Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027
Sponsored By: Representative Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2]
In Committee
Summary
This bill would fund the Department of the Interior, EPA, the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, and related agencies for FY2027. It focuses on money for public lands, water and infrastructure, wildfire response, and Tribal programs.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
33 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 4 costs, 15 mixed.
Payments for mine cleanup and grants
If enacted, the bill would provide $135,000,000 for abandoned mine reclamation payments to States and Tribes, with set distributions and payment due within 90 days of enactment. If payments are late, OSMRE salaries would be cut $100,000 per day until paid. The bill would also provide $1,700,000 for implementation of the Good Samaritan mine remediation law for grants, transfers, and related activities.
Smithsonian operations funding
If enacted, the bill would provide $851,692,000 to the Smithsonian Institution, available until Sept. 30, 2028, with up to $27,000,000 for specified programs remaining available until spent. The funds would support museums, research centers, exhibitions, and related projects and allow advance payments to independent contractors for research or official presentations.
Big boost for Wildland Fire Service
If enacted, the bill would provide $1,164,721,000 for the United States Wildland Fire Service for FY2027, to remain available until expended. It would set aside funds for facilities ($11 million), fuels management ($219 million), and burned area rehabilitation ($10 million). The money could prioritize local hires, small businesses, and Corps programs and reimburse fish and wildlife agencies for related costs.
More Forest Service funding
If enacted, the bill would give the Forest Service $1,000,283,000 for operations and $152,800,000 for construction and upkeep. The funds would be available through Sept. 30, 2030. The money would pay for staff offices, facilities, utilities, IT, and roads. This would help Forest Service employees, contractors, and communities that rely on Forest Service services.
Big loan subsidies for water projects
This bill would provide $64.63 million to pay costs of direct and guaranteed WIFIA loans and guarantees, with the funds remaining available until expended. Those funds could subsidize up to $12.5 billion in loan principal for water infrastructure projects, including a $5 million reservation for certain State infrastructure financing authority projects. No loan or guarantee could be made for a project unless the Administrator and the Director of OMB certify in writing in advance that the loan, guarantee, and project meet specified criteria.
Higher offshore inspection fees for operators
This bill would set FY2027 nonrefundable inspection and annual fees for Outer Continental Shelf operators. Annual facility fees would be $10,500 for facilities with no wells but processing or gathering, $17,000 for 1–10 wells, and $31,500 for more than 10 wells. Drilling rig inspection fees would be $30,500 per inspection in water 500 feet or more and $16,700 per inspection in less than 500 feet. Other unit inspection fees would range from $4,470 to $13,260 per inspection depending on unit depth. Offshore wind fees include $7,300 for a control center, $15,400 for visual turbine or substation inspections, and $72,800 for physical turbine or substation inspections. Billing and payment timelines are specified by fee type, generally requiring payment within 30 days of billing or by the end of the quarter.
More funding and changes for Tribes
This bill would provide about $2.27 billion for operation of Indian programs through Sept. 30, 2028. It would allow up to $1.5 million for taking on functions from the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation and keep $78.66 million available until spent for housing improvements, road work, land acquisition, legal costs, land records, hearings, and the Navajo‑Hopi Settlement Program. Welfare assistance would be capped at $80.49 million unless a federal disaster is declared, and Tribes could use Tribal Priority Allocations for unmet welfare costs. The bill would add $25 million for loan subsidy costs (backing up to $502.18 million in loan principal) and provide $1.24 billion for Indian education, with $900.87 million for school operations available June 1, 2027 through Sept. 30, 2028; administrative cost grants approved before June 1, 2027 would be limited to $99.89 million from the school operations money. The Interior Secretary could reallocate Tribal Priority Allocation funds to fix distribution inequities, but no Tribe could lose more than 10% of its TPA in fiscal year 2027 except in specified cases.
Ban use of social cost of carbon
If enacted, the bill would bar agencies from using the "social cost of carbon" or similar social cost estimates in any required cost-benefit analysis, rulemaking, guidance, or agency action. The restriction would take effect upon enactment and cover specified Executive Orders and guidance documents.
NEA money plus grant rules
If enacted, the bill would give the National Endowment for the Arts $135,000,000, available until expended, with $72,000,000 for State grants. The NEA would have to prioritize projects serving underserved populations, create a national-impact grant category, and cap awards to any single State at 15 percent (excluding national-impact grants). The Chair could approve small grants up to $10,000 (aggregate ≤5% of grant funds) but could only award individual grants for specific fellowships and must limit sub‑grants and seasonal support.
Protect hunting, fishing access
If enacted, the bill would bar funds from being used to close federal land to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting if access was allowed and followed the land plan on January 1, 2013. The Secretary could temporarily close land for up to 30 days and extend once for up to 90 days for extreme weather or public safety. The bill would also block broad federal bans on lead ammunition unless local data show lead is the primary cause of wildlife decline, and require federal hatchery salmonids meant for harvest to bear a visible mark.
Alaska rural water grants rules
If enacted, the bill would fund Alaska rural and Native Village drinking water and wastewater projects but require the State to provide a 25% match. No more than 5% of funds may pay admin costs. Awards must follow a State priority list made with EPA and USDA. At least 25% of funds must go to regional hub communities.
No livestock GHG permits or reports
If enacted, the bill would stop funds from being used to require Title V air permits for CO2, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions from livestock biological processes. It would also bar funds from being used to implement any rule that mandates reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.
CERCLA set‑aside for poor counties
If enacted, the bill would require that at least 10 percent of CERCLA section 104(k) grants, interagency agreements, and program support costs be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties. The bill defines persistent poverty counties as those with 20 percent or more of their population in poverty over the past 30 years, and it also covers U.S. territories.
Emergency spending flexibility rules
If enacted, the bill would let the Interior Secretary move or spend money inside bureaus to rebuild or repair assets after disasters only after emergency funds are exhausted. Any funds used must be repaid by a later supplemental appropriation. For wildland fire, the Secretary could use no-year funds only if suppression funds will run out within 30 days and used funds must be replenished.
EPA fees and Great Lakes transfers
If enacted, the bill would let EPA collect pesticide registration and certain solid waste fees for FY2027 and keep them until spent. It would also allow transferring up to $369,000,000 of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds to other federal agencies, with concurrence, for grants and projects supporting Great Lakes planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation.
Indian trust management changes
If enacted, the bill would let appropriations under the BIA, BIE, and Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, and some prior unobligated balances, be used or moved for Indian trust management and reform. The Secretary must notify the Appropriations Committees within 60 days of any transfer. It would also let the Secretary skip quarterly statements for very small or inactive trust accounts, allow annual statements and withdrawals by written request, aggregate accounts of missing owners after 5 years, and authorize up to $100,000 to fix certain administrative errors.
Surface mining regulatory grants
If enacted, the bill would appropriate $119,786,000 to carry out the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, available until Sept. 30, 2028. At least $66,000,000 would be for State and Tribal regulatory grants. The bill would also authorize travel and per diem for State and Tribal staff to attend agency-sponsored training.
More BSEE fee money for permitting
If enacted, the bill would provide $35,000,000 from non-refundable inspection fees for BSEE, available until expended. For FY2027, at least 50 percent of inspection fees expended by BSEE must fund personnel and mission costs to expand permitting and review capacity, including permit-to-drill reviews for the Outer Continental Shelf.
Limits on tribal contract support costs
If enacted, the bill would say that the FY2027 amounts in this Act for IHS, BIA, and BIE are the only funds available to cover contract support costs for self-determination and self-governance contracts in FY2027. Those amounts could not be used to pay claims or settlements for prior years.
Mining claims and patent rules
If enacted, the bill would require reinstatement of two named mineral leases in the Superior National Forest within 30 days. It would bar the Department from cancelling certain unpatented claims tied to fees paid by Sept. 1, 2012. The bill would also stop processing most new mining patent applications except those filed and fully compliant by Sept. 30, 1994, and would let applicants fund third-party mineral exams and require a report by Sept. 30, 2028.
Restore wolf and grizzly delistings
If enacted, the bill would require the Interior Secretary to reissue the rule that removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list within 60 days and to reissue the rule that removed the Greater Yellowstone grizzly within 180 days. The reissuances would not be subject to judicial review.
Limits on EPA testing and lead rules
This bill would bar use of funds to require testing on dogs or to accept dog-test data for EPA approvals under FIFRA or TSCA, except when the EPA Administrator finds no viable alternative or that alternatives would not meet the best available science as of the application date. It would also bar use of funds to regulate the lead content of ammunition, ammunition parts, or fishing tackle under TSCA or any other law. These changes would reduce some testing and regulatory costs for product applicants while restricting EPA authority over lead in those items.
Buy American for SRF water projects
If enacted, the bill would bar State Revolving Fund money for a water project unless all iron and steel used are produced in the United States. EPA could waive the rule if it hurts the public interest, U.S. supply is inadequate, or U.S. iron and steel raises project cost by more than 25 percent. EPA must publish waiver requests and allow at least 15 days for public input and may retain up to 0.25% of SRF funds for oversight.
Fixed LWCF list and land limits
If enacted, the bill would require Interior and Agriculture to allocate Land and Water Conservation Fund money for FY2027 exactly as listed in the bill report within 45 days of enactment. The President may not change those allocations. The agencies must notify the Appropriations Committees 30 days before spending on projects outside the listed tracts, and land purchases must have a willing seller and an initiated appraisal or market research.
Block Lava Ridge wind project
If enacted, the bill would bar spending from this Act to issue a right-of-way or to approve work for the Lava Ridge Wind Project. The provision would prevent federal actions that would allow construction or operation tied to that project's right-of-way.
No NPS housing for undocumented people
If enacted, the bill would bar the National Park Service from using funds to provide housing to an alien without lawful immigration status. The restriction would apply upon enactment.
Alaska remote incinerator rule block
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using funds to apply the March 21, 2011 air emission rules to small, remote incinerators in Alaska. Until EPA issues a new rule, the agency must use the pre-2011 law and regulations for those units.
Block pornography on funded networks
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using funds from this Act to create or maintain any computer network unless that network is designed to block access to pornography websites. The restriction would not apply to networks needed for Federal, State, Tribal, or local law enforcement or for criminal investigations.
No funds to limit Hetch Hetchy access
If enacted, the bill would bar use of funds made available by this Act for the Presidio Trust. It would also bar using those funds to restrict or impede public recreational access to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas.
No reprogramming without committee OK
If enacted, the bill would stop agencies from shifting money made available in this Act without advance approval from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, following the reprogramming procedures in the bill report. Agencies would need committee sign-off before reallocating funds.
Transfers of wild horses and burros
If enacted, the bill would let Interior and Agriculture transfer excess wild horses and burros removed from Federal lands to other government agencies for use as work animals immediately on request. Transferred animals would lose wild status. Recipient agencies could not destroy animals for commercial product processing or sell them in ways that result in commercial processing, and euthanasia would be limited to vet recommendations for severe injury, illness, or advanced age.
Changes to toxic site health studies
This bill would give the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry $78 million for CERCLA and related public health work. ATSDR would be allowed to perform alternative health studies, biomedical testing, clinical evaluations, medical monitoring, and referrals instead of some CERCLA health assessments and would not be bound by certain CERCLA deadlines when doing so. The bill would also bar ATSDR from issuing more than 40 new toxicological profiles under CERCLA in fiscal year 2027, but it could update existing profiles.
Border colonia infrastructure funding rule
This bill would fund high-priority water, wastewater, and related projects in colonias along the U.S.-Mexico border only if the recipient county or city has an enforceable ordinance or zoning rule that prevents new colonia development. The local rule must also stop building new homes, businesses, or other structures in existing colonias that would lack water, sewer, or other necessary infrastructure. If a locality lacks such an ordinance, it would not be eligible for these funds under this act.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2]
ID • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov