Government Concentrates

BP to review U.S. refinery safety

Responding to an "urgent safety recommendation" by federal investigators, BP agreed last week to appoint an independent panel to review the safety management systems and corporate safety culture at its five U.S. refineries. The U.S. Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), which is investigating an explosion and fire that killed 15 workers and injured 170 at BP's Texas City, Texas, refinery in March, said it had determined that management lapses by the oil giant pose an "imminent hazard" to workers and the public. CSB usually makes safety recommendations after it completes an investigation, but the board said it had identified problems in BP's safety management that have "the potential to cause serious harm unless rectified in a short time frame." CSB said a panel of outside safety experts should review corporate safety oversight, the management of refineries obtained through mergers and acquisitions, and management systems. The board said the panel should complete its work and issue findings and recommendations within six months to a year. "The Texas City explosion was the worst tragedy in the recent history of BP, and we will do everything possible to ensure nothing like it happens again," BP Group CEO John Browne says.

NSF unveils new Chemical Bonding Centers

NSF has announced plans to fund three new Chemical Bonding Centers. The centers--funded through NSF's Chemistry Division--are designed to allow multiple researchers with a range of expertises to collaborate on "big problems" in chemistry. The new centers will each receive $1.5 million over a three-year period. If successful, they can apply for phase II awards, which provide $2 million to $3 million per year for up to five years. The first of these three centers will be based at California Institute of Technology and led by Caltech chemistry professor Harry B. Gray. This center will focus on finding ways to economically store solar energy. The second will be based at Columbia University and led by Milan N. Stojanovic, professor in the department of medicine at Columbia. The goal of this center is to produce synthetic molecular machines powered by chemical bond transformation. The third center will be based at the University of California, Irvine, and led by UC Irvine chemistry professor Shaul Mukamel. At this center, researchers will work to create nanoscale molecular machines for drug delivery and other applications.

NASA gets final shuttle report card

On Aug. 17, the Return to Flight Task Group released its final report on NASA's efforts to get the space shuttle back in service. The advisory task force--set up in July 2003 to assess NASA's implementation of the 15 Columbia Accident Investigation Board return-to-flight recommendations--completed its work for the report prior to the launch of shuttle Discovery and therefore does not discuss the mission itself. In the report, the task force finds that NASA met 12 of the return-to-flight recommendations. The report notes, however, that incomplete compliance with the recommendations does not imply that the shuttle is unsafe. In addition to the task force's assessment, the final report also includes observations from individual members that go beyond the group's scope. One such observation, written by seven of the board's 26 members, criticizes NASA management and leadership for complicating the agency's return-to-flight efforts, increasing the costs, and lengthening the process. The full report is available online at returntoflight.org/reports/final_report.asp.

ANWR tactic opposed by GOP coalition

When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill next month, Republican leaders plan to focus attention on their next energy priority: opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska to oil and gas production. Although most Democrats oppose the proposal, GOP leaders have a bigger obstacle to overcome. Two dozen House Republicans have asked House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.) not to use the deficit-reducing budget "reconciliation" procedure to authorize drilling in ANWR. "We believe the debate on opening this unique land to oil and gas exploration should be done outside the budget process," the group told Pombo in a recent letter. Including the anticipated $2.4 billion in revenues from ANWR oil and gas leasing in the reconciliation process is designed to avoid stalling tactics by Senate opponents. According to the 1974 Budget Act, as amended, the budget measure cannot be filibustered. Democrats oppose drilling in the refuge's 1.5 million-acre coastal plain, arguing wildlife would be harmed. If a significant number of Republicans join the opposition, efforts to open ANWR could be derailed again. Pombo, a drilling advocate, hasn't made a decision about pursuing ANWR through the budget legislation, a spokeswoman says.

GOVERNMENT & POLICY ROUNDUP

◾FDA and the Association of American Medical Colleges have released a study describing opportunities for increased cooperation among companies, researchers, and regulators to improve drug development. The report is available at www.aamc.org/publications.

◾ NSF has released a report on graduate enrollment in science and engineering programs in 2003. The report finds that while overall enrollment was up in 2003, declines were seen in the number of first-time foreign students. The report is available at www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf05317.

◾ The rice genome has been completely sequenced. It is the first major food crop to be sequenced and could lead to improved nutrition and productivity. The Departments of Agriculture and of Energy and NSF spent $14.4 million on the international effort.