^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AWG E-MAIL NEWS 20001-11, 25 APRIL 2001 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CONTENTS: 1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW-MARCH 2001 2) GEOSCIENCE SURVEY 3) FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM 4) SPECIAL ALERT! ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS INCLUDED IN THE SENATE EDUCATIONAL BILL! 5) FELLOWSHIPS ***Geological Survey Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program 6) SUBMISSION, ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW-MARCH 2001 *** Participants Needed for Congressional Visits Day, May 1-2 With the president's budget request set for release in early April, efforts to support federal investment in geoscience programs must now focus on Capitol Hill. There are many new faces in Congress, and it will take a concerted effort from the scientific community to educate them on the importance of federal investment in science. For the geoscience community, the challenge is particularly acute, because several key geoscience programs face likely reductions in the president's request. So mark your calendars and come to Washington for the 6th Annual Science-Engineering-Technology Congressional Visits Day (CVD), taking place on May 1-2, 2001. AGI would like to see a strong contingent of geoscientists at this event, voicing their support for increased federal investment in science and technology. We especially encourage the leadership of AGI's Member Societies to attend. This year's CVD will consist of an opening day of briefings by key administration and congressional leaders followed by a day of constituent meetings with senators, representatives, and their staff. More on participating at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/cvd_alert2001.html and more on CVD at http://www.agiweb.org/cvd. *** Regula, Lieberman Receive AASG Pick & Gavel Awards On March 20th, the Association of American State Geologists (AASG) presented its third annual Pick and Gavel Awards to Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT). Hill staff and federal agency leaders joined over half of the state geologists for the banquet ceremony in Washington at the Cosmos Club, founded by John Wesley Powell. Ohio State Geologist Tom Berg cited Regula -- who recently stepped down from his position as chairman of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee -- for his enduring support of good geoscience and geologic mapping. He lauded Regula's understanding of "the many-faceted responsibilities of the [U.S. Geological Survey] in today's world, and the 'close interaction of the USGS with the state survey.' Through Mr. Regula's efforts last year, the USGS received the largest budget in its history, and the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program received a major increase." Connecticut State Geologist Ralph Lewis cited Lieberman for enthusiastic support of the Congressional Science Fellows program. Eleven fellows have served on Lieberman's staff, nearly half of them geoscientists (starting with Murray Hitzman, currently chair of the AGI Government Affairs Advisory Committee). Lewis also noted Lieberman's role as a founder of the Senate Science and Technology Caucus and sponsor of Senate-passed legislation to double federal research funding in the next decade. For more about the Pick and Gavel award, including photographs and the text of citations and Senator Lieberman's response, see http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/AASG/pick.html. (This summary is adapted and condensed from a Society Page item by Christina Reed that will appear in the May 2001 issue of Geotimes.) *** AAPG Testifies at Two Energy Policy Hearings With energy policy a top priority on Capitol Hill, leaders of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) was asked twice this month to provide testimony on future hydrocarbon resources. On March 15th, AAPG President Marlan Downey testified before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources at a hearing to examine the impact of access restrictions on public lands and the Outer Continental Shelf for domestic natural gas development. In his testimony, Downey argued that growing demand for natural gas -- particularly for gas-fired power plants -- would outstrip supply not because the resource base was inadequate but because of access restrictions. Appearing before the same subcommittee on March 22nd, Naresh Kumar testified at a hearing on oil and gas resource assessments. Kumar is vice-chair of AAPG's Committee on Resource Evaluation, which reviews the methodology of federal agencies conducting hydrocarbon resource assessments, in particular the USGS and Minerals Management Service. Kumar testified that "the techniques and scientific methods used by both the MMS and USGS are sound and provide a good basis for discussion of a national energy policy." But he also noted that the agencies' estimates were conservative and that it could reasonably be expected that considerably more hydrocarbon resources would be discovered as the result of future exploration. The AAPG testimony is available on the subcommittee's website at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/energy/index.htm. (A longer version of this summary will appear in the May 2001 issue of Geotimes.) *** USGS Appraises Energy Resources in National Monuments In response to a request by the House Resources Committee, the USGS prepared a preliminary appraisal of oil, gas, coal, and coal-bed methane resources in the 21 national monuments that were either established or expanded during the Clinton Administration. The report used existing USGS data from its 1995 National Oil and Gas Assessment and the National Coal Assessment. The report classified the monuments as either having no potential, very low or low probability of occurrence, or moderate to high probability for each resource. Although few of the monuments had high to moderate probabilities for either oil or gas, the Carrizo Plain National Monument in California has a high probability of large oil and gas reserves. The Upper Missouri Rivers Breaks National Monument in Montana has a high probability of a large natural gas reserve. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah has a high probability of both coal and coalbed methane reserves. As Congress and the Administration review several actions taken in the last months of the Clinton Administration, the issue of resource potential on federal public lands is likely to remain in the spotlight. The assessment is available at http://www.house.gov/resources/107cong/energy/2001mar22/2001_0322agend a.htm. *** Democrats Introduce Comprehensive Energy Legislation Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (R-SD) and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced the Comprehensive and Balanced Energy Policy Act of 2001 (S.596 and S.597) on March 22nd. The bill was introduced as a counter-measure to the energy legislation introduced by Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK) on February 27th. Like Murkowski's energy package, Daschle and Bingaman introduced the initiative as two parts. S.596 contains tax incentives while S.597 contains a variety of other measures. Bingaman said at the introduction that although he and many other Democrats support elements of the Republican bill, the provisions of that bill focus too heavily on the supply side of the energy equation. Specifically, climate change should be taken into account in any energy policy. In his legislation, energy efficiency and emissions reductions are encouraged through tax incentives and regulations that reduce the input of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The bill also bolsters the efforts of the federal government to get "clean energy technology" into developing countries that are expected to increase their greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade. Other measures in the bill aim to streamline pipeline and dam permitting, and maximize oil and gas production on state and private lands. No action is expected to take place on either Murkowski's or Daschle's proposal until the President's task force on energy releases its plan in early April. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis.html#energy *** Evolution Under Fire in Arkansas, Michigan On March 23, the Arkansas legislature defeated a bill (HB2548) that would outlaw state agencies from purchasing materials that contain "information that has been proven false or fraudulent." Under the bill, if teachers come across such information they are required to instruct students to make marginal notes that the information is fraudulent or is a theory that could later be proven false. Section (c) of HB2548 lists examples of information that would be affected by this legislation, which include the theory of the age of the earth, the theory of the origin of life, the geologic column, and radiometric dating. The bill failed in the House, falling six votes shy of the number needed for passage. The bill's sponsor has vowed to revise and reintroduce the bill, but the House Speaker has indicated that he does not expect any of the votes to change. In Michigan, a bill that would change the science curriculum standards was referred to the Education Committee on February 28. HR4382 would require that students be exposed to the "competing theories of evolution and natural selection based on random mutation and the theory that life is the result of the purposeful, intelligent design of a creator." The bill states that references to "evolution" and "natural selection" in science standards at all grade levels will be changed to show that these are unproven theories and also add the sentence: "Describe how life may be the result of the purposeful, intelligent design of a creator." The text of the bill and bill status are available on the Michigan legislature website. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/evolution.html. *** Hearing Held on Nisqually Quake The House Research Subcommittee held its first hearing on March 21st to discuss the effects of the Nisqually earthquake that struck the Seattle area on February 28th. Subcommittee Chair Nick Smith (R-MI) called this hearing "to analyze the earthquake assessments performed by or with funding from various federal agencies, assess the behavior of buildings and land in response to the quake, examine how to improve building codes and earthquake preparations in the Pacific Northwest, and to get ideas where to focus future research efforts." Witnesses included Dr. John Filson of the USGS, Dr. Priscilla Nelson from NSF, Dr. Stephen Palmer of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and Dr. M. Meghan Miller of the Central Washington University geology department. The discussion focused on earthquake hazards in the Pacific Northwest, but the panel identified some general earthquake research priorities as well as potential hazards in other parts of the country. The proposed NSF Earthscope initiative was given special attention as an important tool for understanding earthquake physics and determining the seismic potential of different areas. The USGS-supported Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) was also discussed at length. Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), whose district was hit by the quake, asked what effect proposed budget cuts would have on the survey's earthquake program and also asked about the survey's morale. Testimony and background information on the hearing is available at http://www.house.gov/science/reshearings.htm. *** Climate Change Hearing Looks at Research Agenda On March 14th, the House Science Committee held a hearing to discuss gaps in current knowledge and future needs for a comprehensive research agenda related to climate change. In his opening statement, Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) called the Bush Administration's reversal earlier that day of a campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions "misguided and unjustified." He stated that the president should have waited to hear from scientists before making such an announcement. The committee heard from: Dr. Daniel Albritton from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who testified on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I report; Dr. Berrian Moore from the University of New Hampshire and lead author on the National Research council report, "Global Environmental Change: Research Pathways for the Next Decade" (http://www.nap.edu/catalog/5992.html), who outlined areas that need further study in order to understand and predict climate change phenomena; and Dr. Charles Kennel of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who made policy recommendations based on the NRC report, "The Science of Regional and Global Change: Putting Knowledge to Work" (http://books.nap.edu/books/0309073278/html/index.html). Boehlert's opening remarks and statements made by other committee members made clear that most of them support continued research into the still unresolved questions surrounding climate change. But the representatives, not strictly along party lines, disagreed on what current science is telling us, and what if anything should be done about it. Witnesses' testimony is available at http://www.house.gov/science/reshearings.html. *** S&T Groups Urge Higher Science Funding in Budget AGI joined 59 other scientific and professional organizations on a letter sent to Congress on March 6th urging the House and Senate Budget Committees to increase the Function 250 allocation in the fiscal year (FY) 2002 budget resolution. Function 250 is the budget category for funding of general science, space and technology. It includes activities within the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy. While Congress waits for President Bush's budget request, both chambers are busy preparing their budget resolutions -- Congress's own blueprint that sets the spending limits for each of the 13 appropriation bills. The letter states that "no other federal investment generates a greater long-term return to the economy and society than does basics research." More information on the budget process at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis.html#approps. *** They've Got Mail -- More Than They Can Handle Wondering what is the best way to communicate with your elected representatives? The Washington Post reported on March 19th that congressional offices are being inundated by emails, overwhelming an office structure that was designed for a lesser volume of letters. In a report released by the Congressional Management Foundation and George Washington University, the increase was attributed to "the indiscriminate practices of grass-roots lobbying organizations and companies that are 'spamming' congressional offices with millions of e-mails that they cannot possibly respond to." At the same time that e-mails are increasing, congressional offices are not using technology to their advantage that could categorize incoming emails by subject and separate out emails from individuals from those sent by special-interest groups. The report also noted that it is common practice for congressional offices to disregard emails from non-constituents as well as respond to emails via postal mail. Taking all this into account, it looks like the old-fashioned method of letter writing is still the best mode of communication with your congressional delegation. -Monthly review prepared by Margaret Baker, AGI/AAPG Semester Intern Mary Patterson, and David Applegate ********************************************************************** 2222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 2) GEOSCIENCE SURVEY As you may remember, I have been working with the College Board to persuade them to create an AP Geology course. Thanks to the support of the professional community, the project is well under way, and the College Board is crafting a survey to determine the level of interest among high school faculty. If you know any potential AP Geology teachers, please tell them to check out the AP site, www.collegeboard.org/ap. Meanwhile, I am doing some research on the state of geoscience education, in hopes of writing an article for PALAIOS. Could you answer the following questions? An answer of "increase" or "decrease" would be welcome, but if you have access to actual numbers, or could estimate a rough percentage, I would be very appreciative. In the last 10 years, what changes have occurred in your department? 1. # of students enrolled in the geosciences 2. # of geoscience majors 3. # of faculty positions Have you seen any trends in geoscience education that concern you, and if so, please explain. Thank you very much for your time. Wendy Van Norden Harvard-Westlake School 3700 Coldwater Canyon North Hollywood, CA 91604 818 487-6665 wvannorden@harvardwestlake.com wvannorden@aol.com ********************************************************************** 3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 3) FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM The Fulbright Scholar Program is offering 11 lecturing/research awards in Geology for the 2002-2003 academic year. Awards for both faculty and professionals range from two months to an academic year or longer. While foreign language skills are needed in some countries, most Fulbright lecturing assignments are in English. Application deadlines for 2002-2003 awards are: May 1, 2001 for Fulbright Distinguished Chair awards in Europe, Canada and Russia. August 1, 2001 for Fulbright traditional lecturing and research grants worldwide. For information, visit our Web site at _ http://www.cies.org The Council for International Exchange of Scholars 3007 Tilden St., N.W. - Suite 5-L Washington, D.C. 20008 Phone: 202-686-7877 E-mail: apprequest@cies.iie.org ********************************************************************** 4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 4) SPECIAL ALERT! ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS INCLUDED IN THE SENATE EDUCATIONAL BILL! The U.S. Senate is set to cast a final vote on an overall education bill this week! Right now, the proposal before the Senate - which is President Bush's education package - does not include any programs that connect children with nature - it does not include environmental education. In fact, the Bush proposal entirely omits critical environmental education provisions from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act - the basis for federal funding of public education in the United States. Environmental education has been proven to increase learning and test scores. Environmental education helps students perform better in math and science, which improves accountability by helping teachers and schools meet state and national school standards. In addition, it encourages students to get involved in community service projects, and fosters greater respect for the people and places around them. Please call your two U.S. Senators today and urge them to ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS INCLUDED IN THE SENATE EDUCATIONAL BILL! Your simple, 5-second phone call this week could make a difference for our children and grandchildren! Call your two U.S. Senators today at (202) 224-3121. As they are voting this week, there is no time for e-mails or letters - so make sure your voice is heard by CALLING your Senators today! For the direct dial phone numbers of your lawmakers, or to immediately identify your two Senators, please click here: http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/addressform.asp ********************************************************************** 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555 5) FELLOWSHIPS ***Geological Survey Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) invites applications for the Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program for Fiscal Year 2002. The Mendenhall Program is envisioned to bring current expertise in the earth sciences to assist in the implementation of the strategic plan of the USGS and the science strategy of its programs. It is also intended to provide postdoctoral fellows a research experience that enhances their personal scientific stature and credentials. Fiscal Year 2002 begins in October 2001. Opportunities for research are available in a wide range of areas including: coastal erosion processes and modeling coastal change; interdisciplinary application of remote sensing; noble gas geochemistry; microbes and geologic substrates in estuaries; climate change, geologic processes, land use and land-surface feedbacks; estimating future strong ground motions; high-resolution imaging of earthquake rupture processes and fault structure; controls on magma ascent, stagnation and eruption; economic modeling of geologic energy resources; geophysical techniques; and environmental biogeochemistry. The postdoctoral fellowships are 2-year USGS appointments with full benefits and salaries. Applications are being accepted through May 18, 2001, with appointments starting between October 1, 2001 and April 1, 2002, depending on availability of funds. A complete description of the program, research opportunities, and the application process are available via the WWW at _ HYPERLINK "http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc" Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The U.S. Geological Survey is an equal opportunity employer. ********************************************************************** 6666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666 6) 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 (www.awg.org) or contact our business office at (office@awg.org)