to take
up the brownfields issue. More on the hearing at http://www.senate.gov/~epw/super_107.htm.
Report Notes Importance of Science for National
Security
The U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century -- a
congressionally mandated commission to review the nation's security structure
-- stresses the importance of basic science research and education. In
its final report, "Road Map for National Security: Imperative for Change,"
the commission states: "Our system of basic scientific research and education
are in serious crisis, while other countries are redoubling their efforts.
In the next quarter century, we will likely see ourselves surpassed, and
in relative decline, unless we make a conscious national commitment to
maintain our edge." Chaired by former senators Warren Rudman (R-NH)
and Gary Hart (D-CO), the bipartisan commission makes a series of recommendations
and reforms that the government should take into account to better address
the nation's future security. More information on the commission
is available at http://www.nssg.gov.
A summary of the report and recommendations are available from the American
Institute of Physics at http://www.aip.org/enews/fyi/2001/.
Special Update on New Faces in Congress, Administration
AGI sent out a Special Update on February 10th summarizing the recent
changes in leadership in Congress and federal agencies. Many of the
key players on issues affecting the geosciences have changed in both Congress
and the Administration. This special update provides a snapshot of the
new leaders. Freshly confirmed Secretaries of the Interior and Energy
are in place along with the new EPA Administrator, but virtually all non-Cabinet
level appointments are still waiting to be filled, including the president's
science advisor and NOAA Administrator. In the House of Representatives,
a six-year term limit for committee chairs, set in 1995 when Republicans
gained the majority, has resulted in a sizeable turnover. The Senate
has experienced less change in terms of committee chairs, but the even
split between the parties has led to numerous shifts in committee procedures
and assignments. See http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/newfaces_update0201.html.
Since the update, the Senate unanimously confirmed Joe Allbaugh as Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In the previous administration the FEMA director was elevated to Cabinet status, but it is not known if President Bush will do the same. Less than two weeks into his tenure, Allbaugh was sent to Seattle, WA, to assess the damage of the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that hit the area on February 28th causing upwards of $2 billion in damage but very few casualties.
Summer Internship Application Deadline is March
15th
AGI is seeking outstanding geoscience students with a strong interest
in federal science policy for a twelve-week geoscience and public policy
internship in Summer 2001 and a fourteen-week internship in Fall 2001.
Interns will gain a first-hand understanding of the legislative process
and the operation of executive branch agencies. They will also hone both
their writing and Web publishing skills. Stipends for the summer interns
are funded jointly by AGI and the AIPG Foundation and for the fall interns
by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Applications must
be postmarked by March 15, 2001 for the summer and by June 1, 2001 for
the fall. For more information, please visit http://www.agiweb.org/gapac/intern.html.
Schedule of Upcoming GAP Activities
| March 20 | AASG Awards Banquet | Washington DC |
| April 21 | AGI Govt Affairs Advisory Cmte. | Alexandria VA |
| April 23 | AAPG Energy Supply Conference | Washington DC |
| May 1-2 | SET Congressional Visits Day | Washington DC |
| May 3-4 | AAAS Colloquium | Washington DC |
New Material on Web Site
The following updates and reports were added to the Government Affairs
portion of AGI's web site http://www.agiweb.org/gap
since the last monthly update:
Sources: American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Physics, Associated Press, EENews, Greenwire, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Reuters, U.S. Senate, White House.
Please send any comments or requests for information to AGI Government Affairs Program at govt@agiweb.org.
Posted March 4, 2001
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