17 Nov 1998: NIEHS Awarded Best Budget Increase in 15 Years
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the pioneer scientific organizations in Research Triangle Park, has received a budget of more than $375 million for 1999, Institute Director Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., said today, "our best budget increase in 15 years." In addition, transfers of Superfund research and training funds will add $60 million, for a total over $435 million.
The 1999 direct appropriation of $375,743,000 that was approved by Congress and signed by the President is 14.3 percent over the fiscal year 1998 actual of $328.7 million, Dr. Olden said. The Administration's request was $355.8 million.
The last such increase that NIEHS employees recall occurred 15 years ago when the National Toxicology Program was transferred to NIEHS headquarters.
In addition to the $375 million, NIEHS will receive $60 million in 1999 in Superfund money for basic research and training related to improved clean-ups of spills and toxic dumps. Most of this Superfund money is collected as a tax on industries with a pollution potential or history and, is funneled through the Environmental Protection Agency to NIEHS, which is a part of the National Institutes of Health.