APPROPRIATIONS
Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Energy and Water Development Funding Bill
House Committee on Appropriations | 7/6/2020
Yesterday Chairwoman Nita Lowey and the House Committee on Appropriations released the FY 2021 Energy and Water Development Funding bill. One of the highlights within the appropriations is that an increase of funds is proposed for the National Nuclear
Security Administration, a $1.3 billion increase above the FY20 level. Also, despite the NDAA proposing one of the largest cuts to environmental cleanup, the proposed appropriations level for the Environmental Management program shows an increase from the FY21 requested amount of $6.06 billion to the appropriated amount of $7.46 billion. Notably this amount is nearly identical to the FY20 enacted appropriations of $7.48 billion. The Senate NDAA bill authorizes $5 billion, and the House NDAA
bill authorizes $5.7 billion. These amounts represent 20% and 8% cuts to the cleanup budget, respectively. The FY21 proposed appropriations surpasses these numbers by $2.46 billion and $1.76 billion, respectively. As noted in a previous ECA update, the NDAA is an authorization or funds, not final appropriations.
ECA has created a resource to track appropriations pertaining to Department of Energy programs that illustrates enacted appropriation levels as well as requested levels. The budget chart can be found here.
Another key piece of the released text of the bill is a mention of how appropriations can be used with specific mention to the Nuclear Weapons Council. Section 309 states: “SEC. 309. None of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies may be used in furtherance of working through the Nuclear Weapons Council to guide, advise, assist, develop, or
execute a budget for the National Nuclear Security Administration.” This seems to be in direct relation to the language that was included in the NDAA that allowed for DOD to control more of DOE's budget. The language was removed from the NDAA following swift action of ECA communities and their congressional delegations.
The House Appropriations Energy-Water Subcommittee is due to mark up the bill this afternoon. The markup will be webcast live and can be viewed HERE. A full committee markup has not yet been scheduled.
The full text of the bill can be found HERE.
Department of Energy – For fiscal year 2021, the bill provides a total of $41 billion for the Department, an increase of $2.3 billion above the FY 2020 level and $5.1 billion above the President’s budget request.
- National Nuclear Security Administration – The bill provides $18 billion for DOE’s nuclear security programs, an increase of $1.3 billion above the FY 2020 level. This funding will maintain a safe, secure, and credible nuclear deterrent while addressing the threat of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This includes:
- Weapons Activities – $13.7 billion, an increase of $1.2 billion above the FY 2020 level to maintain a safe and reliable nuclear deterrent.
- Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation – $2.24 billion, an increase of $75 million above the FY 2020 level and $209 million above the request. This funding secures nuclear material at home and abroad, combats the threat of nuclear terrorism, and provides emergency response capabilities.
- Naval Reactors – $1.7 billion, an increase of $35.6 million above the FY 2020 level, to continue safe and reliable operation of the Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet.
- Environmental Management – The bill provides $7.46 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion above the request. This funding is used for nuclear cleanup work at 16 sites across the country. This includes:
- Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup – $315 million, an increase of $39 million above the request.
- Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning – $821.6 million, an increase of $15 million above the request.
- Defense Environmental Cleanup – $6.3 billion, an increase of $66 million above the FY 2020 level and $1.3 billion above the request.
- Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response – The bill provides $160 million, an increase of $4 million above the FY 2020 level. This funding provides for efforts to secure the nation’s energy infrastructure against all hazards, reduce the risks of and impacts from cybersecurity events, and assist with restoration
activities.
- Nuclear Energy – The bill provides $1.4 billion, an increase of $256 million above the request. The funding invests in research, development, and demonstration activities that develop the next generation of clean and safe reactors, further improve the safety and economic viability of our current reactor fleet, and contribute to the nation’s long-term
leadership in the global nuclear power industry.
- Science – The bill provides $7.05 billion, an increase of $50 million above the FY 2020 level and $1.2 billion above the request. The Office of Science funds basic science research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other science disciplines to expand scientific understanding and secure the nation’s global leadership in energy innovation.
- Nuclear Waste Disposal – The bill provides $27.5 million for interim storage of nuclear waste and oversight of the Nuclear Waste Fund.
- Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy – The bill provides $435 million, an increase of $10 million above the FY 2020 level and rejects the President’s proposal to eliminate the program. This funding supports research aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies that are capable of significantly changing the energy sector to address the nation’s
critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges.
In addition, to support the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the bill provides an additional $23.5 billion in emergency funding for the Department of Energy to modernize energy infrastructure for a clean energy future.
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – The bill provides $7.78 billion to deploy energy efficient and clean energy infrastructure throughout the country and ensure that low-income households across the country have energy-efficient, more livable homes.
- Electricity – The bill provides $3.35 billion to enhance the resilience, reliability, and security of electric grid infrastructure.
- Nuclear Energy – The bill provides $1.25 billion to build advanced nuclear reactor demonstrations and improve infrastructure at national laboratories.
- Fossil Energy – The bill provides $1.25 billion to build demonstrations in negative emissions technologies and carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies and improve infrastructure at national laboratories.
- Science – The bill provides $6.25 billion for national laboratories, scientific user facilities, and universities to accelerate ongoing construction projects across the country.
- Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy – The bill provides $250 million for demonstrations of transformational energy technologies.
- Environmental Management – The bill provides $3.13 billion to accelerate nuclear cleanup work at 16 sites across the country.
Independent Agencies
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission – The bill provides a total net appropriation of $123 million, equal to the request. This funds regulatory activities to ensure the safe use of nuclear reactors and radioactive materials while protecting people and the environment.
- Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board – The bill provides $31 million, an increase of $2.2 million above the request. The Board provides recommendations regarding public health and safety matters at Department of Energy defense nuclear facilities.
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