The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program supports
its mission through competitive and
peer-reviewed research
at
national
laboratories, universities, and private institutions. In addition,
BER develops and delivers the knowledge needed to support the President’s
National Energy Plan.
The legislative bases of BER are the Atomic Energy
Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (
42
U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), the Department of Energy Organization Act of
1977 (DOE Act;
42
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (
Public
Law 102-486, October 24, 1992). Annual appropriation laws provide
funding and guidance for the program's activities. In the
Congressional
budget process, the BER program is governed by the four Congressional
Committees shown below. Each Committee contains a subcommittee who specifically
considers the
BER
portion of the
President's
Budget Request.
Benefits: BER supports DOE's mission of world-class scientific
research capacity by providing world-class, peer reviewed scientific results
in biology and environmental science. Basic biological and environmental
research has broad impacts on our health, our environment, and our energy
future. An ability to predict long-range and regional climate enables effective
planning for future needs in energy, agriculture, and land and water use.
Biotechnology solutions are possible for DOE energy, environmental, and
national security challenges by understanding complex biological systems
and developing computational tools to model and predict their behavior.
Understanding the global carbon cycle and the associated role and capabilities
of microbes and plants can lead to solutions for reducing carbon dioxide
concentrations in the atmosphere. Biological solutions can be developed
to help clean up metals and radionuclides contaminating former DOE weapons
sites. Both normal and abnormal health-from normal human development to
cancer to brain function-can be understood using radiotracers and advanced
imaging instruments. Understanding the biological effects of low doses
of radiation can lead to the development of science-based health risk policy
to better protect workers and citizens.
Strategic and Program Goals: The
Department's
Strategic Plan identifies four strategic goals (one each for defense,
energy, science, and environmental aspects) of the mission plus seven general
goals that tie to the strategic goals. The BER program supports the following
goal: Science Strategic Goal General Goal 5, World-Class Scientific Research
Capacity: Provide world-class scientific research capacity needed to ensure
the success of Department missions in national and energy security, to
advance the frontiers of knowledge in physical sciences and areas of biological,
medical, environmental, and computational sciences, and to provide world-class
research facilities for the Nation's science enterprise. The BER program
has one program goal which contributes to General Goal 5 in the "goal
cascade."
Program Goal 05.21.00.00: Harness
the Power of Our Living World - Provide the biological and environmental
discoveries necessary to clean and protect our environment, offer new energy
alternatives, and fundamentally alter the future of medical care and human
health. The
Office
of Science Strategic Plan details the goals and strategic plans for
BER.