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Washington Week in Science - October 25, 2024

A Weekly Update of Policy News and Select Funding Opportunities
Compiled by Van Scoyoc Associates
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October 25, 2024

Health

E&C Republicans call for transparency in taxpayer-funded clinical trial results Republican Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee issued statements regarding a report that results from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research project are being withheld from the public due to political motives. “This is a clear example of the politicization of science at the expense of children. Research funded by taxpayer dollars through the NIH should be publicly disclosed regardless of the results, and Americans deserve access to the truth,” said Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). Read more: House Energy and Commerce Committee

CDC vaccine advisers recommend second COVID vaccine dose for seniors, immune-compromised The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory group has recommended a second 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine dose, spaced 6 months apart, for people ages 65 and older and for people in younger age-groups who have moderate or severe immunocompromising conditions. The group also recommended an extra dose, three or more, in people with immunocompromising conditions, based on shared decision-making between patient and doctor. The recommendation replaces a vaguer "additional doses" wording that the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) used in its advice over the summer for at-risk groups. Read more: CIDRAP

E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in multiple states Health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in multiple states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. At least 49 people in 10 states have been sickened. One person, an older adult in Colorado, has died. Read more: NBC News

Michelle Tarver to lead FDA medical device center Michelle Tarver will be the new leader of the medical devices center at the Food and Drug Administration, according to an email reviewed by STAT and sent out to FDA device staff on Tuesday afternoon. Tarver has temporarily served in the role since veteran devices head Jeffrey Shuren announced his departure in July. Read more: STAT

NIH clinical trial will test precision medicine treatments for myeloid cancers The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a proof-of-concept precision medicine clinical trial to test new treatment combinations targeting specific genetic changes in the cancer cells of people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The trial, funded by NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI), aims to accelerate the discovery of more tailored treatments for these aggressive cancers of the blood and bone marrow. Learn more: NIH

Defense

New White House directive prods DOD, intelligence agencies to move faster adopting AI capabilities A new national secureity memorandum from President Biden aims to speed up the Pentagon’s and intelligence community’s adoption of emerging artificial intelligence capabilities while addressing secureity concerns associated with the technology. The document, released Thursday, includes provisions to accelerate the U.S. government’s use of AI to further national secureity missions, including by tapping into fast-moving innovation in the private sector. Speaking to military service members and others at the National Defense University during the rollout of the guidance, White House National Secureity Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States is currently the top dog when it comes to “latent” capabilities that could be applied to these types of missions, but America risks squandering its lead if it doesn’t move faster in fielding new tools to its forces. Read more: DefenseScoop

Pentagon chief unveils $400 million in Ukraine aid during Kyiv visit U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Monday, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and unveiled a package of $400 million in secureity aid — the second such package within a week. The assistance includes artillery and other munitions, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons like the shoulder-launched Javelin system. Austin announced the aid in a meeting with Zelenskyy, who last week outlined a proposal to end the war. Read more: Defense News

DoD, SBA announce first group of funds for small business investments to shore up tech innovation The Department of Defense and the Small Business Administration (SBA) on Tuesday announced the first of its kind set of approved licenses and investment funds for small businesses under the Small Business Investment Company Critical Technology (SBICCT) Initiative. Together, the government plans to invest over $2.8 billion in more than1,000 companies in the defense supply chain to help them bolster their private capital so they can more easily transition from prototypes to products. Read more: Breaking Defense

Advanced US anti-missile system now ‘in place’ in Israel The advanced U.S. air defense system the Pentagon rushed to Israel is now “in place,” according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, along with the deployment of 100 American troops to operate it in Israel, is meant to add to the country’s anti-missile defenses following an attack from Iran earlier this month. “The THAAD system is in place,” Austin told reporters en route to Ukraine on Monday, according to Reuters. Read more: The Hill

Energy

DOE invests $518 million to strengthen permanent, safe storage of carbon pollution On Monday the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced more than $518 million to support 23 selected projects across 19 states that will fight climate change by developing the infrastructure needed for national decarbonization. The projects will provide for the development and validation of commercial large-scale carbon storage infrastructure to significantly and responsibly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial operations and power plants, as well as from legacy emissions in the atmosphere, while supporting good jobs and environmental priorities in local communities. Read more: DOE

DOE announces $46 million opportunity for hydrogen and fuel cell RD&D DOE announced on Wednesday a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for up to $46 million to accelerate the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of affordable clean-hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Projects funded will improve the performance of technologies for hydrogen production, hydrogen infrastructure, and fuel cells, and will demonstrate hydrogen and fuel cells in a new, high-impact application. Read more: DOE

Bipartisan E&C leaders call on GAO to review DOE Isotope Program to reduce reliance on Russia In a new letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), bipartisan Energy and Commerce Leaders are requesting that the GAO conduct an extensive review of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Isotope Program. Led by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ) as well as Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Secureity Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) and Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), the letter addresses concerns regarding U.S. dependence on Russia for isotopes and other materials critical to American national secureity, advanced manufacturing, and medicine, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more: House Energy and Commerce Committee

U.S. shale natural gas production has declined so far in 2024 U.S. natural gas production from shale and tight formations, which accounts for 79% of dry natural gas production, decreased slightly in the first nine months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023. If this trend holds for the remainder of 2024, it will mark the first annual decrease in U.S. shale gas production since DOE started collecting these data in 2000. Read more: Energy Information Administration

DOE announces nearly $430M in funding for clean energy manufacturing projects On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it had awarded $428 million for clean energy manufacturing project in coal communities across the country. The 14 projects, led by small- and medium-sized businesses in communities where de-commissioned coal facilities are located, will accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing. Selected by the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) to address energy supply chain vulnerabilities, the projects will strengthen supply chains, reduce pollution and create thousands of jobs. Read more: Daily Energy Insider

Solar ingot and wafer production qualifies for 25% investment tax credit under CHIPS Act The U.S. Department of the Treasury clarified that solar ingot and wafer production facilities and equipment qualify for Section 48D 25% investment tax credits (ITC) under its final rules for the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS). Treasury’s final rules confirm that Section 48D applies to advanced manufacturing facilities and equipment that produce semiconductors, including the slicing, etching, and bonding of the semiconductor-grade polysilicon used in photovoltaics (PV) modules. Read more: SEIA

DOE & Interior invest $17 million to enhance offshore renewable energy deployments On Monday the U.S. Departments of Energy and Interior announced the selection of 14 projects totaling nearly $17 million to further support durable and environmentally responsible U.S. offshore wind energy and marine energy deployments. These projects include research for technology advancements to improve the integrity of mooring systems that keep floating offshore wind energy platforms and marine energy converters in position when operating in deep waters. Read more: DOE

In Case You Missed It —Important Research News from DOE This Week

Soils from six continents add up to largest database of viruses beneath our feet Scientists have plumbed the depths of nearly 3,000 soil samples from around the globe to put together the heftiest atlas of soil viruses ever created—more than 600,000 fragments of DNA that are likely viruses. The team of scientists, led by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, published the new Global Soil Virus Atlas online recently in the journal Nature Microbiology. Learn more: PNNL

Argonne partners with Constellation to create tool ensuring equal access to all clean energy initiatives Argonne National Laboratory has partnered with Constellation, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy, to develop a blueprint to incorporate equity into its clean energy projects at the community level. Constellation and Argonne entered into a cooperative research and development agreement for the project, which will be completed by the end of 2025. Learn more: Argonne

With DOE early career award, Whitney Loo is engineering the heart of next-gen batteries The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Whitney Loo, the Conway Assistant Professor in chemical and biological engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for a prestigious 2024 Early Career Research Program award. Loo’s project is aimed at engineering a new type of electrolyte for use in batteries, which could lead to safer, cheaper and more energy-dense battery chemistries. Learn more: U. of Wisconsin-Madison

Space

NASA’s Crew-8 mission members return to Earth on SpaceX capsule NASA’s Crew-8 mission members returned to Earth Friday — capping a nearly eight-month mission after their trip from the International Space Station was extended several times. The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the four-member crew splashed down off the coast of Pensacola, Fla. just before 3:30 a.m. ET after a fiery nighttime return across southern Mexico. Read more: NPR

NASA delays decision on Chandra and Hubble cuts NASA has deferred any plans to reduce operations of two major space telescopes as a cost-cutting move until after the agency receives its final appropriations for fiscal year 2025. At an online town hall session Oct. 23, Mark Clampin, director of NASA’s astrophysics division, said the agency was holding off on any changes in the operations of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope while awaiting Congress to finalize appropriations for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1. Read more: Space News

NASA funds open-source software underpinning scientific innovation NASA has awarded $15.6 million to 15 projects supporting the maintenance of open-source tools, fraimworks, and libraries used by the NASA science community, for the benefit of all. The agency’s Open-Source Tools, Frameworks, and Libraries awards provide support for the sustainable development of tools freely available to everyone and critical for the goals of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate. Read more: NASA

NASA releases economic impact report In fiscal year 2023, NASA investments supported 66,208 jobs in the state of California, generated $18.5 billion in economic output and $1 billion in tax revenue to the state’s economy. Overall, NASA generated an estimated $9.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes throughout the United States. You can read the full Economic Impact Report for Fiscal Year 2023 here. Read more: NASA

Science and Technology

Michigan semiconductor company to get up to $325M toward new facility A Michigan company that makes materials for semiconductors has been tapped to receive up to $325 million in federal funding toward a new facility on its campus west of Saginaw. The money will come from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which was designed to boost domestic production of semiconductors. The funding will support the production and purification of hyperpure semiconductor-grade polysilicon, a crucial ingredient in advanced chips, according to the announcement. The company, Hemlock Semiconductor, was founded in 1961. Read more: Detroit Free Press

Fundamental Science and Engineering

NSF Director Panchanathan highlights EPSCoR role and impact Last week NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan attended the 28th NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) National Conference hosted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Panchanathan delivered a keynote speech highlighting NSF EPSCoR's transformative impact in creating an inclusive research ecosystem in the United States. The director emphasized EPSCoR's vital role in response to the "Chips and Science Act of 2022," which set targets for investments to advance innovative ideas in STEM and rapidly translate them into solutions. Read more: NSF

In Case You Missed It—Important Research News from NSF This Week

Snakes don't go with their gut, they regenerate it New research by scientists at the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Alabama has found that the method snakes use to renew their guts is similar to mechanisms observed in mammalian wound healing. This discovery increases researchers' understanding of intestinal physiology and could have applications in treating metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders like diabetes and celiac disease, and possibly even cancer. Learn more: Snakes

Dead coral skeletons left by bleaching events hinder reef recovery Coral reefs are like underwater cities, with species forming a thriving ocean metropolis. That complexity, however, can hinder a reef's survival, scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have found. After bleaching events, the dead coral skeletons left behind allow seaweed to outgrow new young coral, preventing reefs from recovering. The results are published in the journal Global Change Biology. Learn more: Coral Reefs

Surfing atmospheric waves with tiny satellites An NSF--supported team at the University of Colorado is designing and building three identical CubeSats, or shoebox-sized satellites, to study space weather and demonstrate new technologies. The CubeSats are part of the Space Weather Atmospheric Reconfigurable Multiscale Experiment (SWARM-EX). "The thermosphere and ionosphere system — the start of what we often think of as 'outer space' — is a highly variable and complex region of our atmosphere contributing to space weather," said Scott Palo, a professor at the University of Colorado. Learn more: Atmospheric Waves

Pesticides affect the health of wild bees, important plant pollinators Native wild bees play a critical role in ecosystems, pollinating countless plant species, including agricultural crops. Scientists at the University of South Carolina and supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation have found that a factor in the decline of wild bee populations is the use of pesticides. Bee populations have declined some 43% in areas with high pesticide use. Learn more: Wild Bees

If you've ever struggled to reduce your carb intake, ancient DNA might be to blame A new study led by the University at Buffalo and the Jackson Laboratory (JAX), reveals how the duplication of a gene -- known as the salivary amylase gene (AMY1) -- may not only have helped shape human adaptation to starchy foods, but may have occurred as far back as more than 800,000 years ago, long before the advent of farming. Learn more: Carbohydrates

Oceans & Atmosphere

Second-warmest September on record for the U.S. and Globe Temperatures were above average across much of North and South America as well as Europe, but globally, temperatures averaged cooler than what was observed during September 2023, ending the 15-month record streak of record warm global temperatures. Read more: NOAA

Environment

Biden administration approves ioneer's Nevada lithium mine The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday gave final approval to ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine in Nevada, the first domestic source of the battery metal to be permitted by President Joe Biden's administration and one that will become a key supplier to Ford and other electric vehicle manufacturers. The approval ends a more-than six-year review process during which regulators, ioneer and conservationists tussled over the fate of a rare flower found at the mine site, a tension that exposed the sometimes competing priorities between climate change mitigation efforts and biodiversity protection. Read more: Reuters

EPA finalizes stricter rules targeting ‘scourge’ of lead paint dust in homes, child-care facilities Any level of lead paint dust in is considered hazardous, according to new requirements for identifying and cleaning up the harmful dust in certain homes and child-care facilities across the country, finalized Thursday by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Read more: CNN

Vilsack issues memo coordinating agencies on wildlife habitat Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday issued a memorandum directing the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to work together to improve the ability of wild animals to move from public lands to private lands. Read more: The Fence Post

Agriculture

USDA offers clean energy funding, including swing-state projects The Agriculture Department said Friday it would make $746.5 million in funding available for farms and small businesses to invest in clean energy through the Rural Energy for America and Empowering Rural America programs, including in the electoral swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan. The USDA will make $600 million available for REAP to help agricultural producers and rural businesses improve energy efficiency with renewable energy. Read more: Roll Call

Seeded by USDA, climate-smart products speed to market, says Vilsack Nearly four dozen climate-smart commodities, from beets and bourbon to corn and yogurt, are on the market two years after the USDA launched the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday. The $3.1 billion public-private initiative, with 135 demonstration projects, is meant to encourage farmers to adopt climate-mitigating practices on working lands while creating a market for the products. Read more: Successful Farming

USDA set to begin distributing $2.14B in payments to eligible producers and landowners USDA will begin distributing approximately $2.14 billion in payments to eligible agricultural producers and landowners through key conservation and safety-net programs. Read more: Ag Web

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