The US House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has recommended a FY2000 budget for the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) of $250 million, $27.4 million above the President's request and $26.7 million above the current FY 1999 level. The Committee also added $10 million to the DOE Defense Program's request " to further the development of high average power lasers. " A similar amount had been added by Congress in FY 1999 for laser development, but continuation of that effort was not contained in the Presiden't FY 2000 request. The Senate had previously approved for OFES only $220.6 million, $2.7 million less than the FY 1999 level. The House mark must still be approved by the full House (scheduled for next week) and then go to conference with the Senate to resolve differences, before being signed into law by the President. The level approved for Inertial Confinement Fusion in DOE's Defense Programs Office was $475.7 million, of which $254 million is for construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), $10 million more than the President's request.
The relevant House Appropriation's report language is reproduced below.
"FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES
"The Committee recommendation is $250,000,000, a $27,386,000 increase over the amount provided in the current fiscal year. The Committee commends the Department for its efforts to pursue the most promising paths towards producing electricity from fusion. The Committee has provided sufficient funding to accelerate and fully utilize the user facilities currently in operation. The Committee will work closely with the Department to review the work done by the Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board and continue to support the goals of the fusion energy sciences program.
"The Committee remains committed to a fusion program that is based on both quality science and the ultimate goal of practical fusion energy. A positive development in this regard is the "roadmapping" process, which the fusion community is now undertaking and which includes both the MFE and IFE approaches. Positive aspects of this process include the emphasis on increasing diversity in the program and the strengthening of peer review. The Committee is pleased with the advanced-tokamak emphasis of current tokamak research, which is in keeping with the program emphasis of innovation.
"Additional funds are provided to support new work in concept innovation in both MFE and IFE, to provide for more effective utilization of the existing national research facilities, and to support the underlying technology development which sustains this research. The Department is directed to provide an updated spending plan to the Committees on Appropriations within thirty days of enactment of the accompanying bill. The Committee looks forward to working with the Department on budget and program to accelerate the accomplishments in the fusion program.
"The recommendation includes $13,600,000, the same amount as the budget request, to continue landlord activities and begin decontamination and decommissioning of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). The committee expects that decontamination and decommissioning of the TFTR facility will go forward as proposed and will be managed by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. In developing future budgets and program plans, the Committee strongly encourages the Department of Energy and the Administration to ensure that this work can proceed withoug negatively affecting the ongoing research program. "
"INERTIAL FUSION
"The committee recommends $475,700,000 for the inertial fusion program, an increase of $10,000,000 over the budget request of $465,7000,000, and $32,300,00 less than fiscal year 1999. The recommendation includes $254,000,000 for the National Ignition Facility, $30,450,000 for the University of Rochester's OMEGA laser, and $9,500,000 for the Naval Research Laboratory. Consistent with the fiscal year 1999 program, the recommendation includes $10,000,000 to further the development of high average power lasers. "
The relevant language in the Senate Appropriations report is as follows:
"FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES
"The Committee recommendation for Fusion Energy Sciences is $220,614, a reduction of $2,000,000 from the request. While in the past, the Committee has supported increases above the level of the request for this program, severe budget constraints and shortfalls elsewhere in the Department's request, necessitate the reduction at this time.
"The Committee recommendation includes $19,000,000 for inertial fusion energy research to improve heavy ion accelerator efficiency, heavy ion and laser chamber designs, and the design of fusion energy target pellets."
"INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION (ICF) - An appropriation of $475,700,000 is recommended for the Inertial Confinement Fusion Program. The ICF Program continues to be a major contributor to the science and technology base supporting the nuclear deterrent through improved understanding of the underlying physics of nuclear weapons and computational modeling that will provide the future basis for ensuring safety, reliability, and performance on nuclear components.
"The Committee recommendation includes $248,100,000 to continue construction of the National Ignition Facility and $15,900,000 for operating expenses to support research activities related to NIF. The President's fiscal year 2000 budget request significantly underfunded several areas of NIF research which would place at risk the success of scientific and stewardship objectives of the National Ignition Facility. With capital investment of over $1,000,000,000, the Committee believes the Department's budget request is unwise and jeopardizes a key element of the Stockpile Stewardship effort and, therefore, our national security, and the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile. The additional $10,000,000 recommended by the Committee provides an additional $3,600,000 for core NIF diagnostics, $1,000,000 for direct drive laser beam smoothing development, and $5,400,000 to initiate critical cryogenic activities. Without this additional funding, the operational schedule, established by the Department of Energy, would be delayed by 1 year at a minimum."
"NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY (NIF) - The NIF is a key facility in maintaining nuclear weapons science expertise required for the stockpile stewardship program, and in supporting weapons effects testing. An appropriation of $248,100,000, the full amount needed in fiscal year 2000 to keep this important project on schedule, is recommended for the NIF project. Fiscal year 1999 was the peak year for construction funding, and with the appropriation recommended for fiscal year 2000, the project will be 75 percent complete on an appropriations basis. The project remains on schedule and within the projected construction cost of $1,046,000,000. The Committee is pleased with the management and oversight attention provided by LLNL on the project."