What is the annual budget of the Office of Polar Programs, both for the Arctic and the Antarctic?
In the Arctic division, we had planned to provide about US$ 100 million this year for grants to university scientists and for logistics support. Now we have an additional million, approximately, from the Economic Recovery Act to add to this amount for grants on a one time basis and about million extra for upgrading our fixed infrastructure. The Antarctic budget for grants was planned at about US$ 70 million this year, with an additional US$ 250 million for infrastructure costs, transportation of fuel, supplies and people. Icebreaker costs are an additional million, and the Economic Recovery Act added about million at the last minute for research and infrastructure, so that our total budget this year will be something in the regions of US$ 640 million. We are using some of this money to make investments in renewable energy sources, replacing diesel generators with wind turbines and solar power, and we are hoping that these investments will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also
