Mission: For over 50 years the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program has been advancing environmental and biomedical knowledge that promotes national security through improved energy production, development, and use; international scientific leadership that underpins our Nation’s technological advances; and research that improves the quality of life for all Americans. BER supports these vital national missions through competitive and peer-reviewed research at national laboratories, universities, and private institutions. In addition, BER develops and delivers the knowledge needed to support the President’s National Energy Plan. BER includes four research areas:

Climate Change Research
Environmental Remediation Sciences
Life Sciences
Medical Sciences

The legislative bases of BER are the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), the Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (DOE Act; 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-486, October 24, 1992). Annual appropriation laws provide funding and guidance for the program's activities. In the Congressional budget process, the BER program is governed by the four Congressional Committees shown below. Each Committee contains a subcommittee who specifically considers the BER portion of the President's Budget Request.

Benefits BER supports DOE's mission of world-class scientific research capacity by providing world-class, peer reviewed scientific results in biology and environmental science. Basic biological and environmental research has broad impacts on our health, our environment, and our energy future. An ability to predict long-range and regional climate enables effective planning for future needs in energy, agriculture, and land and water use. Biotechnology solutions are possible for DOE energy, environmental, and national security challenges by understanding complex biological systems and developing computational tools to model and predict their behavior. Understanding the global carbon cycle and the associated role and capabilities of microbes and plants can lead to solutions for reducing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. Biological solutions can be developed to help clean up metals and radionuclides contaminating former DOE weapons sites. Both normal and abnormal health-from normal human development to cancer to brain function-can be understood using radiotracers and advanced imaging instruments. Understanding the biological effects of low doses of radiation can lead to the development of science-based health risk policy to better protect workers and citizens.

Strategic and Program Goals The Department's Strategic Plan identifies four strategic goals (one each for defense, energy, science, and environmental aspects) of the mission plus seven general goals that tie to the strategic goals. The BER program supports the following goal: Science Strategic Goal General Goal 5, World-Class Scientific Research Capacity: Provide world-class scientific research capacity needed to ensure the success of Department missions in national and energy security, to advance the frontiers of knowledge in physical sciences and areas of biological, medical, environmental, and computational sciences, and to provide world-class research facilities for the Nation's science enterprise. The BER program has one program goal which contributes to General Goal 5 in the "goal cascade." Program Goal 05.21.00.00: Harness the Power of Our Living World - Provide the biological and environmental discoveries necessary to clean and protect our environment, offer new energy alternatives, and fundamentally alter the future of medical care and human health. The Office of Science Strategic Plan details the goals and strategic plans for BER.