Domenici Says FY2009 Budget "Good Overall" for Labs, But Problematic for WIPP & N.M. Water Projects
Press Release
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today said the FY2009 federal budget rolled out by the Bush administration is good for the national laboratories in New Mexico, but also includes areas of concern for other federal projects and programs in the state.
Domenici offered an initial assessment of the $3 trillion federal budget plan, which will serve as the starting point for Congress to develop a FY2009 Budget Resolution and subsequent appropriations measures to fund the government next year. The administration has proposed spending increases for defense and homeland security activities and a virtual spending freeze for the rest of the federal government.
"This budget will come under close scrutiny and substantial change before it's all over with. I'll take the positive and work to change what is not good for New Mexico," said Domenici, who serves on the Senate Budget Committee, as well as a number of Senate appropriations subcommittees.
"This will be a difficult budget and appropriations season. The President has basically recommended a spending freeze, which means it will take a lot of work to make sure our needs in New Mexico are met within the confines of a tight budget," he said.
After a contentious FY2008 budget process that threatened to slash almost $600 million from the DOE nuclear weapons laboratories, the Bush FY2009 budget is recommending stable funding overall for Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.
"This budget is good overall for the labs, and should work to put them on stable footing. We will have to be vigilant of proposals that could again throw the labs' work into crisis," Domenici said. "The administration is recommending necessary investments in lab facilities, but I see room for improvement on such projects as the LANSCE facility at Los Alamos."
An initial review of the FY2009 budget plan outlines $162 million for environmental cleanup at LANL, $100 million to continue work on the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Facility, and $1.37 million for its weapons program.
Under this budget, overall spending at Sandia would be $1.42 billion overall, an increase of $25.3 million. Domenici welcomed the overall DOE budget for its proposed investments in nonproliferation and the Office of Science, which would support the Advanced Simulation and Computing initiative that would be led by Sandia and Oak Ridge national laboratories.
Domenici was critical of an estimated $23 million cut recommended for operating the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. The budget requests $211.5 million for WIPP, which is less than the $236.7 million provided by Congress in the FY2008 omnibus appropriations bill.
"This budget for WIPP is unacceptable and will compromise the transportation and disposal of defense wastes from around the DOE nuclear weapons complex," Domenici said.
Domenici reported that the Department of Defense budget recommends a total of $57.5 million for military construction projects at the three Air Force bases in New MexicoHolloman, Cannon and Kirtland.
The bill requests $25 million for five separate military construction projects at Holloman Air Force Base, which is being prepared to become home to two 18-aircraft squadrons of F-22A Raptor fighter jets. The initial F-22A aircraft are scheduled to arrive at Holloman in the first quarter of 2009, replacing the retired F-117 stealth fighter jets that had been based there.
The plan also recommends $18.1 million for an Air Force Special Operations Command maintenance hangar at Cannon Air Force Base at Clovis and $14.1 million for a fuel storage replacement project at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. No projects were included for White Sands Missile Range.
"This is a positive start to the budget process, and very good news for Holloman. It signals that the Air Force is looking at needs at the base as it ramps up to deploy the F-22s in southern New Mexico," Domenici said. "I am also pleased to see that the Special Operations command wants to continue making improvements at Cannon as the base's new mission ramps up."
"I will work with Cannon, Kirtland, WSMR and Holloman to identify and then pursue what they need," he said.
The budget anticipates about $54 million for operation and maintenance needs at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Artesia, but does not include any construction project requests for the campus. The budget also seeks $442.4 million to hire, train and equip 2,200 new Border Patrol agents, which will bring the total number of agents to 20,000 by the end of September 2009. All of these agents will be trained at FLETC-Artesia.
"Despite the budget recommendation, I suspect that we may need to push for additional construction improvements at FLETC-Artesia. We are still placing a lot of demands on this campus and it should have the facilities it needs to meet those demands," Domenici said.
The budget offers $22.7 million in Bureau of Reclamation funding for the Middle Rio Grande Project, a $16 million decrease, for water infrastructure and Endangered Species Act compliance.
The Army Corps of Engineers budget recommends $4.2 million for ongoing flood protection in Alamogordo, but eliminates funding for such projects as the northern New Mexico acequias irrigation system, and flood protection work in Albuquerque's South Valley.
Finally, Domenici said he will challenge the U.S. Forest Service budget recommendation to eliminate all funding for the Valles Caldera National Preserve and Trust, which Congress funded at $3.69 million in FY2008. The National Park Service budget does, however, recommend $3.17 million to rehabilitate the visitor center at the Bandelier National Monument.
The following are highlights of FY2009 budget requests by the Bush administration that will affect New Mexico:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Total New Mexico Spending: $4.22 billion in New Mexico in FY2009 for activities including the operation of Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories and WIPP, $309 million below the FY2008 level. NNSA funding for New Mexico labs is $3.26 billion, $10.8 million above last year. Proposed DOE funding for Energy, Science and Environment in New Mexico increases from $702 million to $765 million (+$63 million).
Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities (RTBF) - $1.72 billion requested for overall DOE facilities, up $83.1 million over FY2008, to support operations and provide salaries to lab employees. Within this account, LANL would receive $298 million (+$11 million), and Sandia would receive $127.8 (-$27.2 million, largely due to moving Z funding to the Inertial Confined Fusion campaign).
Sandia National Laboratories: DOE proposes spending $1.42 billion at Sandia National Laboratories in FY2009, an increase of $25.3 million from FY2008 levels. Program highlights: Ion Beam Laboratory Refurbishment - $10 million to continue construction. Center for Integrated Nanotechnolgy, a joint Sandia and Los Alamos venture at Kirtland Air Force Base, funding provided to initiate operation.
-Z Facility - $64 million, a decrease of $13 million from FY2008.
-Advanced Simulation and Computing, $111 million, down $42 million from FY2008
-TA-1 Heating Systems Modernization - $15.7 million.
Los Alamos National Laboratory: DOE proposes spending $1.83 billion in FY2009, a decrease of $14.5 million below FY2008 requested level. Program highlights: Weapons Activities - $1.37 billion, up $12 million.
-Nonproliferation - $173 million, down $45.84 million. Directed Stockpile Work - $375 million, up $185 million.
-Advance Simulation and Computing -- $139 million, down $69 million.
-Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Facility - $100 million to continue work on the CMR-R replacement, a $26 million increase.
-TA-55 Reinvestment Project - $7.9 million
-Environmental Cleanup - $162 million for cleanup at LANL, a $10 million increase.
-Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility - $19 million.
-LANSCE Refurbishment - $5 million to study upgrade.
WIPP - $211 million for the WIPP baseline budget, a $23 million decrease from FY2008 funding. The WIPP budget request includes:
-Operations: $126 million (-$22 million)
-Central Characterization: $29 million (-$3.5 million)
-Transportation: $28 million (+$1.2 million)
-Community Support: $27 million (+$1.0 million)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of Defense: $515.4 billion base budget and a $70.0 billion emergency allowance for the Global War on Terror.
Holloman Air Force Base/Military Construction: $25 million, including $14.5 million for a Low Observable Composite Repair Facility, $4.6 million for an Aerospace Ground Equipment Facility, $3.1 million for additions to a Flight Simulator Facility, $2.1 million for alterations to a Jet Engine Maintenance Facility, and $1.0 million for additions to Aircraft Maintenance Units.
Cannon Air Force Base/Military Construction: $18.1 million for a maintenance hangar.
Kirtland Air Force Base/Military Construction: $14.1 million for fuel storage replacement.
Grow the Army/Marines - $20 billion to continue efforts to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps. White Sands Missile Range is expected to experience significant growth as the Army grows.
Special Operations Command - $5.7 billion for Special Operations Command, which commands does work at Cannon Air Force Base.
National Guard and Reserve - $49.1 billion to recruit, train, equip, and sustain the National Guard and Reserve. This funding is of importance to New Mexico because a 2007 GAO study ranked the New Mexico National Guard last in terms of dual-use equipment. However, only $650 million is requested for National Guard equipment, as compared to over $1 billion provided in the FY08 Defense Appropriations bill.
Military Pay Raise - A 3.4 percent pay raise is requested for military personnel.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Artesia - Within $274 million recommended for FLETC overall, $54 million is anticipated for FLETC-Artesia: $51 million for salaries and expenses, and $3 million for maintenance and improvements to existing facilities. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $288 million for overall FLETC salaries, expenses, construction and improvements, including $3.2 million for construction at FLETC-Artesia. The FY2009 budget does not request any new construction at FLETC-Artesia.
Secure Border Initiative (SBI) - $775 million for border fencing, infrastructure and border security technology. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $1.2 billion for border fencing, infrastructure, and technology.
Border Patrol Agents - $442.4 million to hire, train and equip 2,200 new Border Patrol agents, which will bring the total number of agents to 20,000 by the end of September 2009. All of these agents will be trained at FLETC-Artesia. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $570 million to hire an additional 3,000 agents.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - $1.8 billion for ICE Custody Operations, including funds for an additional 1,000 detention beds for illegal aliens, bringing the total number of beds to 33,000.
Homeland Security State and Local Grants - $2.2 billion for state and local grant programs, including a grant program to help States implement Real ID requirements. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $50 million to help states comply with the Real ID requirements for driver's licenses to be recognized for Federal purposes.
Federal Air Marshals - $786 million is requested for Federal Air Marshals, who are trained at FLETC-Artesia. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $769 million for Federal Air Marshals.
Border Patrol Facilities - $149.5 million overall for border patrol facilities.
Customs and Border Protection - $25 million is requested to hire 212 new CBP officers and support staff for passenger processing activities at ports of entry.
Federal Flight Deck Officer Program - $24.9 million for the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which conducts training at FLETC-Artesia. In FY08, $25.0 million was provided for this program.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) - The Administration recommends eliminating funding for SCAAP. The FY2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $410 million for SCAAP, which is used by the state of New Mexico and a number of counties to defray the cost of jailing criminal illegal immigrants.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
National Radio Astronomy Observatories: Within the NSF budget, $62.56 million is proposed for the National Radio Astronomy Observatories (NRAO) facilities, including the Very Large Array and Very Long Baseline Array headquartered in Socorro, the Greenbank Telescope in West Virginia, and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array Telescope (ALMA) that is being developed in part in New Mexico. The NRAO funding is an increase of $8.82 million over the FY 2008 level of $52.74 million.
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
NEW MEXICO: $15.7 million total for New Mexico ($20.2 million decrease from FY2008 budget request)
Investigations
-$0 for Middle Rio Grande Bosque Park feasibility study
-$0 for Rio Grande Basin (NM, CO, TX)
-$0 for Southwest Valley Flood Damage Reduction in Albuquerque Construction
-$0 for Acequias Irrigation System
-$4,200,000 for Alamogordo Flood Control
-$0 for Central New Mexico Infrastructure Program (Bernalillo, Valencia, Sandoval Cos.)
-$0 for Middle Rio Grande Flood Reduction, Bernalillo to Belen
-$800,000 for Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia to Bosque Del Apache
-$0 for New Mexico Environmental Infrastructure program
-$0 for New Mexico Tribal Assistance Continuing Projects/Operations & Maintenance
-$0 for Rio Grande Bosque restoration
-$2,220,000 for Abiquiu Dam
-$0 for Albuquerque Levees Evaluation
-$2,392,000 for Cochiti Lake
-$1,121,000 fo Conchas Lake
-$423,000 Galisteo Dam
-$684,000 for Jemez Canyon
-$940,000 for Santa Rosa Dam and Lake
-$452,000 for Two Rivers Dam
-$1,201,000 for Upper Rio Grande Water Operations model
-$811,000 for inspections of completed works
-$502,000 for scheduling reservoir operations
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
New Mexico: A total of $31.9 million for New Mexico water projects and initiatives. (FY2008 funding levels in parenthesis.)
-$22.7 million ($38.9 million) for the Middle Rio Grande Project
-$29,000 ($75,000) for Upper Rio Grande Basin Investigations
-$0 ($1.47 million) for Albuquerque Metro Area Water Reclamation and Reuse
-$0 ($246,000) for Santa Fe Water Supply
-$1.6 million ($2.06 million) for operation of the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo
-$0 ($1.181 million) for NMSU desalination and water treatment R&D
-$3.78 million ($3.77 million) for Carlsbad Project
-$77,000 ($83,000) for the Navajo Nation investigations program
-$203,000 ($194,000) for Pecos River Basin water salvage project
-$59,000 ($131,000) for San Juan River Basin investigations program
-$58,000 ($33,000) for Tucumcari project
-$0 ($492,000) for Chimayo Water Project
-$4.34 million ($4.44 million) for Rio Grande Project
-$57,000 ($138,000) Southern N.M.-West Texas Investigations Program
-$50 million ($60.3 million) for the Animas-La Plata Project
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program - The administration is not proposing to extend the MILC Program, which will expire if a new Farm Bill is not enacted. The MILC Program provides payments to dairy producers when prices decline. The MILC Program was extended through September 2007 by the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veteran's Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability and Appropriations Act of 2007 (PL 110-28). Domenici has opposed this program as being unfair to the New Mexico dairy industry.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
Valles Caldera - $0, elimates all funding. Congress provided $3.69 million in FY2008.
Capulin Snow Area (Cibola National Forest) - $761,000, including $542,000 for facilities improvements and $218,000 for road improvement.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Bandelier National Monument - $3.17 million in construction funding to rehabilitate the visitor center.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
New Mexico - $0, no land acquisition or construction projects requested for New Mexico.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
New Mexico - $21.3 million in funding for environmental protection in New Mexico, a slight increase from FY2008 enacted levels. Highlights include:
EPA WATER
-Clean Water Act Section 319: $2.2 million to control non-Point Source pollution. A $100,000 decrease from FY2008 enacted levels.
-Public Water Systems Supervision: $1.1 million to help monitor drinking water quality and enforce health standards. This is a $100,000 increase from FY2008 enacted levels.
-Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $2.7 million to improve the quality of the rivers, lakes, and streams, a $700,000 decrease from FY2008 enacted levels.
-Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $8.3 million to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution in drinking water systems. This is identical to FY2008 enacted levels.
EPA AIR
-Air Pollution Control Program: $3.2 million in grants to assist in attaining new air quality standards. This is an $800,000 increase from FY2008 enacted levels.
EPA HAZARDOUS WASTE
-Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: $1 million in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act funding to manage the generation, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste. This is identical to FY2008 enacted levels.
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP) - $12.42 million for NIIP.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANPSORTATION
Essential Air Service -- $50 million for the Essential Air Service program to provide commercial air service to small, rural communities. The FY2008 enacted level was $125 million. New Mexico is slated to receive approximately $2.4 million in FY2008, serving airports in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Clovis, Hobbs and Silver City.
Amtrak -- $800 million for Amtrak, which represents a significant cut to the railroad's Federal subsidy. The budget would require Amtrak to control its operating losses and focus on services that offer the most promise. Reserves the bulk of funds for capital investment so improvements may continue along the heavily trafficked Northeast Corridor. Amtrak runs two routes through New Mexico.
Intercity Passenger Rail Capital State Matching Grants -- $100 million for a matching grant program for intercity passenger rail capital projects to empower states, not Amtrak, to address their transportation goals and priorities.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Character Counts -- $23.8 million for Domenici's Character Education Program in elementary and secondary schools, a slight decrease from the $24.28 million FY2008 funding level.
President's American Competitiveness Initiative -- $175 million, an increase of $131.5 million, for programs aimed at improving math and science instruction in K-12 schools as part of ACI.
Pell Grants -- $16.9 billion, an increase of $2.6 billion that, together with mandatory funds, would raise the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,800.
Pell Grants for Kids -- $300 million for a new K-12 scholarship program that would allow low-income students attending schools in restructuring or that have high dropout rates to transfer to local private schools or out-of-district public schools.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (New Mexico Veteran Population: 180,000)
Veterans Programs: Over $91 billion total funding, including $47.5 billion for entitlements and $47.2 billion for discretionary spending. In FY2008, $86.6 billion was enacted.
Veterans Medical Care: $41.2 billion for total medical care, compared to $36.3 billion enacted levels for FY2008. Funding for veterans medical care has doubled since President Bush took office in 2001.
Mental Health Services: $3.9 billion for full continuum of care for veterans with substance abuse disorders and mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Medical and Prosthetics Research: $442 million for medical and prosthetics research, a $37 million increase over FY2008.
Veterans Compensation and Pensions: $43.9 billion for disability compensation and pensions, compared to $41.3 billion provided for FY2008.
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