^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AWG E-MAIL NEWS 20001-8, 8 MARCH 2001 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CONTENTS: 1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM MONTHLY REVIEW-FEBRUARY 2001 2) METHANE HYDRATES PROGRAM SOLICITATION 3) NSF SEEKS COMMENTS ON ESH PROGRAM 4) STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES **Joint Oceanographic Institutions 5) SUBMISSION, ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW-FEBRUARY 2001 ** Comprehensive Energy Legislation Introduced in Senate On February 27th, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) formally introduced the National Energy Security Act of 2001 (S.388 and S.389), calling it "the starting point for what will be an important debate during this session of the 107th Congress." The pair of bills, cosponsored by twelve senators, including Sen. John Breaux (D-LA) as the lone Democrat, aim to decrease the nation's reliance on foreign oil to 50% by 2011 through a suite of policy changes. Press attention has focused on the proposed opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration. Several senators have already expressed their opposition to any energy bill that includes petroleum exploration in ANWR. Other provisions in S. 388 and S. 389 include tax incentives for domestic oil and gas production, measures to expedite construction of gas pipelines, measures to promote energy conservation, incentives for research and development into "clean coal" technology, and many others addressing a range of energy sources. S. 388 contains the entire energy package and was referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. S. 389 contains only the tax provisions and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Because Vice President Cheney's task force is expected to spend several months developing the administration's energy proposal, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) has indicated that full Senate action on these bills will not take place before the summer. A PDF file of the full text of the National Energy Security Act of 2001 can be viewed at http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/pdfs/NatEnergySecurityAct.pdf. A section by section summary is available at http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/pdfs/section_by_section.pdf. With the California energy crisis still in full swing, energy policy has been the subject of numerous congressional hearings. The House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing February 15th to compare the market structure of different states that have deregulated electricity markets. On February 27th, the same subcommittee held the first in a series of hearings focusing on different energy resources, beginning with natural gas. Subcommittee Chair Joe Barton (R-TX) stated that the hearings would lead to the development of comprehensive energy legislation. The hearing record is being submitted to the Cheney taskforce. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/energy.html ** Science Faces Uphill Budget Battle An AGI Special Update on February 28th reported on the release of President Bush's budget outline for fiscal year (FY) 2002. Entitled "A Blueprint for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget for America's Priorities," the document only reveals funding levels for broad budgetary categories and for agency totals. Detailed numbers will be provided on April 3rd. The special update inadvertently left out NASA, which is slated for a 2-percent increase over FY 2001 levels to $14.5 billion. The web version of the special update contains NASA-related language from the President's proposal: http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/bushbudget0201.html. As previously reported in the Wall Street Journal, the president's budget proposal limits the National Science Foundation (NSF) to a one-percent increase over FY 2001 with "no new starts or major facility projects in 2002." In response to an AGI alert, many geoscientists have written to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expressing their concern over the below-inflation increase, which would further delay implementation of the Earthscope project. AGI has again signed on to a statement by the Coalition for National Science Funding-a network of over 70 scientific and engineering societies and university associations-in support of doubling the NSF budget over the coming decade. The statement is available at http://www.cnsfweb.org. The release of the president's budget plan is the starting gun for the congressional budget season. Both the House and Senate Budget Committees have begun work on the allocations for appropriations and other government spending. While praising the president's overall goals of tax cuts and limited spending, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) cautions that the budget request does not provide adequate support for key programs. For his part, Bush has threatened to veto any appropriations bill that exceeds his budget numbers. Let the games begin. ** Threatened Cut to USGS Sparks Strong Response Many thanks to the more than 200 geoscientists who have copied us on letters to Interior Secretary Gale Norton and OMB Director Mitchell Daniels opposing large cuts to the USGS budget. These letters make a strong case for the value of the Survey's work and demonstrate that the USGS has a vocal constituency. No specific numbers were provided for USGS in the president's budget outline, but it does propose to "better target" USGS programs to support other Interior Department bureaus.The specific numbers for USGS will not be released until April 3rd. If you have not sent a letter yet, you can still have an impact. A sample letter and contact information are available as part of the alert at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/usgs_alert0201.html. ** Evolution Returns to Kansas; Other States Face Issue In a February 14th valentine to good science, the Kansas State Board of Education voted 7-3 to reinstate the teaching of biological evolution and the origin of the Earth into the state's science education standards. With this vote, the board adopts science education standards that nullify the controversial 1999 standards, which had de-emphasized evolution and removed the age of the Earth and Big Bang theory from teaching requirements. The Kansas Science Education Standards include teaching guidelines for all grades. The introductory statement, the eighth grade standards, and the twelfth grade standards include specific reference to students understanding biological evolution, the significance of fossils, the geologic time scale, and theories regarding the origins of the Earth. Although the board's favorable vote has been applauded by many science organizations, the Kansas board has received many complaints from those opposed to the new standards. Geoscientists, especially those residing in Kansas, are encouraged to thank those school board members who voted for the new standards: Board Chairman Sonny Rundell, Vice Chairman Janet Waugh, Bruce Wyatt, Sue Gamble, Carol Rupe, Bill Wagnon, and Val DeFever. Their contact information is at http://www.ksde.org/commiss/bdaddr.html. The new standards can be viewed at http://www.ksbe.state.ks.us/. On February 19th, the Montana House Committee on State Administration voted 14-4 to defeat a bill that would have required Montana's science teachers to present additional theories of origin along with evolution. House Bill (HB) 588 would have changed Montana's present administrative rules in which evolution is taught exclusively. Supporters of the bill want to "ensure that children are exposed to all theories of human existence." Many in the state were surprised that the debate was even occurring. The spokesman for the State Office of Instruction, Joe Lamson, said in amazement: "We don't put nonscientific things in a science class." A bill introduced this month in the Georgia state legislature seeks to amend the official state code to reform the teaching of "scientific theories of the origins about life and living things." The final section of the bill (HB 391) repeals all laws in conflict with it, presumably including the Constitution. ** New National Monuments To Remain, Face Revised Management Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton has stated that she will not seek to overturn any of the national monument designations created by President Clinton. In a Washington Post interview, she criticized the previous administration for moving too quickly: "The monumen designations were more show than substance. We now have to provide the substance." She has pledged to work with state and local governments as well as landowners to ensure that the monuments are managed to suit local needs and circumstances. On Capitol Hill, House Resources Committee Chairman James Hanson (R-UT) sent a letter to encourage House members who are unhappy with monuments in their districts to draft legislation challenging the designations. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/natmon.html. ** Second IPCC Report Focuses on Climate Change Impacts On February 19th, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of its second report in the ongoing Third Assessment. Prepared by IPCC Working Group II, this report focuses on potential effects of climate change on ecosystems, water resources, and human systems (energy, industry, financial services, and health), as they are presently understood. All 100 IPCC member countries approved the SPM, which notes the difficulty of separating changes caused by land-use alteration, pollution, and increasing human population from changes caused by global warming. Other uncertainties relate to the future responses of human and natural systems to climate change and the rate at which change occurs. Many of the consequences of global warming will provide improvements in some regions while worsening conditions elsewhere. It is unclear how much the beneficial changes that occur in one region or season will offset damages that occur in another region or at a different time of the year. The report recommends that further research include complete regional studies of the effects of climate change. The full SPM can be downloaded from http://www.usgcrp.gov/ipcc/wg2spm.pdf. AGI's update on this topic provides more information on how IPCC creates its reports: http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/climate.html. Working Group I released their SPM detailing the state of climate change science in January. Working Group III is slated to release their summary, which focuses on actions that can be taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change, in early March. Reuters reports that the third report "predicts that if international governments implement measures to limit carbon emissions, the oil and coal industries could be 'forced into decline'." According to EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman, the Bush Administration recognizes that problems associated with global warming are real. She said, "while scientists can't predict where the droughts will occur, where the flooding will occur, or when, we know they will occur. The science is strong there." As for emissions control, Bush may support regulating power plant emissions of carbon dioxide under a "multi-pollutant" approach to the Clean Air Act. ** Brownfields Breakthrough on the Horizon? On February 27th, the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Control, and Risk Assessment held a hearing on The Brownfield Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act of 2001 (S.350). The popular bill encourages assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites through revolving loan funds, grants, enhancement of state programs, and non-liability measures to protect landowners. Brownfields have historically been included in Superfund legislation, but S.350 allows the lower toxicity sites to stand alone. A similar bill last Congress got stuck in committee because some felt that the legislation should be part of broader Superfund reform. In her debut performance before the committee as EPA Administrator, Christine Todd Whitman announced that the Administration supports S. 350: "Brownfields clean-up is an important redevelopment tool that provides an alternative to development of greenfields." With 67 co- sponsors in the Senate and support from the Administration, S.350 may break through legislative gridlock this session. A full committee vote is scheduled for the coming week. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has also pledged to take up the brownfields issue. More on the hearing at http://www.senate.gov/~epw/super_107.htm. ** Report Notes Importance of Science for National Security The U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century--a congressionally mandated commission to review the nation's security structure-- stresses the importance of basic science research and education. In its final report, "Road Map for National Security: Imperative for Change," the commission states: "Our system of basic scientific research and education are in serious crisis, while other countries are redoubling their efforts. In the next quarter century, we will likely see ourselves surpassed, and in relative decline, unless we make a conscious national commitment to maintain our edge." Chaired by former senators Warren Rudman (R-NH) and Gary Hart (D-CO), the bipartisan commission makes a series of recommendations and reforms that the government should take into account to better address the nation's future security. More information on the commission is available at http://www.nssg.gov. A summary of the report and recommendations are available from the American Institute of Physics at http://www.aip.org/enews/fyi/2001/. ** Special Update on New Faces in Congress, Administration AGI sent out a Special Update on February 10th summarizing the recent changes in leadership in Congress and federal agencies. Many of the key players on issues affecting the geosciences have changed in both Congress and the Administration. This special update provides a snapshot of the new leaders. Freshly confirmed Secretaries of the Interior and Energy are in place along with the new EPA Administrator, but virtually all non-Cabinet level appointments are still waiting to be filled, including the president's science advisor and NOAA Administrator. In the House of Representatives, a six-year term limit for committee chairs, set in 1995 when Republicans gained the majority, has resulted in a sizeable turnover. The Senate has experienced less change in terms of committee chairs, but the even split between the parties has led to numerous shifts in committee procedures and assignments. See http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/newfaces_update0201.html. Since the update, the Senate unanimously confirmed Joe Allbaugh as Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In the previous administration the FEMA director was elevated to Cabinet status, but it is not known if President Bush will do the same. Less than two weeks into his tenure, Allbaugh was sent to Seattle, WA, to assess the damage of the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that hit the area on February 28th causing upwards of $2 billion in damage but very few casualties. ** Summer Internship Application Deadline is March 15th AGI is seeking outstanding geoscience students with a strong interest in federal science policy for a twelve-week geoscience and public policy internship in Summer 2001 and a fourteen-week internship in Fall 2001. Interns will gain a first-hand understanding of the legislative process and the operation of executive branch agencies. They will also hone both their writing and Web publishing skills. Stipends for the summer interns are funded jointly by AGI and the AIPG Foundation and for the fall interns by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Applications must be postmarked by March 15, 2001 for the summer and by June 1, 2001 for the fall. For more information, please visit http://www.agiweb.org/gapac/intern.html. -Monthly review prepared by David Applegate and Margaret Baker, AGI Government Affairs Program, and AGI/AAPG Semester Intern Mary Patterson. 222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 2) METHANE HYDRATES PROGRAM SOLICITATION PROGRAM SOLICITATION (PS) DE-PS26-01NT40869, entitled "Methane Hydrates." The closing date for submission of proposals is April 24, 2001. Applicants are advised that all applications shall be submitted in electronic format utilizing the DOE's Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) through the Internet at http://e- center.doe.gov. Comments are encouraged and welcomed, and should be forwarded to Dona Sheehan via Internet at sheehan@netl.doe.gov. There are two places to view the solicitation online: On the NETL website click http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit/index.html and click solicitation number DE-PS26- 01NT40869 "Methane Hydrates." Through the DOE E-Center website at http://e-center.doe.gov/ . Select "Browse Solicitations" from the menu on the left, and click "Solicitation by Title" from the pull down menu. Select "Open in New Window." Click the "Search" option with the magnifying glass at the top of the new screen. In the text box type "Methane Hydrates." 333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 3) NSF SEEKS COMMENTS ON ESH PROGRAM The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking comments on its Earth System History (ESH) Program. Research in ESH is an initiative of the U.S. Global Change Research Program coordinated by NSF and funded by contributions from the Divisions of Atmospheric Sciences, Earth Sciences, Ocean Sciences, and the Office of Polar Program at NSF as well as the Office of Global Programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Over the years, ESH has served a growing community of researchers engaged in an energetic and evolving research effort with the goal of understanding natural variability in the Earth's system beyond the instrumental record and across geologic time, especially in terms of climate- related processes. To achieve these goals, ESH emphasizes interdisciplinary and coupled research to understand the mechanisms, processes, and linkages between critical elements of the atmosphere, biosphere cryosphere, hydrosphere, and terrestrial systems. Accordingly, the ESH program supports research in quantification and development of biotic, physical, and geochemical proxy indicators, geochronological techniques, and statistical analysis relevant to ESH goals. Furthermore, scientific questions in ESH are organized within six broadly-defined Areas of Special Interest that include: 1) Paleoclimate Variability at Annual- Decadal Resolution; 2) Rapid Climate Change; 3) Extreme Warm Conditions; 4) Spatial Patterns and Continuous Records of Climate Change; 5) Arctic Paleoclimate Studies; and 6) Modeling of Past Climate Change. The current ESH Program announcement can be viewed on the NSF web site at http://www.nsf.gov /pubs/2000/nsf0011/nsf 0011.html. Given the scientific community's interest in ESH, as evidenced by the growing number of research proposal submissions, it seems timely to consider the question; "Are the current ESH Areas of Special Interest relevant to emerging scientific research directions?" In an effort to ensure that ESH reflects the state-of-the-art in science and addresses important scientific questions, your thoughts on the future intellectual focus of ESH research are requested. It would be most effective if you offered your evaluation of the current Areas of Special Interests and what scientific questions ESH might pursue in the future. Please submit your comments by electronic mail to Jennifer Giesler (jgiesler@agu.org) in the ESH Secretariat at the American Geophysical Union by June 30, 2001. All verbatim comments will be collated, with full attribution and presented to the ESH Steering Committee. The ESH Steering Committee will then analyze the comments and provide NSF with recommendations based on community input. We thank you in advance for your help in shaping the future of scientific research in ESH: David J. Verardo, NSF Director of Paleoclimate, Richard Poore, NSF Director of Marine Geology & Geophysics, Lisa J. Graumlich, Chair of the ESH Steering Committee 444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 4) STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI) is currently searching for qualified applicants to intern at the JOI Office in Washington, DC. to work full-time on site, and dedicate 50% of their time to a specific ocean drilling project and the remaining time in support of US Science Support Program (USSSP) activities. The JOI Intern position is scheduled to last for three months, although JOI may extend the internship for up to 6 months (ideally it will be over Summer 2001 with a term beginning in June). A stipend is available. Submit a cover letter, CV, and the names and contact information, including phone number and email address, of four references to the JOI Office by March 30, 2001 to: Brecht Donoghue, Joint Oceanographic Institutions, 1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036 555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555 5) SUBMISSION, ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ***Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of AWG E-Mail News. For submissions to AWG E-Mail News, contact Editor Joanne Kluessendorf at editor@awg.org. For advertising, contact the Ad Editor at ads@awg.org. PLEASE SEND AD COPY OR OTHER SUBMISSIONS AS RTF FILES OR AS PART OF AN E- MAIL MESSAGE ***For membership information or to join AWG, visit our website at or contact our business office at