ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, 2020

Large increases for several programs including EM, Science, NE and NNSA

Yesterday two comprehensive appropriations packages containing all 12 appropriations measures were filed in the U.S. House of Representatives in an effort to complete funding for the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020) process prior to the expiration of the current Continuing Resolution.

The Energy and Water Development bill provides $48.343 Billion in Total Discretionary Funding, $3.703 billion above FY 2019 enacted levels.

ECA highlights some key areas below (the text of the Bill is at https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/H1865PLT_44.PDF ):  

 

The bill includes a large increase in environmental clean, record-level funding for the DOE Office of Science for the fifth year in a row, and provides increased funding for programs to spur greater innovation in energy research, high-performance computing, and next-generation technologies, and continues to support small modular reactor development and creates a new Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

Environmental Cleanup – $7.46 billion for DOE environmental management activities, $276 million above the FY 2019 enacted level, including $6.255 billion for Defense Environmental Cleanup to continue remediation of sites contaminated by previous nuclear weapons production.

NNSA – $16.7 billion, $1.48 billion above the FY2019 enacted level for NNSA/Naval Reactors programs. This includes:

• $12.46 billion for Weapons Activities, $1.36 billion above the FY2019 enacted level,
• $1.65 billion for Naval Reactors, $140 million below the FY2019 level, and
• $2.16 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, $234 million above the FY2019 enacted level.

Science Research – $7 billion for the DOE Office of Science, $415 million above the FY2019 enacted level, to support basic science research and enabling research capabilities, development of high-performance computing systems, and research into the next generation of clean energy sources—all important areas for improving economic competitiveness, national security, and quality of life.

Energy Programs – $14.6 billion, $1.16 billion above the FY2019 enacted level. Within this total the bill prioritizes and increases funding for energy programs that encourage U.S. economic competitiveness and advance an “all-of-the-above” solution to U.S. energy independence.

Nuclear Energy Research and Development – $1.49 billion, $167 million above the FY2019 amount, for nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration activities, including:

• $230 million to start a demonstration program for Advanced Reactors, including $160 million for the first year of funding to build two advanced reactor demonstrations;
• $305 million for Fuel Cycle Research and Development, including $2 million begin work on
• $267 million for Reactor Concepts Research, Development, and Demonstration, including $20 million for industry-led Advanced Reactor Concepts program; $65 million for the Versatile Advanced Test Reactor; and $100 million for continued work to design and license an advanced small modular reactor.

Additional program summaries (including Legacy Management)  and details will be distributed in the ECA Bulletin.  ECA members should contact ECA staff with any questions.