03.17.14

Summary: FY14 Energy & Water Subcommittee Markup

For Immediate Release: June 25, 2013

Contact: Appropriations Press Office: (202) 224-7363

              Feinstein Press Office: (202) 224-9634

SUMMARY: ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT FISCAL YEAR 2014 APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Subcommittee Mark

Fiscal Year 2013 Discretionary Spending:          $36.735 billion

Fiscal Year 2014 Senate:                                      $34.773 billion

Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development 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, which funds the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation, and the Department of Energy, provides critical investments in water infrastructure, clean and alternative energy sources, and national security activities related to nuclear weapons modernization and preventing nuclear terrorism.

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."

The bill also 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.

Highlights of the fiscal year 2014 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill:

Department of Energy (DOE)—The bill provides $28.210 billion for DOE, which is $1.163 billion above fiscal year 2013. The subcommittee’s priority is to advance clean energy technologies and invest in research that will spur future economic growth.

  • The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)—The bill provides $379 million, which is $114 million above fiscal year 2013, to accelerate commercialization of future energy technologies.
  • Office of Science—The bill provides $5.153 billion, which is $287 million above fiscal year 2013, for basic research. The highest priorities are materials and biological research to focus on breakthroughs in energy applications and computing to develop the next-generation high performance systems.
  • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy—The bill provides $2.281 billion, which is $470 million more than fiscal year 2013, to develop the next generation of vehicles, biofuels, and energy efficient manufacturing capabilities.
  • Electricity and Energy Reliability—The bill provides $149 million, which is $10 million more than fiscal year 2013, to support energy integration into the electric transmission grid. The bill provides no funding for a new Electricity Systems Hub.
  • Nuclear Energy—The bill provides $736 million, which is $22 million below fiscal year 2013. The bill fully funds the small modular reactors program to support design certification and licensing activities to help commercialize the first small modular reactor by 2022.
  • The National Nuclear Security Administration—The bill provides $11.759 billion, which is $261 million above fiscal year 2013, for national security activities. The bill reverses funding cuts proposed in the budget request for programs that prevent nuclear terrorism and continues to modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile, including:
    • ï‚· $7.868 billion, which is $290 million above fiscal year 2013, for Weapons Activities to extend the life of nuclear weapons systems, upgrade aging infrastructure, and invest in science, technology, and engineering activities,
    • ï‚· $2.180 billion, which is $254 million below fiscal year 2013, for Nuclear Nonproliferation to support efforts to secure and permanently eliminate nuclear and radiological materials and deploy radiation detection equipment to prevent nuclear smuggling,
    • ï‚· $1.312 billion, which is $232 million above fiscal year 2013, for Naval Reactors to continue research and development of a new reactor for the Ohio-class submarine.
  • Environmental Cleanup—The bill provides $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.

Army Corps of Engineers—The bill provides $5.272 billion, which is $300 million above fiscal year 2013, including:

  • ï‚· $2.7 billion, which is $300 million above fiscal year 2013, for Operations and Maintenance,
  • ï‚· $1.542 billion, which is $129 million below fiscal year 2013, for Construction,
  • ï‚· $300 million, which is $48 million above fiscal year 2013, for the Mississippi River and Tributaries,
  • ï‚· $200 million, which is $7 million more than fiscal year 2013, for the Regulatory Program, and
  • ï‚· $120 million, which is $5 million below fiscal year 2013, for Investigations.

Department of the Interior—The bill provides $1.1 billion, which is $54 million above fiscal year 2013, including the following highlights for the Bureau of Reclamation:

  • ï‚· $946 million, which is $53 million above fiscal year 2013, for Water and Related Resources,
  • ï‚· $53 million, which is the same as fiscal year 2013, for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund, and
  • ï‚· $37 million, which is $3 million below fiscal year 2013, for the California Bay-Delta Restoration.

Independent Agencies—The bill provides $254 million, which is $2 million above fiscal year 2013.

###