Subcommittee Analyzes FY09 DOE Budget Priorities

Chairman Lampson stated his support for DOE’s R&D programsat the hearing on March 5, 2008.

Members reviewed the Department of Energy’s (DOE) FY09 budget for research and development programs at a subcommittee hearing on March 5. DOE currently allocates $7.7 billion for their civilian energy R&D programs in FY09, which is distributed among five offices.

"The obstacles we face in energy and sustainability are of unprecedented scale and complexity. The Senate and House are working on legislation to institute a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases. We are still heavily dependent upon non-renewable energy supplies that are located outside our borders,” Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson. “We will only meet these challenges through aggressive and sustained support of research and development."

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Recently, subcommittee Members have held two field hearings on topics aimed at easing energy concerns and the obstacles and opportunities of solar power.

Recent Energy and Environment Hearings and Markups

September 10, 2008
The Foundation for Developing New Energy Technologies: Basic Energy Research in the DOE Office of Science

July 23, 2008
A National Water Initiative: Coordinating and Improving Federal Research on Water

Subcommittee Jurisdiction

Committee Rule 3(a)(1)

Legislative jurisdiction and general oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to energy research, development, and demonstration and projects therefor, commercial application of energy technology, and environmental research including:

Department of Energy research, development, and demonstration programs;
Department of Energy laboratories;
Department of Energy science activities;
energy supply activities;
nuclear, solar and renewable energy, and other advanced energy technologies;
uranium supply and enrichment, and Department of Energy waste management and environment, safety, and health activities as appropriate;
fossil energy research and development;
clean coal technology;
energy conservation research and development;
energy aspects of climate change;
pipeline research, development, and demonstration projects;
energy and environmental standards;
energy conservation including building performance, alternate fuels for and improved efficiency of vehicles, distributed power systems, and industrial process improvements;
Environmental Protection Agency research and development programs;
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including all activities related to weather, weather services, climate, and the atmosphere, and marine fisheries, and oceanic research;
risk assessment activities; and
scientific issues related to environmental policy, including climate change.