Environmental Biotechnology Issues in the Federal Government

Abstract

In 1995, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), a cabinet-level council chaired by the President of the United States, released two major reports that focussed on environmental technologies. One. report prepared by the Environmental Technology Working Group (ETWG) described those environmental technologies that had been identified by the NSTC as the bridge to a sustainable future (ETWG, 1995). The Biotechnology Research Subcommittee (BRS) addressed biotechnology research in the second report, outlining opportunities for federal investments in four areas: (i) agricultural biotechnology, (ii) environmental biotechnology, (iii) manufacturing and bioprocessing, including energy research, and (iv) marine biotechnology and aquaculture (BRS, 1995). The environmental technologies discussed in both reports were cited for their potential to create high-quality, high-paying jobs, while improving and sustaining the environment in the United States (BRS, 1995; ETWG, 1995).