Defense Environment Alert -- Senate appropriators in a spending bill approved earlier this month gave a boost to funding for alternative energy research, signaling their support for the Defense Department's prominent role within the federal government on alternative energy technologies even in the midst of major spending cuts. On Sept. 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved its version of the fiscal year 2012 defense-spending bill, freezing DOD spending levels at FY-11 amounts. The base budget appropriation of $513...
