Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: H.R. 4754
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-07-24: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 175.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T16:23:27Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill (H.R. 4754) provides funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forest Service (part of the Department of Agriculture), and related agencies for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026). It allocates billions in appropriations for land management, environmental protection, wildlife conservation, Indian affairs, national parks, and other programs, while including restrictions on certain activities and extensions of existing authorities. The bill also addresses "other purposes," such as prohibiting funds for specific regulations and amending laws related to mining, leasing, and environmental rules.

Key Provisions

The bill is divided into titles covering DOI bureaus, EPA, related agencies, and general provisions. Funding is often available until expended or a specified date, with provisos limiting uses (e.g., no more than $15,000 for official receptions across many accounts).

Title I: Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management (BLM): $1,193,908,000 for land management, including $144,000,000 for wild horse and burro programs; $104,954,000 for Oregon and California grant lands; and funds for range improvements and service charges.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): $1,374,576,000 for resource management, with limits on Endangered Species Act implementation; $18,700,000 for cooperative endangered species conservation; $73,812,000 for state and tribal wildlife grants.
National Park Service (NPS): $2,718,124,000 for park operations; $168,900,000 for historic preservation (including grants for treasures and Black colleges); $135,616,000 for construction.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): $1,368,385,000 for surveys and research.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE): $182,200,000 and $146,246,000 respectively for offshore energy regulation, reduced by collected fees.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE): $119,786,000 for regulation; $33,231,000 plus $135,000,000 for abandoned mine reclamation, prioritizing Appalachian states and tribes.
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE): $2,260,254,000 for Indian programs; $1,235,516,000 for education; $167,096,000 for construction; funds for contract support costs and tribal leases.
Other DOI Offices: Funding for trust funds, departmental operations, insular affairs ($117,029,000 for territories), wildland fire management ($1,195,086,000 plus reserve fund), and natural resource damage assessment.
General Provisions: Emergency transfer authorities; prohibitions on certain Endangered Species Act actions (e.g., sage-grouse listings); requirements for oil/gas lease sales; extensions of grazing permits and tribal lease authorities.

Title II: Environmental Protection Agency
$522,413,000 for science and technology research.
$2,272,083,000 for environmental programs, including brownfields and coal residuals.
$282,749,000 for Superfund cleanups; $59,885,000 for leaking underground storage tanks.
$3,701,902,000 for state and tribal assistance grants, primarily for clean/drinking water revolving funds ($1,208,314,000 and $894,737,000 respectively), with subsidies for underserved areas.
$64,634,000 for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation loans.
Administrative Provisions: Authorities for cooperative agreements with tribes; fee collections for pesticides and waste.

Title III: Related Agencies
Forest Service: $1,035,000,000 for operations; $301,760,000 for research; $280,960,000 for state/private/tribal forestry; $1,866,465,000 for national forest system (including $202,000,000 for fuels management); $2,426,209,000 for wildland fire management plus reserve fund; land acquisition funds.
Indian Health Service (IHS): $5,181,173,000 for health services (available October 1, 2026); $355,090,000 for facilities.
National Institutes of Health (NIEHS): $51,814,000 for environmental health research.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): $78,000,000 for public health activities.
Other Entities: Funding for Council on Environmental Quality ($4,629,000), Chemical Safety Board ($8,235,000), Smithsonian Institution ($841,250,000 salaries/expenses; $120,000,000 facilities), National Gallery of Art ($178,250,000), Kennedy Center ($32,340,000 operations; $4,860,000 repairs), and endowments for arts/humanities ($135,000,000 each).

Title IV: General Provisions
Restrictions on lobbying, obligations beyond FY 2026, and no-bid contracts.
Prohibitions on funding for certain EPA rules (e.g., greenhouse gas standards, ozone plans, ethylene oxide assessments) and DOI actions (e.g., sage-grouse habitat plans, grizzly bear reintroductions).
Mandates for oil/gas lease sales (e.g., minimum 4 onshore sales per year in key states; 2 Gulf/1 Alaska offshore sales).
Extensions of authorities (e.g., grazing permits, tribal leases, forest management plans).
Other: American iron/steel requirements for water projects; bans on pornography on federal networks; protections for traditional marriage beliefs.

Title V: Other Matters
Prohibitions on using Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund for certain regulations; blocks on rules for Texas mussels, fluid mineral leases, and air quality reclassifications.
Amendments for grazing on public lands and Hetch Hetchy access.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to require quarterly onshore oil/gas lease sales and define "eligible/available lands."
Extends authorities like BLM's grazing permits (indefinitely), tribal leases (to FY 2027), and forest realignment (to FY 2026).
Prohibits implementation of numerous EPA/DOI rules (e.g., Clean Power Plan, methane fees, ethylene oxide assessments), effectively pausing or blocking them without new legislation.
Adds mill site provisions to mining laws (30 U.S.C. 42) for ancillary operations, creating an Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund.
Updates Endangered Species Act restrictions (e.g., reinstates gray wolf delisting; blocks lesser prairie-chicken listing).
Amends Superfund reporting and wildfire funding timelines.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Provides stable funding for core operations (e.g., $3.7B for EPA water grants supports infrastructure); restricts regulatory actions, potentially reducing EPA/DOI workloads but limiting environmental protections. Fire management gets $3.8B+ across DOI/Forest Service, aiding suppression amid climate risks.
Citizens: Boosts access to national parks ($2.7B), wildlife grants ($73.8M benefiting states/territories), and IHS services ($5.2B for tribal health). Prohibitions on lead ammo bans and certain species listings may preserve hunting/fishing; water fund subsidies aid low-income communities with cleaner water.
International Relations: Minor impacts via multinational species conservation ($21M) and Compact of Free Association grants ($813,000 for Pacific islands), supporting U.S. ties; offshore leasing mandates could influence energy exports.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: DOI bureaus (BLM, FWS, NPS, BIA), EPA, Forest Service, IHS—receive primary funding and face operational restrictions.
Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives: $2.3B+ for BIA/BIE programs, $5.2B for IHS, plus reclamation grants ($135M); enhanced lease/contract supports self-determination.
States and Local Governments: Water revolving funds ($3.1B total) for infrastructure; PILT payments and fire assistance benefit rural areas.
Energy and Mining Industries: Mandated lease sales and mining amendments facilitate development; prohibitions block restrictive rules.
Environmental/Conservation Groups: Funding for parks, wildlife, and Superfund ($283M) supports efforts, but rule blocks may hinder climate/pollution regulations.
Citizens/Recreational Users: Hunters, fishers, park visitors, and rural communities gain from access protections and subsidies.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Many provisos act as riders blocking regulations without full repeal, raising separation-of-powers questions (Congress overriding executive actions). Amendments to mining/endangered species laws clarify authorities but could face lawsuits over environmental impacts. Enactment of H.R. 226 (Cherokee lands) via incorporation by reference streamlines tribal reacquisitions.
Constitutional: Protections for religious beliefs on marriage (Sec. 442) invoke First Amendment free exercise; prohibitions on DEI training (Sec. 440) and Critical Race Theory (Sec. 441) may spark equal protection debates.
Political: Bill favors energy development (e.g., lease mandates) and limits "green" regulations, aligning with conservative priorities; tribal/wildlife funding maintains bipartisan support. Potential for veto overrides or court challenges if seen as micromanaging agencies. Neutral implementation required, but restrictions could delay EPA rulemakings, affecting national policy uniformity.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2]

Recent Actions

2025-07-24: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 175.
2025-07-24: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-215, by Mr. Simpson.
2025-07-24: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-215, by Mr. Simpson.

Bill Versions

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-07-24 — PDF (208 pages)