the Administrator of ERDA) "to assist in the ac- 

 quisition of an ever-expanding fund of theoretical 

 and pidctical knowledge" concerning nuclear pro- 

 cesses; the theory and production of atomic ener- 

 gy, including processes, materials, and devices re- 

 lated to such production; utilization of special nu- 

 clear material and radioactive material for medical, 

 biological, agricultural, health, or military purpos- 

 es; and the preservation and enhancement of a 

 viable environment by developing more efficient 

 methods to meet the Nation's energy needs. 



The statutory language calling for basic research 

 within ERDA is directive, rather than merely per- 

 missive. In this sense, basic research is clearly a 

 mission of ERDA. The scope encompasses re- 

 search related to meeting "the Nation's energy 

 needs" whatever the energy source. The scope 

 extends even further along the lines of responsibil- 

 ity carried forward from the AEC. The "general 

 basic research activities" referred to in the Energy 

 Reorganization Act may be taken to include the 

 programs in high energy physics, nuclear physics, 

 and general life sciences. These three programs are 

 typically excluded from ERDA's summaries of its 

 energy R&D. These programs are conducted, 

 however, in concert with research more specifical- 

 ly focused on energy-related problems. Examples 

 are given later of major contributions from high 

 energy and nuclear physics research to develop- 

 ment of new energy systems, and of the strong ties 

 between life sciences and the assessment and con- 

 trol of environmental impacts. 



The ERDA missions most directly related to 

 energy technologies are spelled out in a great many 

 provisions in the legislation assigning responsibili- 

 ties to ERDA. In the "National Plan for Energy 

 Research Development and Demonstration" is- 

 sued by ERDA, these provisions are brought to- 

 gether and summarized in the form of eight nation- 

 al energy technology goals: 



1. Expand the domestic supply of economically 

 recoverable energy-producing raw materials. 



2. Increase the use of essentially inexhaustible 

 domestic energy resources. 



3. Efficiently transform fuel resources into more 

 desirable forms. 



4. Increase the efficiency and reliability of the 

 processes used in the energy conversion and deliv- 

 ery systems. 



5. Transform consumption patterns to improve 

 energy utilization. 



6. Increase end-use efficiency. 



7. Protect and enhance the general health, safe- 

 ty, welfare, and environment related to energy. 



8. Perform basic and supporting research and 

 technical services related to energy. 



The scope of activities sometimes gives less in- 

 sight into an agency's missions than the budgets 



developed during the authorization and appropria- 

 tion processes. About 6 percent of ERDA's budget 

 is allocated to its basic research programs, as the 

 standard Federal definition of basic research is 

 now used. The level is not set on a percentage ba- 

 sis. As discussed in the next section, the arbitrari- 

 ness in the quoted percentage (or, at least, in its 

 significance) is probably large. 



Definition of Basic Research 



Even within ERDA, different definitions of basic 

 research are used in different contexts. The con- 

 cept poses difficulties whenever the utility of ex- 

 pected results is a criterion for choosing research 

 tasks. The National Science Foundation's (NSF) 

 surveys on "Federal Funds for Research, Devel- 

 opment, and Other Scientific Activities"' distin- 

 guish between basic and applied research on the 

 basis of the primary motive of the individual inves- 

 tigator. Concern for fuller knowledge or under- 

 standing defines basic research. Concern for pract- 

 ical use in meeting a recognized need defines ap- 

 plied research. In ERDA, program managers typi- 

 cally base their judgments regarding priorities on 

 the value of research in meeting the Nation's ener- 

 gy needs. The individual investigators know this 

 and are also concerned, no matter how esoteric the 

 research. 



The ERDA reports for the NSF "Federal 

 Funds" surveys thus incorporate difficult judg- 

 ments. Consistency is hard to maintain. In FY 

 1977, the only research reported as basic was work 

 supported by ERDA's Division of Physical Re- 

 search. Even for much of this research, however, 

 detailed and explicit consideration of its potential 

 for meeting recognized needs determined which 

 tasks were to be undertaken. Further, some of the 

 research and development on particle accelerators 

 was excluded, even though it is designed to en- 

 hance research classified as basic. The applied re- 

 search reported by ERDA includes work support- 

 ed by the Divisions of Biomedical and Environ- 

 mental Research, Military Applications, Laser 

 Fusion, and Magnetic Fusion Energy. This work 

 regularly results in publications in leading scientific 

 journals and is carried out by scientists recognized 

 as leaders in their scientific disciplines. A part of 

 the biomedical and environmental research, includ- 

 ing much of the very fundamental research in the 

 life sciences, has recently been identified as a sep- 

 arate program in the ERDA budget. Work in this 

 program is being reported as basic research in FY 

 1978 for the "Federal Funds" survey. 



' Federal Funds for Research. Development, and Other Scien- 

 tific Activities surveys are prepared by the Division of Science 

 Resources Studies of the National Science Foundation. 



ENERGY RESEARCH i, DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION 1 63 



