Government Concentrates

Number of chemistry Ph.D.s rising

The total number of science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded in the U.S. in 2003 was 25,258--up 2.8% from 2002, according to the NSF report "Science & Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2003." This increase in doctorates is the first since the number peaked at 27,278 in 1998. Within the field of chemistry, the number of Ph.D.s awarded grew by nearly 6% to 2,037. The chemistry subfields with the biggest growth in 2003 were analytical chemistry, which saw an 11% increase to 336 Ph.D.s, and medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, with a 10% increase to 109 Ph.D.s. However, the number of Ph.D.s awarded didn't grow in all chemistry subfields. For example, nuclear chemistry Ph.D.s dropped from nine in 2002 to four in 2003, and general chemistry Ph.D.s fell from 204 in 2002 to 186 in 2003. The report also shows that the number of Ph.D.s awarded in chemistry to Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Hispanics increased in 2003, while other minority groups saw slight decreases in these degree areas. Also, the number of chemistry Ph.D.s earned by non-U.S. citizens with temporary visas increased from 596 in 2002 to 689 in 2003. The report can be viewed at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf05300/htmstart.htm.

DOE cites laws limiting natural gas output

A new report by the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory ranks environmental laws, regulations, and other federal protective measures in terms of how much natural gas they are blocking from development. The largest deterrents, the report says, are requirements and litigation resulting from the National Environmental Policy Act [affecting 464 trillion cu ft (TCF)] and the Coastal Zone Management Act (362 TCF). The Argonne report identifies more than 30 environmental policy and regulatory impediments that in some way block domestic natural gas production and notes that there is an apparent shortage in domestic gas production. Using DOE figures, the report estimates that annual U.S. natural gas consumption will grow from 23 TCF in 2000 to 35 TCF in 2025. However, the report also notes that the laws and regulations it finds to be impediments often have strong support from state and local officials and from residents who wish to have control over the environmental impact of energy development in their communities. The authors say the report is to be followed by another one identifying ways to mitigate the environmental and regulatory constraints. The report is available at http://www.pi.energy.gov.  

EPA proposes changes to chemical reports

EPA last week proposed changes to the periodic reports that chemical companies provide to the agency on the substances they produce. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act, companies must inform EPA of chemicals they import or manufacture in quantities of 25,000 lb or more per year at any plant site they own or control. These reports include identity and production volume of the chemical; information on worker exposure; and, for large-volume chemicals, information on processing and consumer or commercial use. A rule proposed by EPA on Jan. 26 would require reports every five years, beginning in 2005, replacing the current requirement that companies file these reports every four years. In addition, companies must report figures on the domestic manufacturing volume of a chemical separately from the amount of the substance they import, rather than lumping the two together as they do now. For chemicals produced in volumes of over 300,000 lb per year, manufacturers would have to provide information only on domestic processing and use, not data on activities that take place outside the U.S.

BU researchers exposed to deadly bacterium

Three Boston University researchers were accidentally exposed to tularemia bacteria while trying to develop a vaccine for this potential terrorism weapon and came down with flulike symptoms in May and September of last year. They thought they were working with an attenuated strain of the bacterium, which they had received from the University of Nebraska. The researchers were working in a medium-containment biosafety lab-2 (BL-2) and were allegedly exposed because they failed to follow proper lab procedures. The cause of their illness was not diagnosed until last October, but the university delayed reporting the infections to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention--which, by law, must be notified when a so-called select agent is involved--and to state health authorities until November. The university and federal, state, and local officials did not disclose the infections to the public until the middle of this month--after the city had voted to approve the siting of a high-containment BL-4 lab in densely populated south Boston. The National Institute for Allergy & Infectious Diseases had earlier chosen BU as one of two major research and containment centers for lethal pathogens. CDC, the FBI, and OSHA are now investigating the accidents, and NIAID has not yet made a final decision on awarding BU $128 million for the BL-4 lab.

GOVERNMENT & POLICY ROUNDUP

An application to construct the controversial nuclear waste repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountain will be put off until the end of this year, the Department of Energy announced last week. The department missed its previous application goal of December 2004.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, announced last week his intention to push a broad energy bill similar to last year's H.R. 6 through the House by Feb. 21.

A National Academies report finds that new restrictions on the participation of foreign students and scientists in some basic research sponsored by the Pentagon could pose a risk to the scientific vigor of the U.S.