Summary: FY14 Energy & Water Full Committee Markup
For Immediate Release: June 27, 2013
Contact: Appropriations Press Office: (202) 224-7363
Feinstein Press Office: (202) 224-9634
SUMMARY: ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT
FISCAL YEAR 2014 APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Full Committee Mark
Fiscal Year 2013 Discretionary Spending: $36.735 billion
Fiscal Year 2014 Senate: $34.773 billion
Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee today approved fiscal year 2014 funding legislation that totals $34.773 billion, which is $1.96 billion below the fiscal year 2013 enacted level.
The bill makes important reforms to increase congressional oversight, make the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and drive needed reforms at the Department of Energy. The bill establishes an independent commission to determine the extent to which the 17 Department of Energy national laboratories are appropriately configured to meet the energy and national security challenges of the 21st century. The bill also adds a limited provision to begin addressing our lack of progress in managing the long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by providing the Secretary of Energy with the authority to initiate a pilot program for a consolidated storage facility.
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement:
"This bill makes responsible investments in critical water infrastructure, energy, and national security programs. It allows the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation to continue important flood control and navigation projects, which are important for public safety and commerce. The bill also supports basic research and technology development projects that accelerate commercialization of future energy technologies that can reduce our dependence on foreign oil and tackle carbon emissions. Regarding national security, the bill reduces the risk of nuclear terrorism by accelerating efforts to secure and permanently remove nuclear and radiological materials overseas. The bill also continues modernization efforts for the nuclear weapons stockpile in a cost effective manner."
US Senator Barbara A Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement:
"This Energy and Water bill is critical to maintaining the strength of America’s infrastructure and the jobs needed to build and repair our nation and to make America more competitive, innovative and resilient. Together with the Transportation-Housing bill, the two bills we mark up today are truly economic engines for America, bills that create jobs and keep America moving.
"The Energy and Water bill provides $5.3 billion for the Corps of Engineers. The Corps dredges and maintains 25,000 miles of deep draft and inland navigation channels and ensures America’s ports are ready to ship our goods overseas. The bill keeps the commitment made in the Senate’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to increase funding for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. The Corps helps prevent huge disaster recovery costs by investing in flood protection, and protects billions of dollars in infrastructure and countless jobs that depend on coastal economies.
"According to recent estimates from the Corps, beach replenishment has protected Ocean City from more than $700 million in damages, and saved Ocean City from Superstorm Sandy. And, of course, our ports need to be modernized now more than ever. The Corps’ dredging of the Port of Baltimore is a public investment that creates private sector jobs from the dock workers who unload the ships to the manufacturers who rely on cargo transported by the ships. It’s also crucial in preparing us for the bigger ships that will soon be sailing through the widened Panama Canal. The Energy and Water bill also invests in energy efficiency and renewable energy, so we can be a more energy-independent America. These investments make our country safer and our economy stronger."
The Energy and Water bill improves flood protection and coastal navigation, moves the United States to a cleaner and more secure energy future, and reduces the threat of nuclear terrorism by investing in five priority areas:
Providing critical investments in water infrastructure;
- Advancing clean energy technologies;
- Continuing nonproliferation programs that secure and eliminate nuclear and radiological materials;
- Maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile; and
- Cleaning up Cold War legacy environmental contamination.
Investments in water infrastructure
Funding for flood control and navigation: $5.272 billion, which is $300 million above fiscal year 2013, for the Army Corps of Engineers. The bill provides $1 billion for activities funded by the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which will be used for improvements to navigation projects throughout the United States, including dredging harbors and channels, repairing dikes and jetties, and disposing of dredge material. The bill also provides $380 million, which is $100 million above the request, to continue ongoing flood control construction work.
Water delivery and endangered species restoration and recovery: $1.1 billion, which is $54 million above fiscal year 2013, for the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill provides $20 million, which is $8 million above the request, for the WaterSmart grant program that improves water efficiency in the West and has resulted in salvaged water over the last 3 years. The bill also provides $22 million, which is $8 million above the request, for Title XVI water reclamation and reuse to meet the federal share of projects that produce new water.
Advancing clean energy technologies
Scientific discovery for energy innovation and American competitiveness: $5.153 billion, which is $287 million above fiscal year 2013, for basic research under the Office of Science. The bill increases research funding for the 3 highest priorities—developing revolutionary new materials for energy applications, creating advanced biofuels, and increasing the power of today’s supercomputers to accelerate breakthroughs in a wide range of scientific fields. The bill provides $150 million to support the exascale initiative, which aims to develop computers 100 times more powerful than exist today and maintain U.S. leadership in high performance computing.
New energy technologies: $379 million, which is $114 million above fiscal year 2013, for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E’s mission is to accelerate commercialization of future energy technologies. The bill allows ARPA-E to fund 100 new energy technology projects designed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and tackle carbon emissions.
Energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects: $2.281 billion, which is $470 million more than fiscal year 2013, to develop the next generation of renewable energy technologies, advanced vehicles and fuels, and more energy efficient measures to reduce energy use of U.S. manufacturers and residential and industrial buildings.
Combating nuclear terrorism
Securing and eliminating nuclear and radiological materials: $2.180 billion, which is $254 million below fiscal year 2013, for nuclear nonproliferation. The bill builds on the successful 4 year effort to secure the most vulnerable nuclear materials and focuses on securing and eliminating the remaining nuclear and radiological materials overseas and in the United States that could be used by terrorists. For example, the bill provides $172 million to secure all 8,500 civilian buildings in the United States and overseas with vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials by 2025—20 years earlier than planned. The bill also provides $190 million to install mobile and stationary radiation detectors at key border crossings overseas to reduce the risk of nuclear smuggling.
Maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile
Modernizing the nuclear weapons stockpile: $7.868 billion, which is $290 million above fiscal year 2013, for weapons activities. The bill funds the highest priorities, including three life extension programs for the W76, W78, and B61; design and engineering work for a new uranium facility; upgrading existing facilities to meet plutonium needs; and supporting science, engineering, and technology development to maintain the nuclear stockpile without underground testing.
Cleaning up Cold War legacy environmental contamination
Protecting human health and the environment: $5.380 billion, which is $132 million above fiscal year 2013, to remediate sites contaminated by defense and civilian activities. This includes $5.147 billion for Defense Environmental Cleanup to safely cleanup sites contaminated by previous nuclear weapons production.
Comparing the Senate and House Bills:
Funding for flood control and navigation: The House bill is $596 million below the Senate mark, including significant cuts to flood control, ecosystem restoration, and navigation projects. The House bill also contains no new study or project construction starts, which further delays needed flood protection and navigation projects.
Energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects: The House bill puts at risk U.S. scientific leadership and efforts to improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers. The House bill provides $500 million below the Senate mark for the Office of Science, $329 million below the Senate mark for ARPA-E, and $1.4 billion below the Senate mark for energy efficiency and renewable energy activities. While Europe and Asia invest heavily in renewable energy and basic research, the United States, under the House bill, would be cutting in half investments in renewable energy development and by 10 percent investments in basic research compared to last year.
Protecting human health and the environment: The House bill is $630 million below the Senate mark, which would cause major clean up milestones to be missed in Washington, New Mexico, South Carolina, Idaho, and Tennessee.
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