Today the White House released President Biden’s “skinny budget,” an outline of top priorities for the FY 2022 budget. The administration is requesting $46.1 billion for the Department of Energy, a $4.3 billion increase above the FY 2021 level.
While the breakdown of requested funding for specific DOE sites is not known yet, the skinny budget indicates which offices within DOE may see increases or decreases in funding. Among the priorities for DOE, the administration notes the request “…creates jobs through clean energy projects; brings America to the forefront of clean energy innovation; tackles the climate crisis with the urgency science
demands; invests in communities that have been left behind; and ensures the safety and security of the nuclear stockpile.”
Environmental Cleanup
“The discretionary request sustains the Nation’s investment in cleanup of World War II and Cold War nuclear sites. Included as part of the discretionary request for DOE nuclear facility cleanup is $831 million for the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning (UED&D) Fund. The request proposes to finance this activity through approximately $416 million of appropriations from the U.S.
Enrichment Corporation Fund to the UED&D Fund and appropriations from defense funding into the UED&D Fund.”
National Nuclear Security Administration
“The discretionary request supports a safe, secure, and effective nuclear stockpile and a continued modernization program that includes the recapitalization of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s physical infrastructure and essential facilities to ensure the deterrent remains viable.”
Investing in Clean Energy Technologies
“Within DOE, the discretionary request invests more than $8 billion, an increase of at least 27 percent over 2021 funding, in technology such as advanced nuclear energy technologies, electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and even innovative approaches to air conditioning and refrigeration. These investments would leverage the tremendous innovation capacity of the National Laboratories, universities, and
entrepreneurs to transform America’s power, transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors to achieve a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.”
“The discretionary request provides a total of $1 billion for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Climate and the existing Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, of which $700 million is funded through DOE. Together, these initiatives would support transformative solutions for carbon-pollution free energy, adaptation, and resilience against the climate crisis and lay the foundation for future
improvements in research and development across multiple agencies.”
Workforce Development
“The discretionary request also increases resources for workforce development programs to augment pathways to good-paying science, technology, engineering, and math careers for students attending these schools. New grant awards, including a research center focused on climate, would expand research capacity and create new opportunities at HBCUs and other MSIs.”
The next steps for the budget include the White House Office of Management and Budget releasing a more detailed budget request with more specific dollar amounts for each cleanup site. Additionally, administration officials will begin testifying on Capitol Hill to further discuss the President’s budget request as Congress begins developing the annual appropriations bills.
ECA will continue to provide updates on the full budget request and DOE budget hearings. The skinny budget released today is available here.
