Department of Energy
Audrey Schultz and Ryan Coyle
Background
Reason created: Creation and Design of Atomic Bombs, as well a loose knit amalgamation of energy-related programs scattered through out the Federal government.
Purpose
"The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions."
The Department of Energy works to help our environment use our materials wisely and in a cheap and efficient way to enhance safety and cleanliness of our planet and citizens. They set boundaries for the way the country uses energy in education, science, technology, and the military, such as nuclear weaponry.
Budget Cuts
9.2% Cut: $2,990,000,000
New Budget Amount: $29,510,000,000
National Nuclear Security Administration
Budget Cut Amount: $1,185,328,000
New Budget Amount: $11,698,672,000
Justification: This department will face a cut of $1,185,328,000 total. The cut will be split evenly in this department between the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation sub-department and the Weapons Activities sub-department, each losing $592,664,000.
New DOE Mandatory Funding
Budget Cut Amount: $2,989,903,860
New Budget Amount: $29,509,051,140
Justification: Although this says Mandatory Funding, it is more a want than an actual need. These cuts will lessen the amount of money given towards benefits for employees, and the containment of slightly radioactive materials. Although both of these things are important, these cuts are large and our money is better spent elsewhere.
Office of Science
Budget Cut Amount: $512,630,348
New Budget Amount: $5,059,438,652
Justification: Since all of the programs within this department are equally important, cuts in this department will be distributed equally to research programs, grants, isotope safety funding, and transportation of radioactive materials.
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Budget Cut Amount: $266,652,800
New Budget Amount: $2,631,747,200
Justification: The Solar Power Act of 2012 has lowered the prices of solar panels, so that it will encourage people to use them, however it is taking up too much of the government's money, so the prices will have to go back up. The DOE is also working a thermometer to measure Earth's extreme core temperatures, but this is not a necessity to live safely, so this program will also be cut.
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
Budget Cut Amount: $24,131,600
New Budget Amount: $238,168,400
Justification: There has been research on how to store energy in more efficient ways, such as in capsules, or other new sources, which can be helpful, but we feel that there are better uses of this money.
Fossil Energy
Budget Cut Amount: $58,737,400
New Budget Amount: $579,712,600
Justification: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was given $3.4 trillion, so we believe that this is enough money, and it would be okay to cut $58 million from this program.
Office of Nuclear Energy
Budget Cut Amount: $91,438,432
New Budget Amount: $902,457,568
Justification: There is a program that is working on new naval reactors for oceanic conflict, called the Ohio Replacement Reactor System and the S&G System. Although these programs are important, we feel that they could be cut, seeing as how our Navy has not bee extremely active in the past few years.
Office of Indian Energy Policty & Programs
Original Budget Request: $22,930,000
Budget Cut Amount: $2,109,560
New Budget Amount: $20,820,440
Justification: Mostly all of today's Indian reservations have sadly already been moved into or taken care of by this and other departments, so it's budget needs are decreasing every year. At this point, there is not much left to fund.
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
Original Budget Request: $350,000,000
Budget Cut Amount: $32,200,000
New Budget Amount: $317,800,000
Justification: Since this department doe start off with so much money, it will not make a huge impact to take away 9.2%. The SunShot Initiative is getting money from both this department as well as the Office of Efficient Energy and Renewable Energy, so that will be the main program to face budget cuts in this department.
Environmental Management
Original Budget Request: $5,445,350,000
Budget Cut Amount: 500,972,200
New Budget Amount: $4,994,377,800
Justification: This department is mainly just to keep the roads clean, and there are not really any smaller programs within this, so the cuts will affect the whole sub-department, not single parts.
Chie Information Officer
Original Budget Request: $93,074,000
Budget Cut Amount: 8,562,808
New Budget Amount: $84,511,192
Justification: The Chief Information Officer does not really include programs, it is simply a department that employs people to tell other departments what to do, so the only cuts in this department would be to the payment of the employees, which is inconvenient, but ultimately the best option to keep the Department of Energy running efficiently.
Office of Management
Original Budget Request: $59,114,000
Budget Cut Amount: $4,729,000
New Budget Amount: 54,284,880
Justification: The Office of Management does not really include programs, it is simply a department that employs people to tell other departments what to do, so the only cuts in this department would be to the payment of the employees, which is inconvenient, but ultimately the best option to keep the Department of Energy running efficiently.
Office of Inspector General
Original Budget Request: $44,414,000
Budget Cut Amount: $3,553,920
New Budget Amount: $40,870,080
Justification: The Office of Inspector General is in charge of inspections, but for the safety of everyone, there will not be cuts to this area. Luckily, the Office of Inspector General also deals with internship and employment opportunities. The cuts in this area will go to employee wage cuts, as well as not hiring a many workers to cut down the amount of money spent on worker payment.