NREL Budget Cuts Force Layoffs
It seems the US Congessional critters have proven once again just how out of touch they are with the rest of the world. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado is going to begin laying off as many as 100 of its scientists and researchers (11% of its staff) next month in response to some drastic cuts to its 2006 budget.
For those of you not aware, the NREL is a part of the US Department of Energy and is tasked with researching, developing and promoting alternative and renewable energy technologies. As a blurb from their web site states, their mandate is…to secure an energy future for the nation that is environmentally and economically sustainable.
NREL’s budget for fiscal 2006 will be $20 million smaller than 2005’s $200 million. While a 10% percent cut may seem drastic and dimwitted at such a time on this planet, it’s a drop in the bucket when you consider that the US Congress has chopped the DOE’s total renewable energy programs budget for 2006 by more than a staggering 35%.
Words fail me, at least words that don’t involve profanity. Is there some sort of force field in place around the beltway that creates a distorted reality to all who enter it?
A couple of articles on this…one at Rocky Mountain News and another from the AP via TheDenverChannel.
Here’s a link to the NREL web site. Ton’s of awesome info to be had there, at least for now.
[via baloghblog]
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2 opinions for NREL Budget Cuts Force Layoffs
Musings of an eco-entrepreneur » Cuts at the National Renewable Energies Lab
Dec 21, 2005 at 11:06 pm
[…] Via Unplugged Living comes news of some pretty big cuts over at NREL. For those of not aware, the NREL is a part of the US Department of Energy and is tasked with researching, developing and promoting alternative and renewable energy technologies. As a blurb from their web site states, their mandate is…to secure an energy future for the nation that is environmentally and economically sustainable. […]
» NREL Restores Jobs Before Bush’s Visit Unplugged Living
Feb 20, 2006 at 2:02 pm
[…] For those of you who haven’t been following along at home, the NREL had to layoff some staff as a result of it’s budget getting slashed (see here). The budget came down before Bush did his ‘addicted to oil‘ spiel in January and now that he’s on a big fancy tour in support of his apparent ‘get us off the oil‘ drive, the US Department of Energy has managed to juggle it’s budget and find the dollars to restore the jobs. […]
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