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 Interior, EPA, Forest Service, and Indian Health Service programs with a focus on public lands, conservation, and infrastructure. It sets specific dollar levels and program rules across land management, tribal services, water systems, and wildfire response.
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- Tribal nations, schools, and health services would get targeted support, roughly $3.5 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education combined and about $5.2 billion becoming available for Indian Health Service activities.
- Communities and water systems would see capital and grant support plus loan backing, including $64.6 million for WIFIA program costs and up to $12.5 billion in direct and guaranteed WIFIA loans.
- Wildfire response and fuels work would be reinforced with about $1.2 billion for Department of the Interior fire operations and $2.6 billion for Forest Service fire programs, alongside additional suppression reserve funding.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
25 provisions identified: 15 benefits, 3 costs, 7 mixed.
Major funding for Tribal programs
If enacted, the bill would provide FY2027 appropriations and authorities for many Tribal programs and trust administration. It would fund Operation of Indian Programs with $2,269,716,000 available through Sept. 30, 2028, cap welfare assistance at $80,494,000 (the Secretary may exceed that cap for declared Federal disasters), and make up to $78,661,000 available until expended for housing, roads, land acquisition, litigation support, and related needs. The bill also provides $58.897 million for Indian land and water claim settlements, authorizes payments as necessary for Tribal leases under ISDEAA section 105(l), funds contract support costs for ISDEAA agreements, and appropriates $108.077 million for Indian trust programs with instructions on small‑balance statements and administrative corrections. EPA cooperative agreements and an exception to use section 319 funds for Tribal clean-water grants are also authorized for FY2027.
More water and estuary grants
If enacted, the bill would let EPA transfer and award large sums for Great Lakes and coastal restoration in FY2027. EPA could transfer up to $369 million to other agencies for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative work and make grants and interagency agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and projects. The bill also authorizes EPA to use FY2027 funds for Southeast New England Watershed Restoration grants, requires at least $2.5 million of National Estuary Program funds be used for competitive awards, and provides $15.099 million from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for oil‑spill research and related work.
Bigger funding for National Forests
If enacted, the bill would provide large FY2027 appropriations for National Forest and Forest Service work. It would fund $1.876 billion for National Forest System activities, $1.000 billion for Forest Service operations, $152.8 million for capital projects, $295 million for research (including $34 million for forest inventory), and $283.5 million for State, Tribal, and private forestry programs through Sept. 30, 2030. The bill would set aside $31 million for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund, $45 million for forest products, $185 million for hazardous fuels (up to $30 million for biomass incentive grants), and $20 million for hazardous fuels procurement, training, and monitoring. It would also direct Energy, Agriculture, and EPA leaders to align forest bioenergy policy so biomass use and investment policies are consistent across agencies.
Wildland fire service: funding and jobs
If enacted, the bill would provide about $1.165 billion to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service for FY2027, available until expended. It includes up to $11 million for fire facilities, $219 million for fuels management, and $10 million for burned area rehabilitation. The bill lets grants and contracts give preference to local firms, youth conservation crews, and small or micro-businesses that hire or train at least half the project workforce.
Higher offshore inspection fees
If enacted, the bill would require Interior to collect specified nonrefundable inspection and annual facility fees from Outer Continental Shelf oil and offshore wind operators in FY2027. It sets per‑facility and per‑inspection amounts (for example, $10,500 to $31,500 annual facility fees, rig inspection fees of $16,700 or $30,500, and specified offshore wind inspection fees), sets billing and payment timing, and requires at least 50% of inspection fees spent by BSEE be used for personnel and mission costs. The bill appropriates $159.3 million for BSEE for FY2027 but directs reductions by collected fees so the final FY2027 appropriation is estimated at not more than $121.3 million.
Tribal schools: funding and rules
If enacted, the bill would provide major new funding for Indian education. It would add about $1.24 billion for Bureau of Indian Education operations (available through Sept. 30, 2028) and about $304.7 million for school construction that remains available until expended. The bill would let the Secretary take over construction projects if planning and construction have not started within 18 months. It also limits some uses of BIE funds, including mostly barring grade expansions beyond grade structures in place on Oct. 1, 1995, and restricting establishment of new charter schools.
Water projects: grants, loans, Buy America
If enacted, the bill would supply large funding for water infrastructure in FY2027. It would provide about $1.192 billion for Clean Water SRF capitalization grants and about $910.8 million for Drinking Water SRF grants. It would also provide about $64.6 million in WIFIA loan subsidy funds that could support up to $12.5 billion in loan principal. The bill also requires that SRF-funded construction use U.S.-produced iron and steel unless a public-interest, availability, or cost waiver applies, and it sets public posting and a 15‑day informal input period for waiver requests.
Federal firefighters: pay-cap extended
If enacted, the bill would extend the covered years in the referenced firefighter pay-cap rule to include calendar years 2021 through 2026 and each year thereafter. The change would take effect on enactment and apply to federal firefighters subject to that pay provision.
Higher pay for DOI appraisers
If enacted, for FY2027 the Secretary of the Interior could raise minimum pay rates for DOI appraisers (GS-1171, grades 11–15) by up to 15 percent above normally scheduled minimums, consistent with statutory limits. The higher rates would depend on funds being available to the Appraisal and Valuation Services Office.
Ban federal lead regulation for ammo
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using funds from this or any other Act to regulate the lead content of ammunition, ammunition components, or fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act or any other law. That would block federal regulatory action on lead content for those products while the funding prohibition applies.
Blocks several new environment rules
If enacted, the bill would bar use of funds to implement several environmental rules that would affect small operators in FY2027. It would stop enforcing 2011 small remote incinerator rules for qualifying Alaska units and require the EPA to follow pre‑2011 rules for those units until a new rule is issued. The bill would also bar using funds to require Title V permits for biological greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and to require mandatory reporting of greenhouse gases from manure management systems. Finally, it would bar using funds to write or enforce rules listing the greater sage‑grouse as threatened or endangered in FY2027.
Grazing fee credit for ranchers
If enacted, from FY2027 through Sept. 30, 2030, the Agriculture Secretary would be able to give a credit of up to 50 percent of the calculated grazing fee on National Grasslands. The credit would apply only for conservation practices the Secretary approved in advance. Recipients could use the credited amount in the year it is made and in later years for that approved practice.
Indian projects: loans and construction
If enacted, the bill would provide about $167.1 million for construction, repair, and maintenance of Indian irrigation, power, and facility projects, and it allows transfers for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project. It would also provide $25 million to cover the cost of guaranteed and insured loans under the Indian Financing Act, including $2.85 million for administrative expenses. Those loan funds could subsidize up to about $502.2 million in loan principal and would be available through Sept. 30, 2028.
Keeps hunting and fishing access
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds to close Federal lands to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting when that access was open and in compliance with resource plans on January 1, 2013. Agencies could still temporarily close land for up to 30 days for special events or public safety and could extend once for up to 90 days for extraordinary weather or safety reasons. This would protect past access rights while allowing short, specific closures.
More abandoned mine cleanup money
If enacted, the bill would provide explicit FY2027 funding from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund for cleanup and State and Tribal reclamation payments. It would make $33.377 million available until spent and provide $135 million for payments to States and federally recognized Indian Tribes, with $88.85 million split equally among the three Appalachian States with the largest unfunded needs, $34.4 million split among the next three Appalachian States, and $11.75 million for Tribal grants. Payments must be made within 90 days of enactment, and if not paid the OSMRE salaries appropriation would be reduced by $100,000 per day until payments are made. The bill also credits certain fee collections to OSMRE and authorizes use of up to 20% of recovered delinquent debt to pay for debt-collection contracts.
Emergency spending and repair powers
If enacted, the bill would let the Interior Secretary use or transfer any no‑year appropriation in this title for specified emergencies upon enactment. That includes wildland fire suppression (only after the Secretary finds suppression funds will be exhausted within 30 days), emergency rehabilitation of burned lands, emergency response to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, storms, oil spills, and pest outbreaks, and emergency reconstruction of DOI facilities after specific emergency funds are exhausted. Funds used must be replenished by a supplemental appropriation requested promptly and reimbursed pro rata to accounts that provided the funds.
New rules for 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 federal, State, or local agencies for use as work animals immediately on request. Transferred animals would lose wild free‑roaming status. Recipient agencies would be prohibited from destroying or selling animals for processing into commercial products, and a licensed veterinarian would have to recommend euthanasia for severe injury, illness, or advanced age. The bill also bars appropriated funds from being used to destroy healthy, unadopted animals or sell animals for commercial processing.
EPA fees and regulatory changes
If enacted, the bill would let EPA collect pesticide registration service fees and solid waste disposal fees in FY2027 and keep collected fees available until spent. It would also bar use of funds in this Act to develop, finalize, or issue IRIS health and risk assessments. Separately, the bill would give force of law to EPA's 2020 notice approving Florida's Section 404 assumption, making that approval legally binding for Section 404 permitting in Florida.
EPA hires students for temporary work
If enacted, for FY2027 the EPA could directly hire students or recent graduates for temporary or intermittent services in two offices. Those hires would be employees only for travel-pay and work‑injury/tort protections, not for full federal employment purposes. The two offices together could spend no more than $2,000,000 on this hiring authority.
Protect religious speech on marriage
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds provided by this Act or prior appropriations Acts to take discriminatory action against a person who speaks or acts according to a sincerely held belief that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. Covered "discriminatory action" would include altering tax treatment, revoking tax exemptions, denying deductions for charitable contributions, or withholding or reducing federal grants, contracts, loans, benefits, licenses, or admissions.
Federal networks must block porn
If enacted, the bill would prohibit funds in this Act from being used to maintain or establish a computer network unless the network is designed to block access to pornography websites. The rule would not limit funds needed by law enforcement or entities carrying out criminal investigations, prosecutions, or adjudications. Agencies that receive funds would need to design or buy blocking technology that meets the requirement.
New contracting rules for federal funds
If enacted, the bill would bar executive branch agencies from using funds in this Act to enter into any Federal contract unless the contract follows Chapter 33 of Title 41, Chapter 137 of Title 10, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, subject to listed statutory exceptions. Some contracts specifically authorized by Federal law, including certain formula grants for States or Tribes, would be exempt.
Mark hatchery salmon for harvest
If enacted, the bill would require federally operated or federally financed hatcheries to mass mark salmonid stocks intended for harvest beginning in FY2027. Marked fish must bear a visible mark that commercial and recreational fishers can readily identify. The rule would help fishers distinguish hatchery fish, while federally supported hatcheries would face marking costs and implementation duties.
Changes to mining claims and patents
If enacted, the bill would change several mining claim and patent rules for FY2027. Applicants could ask to pay for a qualified third party to do a mineral exam, but BLM would select and pay the contractor under BLM procedures even when the applicant funds the work. The bill would bar using funds in this Act to accept or process new mining or mill site patent applications, except for applications filed on or before September 30, 1994 that met statutory requirements. It would protect certain unpatented lode mining claims where the maintenance fee was paid by September 1, 2012 and require the Interior Secretary to reinstate two named Minnesota leases within 30 days of enactment.
Alaska timber sale and export rules
If enacted, the bill would bar advertising a Forest Service timber sale in Alaska Region 10 when a residual value appraisal shows the sale is a "deficit" under the appraisal rules. It would require western red cedar surplus to Alaska processors to be offered first to processors in the contiguous 48 States at domestic prices, and would let remaining cedar be exported at the sale holder's election. Alaska yellow cedar may be sold at prevailing export prices if the sale holder elects.
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.
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