AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 18, Issue 21, October 16, 2017
The AIBS Public Policy Report is distributed broadly by email every two weeks to the AIBS membership. Any interested party may self-subscribe to receive these free reports by email or RSS news feed, by going to www.aibs.org/public-policy-reports. With proper attribution to AIBS, all material from these reports may be reproduced or forwarded. AIBS staff appreciates receiving copies of materials used. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the AIBS Director of Public Policy, Robert Gropp, at 202-628-1500 x 250. NSF Announces Major Changes to Grant Solicitation Process The National Science Foundation (NSF) will no longer require pre-proposals for certain biology research programs. Instead, the Directorate for Biological Sciences is implementing a no deadline, full-proposal review process for four of its five divisions. The new process starts in January 2018, but does not include the Division of Emerging Frontiers, which runs the MacroSystems Biology and Early NEON Science program and the Origin of Life program. All other biology research programs will be impacted. Consequently, the Division of Environmental Biology and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems will discontinue their preliminary proposal mechanisms. According to the agency, “By accepting proposals at any time, investigators will have greater opportunities to prepare their proposals, build strong collaborations, and think more creatively, thereby resulting in more complex, interdisciplinary projects that have the potential to dramatically advance biological science. We anticipate that the elimination of deadlines will reduce the burden on institutions and the community by expanding the submission period over the course of the year, in contrast to the previous fixed yearly deadlines.” The next several months will be a period of transition, during which some grant solicitations will continue under the old guidelines. For instance, the deadline for the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences solicitation is still 20 November 2017 for fiscal year 2018 grants. The new, no deadline solicitation for that program will be available in the summer of 2018 and proposals can be submitted at any time. Learn more at https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18011/nsf18011.jsp. Weather Business Titan Nominated to Head NOAA President Trump selected Barry Myers to serve as the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Commerce Department, a position that leads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Myers is the CEO of AccuWeather and has an educational and professional background in business. This is a significant departure from past practice. During NOAA’s 47 year existence, eight of the ten former agency leaders were scientists. The press release from the White House about the nomination said that Myers “is one the world’s leading authorities on the use of weather information. He has given remarks at the World Meteorological Organization, World Federation of Scientists, American Meteorological Society (AMS), and many other organizations.” The top ranking Democrat on the Senate committee that will consider Myers’ nomination has already criticized Trump’s pick. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) accused Myers of wanting to “feather their own nest” by privatizing the National Weather Service, which is part of NOAA. In 2005, AccuWeather pursued legislation with then Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) that would have prohibited federal meteorologists from providing services that competed with private companies. Myers told reporters back in January that NOAA has a chance to “unleash” private-sector activity. Climate Change Skeptic Nominated to Lead White House Environmental Council Kathleen Harnett White has been nominated to chair the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). She is director of a conservative think tank and a former chair and member of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Harnett White has been a vocal defender of fossil fuels and has questioned the science underlying climate change on numerous occasions. Among her beliefs on the matter are that “carbon dioxide has none of the characteristics of a pollutant that could harm human health” and that we don’t know the extent that humans are contributing to climate change, but “it’s not likely to be very much.” CEQ is part of the White House and coordinates environmental efforts across the federal government. The head of CEQ is a position that is subject to Senate confirmation. Short Takes
From the Federal Register The following items appeared in the Federal Register from 2 to 13 October 2017. For more information on these or other recent items, please visit the AIBS Federal Register Resource at www.aibs.org/federal-register-resource/index.html. Week Ending 13 October 2017 Agriculture
Commerce
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The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS works to ensure that the public, legislators, funders, and the community of biologists have access to and use information that will guide them in making informed decisions about matters that require biological knowledge. The organization does this through informing decisions by providing peer-reviewed or vetted information about the biology field and profession and by catalyzing action through building the capacity and the leadership of the community to address matters of common concern. Founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, AIBS became an independent, member-governed organization in the 1950s. Today, Today, AIBS has over 140 member organizations and has a Public Policy Office in Washington, DC. Its staff members work to achieve its mission by publishing the peer-reviewed journal BioScienceand the education Web site ActionBioscience.org, by providing scientific peer-review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients, and by collaborating with scientific organizations to advance public policy, education, and the public understanding of science. Website: www.aibs.org. |
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