NSF BIO Advisory Committee Considers NEON User Engagement, No-deadline Policy<\/a><\/strong> Member Opportunities<\/a><\/strong> Congress<\/a><\/strong> Executive Branch<\/a><\/strong> States<\/a><\/strong> International<\/a> Scientific Community<\/a><\/strong> Federal Register Opportunities<\/a><\/strong> ESA In the News<\/a> <\/a> Directorate for Biological Sciences Advisory Committee (BIO AC) member and University of Minnesota plant ecologist Jeannine Cavender-Bares provided an update on the subcommittee\u2019s findings during a May 24 meeting held at NSF in Alexandria, Virginia. The subcommittee\u2019s full report is not yet available to the public.<\/p>\n The subcommittee concludes that the independent entity should maximize users\u2019 sense of excitement about NEON, and facilitate and enhance dialogue between NEON and the ecological community, thereby building end-user trust. It should have convening power, be representative of the research community, be led by the scientists and provide a unified voice for the community. It should also empower the scientific community and serve as a scientific incubator to co-generate ideas. Another important function of the entity will be to regularly evaluate NEON by surveying users on the program\u2019s strengths and weakness and broadly distributing the results of these evaluations. The entity could also provide large-scale peer reviews of NEON\u2019s scientific protocols, such as the ones used by the IPCC and IPBES.<\/p>\n According to the subcommittee, potential vehicles for community engagement and communication may include events at major conferences, workshops and unconferences and an online platform.<\/p>\n The subcommittee members explored models from similar entities across the scientific community, including LIGO, the Ocean Observatories Initiative, and the Long-Term Ecological Research Network. It also considered current avenues used by the scientific community to provide input to NEON, Battelle and NSF, including the Science, Technology and Education Advisory Committee (STEAC) that reports to Battelle, and the technical working groups. The subcommittee found that another entity is needed to engage the scientific community fully.<\/p>\n The BIO AC voted to accept the report from the subcommittee \u2018as is\u2019 without any modifications. Cavender-Bares read a\u00a0statement from ESA<\/a>\u00a0that largely echoed the subcommittee\u2019s recommendations.<\/p>\n NSF Director France Cordova joined the meeting and said that she has read the subcommittee\u2019s report and will use it as NSF staff discusses the best management structure for NEON. Cordova broke down NEON management needs into three categories, emphasizing the different skill-sets need for each category: 1) Operations: keeping instruments in working order 2) Science: ensuring that data is usable and 3) Outreach: engaging the user community through outreach and ensuring that data is used by the scientific community and provides value to the country.<\/p>\n Battelle\u2019s current contract to operate NEON expires in October 2020. It is the default position of NSF that operations awards for all facilities are competed openly. The NSF fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget submission to Congress says that an additional 12 months of funding to Battelle is authorized but will only be awarded at the NSF Director\u2019s discretion in FY2021. In a follow-up message to ESA, NSF said that there are no specific plans to issue a solicitation for NEON management that NSF can share at this point.<\/p>\n NEON completed construction and became fully operational in early 2019. Battelle briefly disbanded \u2013 and then reinstated \u2013 the STEAC in January 2019. Concurrently, NEON Chief Scientist Sharon Collinge resigned after Battelle fired two senior staff members without her knowledge. Battelle\u2019s Chief Scientist Michael Kuhlman said that the decision to disband the STEAC was based on his \u201cerroneous assumption that such advisory bodies were routinely reconstituted at the change of leadership of NSF large facilities.\u201d\u00a0 In 2016, NSF changed NEON\u2019s management from NEON, Inc. to Battelle.<\/p>\n Nine of the 20-members of the STEAC resigned May 22 citing its lack of independence and its inability to communicate directly to NSF. Cavender-Bares read critical statements about Battelle and user engagement from two STEAC members who recently resigned. Letters from these STEAC members are posted\u00a0online<\/a>.<\/p>\n No-Deadlines and Proposal Caps<\/strong><\/p>\n BIO Director Joanne Tornow told the AC that grant proposal submissions to BIO are down 27% since the beginning of the switch to no-deadline proposals in 2018.<\/strong>\u00a0NSF\u2019s Geosciences Directorate also experienced a significant decline in the number of proposal submissions when they switched to no-deadlines in 2015.<\/p>\n Immediately after the switch to no-deadlines, BIO imposed a one proposal submission per PI cap, but then lifted this cap after pushback from the scientific community, including a\u00a0letter<\/a>\u00a0to Cordova from ESA and 20 other scientific societies.\u00a0Tornow said that there are no plans to reimpose the one-proposal cap.<\/strong><\/p>\n Another subcommittee presented its work to develop metrics to understand the impact of the switch to no-deadlines. The subcommittee has curated a data set for FY 2016-2018 for comparison. As much as possible, the subcommittee will try to incorporate metrics to track the impact of the no-deadline for PI gender and ethnic diversity, the PI career-stage, typical size of an awardee\u2019s institution, types of projects and collaboration. The subcommittee is also interested in understanding the impacts of no-deadlines on the overall funding rate and the proposal review process, including the speed and ease of review, number of panels and the number of people invited to participate in panels. The subcommittee will have data using these metrics in winter 2020.<\/p>\n <\/a> One of ESA\u2019s central missions is to share ecological information with policymakers and members of the media. Since the Society opened its Public Affairs Office in 1983, ESA has served as a trusted source of ecological information. The establishment of the RRT in 2005 enhanced our ability to respond to time-sensitive issues, such as 2010\u2019s BP oil spill and to the more recent Hurricanes Irma and Maria. ESA also encourages RRT members to alert the Society to policy issues or other opportunities.<\/p>\n Find more and how to apply here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> On the Senate side, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) are working with the White House to reach an agreement to raise the budget caps and avoid mandatory, across the board budget cuts or sequestration. It is unclear how \u2013 or if \u2013 the Senate appropriations process will move forward without a budget deal.<\/p>\n Top House and Senate leaders from both parties plan to meet with the White House the week of June 17 to negotiate a spending deal.<\/p>\n Nominations:<\/strong>\u00a0The Senate\u00a0confirmed<\/a>\u00a0Susan Combs to serve as the Department of the Interior\u2019s assistant secretary for policy, management and budget June 5.<\/strong>\u00a0President Trump originally nominated Combs in 2017. Combs\u00a0attracted wide attention<\/a>\u00a0in spring 2018 when former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke appointed her to serve as acting assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks because of her work opposing Endangered Species Act protections as a Texas state official. More recently, Combs worked as a senior advisor in the Interior Department, managing the agency\u2019s reorganization efforts.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Senate Environment and Public Works<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Energy and Natural Resources<\/a>\u00a0Committees held confirmation hearings for Robert Wallace, the Trump administration\u2019s pick to serve as assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.<\/strong>\u00a0This position oversees the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Wallace generally received bipartisan support and Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) and Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) promised to advance Wallace\u2019s nomination quickly. This position has been vacant since 2011. Wallace led government relations for General Electric\u2019s energy division from 1995 to 2011. Before that, he worked for the National Park Service as assistant director for congressional and legislative affairs during the Reagan administration and worked as the Republican staff director for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.<\/p>\n IPBES:<\/strong>\u00a0The House Science Committee held\u00a0the second congressional hearing<\/a>\u00a0on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment report<\/strong>, which concludes that over a million species are at risk of extinction. IPBES past chair Sir Richard Watson and report author Dr. Kate Brannan presented the report\u2019s conclusions. Members of Congress and witnesses did not question the report\u2019s accuracy, unlike an earlier House Natural Resources Committee hearing where Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) compared IPBES scientists to Chicken Little. Science Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) expressed the need for innovation to alleviate the biodiversity crisis and the role of agriculture in protecting biodiversity through voluntary conservation programs. Republican witness Jeff Godwin of the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, OK highlighted agricultural practices and principles developed by farmers that improve biodiversity. Dr. James Porter, an emeritus professor at the University of Georgia, presented on the importance of coral reefs and their declining biodiversity.<\/p>\n Ocean Acidification:<\/strong>\u00a0The full House approved four pieces of legislation addressing ocean acidification<\/strong>\u00a0with wide, bipartisan support. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Rep. Don Young\u2019s (R-AK) COAST Research Act (H.R. 1237<\/a>) reauthorizes ocean and coastal research monitoring programs and creates an Ocean Acidification Advisory Board. Rep. Chellie Pingree\u2019s (D-ME) Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019 (H.R. 1716<\/a>) directs NOAA to study the impact of ocean acidification on coastal communities and similarly, Rep. Bill Posey\u2019s (R-FL) National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act (H.R. 988<\/a>) directs the National Academies of Science to study the impacts of ocean acidification on estuarine environments. The Ocean Acidification Innovation Act (H.R. 1921<\/a>) \u2013 sponsored by Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Young and Bonamici \u2013 directs federal agencies to create prize competitions to increase the ability to research, monitor, and manage ocean acidification and its impacts.<\/p>\n Harassment in Science:<\/strong>\u00a0The House Science Committee held a\u00a0hearing<\/a>\u00a0to consider the Combatting Harassment in Science Act<\/strong>\u00a0(H.R. 36<\/a>), co-sponsored by Committee Chairwomen Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK). Paula Johnson, the president of Wellesley College and the co-chair of the committee that prepared the 2018 National Academies of Sciences report on sexual harassment in science, presented the report\u2019s key findings. John Neumann of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) presented the GAO\u2019s\u00a0preliminary findings<\/a>\u00a0of how the federal science agencies address harassment.<\/p>\n <\/a> Federal committees established by other laws are exempt from the executive order although they too may be under the axe. The White House also asks agencies to evaluate advisory committees created by federal law, such as the EPA\u2019s Scientific Advisory Board, and potentially recommend legislation to terminate these advisory committees. Federal agencies would be able to apply for waivers from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Agencies must provide a report to the OMB director by August 2019.<\/p>\n White House<\/strong>:\u00a0The Washington Post\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0that the Office of Legislative Affairs, Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council intervened to censure the State Department\u2019s testimony about the national security implications of climate change.<\/strong>\u00a0Rod Schoonover, a senior analyst in the State Department\u2019s Bureau of Intelligence and Research and a former professor of chemistry and biochemistry, prepared the testimony and represented the State Department. In an unusual move, although the State Department allowed Schoonover to appear and give oral testimony at the committee hearing, he was not allowed to submit his written testimony. Later, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) entered Schoonover\u2019s testimony into the official record during a House Budget Committee hearing.<\/p>\n Army Corps of Engineers:<\/strong>\u00a0Federal agencies released a proposed update to National Wetland Plant List. This list is used to delineate wetlands under the Clean Water Act.\u00a0Agencies have proposed adding eight plants to the list and reclassifying the status of five plants.<\/strong>\u00a0Comments on the proposed wetland indicator status ratings will be\u00a0accepted<\/a>\u00a0through Aug. 9, 2019.<\/p>\n EPA:\u00a0Members of the Science Advisory Board\u00a0agreed<\/a>\u00a0to review the agency\u2019s \u201ctransparency in science\u201d rule,<\/strong>\u00a0which seeks to restrict the EPA\u2019s use of science, including peer-reviewed articles, when the underlying data is not publicly available. The group will release their review by fall 2019 before several board members\u2019 terms expire and before the EPA plans to release the final rule.<\/p>\n The SAB also considered reviewing the EPA\u2019s proposed revised Waters of the U.S. rule and voted to provide a \u201ccommentary\u201d on the science behind the WOTUS rule. The SAB completed a review of the previous WOTUS rule in 2014.<\/p>\n Interior:\u00a0A\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0by the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) concludes that the federal government should not charge for Landsat satellite data.<\/strong>\u00a0The report concludes that the revenue generated by charging fees for Landsat data would likely be less than the costs to the government to implement a fee program and Landsat data users would likely choose to download from similar European satellites instead of paying for Landsat data.<\/p>\n USDA:<\/strong>\u00a0Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Economic Research Service (ERS) will relocate to the Kansas City metropolitan area<\/strong>. Perdue first proposed moving NIFA and ERS to a location outside of the Washington, DC area in August 2018, citing a desire to move the agencies closer to the country\u2019s agricultural producers. The scientific community has largely opposed the move and expressed concerns that the move will force agency scientists to retire or leave the federal government and delay research results. ERS and NIFA employees have both unionized in recent weeks to fight the move. At a recent House Agriculture Committee hearing, Jack Payne, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida, pointed out that university agricultural extension agents \u2013 not NIFA staff \u2013 interact directly with farmers. A provision in the House\u2019s Agriculture Appropriations bill for FY 2020 blocks the USDA from relocating NIFA and ERS, but the USDA plans to complete the move by the end of fiscal year 2019.<\/p>\n USDA APHIS<\/strong>:\u00a0The agency\u00a0started<\/a>\u00a0the process of drafting a new environmental impact statement for its predator damage-management program in Idaho<\/strong>. In this program, APHIS personnel kill wolves, mountain lions, coyotes, bears and other animals that hunt livestock, deer and elk. In 2018, a federal court sided with conservation groups and ruled that the agency did not sufficiently justify the environmental impacts of this program in its 2016 environmental assessment.<\/p>\n USFS: A new proposed rule could\u00a0overhaul<\/a>\u00a0the way that the agency complies with the National Environmental Policy Act<\/strong>\u00a0(NEPA). Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0that the changes are necessary to reduce the amount of time spent on NEPA analysis and increase the speed and volume of projects to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk and improve infrastructure. New NEPA exemptions in the proposed rule would allow up to 4,200 acres of commercial logging, if the logging project is combined with ecological restoration activities. Other exemptions would allow the Forest Service to build up to five miles of roads and convert unauthorized, unofficial roads to official Forest Service roads without completing NEPA analysis. The Forest Service is\u00a0accepting public comments<\/a>\u00a0on the rule through Aug. 12, 2019.<\/p>\n USFWS:<\/strong>\u00a0Five\u00a0independent peer-reviewers<\/a>\u00a0of the agency\u2019s proposed rule to remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered species largely contested the science in the rule. Some reviewers questioned the Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s decision to treat gray wolves in the continental US as a single population, rather than determine distinct population segments for wolves, calling this determination \u201can extreme oversimplification.\u201d All reviewers found \u201cdemonstrable errors of fact or interpretation\u201d in the rule.<\/p>\n NSF<\/strong>:\u00a0The agency announced\u00a033 finalist entries<\/a>\u00a0for in its 2026 Idea Machine competition.<\/strong>\u00a0Ideas include \u201cDesigning Ecosystems for the Future,\u201d \u201cLarge Landscape Resilience by Design,\u201d and \u201cSaving Coral Ecosystems.\u201d Comments on the entries are due June 26, 2019.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> NAS:<\/strong>\u00a0The membership of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine\u00a0approved<\/a>\u00a0a by-law amendment to allow the Academies to expel members who violate the organization\u2019s new code of conduct, including \u201cproven cases of sexual harassment.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a> Opportunities for Public Comment and Nominations:<\/strong><\/p>\n Visit this page on ESA\u2019s website for updates on opportunities from the Federal Register<\/a>,\u00a0including upcoming meetings and regulations open for public comment.<\/p>\n <\/a> View more letters and testimony from ESA\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n ESA\u2019s policy activities work to infuse ecological knowledge into national policy decisions through activities such as policy statements, Capitol Hill briefings, Congressional Visits Days, and coalition involvement. Policy News Updates are bi-monthly summaries of major environmental and science policy news. They are produced by the Public Affairs Office of the Ecological Society of America.<\/p>\n Send questions or comments to\u00a0 Alison Mize, director of public affairs,\u00a0Alison@esa.org<\/a>\u00a0or Nicole Zimmerman, public affairs manager,\u00a0Nicole@esa.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA subcommittee tasked with understanding the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) user engagement recommended the formation of a separate entity for community user engagement.<\/p>\n
\nApply to join the Rapid Response Team.<\/p>\n
\nHouse Science Committee holds hearings on IPBES Global Assessment, harassment in the sciences.<\/p>\n
\nExecutive order directs agencies to eliminate 1\/3 of advisory committees. The EPA\u2019s Science Advisory Board votes to review the proposed \u201ctransparency in science rule.\u201d USDA plans to move research agencies to Kansas City.<\/p>\n
\nMinnesota creates pollinator habitat incentives program.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>World Biodiversity Forum is now accepting proposals.<\/p>\n
\nNAS membership approves by-laws amendment to allow the Academies to expel harassers.<\/p>\n
\nUpcoming meetings and other opportunities for public involvement.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>View an up-to-date list of ESA\u2019s media coverage.<\/p>\nNSF BIO Advisory Committee Considers NEON User Engagement, No-deadline Policy<\/b><\/h2>\n
\nA subcommittee tasked with understanding National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) user engagement recommended the formation of a separate entity for community user engagement.<\/strong>\u00a0This entity would interact directly with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to accomplish NEON\u2019s mission and would be independent of the NEON contractor Battelle Memorial Institute. The NSF-funded half-billion-dollar ecological observatory\u2019s construction is now completed and it is the first continental-scale platform for ecological research.<\/p>\nCall for New ESA Rapid Response Team Members<\/h2>\n
\nWe are expanding the Society\u2019s Rapid Response Team (RRT), a diverse group of about 50 ecologists who are subject matter experts and help ESA address policy and media opportunities in a timely and effective manner.\u00a0ESA invites any member to apply to be a member of the RRT. By applying, you are raising ESA\u2019s ability to connect ecologists with policymakers and to provide information to the media.<\/strong><\/p>\nCongress<\/h2>\n
\nAppropriations:<\/strong>\u00a0The House Appropriations Committee moves all 12 appropriations bills forward.<\/strong>\u00a0These bills largely include increases for ecological science (see\u00a0Policy News, May 28, 2019<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Budget Tracker<\/a>). The full House started consideration of the first 2020 omnibus spending bill, which includes funding for the Department of Energy, the week of June 10, but did not complete votes on all amendments to the bill before Congress recessed for the weekend. An amendment approved by the full House increased funding for research on harmful algal blooms by $6.2 million. Next, the House will vote on another omnibus package including spending bills for NSF and the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture.<\/p>\nExecutive Branch<\/h2>\n
\nWhite House:<\/strong> President Trump signed<\/a> an executive order<\/a> June 14 requiring federal agencies to slash the number of federal advisory committees. <\/strong>The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) was enacted in 1972 to ensure that advice by the various advisory committees formed over the years is objective and accessible to the public. The US General Services Administration administers FACA implementation<\/a>. Its website says \u201cthere are approximately 1,000 federal advisory committees and 50 federal agencies with FACA programs in effect at any given time.\u201d The executive order states that agencies \u201cterminate at least one-third of its current committees,\u201d and it caps the total number of committees at 350 for all agencies combined. FACA committees largely provide scientific advice and stakeholder input to agencies. The National Science Foundation\u2019s FACA committees for each of its directorates would fall under the government-wide review. Merit review panels are exempt from the executive order.<\/p>\nStates<\/h2>\n
\nMinnesota:<\/strong>\u00a0A provision in the state\u2019s omnibus environment bill\u00a0provides<\/a>\u00a0$900,000 to the board of water and soil resources to reimburse homeowners for planting pollinator-friendly plants and creating pollinator habitat in their yards.<\/p>\nInternational<\/h2>\n
\nConvention on Biological Diversity:<\/strong>\u00a0The World Biodiversity Forum is now accepting proposals for thematic sessions and interactive workshops.<\/strong>\u00a0The deadline for submissions is July 21, 2019, and the meeting will take place in Davos, Switzerland in February 2020. The forum aims to \u201credefine and set the agenda for biodiversity\u201d over the next ten years and supports the Convention on Biological Diversity\u2019s \u201cNew Deal for Nature\u201d to be forged at the end of 2020. For more information, see the\u00a0forum website<\/a>.<\/p>\nScientific Community<\/h2>\n
Federal Register Opportunities<\/h2>\n
\nPublic Meetings, many of which are live-streamed:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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ESA In the News<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nESA regularly issues press releases to the media about journal articles and other Society news. Press coverage is kept up-to-date on our \u201cIn the News\u201d page.\u00a0Check out news stories here.<\/a><\/p>\nESA Correspondence to Policymakers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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