Congress Passes 2010 Energy Budget

Both the House and Senate have passed appropriations legislation to fund the Department of Energy for fiscal 2010, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign. The bill provides DOE with $27.1 billion, which is $318 million above 2009 levels but $1.3 billion below the Administration’s requested amount. The Office of Science would receive $4.9 billion, or $131 million over the amount allotted in 2009 and equal to the Administration’s request for 2010. Basic energy sciences would receive $1.6 billion, roughly equal to the Administration’s request and $29 million less than in 2009. Looking at renewable energy R&D, the bill provides $2.2 billion, which is $314 million more than in 2009. Solar R&D would receive $225 million, biofuels would get $220 million, and vehicle technologies would receive $311 million—all slight increases over 2009. Congress would also provide $174 million for hydrogen-related research, an area for which the Administration had proposed only $68 million.