Markup of Energy Cybersecurity Scholarships, Privatization of National Weather Service Communications , PFAS research, and COVID-19 research
- H.R. 7569, the “Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2022” (Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C.), to provide scholarships for energy cybersecurity university programs
- H.R. 7361, the “National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act” (Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Ill.), to privatize the NWSChat system
- H.R. 7289, the “Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act” (Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas), to report on public exposure to PFAS within the year and the toxicity of PFAS within two years.
- H.R. 7180, the “Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act”, for research into potential cognitive impairment due to COVID-19
The Fiscal Year 2023 EPA Budget
- Michael S. Regan, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Briefing Memorandum: The Biden Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 funding request proposes $11.881 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in discretionary funding, a $2.3 billion increase from the Agency’s FY 2022 regular enacted appropriations. The President’s budget requests funding as follows for eight overarching goals for EPA.
- “Tackle the Climate Crisis with Urgency”—$100 million for grants for states and Tribes to reduce methane emissions and increase infrastructure resiliency; an additional $35 million over FY 2021 enacted levels to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act to continue phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); and $152.2 million for developing, implementing, and ensuring compliance with national vehicle emission standards
- “Restore Critical Capacity to Carry Out EPA’s Core Mission”—over 1,900 new Full Time Equivalents (FTE) to empower EPA to continue fulfilling its goals of reducing air, climate, and water pollution; advancing environmental justice; and protecting public health
- “Advance Environmental Justice”—$615.4 million across EPA to bolster environmental justice efforts, including a new Environmental Justice National Program Manager, and $100 million for air quality monitoring programs
- “Upgrade Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Nationwide”—$4.4 billion for water infrastructure
- “Protect Communities from Hazardous Waste and Environmental Damage”—includes $1.2 billion for the Superfund program and $215 million for Brownfields remediation projects, including for grants and technical assistance
- “Strengthen the Administration’s Commitment to Successfully Implement the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and Transform the Science of New Chemical Reviews”—provides $124 million and 449 FTE for EPA to carry out efforts under the TSCA program to protect Americans from hazardous chemicals, including completing chemical risk evaluations, issuing protecting regulations, and establishing a pipeline of prioritized chemicals for risk evaluation
- “Tackle Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pollution”—includes $126 million for the study of PFAS on human health and the environment; restricting the use of PFAS to prevent air, land, and water contamination; and PFAS remediation
- “Enforce and Assure Compliance with the Nation’s Environmental Laws”—provides $213 million for civil enforcement efforts, with specific funding directed to increase prevention of illegal HFC importations, $7 million for a coal combustion residuals compliance program, $148 million for compliance monitoring focused on underserved and overburdened communities, and $69 million for criminal enforcement efforts
The U.S.-Canada Energy And Minerals Partnership
The purpose of the hearing is to examine ways to strengthen the energy and mineral partnership between the U.S. and Canada to address energy security and climate objectives.
Witnesses:- Jason Kenney, Premier, Alberta, Canada
- Nathalie Camden, Sous-ministre associée aux Mines (Associate Deputy Minister of Mines), Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles (Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources) Québec, Canada
- Francis Bradley, President & Chief Executive Officer, Electricity Canada
- Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
A review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Air Force and Space Force
Chair: Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.)
Witnesses:- Frank Kendall, Secretary Of The Air Force
- General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chief Of Staff, Air Force
- General John W. Raymond, Chief Of Space Operations
The Department of the Air Force FY 2023 budget request is approximately $194.0 billion dollars, a $20.2B or 11.7% increase from the FY 2022 request. The Air Force budget of $169.5B is a $13.2B increase over the ’22 request and the Space force budget of $24.5B is a $7.1B increase; $3B of that is for inter-service transfers, the remaining $4.1B is programmatic growth.
Meeting the climate challenge:
The $1.0 million in infrastructure requirements for the deployment of non-tactical electric vehicles for the Air Force funds evaluation of the conversion of the non-tactical vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and installation-level charging infrastructure requirements to support it, as well as improve existing infrastructure.
The $105.0 million in Energy savings performance contracts (ESPC) and utility energy service contracts (UESC) for Air Force funds existing and projected Air Force performance contract payments to energy service companies for UESCs and ESPCs at Air Force installations.
The $14.2 million in management and procurement of renewable and clean energy for Air Force funds obligations under existing renewable energy power purchase contracts, where available, enabling 24/7 CFE in combination with innovative technology solutions.
The $36.2 million to deploy renewable energy, energy storage, and energy or water efficiency improvements to increase installation resilience and modernize infrastructure for Air Force enables increased energy and climate resilience through greater resource efficiency by establishing renewable energy paired with battery energy storage systems to meet mission requirements.
The $36.0 million in improvements in resilience to the expected impacts of climate change for Air Force allows for planning, design and execution of environmental resilience projects. These projects will ensure installations and facilities are climate-responsive and able to adapt to the evolving impacts of climate change, including but not limited to extreme weather events, sea level rise, drought, recurrent flooding, extreme temperatures, and permafrost melt.
$2.4 million to support the planning and installation of Electric Vehicle Support Equipment (EVSE) and leasing non-tactical ZEV.
The $5.0 million in climate impact planning for Air Force furthers the analysis of climate impacts on installations and missions, which is critical to ensuring installation development and installation energy plans effectively address such impacts. Funding will also assist in the implementation of installation climate resiliency plans which are incorporated into installation energy plans.
The $1.6 million for Air Force provides Headquarters-level personnel to support climate resilience, including planning, evaluating and executing energy resilience, climate-resilience, and carbon-free energy projects based on Executive Orders and law. These positions will support the central management of a variety of initiatives to enable climate resilience and the planning and implementation of new technologies in support of Department climate objectives.
The $59.8 million for energy-efficiency gains for existing platforms for Air Force funds operational energy investments to modify in-service aircraft with commercially-proven drag reduction technologies, modernizing the 21st century mission planning software and engine sustainment technology. This will improve aircraft performance, increase aircraft efficiency, and reduce maintenance and sustainment costs. Specifically, the C-130, KC-135, and the C-17A.
The $36.3 million in renewable energy research funds for Space Force funds the assessment of renewable energy capabilities, such as renewablepowered micro-grids with battery energy storage systems and geothermal technology, meeting 24/7 mission requirements and enabling demonstration and development of prototypes.
The $21.0 million for research into improving energy efficiency of existing platforms in Air Force funding supports improving flight line energy efficiency, by enabling the determination of appropriate energy efficiency improvements needed to meet mission requirements and climate related goals. This includes investments in state-of-the-art software, employing engine sustainment technologies to improve performance, increased use of simulation and augmented reality systems, and energy-aware behavior reducing unnecessary fuel consumption.
The $55.0 million in research for energy-efficient new platforms for Air Force supports the Service Climate Action Plan to include pursuing energy efficiencies in aircraft, such as the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) system development to leverage dual-use emerging commercial technologies. One such technology, the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion Aircraft Demonstrator (SHEPARD), is a step towards aircraft electric propulsion that could prove a pollution free air travel option and increase the energy efficiency of air travel.
The $0.4 million in measurement and modeling of climate impacts for Air Force supports the development of modern weather sensor and components to mitigate risk due to lack of warning of impending severe weather. More accurate weather information integrated into mission planning and execution can reduce fuel consumption, decrease re-attack sorties, and improve mission effectiveness.
The $0.9 million to reduce soldier risks from climate impacts in Air Force funding supports the integration of host nation weather radar data into the United States Air Force data display, interrogation, and exploitation platforms. This funding will greatly improve the forecasting and warning for severe or extreme weather events for defense facilities outside the continental United States.
The $2.5 million in climate war games for Air Force supports efforts for black-start exercises to assess that our installations are ready and capable of withstanding utility disruptions caused by extreme weather or malevolent acts. These exercises highlight needed utility improvements to support mission assurance, energy resilience, and climate-response.
The $1.1 million in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support to civil authorities for Air Force enhances the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Global Synthetic Weather Radar project to reduce gap coverage of global radar mosaics and mitigate risk due to lack of warning of impending severe weather. These modernization efforts will enhance capability for the timely identification of environmental events impacting military operations globally. Funding will also ensure proper sustainment of climate services at higher enclaves to Combatant Commands, the Intelligence Community, advanced acquisition programs, and planning communities. It also includes necessary cybersecurity oversight to protect defense information systems from cyber threats.
A Review of the President’s FY 2023 Funding Request and Budget Justification for the National Institutes of Health
- Dr. Lawrence Tabak, Acting Director, National Institutes of Health
- Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- Dr. Gary Gibbons, Director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Dr. Joshua Gordon, Director, National Institute of Mental Health
- Dr. Richard Hodes, Director, National Institute on Aging
- Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse
$1 billion of the National Cancer Institute’s $6.7 billion budget request is for research in carcinogens.
The FY2023 budget request for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is $932.1 million for non-Superfund-related activities, including the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative and the Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal. NIEHS separately runs the Superfund Research Program and Worker Training Program, with a FY 2023 Budget Request of $83.0 million.
H.R. 7688—Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act
Fiscal Year 2023 United States Army Budget
FY 2023 Army budget of $177.5 billion represents an increase of $2.8 billion over fiscal 2022 enacted appropriations.
Line items of funding increases for base operation and maintenance include:- Climate Change (Sub-Activity Group: 131) $22.5 million
- Climate Restoration and Modernization – Energy and Utility Program (SAG: 132) $167 million
Environmental restoration: $196 million for environmental restoration at active army sites and $227 million at decomissioned sites
Witnesses- General James C. McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army
- Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army
In addition to investing in people, the Army is taking important steps in alignment with the NDS to build enduring advantage through climate resilience. The Army’s core mission of fighting and winning our Nation’s wars remains unchanged. Climate change, however, makes this mission more challenging not only for the Army, but the entire Joint Force. The Army must proactively adapt to climate change impacts and respond to climate risks to maintain its strategic edge in a climate change-impacted world. The Army Climate Strategy (ACS), which was released earlier this year, and the ACS Implementation Plan, scheduled to be released this summer, will synchronize our efforts to: increase capability; enhance installation resiliency; prepare for new hazards and operating environments; and modernize processes, standards, and infrastructure while reducing operational energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions. The Army requires resilient, efficient, and affordable installation energy and water infrastructure to support the Army’s ability to deploy, fight, and win. Army installations provide secure and sustainable facilities and infrastructure that support commander priorities, enable missions, and maintain soldier and unit readiness. The Army must increase installation energy and water resilience to anticipate and withstand future threats, including climate change-driven increases in extreme weather, and man-made kinetic and cyber threats that increase the risk of extended power and water disruptions. The ACS has set a goal to achieve a 50% reduction in Army net greenhouse gas pollution by 2030, shift to carbon pollution free electricity by 2030, and attain net-zero Army greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to build a resilient and sustainable Army that can operate in all domains. The ACS drives increased resiliency and capabilities of the force. The Army is moving out to install a micro-grid on every installation by 2035 to ensure installation resiliency as we face a contested homeland and an environment of increasingly severe weather. By 2040, we aim to achieve enough renewable energy generation and battery storage capacity to self-sustain critical missions across the Army. We are also on schedule to field an all-electric, light-duty, non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2027 and an all-electric, non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2035, reaping cost and resource efficiency, and adding to the resilience of Army transportation in spite of climate and energy challenges. The Army takes pride in stewardship of our lands and resources for the American people. The Army is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate its contributions to climate change and act as good environmental stewards to further protect the American people. We are including climate change threat mitigation into all land management decisions and incorporating the latest climate and environmental science into stationing, construction, and fielding decisions.
FY 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Labor
- Marty Walsh, Secretary, Department of Labor
The FY 2023 request for the Department of Labor (DOL or Department) is $14.6 billion in discretionary budget authority and 16,922 full-time equivalent employees (FTE), with additional mandatory funding and FTE.
The Budget requests a $100 million investment for DOL’s role in the new multi-agency POWER+ Initiative, which aims to assist displaced workers and transform communities transitioning away from fossil fuel production to new, sustainable industries. Furthering the Administration’s emphasis on addressing climate change by creating opportunities for workers in America, the Budget requests $20 million to pilot the Civilian Climate Corps, in partnership other Federal agencies, which will fund paid work experiences, preapprenticeship programs, and RA programs for youth in industries and jobs related to climate resilience and mitigation.
The request also provides the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) $10 million for a new program, developed in collaboration with VETS and the Department of Veterans Affairs, focused on helping veterans shift to careers in clean energy, which would help combat climate change while preparing veterans for good-paying jobs.
The request also includes an increase of nearly $44 million for the Mine Safety and Health Administration focused on restoring its capabilities in enforcement and mine plan and equipment reviews. This increased funding will help ensure miners’ health and safety amid a projected increase in workload stemming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Bill Nelson, Administrator, NASA
I am pleased to have this opportunity to discuss the President’s $26 billion budget request for NASA for Fiscal Year 2023. This budget will keep us at the forefront of exploration and discovery through daring and challenging missions like Artemis, which includes returning American astronauts to the Moon as early as 2025. This budget will help our Nation – and the world – address climate change.
This request is the largest request for science funding in NASA history at nearly $8.0 billion.
This Budget provides $2.41 billion for NASA’s Earth science portfolio and expands NASA’s role as a leading provider of satellite Earth observations and other data scientists need to understand the climate crisis.
With this Budget, NASA increases funding for Aeronautics to $972 million. To meet aggressive climate goals, the Sustainable Flight National Partnership (SFNP) with U.S. industry envisions innovative next generation single-aisle transports with game-changing, ultra-efficient, and lowcarbon emitting designs at least 25 percent more fuel-efficient than today’s airliners. Under the SFNP, NASA will demonstrate the first-ever high-power hybrid electric propulsion for large transport aircraft and ultra-high efficiency long and slender wings, as well as advanced composite structures produced four to six times faster than current state-of-the-art advanced engine technologies. The centerpiece of SFNP will be a full-scale technology demonstrator X-plane to test and validate integrated systems and theirbenefits.