Fusion Power Associates 2 Professional Drive, Suite 249 Gaithersburg, MD 20879 phone: (301) 258-0545 fax: (301) 975-9869 e-mail: FusionPwrAssoc@aol.com web: http://fusionpower.org

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/with-tight-research-budgets-is-there-room-for-the-eternal-promise-of-fusion/ The article is followed by numerous comments submitted by readers. One of them is from President Obama's science advisor, John Holdren. Holdren states:

"I think it's about as clear and balanced an account as could be fit into this amount of space. If I were to add a little bit, I'd note that both magnetic and inertial-confinement fusion studies can stand comparison with most other domains of "big physics" fundamental research, in terms of the pace at which they have generated new knowledge in physics as well as spin-off technologies useful in other domains of science and practice. If somebody wanted a lot more, I'd refer them to the opening chapters of the PCAST review of the US fusion research program that I chaired for President Clinton in 1995, which is at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-95-fusion.pdf (The later chapters are somewhat dated, of course, but the opening ones outline the rationale for pursuing fusion research and the metrics for evaluating it in a way I'm still happy with.)"

JOHN P. HOLDREN, PhD Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President of the United States