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Epoch Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Trump Admin's Proposed Budget Guts Renewable Energy, Trims Nuclear Development Spending
The Trump administration's proposed 2026 Department of Energy Overall, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Fiscal Year 2026 spending request is 9.4 percent less than this year's $52 billion budget, but increases funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which develops and maintains the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal, by 25 percent. Without that bump, the remainder of the proposed DOE budget trims spending by 18.2 percent, cutting $15.2 billion in allocations from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $2.6 billion from its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, $1.1 billion from its Office of Science, and $389 million from its Office of Environmental Management. The House Energy Committee's Energy and Water Development Subcommittee got its first glimpse of the tentative plan during a 135-minute May 7 Energy Secretary Chris Wright cautioned further changes are likely with the Trump administration ferreting through tentative 'skinny budgets' to find more than 'President Trump is committed to balancing the budget and implementing fiscal restraint, focusing agency funding on the crucial goal of unleashing American energy dominance,' Subcommittee Chair Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) said. Related Stories 5/5/2025 5/2/2025 'This is a commitment I share and a duty I intend to fulfill.' Fleischmann said the administration's budget refocuses policy on production rather than mitigating climate-related impacts, and gears resources into expanding the nation's electrical grid to accommodate increasing demand spurred by data center development, artificial intelligence computing, and bitcoin 'mining.' Fleischmann praised the administration for ending Biden's pause on liquified natural gas exports, for its deregulatory actions, and for opening federal lands and waters to more fossil fuel development. Fleischmann also said lawmakers 'still are awaiting the full details of the president's fiscal 2026 budget request.' Among issues with the plan that alarm him is the proposed $1.1 billion trim in DOE's Office of Science budget. 'I'm concerned to see such a significant reduction,' Fleischmann said, noting the office coordinates research among DOE's 17 national laboratories that 'is essential to rebuilding our domestic critical minerals production capacity, expanding American energy production, enhancing our national security, and competing with our adversaries like Russia and China.' Fleishmann, a longtime nuclear energy advocate who authored an April 28 Washington Times The administration's proposed $408 million FY26 Office of Nuclear Energy budget is nearly $360 million less than this year's allocation. 'We're at a pivotal moment in the development of our nuclear energy technologies in the United States, the success of which are critical to regaining international dominance in the nuclear market for our own domestic energy security,' Fleischmann said. He was, however, 'pleased' with the proposed spending plan's intent to 'prioritize research in high-performance computing, AI, quantum fusion and critical minerals, as well as reprocessing.' United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright displays the order he signed in March at CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston approving Delfin LNG's permit to begin exporting LNG from its offshore Louisiana terminal by 2029. John Haughey/The Epoch Times Criticisms and Concerns Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said the administration's proposed $20 billion slash in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law renewable energy programs is penny-wise but pound-foolish, saying the 'devastating 74-percent cut in energy efficiency and renewable energy is not just short-sighted, it is dangerous.' Kaptur said rather than using the DOE as 'the engine room of our nation's energy security,' the Trump administration is destroying the department just when it is needed most through 'radical cutbacks.' Since January, she said, the DOE under the Trump administration 'has suspended critical energy programs, canceled executed awards and contracts authorized by this Congress, severely reduced staffing, including removal of the inspector general.' The 'resulting confusion,' Kaptur said, 'has disrupted communities, businesses, and project developers across our country.' The proposed budget does not reflect the all-of-the-above energy policy that supposedly enjoys bipartisan support, she said, noting renewable energies are not just gaining in market share, but providing the technical pathways to technologies that will define the future. 'Weakening U.S. energy progress at DOE is a direct threat to America's energy security and gives our enemies relief,' Kaptur said. She asked Wright how many employees DOE has and how many have left since the Trump administration assumed office in January. There are 'a little less than 16,000 employees' at the DOE right now, Wright said, down from 'a little more than 16,000 employees' when he was confirmed by the Senate in January. He said the payroll has not been significantly scaled back, but it will be in the coming months in a 'slow, deliberative, thoughtful way,' with most departures orchestrated in 'a financially kind-as-possible way to [urge them] to move onto the next chapter in their career.' Wright said DOE's staffing and budget are bloated, noting its payroll and spending grew by 20 percent under the Biden administration while 'energy prices rose and output didn't.' A 'leaner, more focused team can deliver better results,' he said. Wright said in his Boosting the electricity grid is not just key for economic competitiveness, it's a necessity for national defense, he said. 'AI is the next Manhattan Project. AI technology will define the future of the world, and it is essential that the United States leads in the development of this technology,' Wright said. 'DOE has a significant role to play in driving AI innovation for scientific discovery, energy innovation, and national security.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
World's largest digital camera to help new Vera Rubin Observatory make a 'time-lapse record of the universe' (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A major milestone with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has been reached with the installation of the telescope's enormous LSST Camera — the last optical component required before the last phase of testing can begin. The car-sized Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Camera that was recently installed on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is the largest digital camera ever built and will be used to capture detailed images of the southern hemisphere sky over a decade. "The installation of the LSST Camera on the telescope is a triumph of science and engineering," said Harriet Kung, Acting Director of the Department of Energy's Office of Science in a statement. "We look forward to seeing the unprecedented images this camera will produce." The telescope is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science and is named after Dr. Vera C. Rubin, an American astronomer whose work provided strong evidence for the existence of dark matter. Along with her colleague Kent Ford, Rubin observed that in the numerous galaxies they studied, stars at the outer edges were moving just as fast as those near the center. This was unusual because, according to Newtonian physics and Kepler's laws of planetary motion, objects farther from the center of a gravitational system should orbit more slowly due to the weaker gravitational pull. After accounting for all visible matter, the gravitational force from the observed mass wasn't enough to keep these fast-moving stars bound to the galaxy. Without additional mass providing extra gravitational pull, the galaxies should have been flying apart. This discrepancy led to the conclusion that an unseen form of mass, now known as dark matter, was holding them together. Following its namesake, the Rubin telescope will investigate the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter with cutting-edge technology. Its state-of-the-art mirror design, highly sensitive camera, rapid survey speed and advanced computing infrastructure each represent breakthroughs in their respective fields. Every few nights, it will survey the entire sky, creating an "ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the universe," the statement adds. Each image will be so massive that displaying it would require 400 ultra-high-definition TV screens. "This unique movie will bring the night sky to life, yielding a treasure trove of discoveries: asteroids and comets, pulsating stars, and supernova explosions," states the observatory's website. While the LSST Camera is an engineering marvel, its installation was equally challenging. In March 2025, after months of testing in Rubin Observatory's clean room, the summit team used a vertical platform lift to move the camera to the telescope floor. A custom lifting device then carefully positioned and secured it on the telescope for the first time. RELATED STORIES: — How Earth's new Rubin Observatory will usher in the next era of asteroid space missions — Rubin Observatory aces 1st image tests, gets ready to use world's largest digital camera — Scientists alarmed as Rubin Observatory changes biography of astronomer Vera Rubin amid Trump's push to end DEI efforts "Mounting the LSST Camera onto the Simonyi Telescope was an effort requiring intense planning, teamwork across the entire observatory and millimeter-precision execution," said Freddy Muñoz, Rubin Observatory Mechanical Group Lead. "Watching the LSST Camera take its place on the telescope is a proud moment for us all." Over the coming weeks, the LSST Camera's utilities and systems will be connected and tested. Soon, it will be ready to capture detailed images of the night sky. The Rubin telescope, under construction in Cerro Pachón, Chile, is expected to see first light in 2025.
Axios
10-03-2025
- Science
- Axios
NASA eliminates chief scientist role, other offices
NASA has cut its office of the chief scientist and its Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, among other entities, the agency said in an internal email that Axios has viewed. Why it matters: Eliminating these offices comes ahead of potentially deep cuts to the agency's science programs. Katherine Calvin, a climate scientist, had the role of chief scientist. Questions have arisen about the fate of NASA science programs, particularly its Earth science work studying human-caused climate change. Calvin has also held the dual title of NASA's senior climate adviser. Zoom in: In the email, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said the cuts were part of a "phased" reduction in force, or RIF. The reduction came in response to instructions from President Trump's executive orders and in conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget. Another office cut is the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch of the agency's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. Around 20 people were affected by the cuts. NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner told Axios: "To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF." The spokesperson confirmed the offices that would be closed and their workforce let go. The intrigue: The NASA office of the chief scientist is responsible for providing "independent assessment and advice to the Administrator on matters related to NASA science," and leads the development of the agency's science strategy. The chief scientist also plays a top role in setting the agency's scientific integrity policies. The office of science, policy and strategy is home to NASA's chief technologist and chief economist, and was created in 2021 to provide evidence-based strategic advice to agency leadership. What they're saying: "Change of this magnitude is never easy, but our strength comes to our shared commitment to our mission and to each other," Petro wrote in the email. In a post on X, Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics external relations lead Grant Tremblay sharply criticized the moves. "NASA is small, but it is arguably the most legendary and globally beloved agency in American history. Its gutting has begun, & the cuts to come are so massive that we won't recognize it in a year," he wrote. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
