BU submitted a statement in support of a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s attempt to slash a crucial funding mechanism for vital American energy research. Photo via iStock/Pedrosala

University News

BU Backs Lawsuit to Block Department of Energy Research Cuts

University research on climate, wind energy, affordable fuel alternatives all at risk

Boston University on Monday submitted a strongly worded supporting statement that was filed in federal court with a lawsuit that seeks to block the US Department of Energy’s proposed steep cuts to federal research grants to colleges and universities. The suit filed by the Association of American Universities (AAU), of which BU is a member, aims to stop proposed cuts to facilities and administrative (F&A) rates that schools say are critical to funding research focused on strengthening the nation’s energy sector and creating new American economic opportunities.

At BU, research that could be at risk includes work on creating affordable fuel alternatives, studying the community effects of offshore wind energy projects, and examining the impact of climate warming on soil and growing seasons.

“This cut would also undermine universities’ training of the next generation of highly skilled energy sector workers and innovators,” the AAU said in a statement. “The loss of this American workforce pipeline would be a blow to the US economy, to American science and innovation, and to our dominant position in the world as a leader in energy and other critical areas of research. It would be, quite simply, a self-inflicted wound and a gift to competitors.”

The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts by the AAU, the American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and nine universities in response to President Trump’s administration announcing on Friday that it would, for a second time, attempt to slash a crucial mechanism for funding for vital American research. The administration said it would cut the F&A rate, or the indirect costs rate, to a maximum of 15 percent for all Department of Energy research grants to colleges and universities. 

The DOE said the new policy will generate more than $405 million in annual cost savings. “The purpose of Department of Energy funding to colleges and universities is to support scientific research—not foot the bill for administrative costs and facility upgrades,” said US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Colleges and universities have already started to receive letters from the DOE asserting that it will “conditionally terminate” grant awards within 30 days from the date of the letters unless recipients agree to the 15 percent F&A rate.

The DOE provides more than $3.5 billion a year through grant programs to some 300 colleges and universities to back research sanctioned by the department. Some of that funding goes to so-called “direct costs,” or specific projects, and some to “indirect costs,” which are not attributed to a specific project, but rather to broader administrative and facilities expenses. Researchers say their work would simply not be possible without the support of those administrative costs, which help pay for core or shared lab spaces, high-speed computing and data storage, safety measures, and research support staff and administration.

A similar attempt by the administration to unilaterally cap the F&A cost rate for National Institutes of Health grants to colleges and universities unfolded earlier this year and was met by a similar lawsuit challenge. BU leadership strongly opposed the NIH move and on April 4, a federal judge granted a nationwide permanent injunction blocking the agency’s action, noting that “the risk of harm to research institutions and beyond is immediate, devastating, and irreparable.”

In his declaration supporting the DOE lawsuit, Thomas Bifano, BU vice president and associate provost for research ad interim, said the University received $7.4 million in funding from DOE in fiscal year 2024, with $5.5 million in direct costs and $1.9 million in F&A costs. He said the DOE funding supports “critical and cutting-edge research” that benefits millions of Americans.

Bifano cited a number of examples of BU’s DOE-supported work, including research to create more affordable fuel alternatives, like green hydrogen; studies aimed at better understanding the flow of energy in plasma turbulence, which will help answer questions about solar flares, life on other planets, and carbon-free fusion energy; investigations into the effects of climate warming on the growing season in winter; and research to measure the community effects of offshore wind energy development in the Northeast.

“The DOE’s proposal to cut F&A cost rates to 15 percent would end or seriously jeopardize all of the research projects,” Bifano said.

BU was among more than a dozen schools that did not join the lawsuit, but submitted strongly worded supporting declarations. The AAU echoed Bifano in its statement. 

“This action is ill-conceived and self-defeating for the American businesses, workers, and families who benefit from these scientific and technological advances as well as the nation as a whole,” the AAU said.

In his written declaration, Bifano added: “This reduction would have a significant impact on Boston University’s ability to conduct research. BU’s research relies on the maintenance of specialized equipment and facilities. Boston University’s researchers also rely on support from a number of different BU departments to safely, ethically, and effectively conduct their research… Without the appropriate funding for these functions, BU’s research activities will be impacted.”