June 1, 2017
Environmental Protection Agency: Cuts to Science and Personnel
The President’s budget proposes an overall reduction in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding by 30% relative to the FY2017 Omnibus bill. The agency’s Science and Technology programs would see nearly a 45% reduction under the President’s budget to streamline EPA’s work, including cuts to research in the Air and Energy, Water Resources, Community Sustainability, and Chemical Safety programs to name a few. Programs that would be eliminated under the …
May 31, 2017
USGS Sees 15% cut in President’s FY18 Request
USGS’ topline budget saw a 15% cut in President Trump’s FY18 budget request, which would fund the agency at $922.2 million. Large Cuts to USGS Climate Programs The largest cut came out of the Land Resources mission area, which also received a title change from its previous name, “Climate and Land Use Change”. According to a USGS press release, this name change reflects the mission area’s “actual problem-solving focus on …
NOAA Cut 16% in President Trump’s Budget Request
NOAA’s topline budget received a 16% cut in President Trump’s budget request, aligning with previous messaging around his skinny budget that was released in March. Cuts to NOAA Research and Education NOAA’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) saw the largest percentage cut in the proposal, with a decrease of 32%. Within OAR, NOAA’s Climate Research program received a 19% cut. Within the Climate Research program, the budget called for the elimination …
NASA Fares Okay in President’s FY18 Budget Request
Relative to other federal science agencies, NASA fares fairly well in the president’s budget request, receiving an overall 3% cut in funding from FY17 funding levels. The President’s budget breaks with Obama era policy by officially terminating the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). ARM was very unpopular with Congress, but continues many of the key technologies in development for the mission, such as solar electric propulsion. SMD Recieves .94% Cut The …
May 30, 2017
President’s Budget cuts National Science Foundation (NSF) by 11%
The President’s fiscal year 2018 (FY18) budget proposes to cut NSF’s spending by 10.96% or $840. 98 million from the FY17 spending bill that Congress passed in early May. NSF’s research and related activities account (R&RA), which encompasses NSF’s seven directorates, received a similar 11.14% cut in funding. The consequences of this decrease in funding include: 800 less new research grants than in fiscal year 2016; and NSF in FY18 …
May 23, 2017
AGU DECRIES PROPOSED MASSIVE CUTS TO SCIENCE AGENCY FUNDING IN ADMINISTRATION’S FY18 BUDGET PROPOSAL
Earlier today, the Trump administration released its FY18 budget proposal. While details of the budget will continue to be released in the coming days and weeks, AGU issued the following statement in response to the currently available information in which I said the following: “The release of President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget proposal earlier today has drawn into sharp focus a disconnect between our nation’s desire to protect …
April 24, 2017
An experiment I’m willing to try: Reflections on the CASE workshop
Editor’s note: The following post is written by Rachel Kirpes, a graduate student at University of Michigan and the 2017 AGU-sponsored CASE workshop participant. Earlier this month I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for a three-day science policy workshop organized by AAAS – Catalyzing Advocacy for Science and Engineering (CASE). I arrived in D.C. early enough the first day to do some sightseeing before the workshop, …
April 18, 2017
Science Fellows Coming to State Legislatures Across the United States
Editor’s Note: The following guest blog is written by Rebecca French, Director of Community Engagement at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) and former AGU Congressional Science Fellow On February 16, 2017, the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) announced planning grants for nine states to start science policy fellowships modeled on their successful program in California. The nine states include my home state of Connecticut …
April 13, 2017
MARCH FOR SCIENCE: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Editor’s Note: This blog post was cross-posted from the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund blog. By Climate Science Legal Defense Fund The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF), an official partner of the March for Science, has released an educational pamphlet, “March for Science: Know Your Rights,” to help science advocates ensure that their march-related activities are constitutionally protected. The pamphlet is available as a free download to print and …
April 12, 2017
All Politics is Local – Engaging your Legislators Locally
Today is the 82nd day of the Trump presidency and science has already emerged as a significant issue, although not always in ways the scientific community supports. Given this environment, scientists and non-scientists alike are asking, “What can we do to support science?” Currently, your members of Congress are back home in their states and districts for April recess. April recess runs from Saturday, 8 April through the weekend of …
