	Most Recent Developments

The Bush Administration's FY2005 budget request, released February 2, 2004, budgetedEnergy and Water Development Programs at $27.94 billion, compared to $27.26 billion appropriatedfor the same programs for FY2004. On June 16 the House Appropriations Committee reported itsbill with $27.99 billion, and the House passed it June 25. Overview

The Energy and Water Development bill includes funding for civil worksprojects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of theInterior's Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), most of the Department of Energy (DOE),and a number of independent agencies, including the Nuclear RegulatoryCommission (NRC) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The BushAdministration's request was $27.938 billion for these programs for FY2005,compared with $27.253 billion appropriated for FY2004. The Administration asked for $970 million for FY2005 for the Department of the Interior programs included in the Energy and Water Development bill -- theBureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project. Key Policy Issues -- Corps of Engineers

Funding Level. 4818 ( P.L.108-447 ) appropriates 14% more than the request. Everglades. CALFED. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Stewardship. Reflects distribution of a rescission from P.L. 108-199 ) on January 23, 2004. Figures for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) for the outyearshave changed from this budget document, as discussed below. In the Senate, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee didnot report a bill to the full committee, so that committee did not report a bill to theSenate. Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) and Advanced Concepts Initiative (ACI). As a part of the compromise discussed earlier, the omnibus bill eliminated funds forRNEP and ACI. (5) Pit Campaign Support Activities at Nevada Test Site: NNSA plans to conduct certain experiments at Nevada Test Site to support W88 pitcertification. Nuclear Testing and Test Readiness. Funding for these programs in FY2004 was $1.3198 billion. The omnibus bill, H.R. Of the amount in H.R.4818 ( P.L. 108-137 ). The Administration's proposed spending increase was intended primarily to pay for designing a national nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, andfor developing a national waste transportation program. Federally Supported Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment Programs, by the Resources, Science and Industry Division.
The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill includes funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior's Bureau ofReclamation (BOR), most of the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independentagencies. The Bush Administration requested $27.94 billion for these programs for FY2005,compared with $27.26 billion appropriated for FY2004 ( P.L. 108-137 , and rescissions included in P.L. 108-199 ). On June 16 the House Appropriations Committee reported out its bill( H.R. 4614 ) with $27.99 billion, and the bill passed the House on June 25. The Senatedid not report out a separate Energy and Water Appropriations bill, and funding for these programsof $28.49 billion was included as Division C of the omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act( H.R. 4818 , P.L. 108-447 ).
Key issues involving these programs included:
funding and progress of major water/ecosystem restoration initiatives such as Florida Everglades and California "Bay-Delta" (CALFED);
funding for the proposed national nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada;
funding for developing a new nuclear warhead, the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator and for a "Modern Pit Facility" to build nuclear weapons components;and
plans to reduce the time necessary to prepare the Nevada Test Site to resume nuclear weapons testing.
Funding for the Yucca Mountain project was a major issue that prevented passage of a stand-alone bill, and the possibility of a year-long continuing resolution for Energy and Waterprograms was widely discussed. However, appropriators agreed in the omnibus bill to fund theproject at the same level as in FY2004. Part of the funding for Yucca Mountain came from thecontroversial Nuclear Earth Penetrator and pit facility and the upgrading of the Nevada Test Site,which were cut from the budget.
This report will be updated as events warrant.
Key Policy Staff
Division abbreviations: RSI = Resources, Science, and Industry; FDT= Foreign Affairs, Defense,and Trade.