Features:

DOE SLATES $204M FOR ADVANCED SCI COMP RESEARCH

The Energy Department is asking for the largest budget amount in the department's history for 2005, a 4 percent increase over 2004. Of the $24.3 billion requested, $204 million may be allocated to the department's Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, which was created to help fund high performance supercomputing, networking and software development.

In addition, $38 million will go to a next-generation computer architecture project hoped to increase computing capacity for researchers.

Four Nanoscale Science Research Centers will also benefit should the proposal be approved. $211 million, $8 million more than the request for 2004, will be allocated to nanotechnology research.

Other Energy Department 2005 budget highlights include $107 million for the office of the chief information officer, an increase of more than 21 percent, to fund IT systems, certification and accreditation efforts, public key infrastructure operations and other initiatives. $104 million will help to fund the Energy Department’s cybersecurity efforts and $99 million will go to first-responder programs to address threats from weapons of mass destruction. In addition, $15 million will help fund the department's Megaports program to detect trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials in international seaports. $227 million will benefit hydrogen fuel development research and $91 million is hoped to modernize the nation's electrical grid.