[asac] Copy of memo sent to NRAO staff. (fwd)

[Christine Wilson]

Dear ASAC member,

I apologize if you've already received this, but since I'm not sure whether I
received this through the ASAC or NRAO User's Committee mailing lists, I
thought I would circulate it to the ASAC email list. 

Chris

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 16:31:20 -0500
From: Billie Rodriguez <brodrigu at nrao.edu>
Subject: Copy of memo sent to NRAO staff.

MESSAGE TO NRAO STAFF

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget released today the budgetary
outline of the FY 2002 requests for federal agencies and programs that
President Bush will send to Congress [see
http://www.gpo.gov/usbudget/index.html].  This plan includes a request
for the NSF that would increase its FY 2002 funding by only 1% relative
to the FY 2001 appropriation.  Targeted increases for a very few NSF
Divisions would consume this modest increase, and more, and would leave
all other NSF activities, including Astronomy, to share a proposed FY
2002 funding level less than that realized in FY01.  In addition to the
unfortunate consequences for virtually all of NSF science, no new starts
for NSF facilities are proposed in FY 02.

Beyond the implications for Observatory operating funds, the lack of new
starts is particularly regrettable for the NRAO because it appears to
mean that the construction phase of ALMA will not begin in FY 2002 as
had been anticipated.  Clearly, the absence of new starts is not
specifically focused on ALMA.  Rather, it reflects the President's
desire to freeze agency programs for a time while he and his staff can
review the plans, organization, progress and priorities of current
initiatives.   However, in the specific case of ALMA this order has the
consequence of interrupting a program that has its international
agreement forged, its design and development phase milestones achieved,
and its recommendations from the NSF oversight body all in place for FY
2002 construction.  Given the high importance of the ALMA scientific
program, the timing of the restriction against FY 2002 new starts for
the ALMA Project is extremely unfortunate.

The President's FY 2002 budget will be under review and discussion in
Congress for the next several months.   During this time, we intend to
work with the community to inform the Federal government of the
importance of ALMA and of the need for the project to move to
construction expeditiously.  At the same time, we will work to preserve
the momentum of the project at the NRAO and internationally by securing
adequate FY02 funding for a fifth year of design and development should
it not be possible for construction to begin in FY 2002.

Another item of note to astronomy in the FY 2002 Budget Plan is the
announcement that NASA and NSF are to form a Blue Ribbon Commission to
consider the pros and cons of giving NASA the responsibility for all
astronomy, both ground- and space-based.  The Commission is to report by
September 1, 2001.

Paul Vanden Bout
28 February 2001