Conferees Agree on Funds
For DOE Science in FY04

House and Senate conferees have completed work on the FY 2004 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The conference agreement provides $3.45 billion to the DOE Office of Science instead of the $3.48 billion as proposed by the House and $3.36 billion as proposed by the Senate. This is an increase of 5.8% or $190.5 million over last year's budget. Both Houses will vote on the bill, perhaps as soon as next week. Go here to read an analysis of the DOE funds by the American Institute of Physics.

Planning Impact Comments Sought at Monday Scoping

Berkeley Lab’s revised Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its prospective Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) will be the subject of a public scoping meeting Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. The NOP outlines the criteria upon which the Laboratory will build a physical development framework in order to complete its mission through year 2025. The LRDP will feature land-use principles and policies to guide future growth and change. Go here to view relevant documents.

 


Global Warming May
Spur More Wildfires
By the Associated Press

Drought- and beetle-ravaged trees in this mountain community stick up like matchsticks in the San Bernardino National Forest, bypassed by the fires still smoldering, but left like kindling for the next big blaze. Welcome to the future. Warmer, windier weather and longer, drier summers would mean higher firefighting costs and greater loss of lives and property, according to Berkeley Lab researchers Margaret Torn and Evan Mills, and the U.S. Forest Service. Full story.