[Senate Report 114-281]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 521
114th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 114-281
======================================================================
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2017
_______
June 16, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Ms. Murkowski, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 3068]
The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 3068)
making appropriations for the Department of the Interior,
environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2017, and for other purposes, reports favorably
thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
Total obligational authority, fiscal year 2017
Total of bill as reported to the Senate................. $32,762,011,000
Amount of 2016 appropriations........................... 32,925,579,000
Amount of 2017 budget estimate.......................... 33,176,164,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
2016 appropriations................................. -163,568,000
2017 budget estimate................................ -414,153,000
========================================================
__________________________________________________
CONTENTS
----------
Page
Summary of Bill.................................................. 4
Major Changes Recommended in the Bill........................ 4
Reprogramming Guidelines..................................... 10
Title I:
Department of the Interior:
Land and Water Resources: Bureau of Land Management...... 12
Fish and Wildlife and Parks:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service........................... 21
National Park Service.................................... 29
Energy and Minerals:
U.S. Geological Survey................................... 35
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management........................ 39
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement........... 41
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement..... 42
Indian Affairs: Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian
Education.................................................. 44
Departmental Offices:
Office of the Secretary.................................. 51
Insular Affairs.......................................... 53
Office of the Solicitor.................................. 54
Office of Inspector General.............................. 54
Office of Special Trustee for American Indians........... 55
Department-wide Programs:
Wildland Fire Management................................. 55
Central Hazardous Materials Fund......................... 56
Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration....... 56
Working Capital Fund..................................... 56
Payments in Lieu of Taxes................................ 56
General Provisions: Department of the Interior............... 57
Title II:
Environmental Protection Agency:
Program Description...................................... 59
Science and Technology................................... 61
Environmental Programs and Management.................... 64
Office of Inspector General.............................. 73
Buildings and Facilities................................. 73
Hazardous Substance Superfund............................ 73
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.............. 75
Inland Oil Spill Program................................. 76
State and Tribal Assistance Grants....................... 76
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program...... 77
Administrative Provisions................................ 77
Title III:
Related Agencies:
Department of Agriculture: Forest Service................ 78
Administrative Provisions................................ 88
Department of Health and Human Services:
Indian Health Service................................ 88
Contract Support Costs............................... 90
National Institutes of Health........................ 91
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry..... 92
Other Related Agencies:
Executive Office of the President.................... 92
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of
Environmental Quality.............................. 92
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board....... 93
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation.......... 94
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native
Culture and Arts Development....................... 94
Smithsonian Institution.............................. 95
National Gallery of Art.............................. 97
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts....... 98
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars..... 98
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities:
National Endowment for the Arts.................. 99
National Endowment for the Humanities............ 100
Commission of Fine Arts.............................. 100
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs........... 101
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation............ 101
National Capital Planning Commission................. 102
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.............. 102
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission............. 102
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission............... 103
Title IV: General Provisions..................................... 104
Title V: Wildfire Disaster Funding............................... 106
Title VI: Alaska Land Use Council Act............................ 107
Title VII: Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission Act............ 108
Compliance with Paragraph 7, Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of
the
Senate......................................................... 109
Compliance with Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 110
Compliance with Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 110
Budgetary Impact of Bill......................................... 117
Comparative Statement of Budget Authority........................ 118
SUMMARY OF BILL
For this bill, estimates totaling $32,762,011,000 in new
obligational authority are provided for the programs and
activities of the agencies and bureaus of the Department of the
Interior, except the Bureau of Reclamation, and the following
related agencies:
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Agriculture: Forest Service
Department of Health and Human Services:
Indian Health Service
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental
Quality
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and
Arts Development
Smithsonian Institution
National Gallery of Art
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities:
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
Commission of Fine Arts
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
National Capital Planning Commission
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission
Major Changes Recommended in the Bill
This bill includes revisions to the budget estimate for the
2017 fiscal year.
A comparative summary of funding in the bill is shown by
agency or principal program in the following table:
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman's
Chairman's recommendation
Budget estimate recommendation compared with
budget estimate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management.............................. 1,245,185 1,243,528 -1,657
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service......................... 1,562,899 1,496,423 -66,476
National Park Service.................................. 3,101,450 2,913,918 -187,532
United States Geological Survey........................ 1,168,803 1,068,135 -100,668
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management...................... 80,194 74,616 -5,578
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement......... 96,337 83,141 -13,196
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement... 157,925 236,845 78,920
Bureau of Indian Affairs............................... 2,933,715 2,854,579 -79,136
Departmental Offices................................... 646,831 630,169 -16,662
Department-wide Programs............................... 1,248,890 1,678,839 429,949
--------------------------------------------------------
Total, Title I--Department of the Interior....... 12,242,229 12,280,193 37,964
========================================================
TITLE II--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Science and Technology................................. 754,184 695,910 -58,274
Environmental Programs and Management.................. 2,852,893 2,538,545 -314,348
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund........ 7,433 3,674 -3,759
Office of Inspector General............................ 51,527 41,489 -10,038
Buildings and Facilities............................... 52,078 38,660 -13,418
Hazardous Substance Superfund.......................... 1,128,989 1,077,784 -51,205
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund............ 94,285 91,296 -2,989
Inland Oil Spill Program............................... 25,410 18,079 -7,331
State and Tribal Assistance Grants..................... 3,280,400 3,613,278 332,878
WIFIA.................................................. 20,000 30,000 10,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Total, Title II--Environmental Protection Agency. 8,267,199 8,108,715 -115,484
========================================================
TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES
Department of Agriculture: Forest Service.............. 5,740,428 5,744,978 4,550
Department of Health and Human Services:
Indian Health Service.............................. 5,185,015 4,993,778 -191,237
National Institutes of Health: National Institute 77,349 77,349 .................
of Environmental Health Sciences..................
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry... 74,691 74,691 .................
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of 3,015 3,000 -15
Environmental Quality.................................
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board......... 12,436 11,000 -1,436
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation............ 15,431 15,431 .................
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture 11,835 15,212 3,377
and Arts Development..................................
Smithsonian Institution................................ 922,224 860,243 -61,981
National Gallery of Art................................ 158,401 155,525 -2,876
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts......... 35,260 35,260 .................
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars....... 10,400 10,500 100
National Endowment for the Arts........................ 149,849 148,449 -1,400
National Endowment for the Humanities.................. 149,848 148,442 -1,406
Commission of Fine Arts................................ 2,762 2,653 -109
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs............. 1,400 2,000 600
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.............. 6,493 6,493 .................
National Capital Planning Commission................... 8,099 8,099 .................
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum................ 57,000 57,000 .................
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission............... 44,800 1,000 -43,800
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission................. ................. 2,000 2,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Total, Title III--Related Agencies............... 12,666,736 12,373,103 -293,633
========================================================
Grand Total...................................... 33,176,164 32,762,011 -414,153
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
The following table displays appropriations from the Land
and Water Conservation Fund.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2016 Budget request
enacted (Discretionary) In this bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land and Water Conservation Fund.......................... $450,000,000 $475,000,000 $400,000,000
State and Local Programs.................................. 160,800,000 173,501,000 150,806,000
National Park Service State Assistance................ 110,000,000 110,006,000 110,006,000
Coop. Endangered Species Conservation Fund............ 30,800,000 53,495,000 30,800,000
American Battlefield Protection Act................... 10,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000
Highlands Conservation Act............................ 10,000,000 ................ ................
Forest Legacy Program..................................... 62,347,000 62,347,000 61,049,000
Rescission............................................ ................ ................ -8,297,000
Federal Land Acquisition.................................. 226,853,000 239,152,000 196,442,000
Bureau of Land Management............................. 38,630,000 43,959,000 33,416,000
Fish and Wildlife Service............................. 58,500,000 58,655,000 47,871,000
National Park Service................................. 53,670,000 58,242,000 48,417,000
Forest Service........................................ 63,435,000 65,653,000 54,738,000
Department of the Interior Valuation Services......... 12,618,000 12,643,000 12,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILDLAND FIRE BUDGETING REFORMS
This bill provides a total of $4,446,291,000 for wildland
fire programs for the Forest Service and Department of the
Interior, including a total amount of $2,304,291,000 for
wildland fire suppression activities of which $661,291,000 is
provided with an emergency designation for additional
suppression resources. The recommendation also includes an
important reform proposal that amends the Budget Control Act of
2011 (Public Law 112-25) to allow certain wildland fire
suppression activities to be funded through a disaster cap
adjustment consistent with other natural disasters, as detailed
below. This recommendation is a modification of the proposal
included in the fiscal year 2017 budget request, and the
subject of bipartisan legislation introduced in both the House
and the Senate. Legislative language to enact this proposal is
included in title V, but under congressional budgeting rules,
this bill cannot both create a new cap adjustment to the
statutory discretionary spending limits and appropriate funding
under that cap. Therefore, no funds are recommended through the
disaster cap adjustment.
Historically, budgeting for wildland firefighting is
determined by the 10-year average of suppression costs. The
proposal continues this practice and only provides access to
the cap adjustment when regular fire suppression amounts are
exhausted. The funding provided in this bill, the disaster cap
proposal and the $593,000,000 in additional suppression
resources and $700,000,000 in fire borrowing repayment provided
in fiscal year 2016 should allow the agencies to execute their
budgets more effectively because the threat of fire borrowing
has been reduced. These resources, coupled with the creation of
a mechanism to treat wildfires like disasters, lay the
foundation to put wildfire spending on a path to
sustainability.
This is not a ``blank check'' for additional spending. To
complement the new structure proposed in title V for fire
suppression, this bill invests in funding for prevention
activities and post-fire rehabilitation, in order to tackle the
fire problem from both ends, which can dramatically decrease
the suppression costs when fires do occur.
This bill provides a multifaceted approach to combat the
increasing cost of fighting wildfire. Without the additional
resources made available for Federal wildland fire management
within this bill to attack the problem before, during, and
after a wildfire event, it is evident that the Federal land
management agencies will not get ahead of the disastrous curve
on catastrophic fire, and suppression costs and the economic
costs to communities nationwide will continue to rise.
MULTI-AGENCY DIRECTIVES
Wildlife Data Coordination.--The Department of the Interior
and U.S. Forest Service are expected to prioritize continued
coordination with other Federal agencies and State wildlife
agencies to utilize State fish and wildlife data and analyses
as an applicable source to inform land use, land planning, and
related natural resource decisions. Federal agencies should not
unnecessarily duplicate raw data, but when appropriate,
evaluate existing analysis of data prepared by the States and
reciprocally, share data with State wildlife managers, to
ensure that the most complete data set is available for
decision support systems.
Land Grants, Acequias and Community Ditches.--The
Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture are urged to
recognize the traditional use of State-recognized community
land grants, acequias, and community ditches in the American
Southwest during the land use planning process.
Federal Fire Science Coordination.--The U.S. Forest Service
and the Department of the Interior are directed to work with
the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other Federal
agencies involved in fire science research to establish a
Federal Fire Science Coordination Council, chartered by the
Fire Executive Council, as recommended by the National Science
and Technology Council's Wildland Fire Science and Technology
Task Force Final Report from November 2015. The Federal Fire
Science Coordination Council is directed to develop a forum for
science exchange and communication between the leadership of
Federal fire-science producers and users and to establish
mechanisms to systematically assess user requirements and
priorities for Federal fire science, research, and technology
support. Specifically, the Federal Fire Science Coordination
Council is directed to use research published by the Joint Fire
Science Program and other Federal fire science agencies to
develop best practices for wildfire risk management in the
Wildland Urban Interface. In order to more reliably protect
responders and the public, sustain communities, and conserve
the land, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the
Interior shall share these best practices with their partners
who manage wildfire risk and suppression in the Wildland Urban
Interface, including State, local, and tribal governments and
community groups.
Puget Sound Federal Partnership Efforts.--The Committee
believes that continued efforts to clean up and restore Puget
Sound are an important national economic priority and sustained
coordination and sharing of expertise among Federal partners is
critical to furthering ongoing restoration efforts. The
Committee believes that the Puget Sound Federal Caucus
Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2014, strengthens
interagency collaboration. The Committee directs the agencies
funded by this bill who are party to the Memorandum to work
with their counterparts in the Puget Sound Federal Caucus to
renew and strengthen the Memorandum prior to its expiration on
March 27, 2017.
White Nose Bat Syndrome.--The Forest Service, the National
Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land
Management, and the United States Geological Survey are to be
commended for their respective roles in bat conservation and in
the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats. These agencies
must continue to play an important role in the implementation
of the National Science Strategy on white-nose syndrome. Within
the funds provided, these agencies are expected to prioritize
research on, and efforts to address, white-nose syndrome in
bats and also to work with other Federal, State, and private
organizations to implement the North American Bat Monitoring
Program.
Multi-Agency Transparency.--The Committee expresses support
for increasing transparency within all agencies of the
Department of the Interior, the Forest Service and the
Environmental Protection Agency. The agencies are encouraged to
disclose costs associated with analyses required by the
National Environmental Policy Act.
Social Cost of Carbon.--The Administrator of the EPA should
not promulgate any regulations in fiscal year 2017 using the
May 2013 estimates for the social cost of carbon until a new
working group is convened. The working group should include the
relevant agencies and affected stakeholders, re-examine the
social cost of carbon using the best available science, and
revise the estimate using an accurate discount rate and
domestic estimate in accordance with Executive Order 12866 and
OMB Circular A-4. To increase transparency, the working group
should solicit public comments prior to finalizing any updates.
Sportsman/Recreational Access.--The Committee believes
increasing access to our public lands is important and provides
funding to all four land management agencies, the Bureau of
Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, and the
Fish and Wildlife Service, to complete projects that enhance
access to public lands for hunting, fishing, and other
recreational activities. The Committee expects recreational
access projects to be selected based on their role in meeting
key recreation needs and the agencies should consider all
potential projects rather than limit consideration only to
projects included on the fiscal year 2017 Land and Water
Conservation Fund discretionary and mandatory lists. The
Committee strongly encourages the land management agencies to
work with their respective regions, State offices, and/or
management units to identify projects not on the submitted
lists to ensure other recreational access projects are
appropriately considered for funding. Further, the agencies are
again directed to include in future budget justifications an
explanation of the process and criteria used for allocating
funds for recreational access.
Land and Water Conservation.--The Committee's
recommendation for fiscal year 2017 represents a $93,859,000
increase over the Committee's recommendation for fiscal year
2016, a 31 percent increase and a $50,000,000 decrease from the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee remains concerned
about the prioritization of projects and reminds the agencies
that properties should have willing sellers, updated market
information, and the support of Federal, State, and local
officials. The Committee also encourages the agencies to
consider geographic distribution, historic sites, wilderness
inholdings, and the national trail system when prioritizing
projects.
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act Training
[ANILCA].--The Department of the Interior and the Forest
Service shall conduct annual ANILCA training for all employees
with any oversight, regulatory, or managerial duties or
responsibilities for the State of Alaska. Additionally, the
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service shall conduct
annual ANILCA training in a village within a conservation
system unit for all land managers stationed within the State of
Alaska.
Paper Reduction Efforts.--The Committee is concerned about
the millions of taxpayer dollars spent on wasteful printing
practices each year and the lack of clear printing policies
within each of the agencies. While progress has been made to
better utilize the cloud and digitize records, little progress
has been made to reform in-house printing practices. The
Committee urges each agency funded by this bill to work with
the Office of Management and Budget to reduce printing and
reproduction by 34 percent and directs each agency to submit a
report to the Committee within 60 days of enactment of this act
on what steps have been taken to reduce printing volume and
costs. The report should specifically identify how much money
each agency will be saving.
Transparency of Information.--Federal agencies funded under
this act shall clearly state within the text, audio, or video
used for advertising or educational purposes, including emails
or Internet postings, that the communication is printed,
published, or produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer
expense. The funds used by a Federal agency to carry out this
requirement shall be derived from amounts made available to the
agency for advertising or other communications regarding the
programs and activities of the agency.
Fleet Management Practices.--Agencies shall provide
supporting documentation on their methods for determining their
optimal fleet inventories and justification for any deviation
from GSA's Federal Property Management Regulations. Agency OIGs
shall be responsible for doing yearly audits of fleet
management practices and be made publicly available.
Invasive Species.--The Committee recognizes the critical
importance of early detection and rapid response [EDRR] of
invasive species as a strategy to mitigate the threats and
impacts of invasive species and expects the Department of the
Interior and the Forest Service to prioritize EDRR and control
of invasive species that imperil endangered, threatened, or
candidate species. In particular, the Committee supports
efforts to prioritize EDRR in areas with large populations of
invasive species. Within 180 days of the date of enactment of
this act, the agencies shall provide the Committee with an
report on their efforts to prioritize EDRR as part of their
expected program of work for fiscal year 2017, including detail
on how the agencies plan to protect specific native species and
natural resource values on public lands across the Nation.
Economic Analyses of Grazing on Public Lands.--The Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management are encouraged to
update their respective analysis regarding the economic
contributions, both direct and indirect, of livestock grazing
on public lands.
Protection of Water Rights.--The Committee believes that
neither the Forest Service nor the Bureau of Land Management
has the authority to require, as a condition of the issuance,
renewal, or extension of any Forest Service or Bureau of Land
Management permit, lease, allotment, easement, or other land
use and occupancy arrangement, the transfer or relinquishment
of any water right, in whole or in part, granted under State
law.
Unmanned Aircraft for Wildfire Firefighting and Safety.--
The Committee is encouraged by 2015 exercises with Unmanned
Aerial Systems supporting wildland fire suppression activities.
The Committee recognizes the potential of safely integrating
commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems into wildland firefighting
to aid decisionmaking and provide an additional mechanism to
ensure the safety of firefighters. The Forest Service and the
Department are directed to work with the Federal Aviation
Administration Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Systems
to evaluate the potential of integrating this additional tool
into the firefighting mission, as well as to evaluate
additional uses for the technology to improve situational
awareness during fire events and deployment of firefighting
resources.
Executive Order 13658.--The Committee is concerned about
the impacts of Executive Order 13658 on outfitters operating on
public lands. The Committee understands that Federal agencies
attempted to work with the Department of Labor to craft an
exemption for outfitters operating on public lands and is
disappointed that those efforts were unsuccessful. The
Committee urges the affected agencies funded by this act to
work with the Department of Labor to seek an alternative remedy
to implementing the 2014 rule.
Community-Based Collaboration.--The Committee appreciates
the significant emphasis on collaborative land management
programs within the existing budgets of the Department of the
Interior and U.S. Forest Service. However, the Committee is
also aware that there is additional need for training,
facilitation and other services to help stakeholders resolve
conflict and develop community-based collaborative solutions to
natural resource challenges. The Department of the Interior and
the U.S. Forest Service are encouraged to work with State and
local governments, conservation groups and other third-party
stakeholders, including universities, to identify additional
ways to develop stakeholder capacity and enhance existing
collaborative programs.
Reprogramming Guidelines
The Chairman retains the reprogramming guidelines contained
in the Statement of Managers accompanying the Conference Report
for the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act (Public Law 114-113).
TITLE I
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
LAND AND WATER RESOURCES
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management [Bureau] manages over 245
million acres of public lands, primarily in 11 Western States
and Alaska. The Bureau also has responsibility for 700 million
acres of federally owned sub-surface mineral estate. The Bureau
is mandated to administer these lands for multiple uses,
including recreation, wildlife habitat, mineral and energy
production, timber harvesting, and rangeland grazing, while
managing natural, cultural, and historical resources.
MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,072,675,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,075,545,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,088,470,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $1,088,470,000
for the Management of Lands and Resources account. This amount
is $15,795,000 above the enacted level. Program changes to the
enacted level are detailed in the following budget activity
narratives. Funding levels for each sub-activity can be found
in the table that accompanies this statement.
The United States, as an Arctic Nation, has broad interest
in the region, which includes meeting security needs,
protecting the environment, responsibly managing resources,
supporting indigenous communities, promoting scientific
research and strengthening international cooperation. The
United States assumed chairmanship of the Arctic Council in
April of 2015 for a 2-year term. During this period, our Nation
has had an opportunity to focus on our status as an Arctic
Nation and to work toward making significant progress on policy
objectives in the President's 2009 National Security Directive
and the 2013 National Strategy for the Arctic Region. In
conjunction with and complement to the efforts of the
Commission, the Bureau is directed to focus on enhancing
economic opportunities for the people who live and work in the
region. While the Committee appreciates the diverse mission of
the Commission, it believes that focusing on subsistence and
improving the lives of the local people through economic
development is of the utmost importance.
Land Resources.--The bill provides $252,721,000 for land
resources, an increase of $2,125,000 above the enacted level.
The Committee again rejects the budget request proposal to
implement a new grazing administration fee. The funding
increase provided for Rangeland Management is to improve the
management of the grazing program. Within the funds provided
for Rangeland Management, the Committee directs the Bureau to
continue to prioritize activities related to Secretarial Order
3336 on Rangeland Fire Prevention, Management and Restoration
and managing the spread of invasive plants.
The Bureau is directed to provide information to the
Committee within 45 days of enactment of this act detailing
efforts resulting from direction contained in the Fiscal Year
2016 Senate Report to find ways to strategically incorporate
public and private firefighting assets into fighting wildland
fire. Within the funds provided for forestry management, the
Bureau is directed to spend funds to address overstocked
forests and fuels treatments.
Wild Horse and Burro Program.--The Committee recognizes the
magnitude of the challenges currently facing the Bureau as it
relates to the wild horse and burro program. The Committee also
notes that the request for this fiscal year is down despite the
Bureau releasing statistics that show that wild horse
populations on public rangelands are now 2.5 times greater than
in 1971 when the wild horse and burro protection law was
passed. With wild horse herd sizes doubling every 4 years and
adoption numbers down significantly from the last decade, this
program is unsustainable in its current state. While humane
care of wild horses and burros is an imperative, damage to the
range resulting from overpopulation must be taken seriously and
addressed. The Committee is pleased that the Bureau has
addressed horse overpopulation in some areas that conflict with
sage-grouse habitat health goals and directs the Bureau to
continue these efforts. Within the amount provided for wild
horse and burro management, the Bureau is directed to continue
to implement reforms based on the findings and recommendations
outlined in the National Academy of Sciences June 2013 report
and to address the severe overpopulation of wild horses on
public lands through gathers and innovative and cost-effective
long- and short-term holding options and population control
methods. Priority should be given to strategies that create
cost-savings over time.
The Committee remains concerned about the well-being of
animals on the range due to drought conditions and population
trends, as well as about the resulting impacts to rangeland and
riparian areas. Consequently, the Bureau is directed to
accelerate gathers in an effort to strive for appropriate
management levels in Herd Management Areas.
Planning 2.0.--The Committee is concerned that changes made
by the proposed Planning 2.0 rule will diminish the impact of
State and local input on the Bureau's land use planning. The
Bureau is expected to work with Governors and local government
representatives to address their concerns with the proposed
rule.
Vacant Grazing Allotments.--The Committee directs the
Bureau to make vacant grazing allotments available to a holder
of a grazing permit or lease when lands covered by the holder
of the permit or lease are unusable because of drought or
wildfire, or other condition beyond the control of the
permittee.
Railroad Rights-of-Way.--The Committee notes with concern
the broad ramifications of the Bureau's treatment of acceptable
uses of railroad rights of way as re-interpreted in the
Department's Solicitor's Opinion M-37025, issued on November 4,
2011. The Committee believes the Department should amend its
policies to ensure any use of a right-of-way granted pursuant
to the General Railroad Right-of-Way Act of 1875 by the
railroad holding title to the right of way, or authorized by
such railroad, is within the scope of the railroad's authority
to use, or authorize others to use, the right of way received
pursuant to the act, if authorization of the use would have
been considered under Department policy to be within the scope
of a railroad's authority as of the day before the effective
date of the Opinion M-37025. In the interim, the Bureau should
refrain from engaging in unnecessary and costly new permitting
activities for existing uses.
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.--Regarding Red
Cliffs NCA, the Committee directs the Secretary to clarify that
nothing in section 1974(h) of Public Law 111-11 prohibits the
authorization of the development of utilities, particularly
given the importance of potential utility development to the
surrounding communities. Additionally, the Bureau is aware of
the long-term transportation needs of Washington County and is
directed to work cooperatively with the county to address them.
Wildlife and Fisheries.--The bill provides $112,596,000 for
wildlife and fisheries, which is $10,685,000 above the enacted
level. The Committee notes the $37,000,000 increase for fiscal
year 2016 that has been included in the base budget of this
account for the purposes of sage-grouse habitat improvement. Of
the funds provided, no less than $45,643,000 is for on-the-
ground activities to improve sage-grouse habitat, including
removal of conifers, creating fire breaks, seeding, reducing
fuels, removing invasive species and post-fire restoration
activities. The Bureau should dedicate funding for
collaborations with States on the implementation of both State
and Federal plans designed to promote sustainable sage-grouse
populations. Additionally, the Committee believes that failure
by Federal agencies to adequately implement conservation
measures on public lands or any other circumstance beyond the
control of the agencies should not be considered grounds to
review the Endangered Species Act status of any population of
the sage-grouse. Additionally, the Committee remains concerned
about the scope of the withdrawals associated with sage-grouse
and the fact that the acres of potentially impacted essential
sage-grouse habitat are dwarfed by the magnitude of the
withdrawal. This continues to lead the Committee to question
the necessity of the withdrawals because most development would
be required to include mitigation activities.
National Seed Strategy.--The Committee acknowledges the
successful creation of a National Seed Strategy and, of the
funds provided for wildlife management, $5,000,000 is to begin
implementation of the Strategy, which is expected to expand
efforts to respond with restoration resources to landscape-
scale ecological changes due to drought, invasive species and
catastrophic wildfires. The Committee encourages the Department
to thoroughly and objectively undertake a comprehensive
assessment of seed needs and capacities as the Strategy is
implemented. The Committee expects BLM to use the National Seed
Strategy in conjunction with other plant conservation
activities to build upon programs for seed collection,
conservation, procurement and storage, including coordinated
efforts with the Department of Agriculture's Plant Material
Centers to avoid addition expense and duplication effort.
The Committee continues to support the Bureau's Plant
Conservation Program which, in 2017, is expected to support
implementation of the National Seed Strategy at a landscape
level and to lead the interagency Native Plant Materials
Development program, the Seeds of Success program, the Plant
Conservation Alliance, several regional native plant materials
development programs, and related research and programmatic
activity.
Recreation Management.--The bill provides $68,729,000 for
recreation management, a decrease of $732,000 below the enacted
level. Of the funds provided, $15,264,000 is for wilderness
management and $53,465,000 is for recreation management
activities to reflect the direction of the Committee to
prioritize recreation management over the creation of lands to
be managed as wilderness. Of the funds made available for
wilderness, priority shall be given to activities to improve
wilderness habitat and adjoining habitat by managing for
noxious weed infestations and fuels management. Of the funds
provided for recreation management, $2,000,000 is for
activities directly related to units of the National Landscape
Conservation System.
Energy and Minerals Management.--The bill provides
$171,747,000 for oil, gas, coal, and other minerals management,
an increase of $5,143,000 above the enacted level. Within the
oil and gas programs, funding levels are sufficient to maintain
program capacity. The detailed allocation of funding by program
is included in the table that accompanies this statement. Of
the funds provided to Oil and Gas Management, the budget
request is provided for legacy well remediation, for completion
of the additional modules associated with Phase II of the AFMSS
II database, and for special pay authority. Additionally,
$6,000,000 is provided to maintain capacity for Bureau related
expenses associated with oil and gas applications for permits
to drill and related use authorizations. The Committee again
rejects the creation of a new inspection and enforcement fee,
but provides the full $48,000,000 the Bureau cited as necessary
to address deficiencies identified in Government Accountability
Office reports to improve production accountability to better
ensure proper revenue collection.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the current
downward leasing trends on public lands, which have only been
exacerbated by current market conditions. The cumulative impact
of actions undertaken by the Bureau and the Department have
only served to further disincentive conventional resource
development on public lands when compared to non-Federal lands.
Leasing numbers are at all-time lows, with expected collection
of APD fees to be roughly $15,000,000 less than in 2015.
Despite the plummeting leasing numbers, protests are now also
on the rise. While the Bureau's final rule regarding hydraulic
fracturing has been stayed by the U.S. District Court of
Wyoming, a new burdensome proposal on venting and flaring,
which is bound to overlap with EPA and State rules, and the
proposed $10 tax per barrel of oil have sent additional signals
that the administration is not interested in sustaining a
robust oil and gas industry in the United States, particularly
on public lands. Additionally, efforts underway to change
royalty rates or product valuations at the Department will only
further this problem; consequently additional funds for these
efforts are not provided.
Prior to the finalization of any actions associated with
rulemakings on oil and gas royalty rate review or oil, gas, or
coal valuations, the Bureau is directed to provide reports to
the Committee with specific modeling detailing the anticipated
impacts of increases, decreases, and maintenance of oil and gas
royalty rates and coal valuations on expected new leasing on
public lands and resulting impacts to the Federal treasury. The
Committee acknowledges the role market factors play in
forecasting economics associated development on public lands
and directs the agency to take those factors into account when
preparing the reports.
The Bureau is directed to provide the Committee with a plan
to achieve cost-savings and efficiencies by transitioning to
Internet oil and gas leasing within 180 days of enactment.
The Committee admonishes the Bureau for the exceedingly
slow manner in which it is complying with direction previously
given herein regarding a return to the practice of quarterly
disclosures of its oil and gas statistics. The Bureau is also
expected to continue the direction related to disclosure and
reporting of deferred leasing on lands that have been nominated
and are otherwise available for oil and gas activity under
resource management plans. The Bureau has been directed to
submit, within 60 days of said deferral, a report to the
Committee containing an explanation for the deferral.
Legacy Wells.--The Bureau is directed to develop a long-
term strategy to fund its responsibility to cleanup legacy
wells.
Lease Terminations.--The Committee is aware of the process
related to termination and reinstatement of an oil and gas
leases on Bureau lands if a payment in not received on or prior
to the due date. The Committee understands that no physical or
electronic notice is given to lease holders prior to lease
expiration or immediately after lease expiration and that
leases are automatically terminated. The Committee believes
this does not contribute to a good working relationship between
lease holders and the Federal Government and, more importantly,
creates an expensive and unnecessary burden for the agency when
lease payments are erroneously made in an untimely fashion. The
cost to issue notice of imminent lease expiration,
electronically or physically, will result in a negligible cost
compared to the potential requirement to engage in unnecessary
compliance activities and evaluations that would not have
existed prior to lease expiration. To be clear, the Committee
does not believe that lease holders should have no consequences
for tardy lease payments. However, automatic lease termination
and an overly burdensome reinstatement process are not in the
best interest of the Bureau. Consequently, the Bureau and
Office of Natural Resources Revenue is required to develop a
policy to provide notice of imminent lease expiration to lease
holders and revisit whether changes should be made to the
current law requiring automatic termination of lease for late
payment to reflect a more sensible reinstatement process.
Additionally, the Committee directs any coordinating office
created by the Bureau in partnership with other oil and gas
related permitting agencies shall closely coordinate with the
Fort Berthold tribal authorities.
The Committee continues to reject the proposal to repeal
section 224(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Of the funds provided for renewable energy management, the
Committee directs the Bureau of focus on the development and
deployment of geothermal and hydropower, both of which are
clean energy technologies that produce low-cost power.
Secretarial Order 3338.--The Committee notes with dismay
Secretarial Order 3338, which places a moratorium on coal
leasing activities on Bureau lands. The Committee is not aware
of any economic justification for raising leasing and royalty
rates on coal. Additionally, the Committee questions the need
for the moratorium, as neither the GAO nor Inspector General
reports on Federal coal leasing suggested the need for a
moratorium or for a complete overhaul of the program via a
programmatic environmental impact statement. The Mineral
Leasing Act requires that any guideline or regulation developed
by the Secretary for Federal coal leasing must ``ensure the
maximum economic recovery of coal.'' The Bureau has not
presented compelling evidence that there is a tangible,
economic case for reviewing coal leasing and royalty rates.
And, the Committee is concerned that an increase in the royalty
rate will result in reduced bonus payments, and further
diminish revenues from coal activities.
Placer Mining Reclamation Activities.--The Bureau is
instructed to delay the implementation of recently developed
mining reclamation standards for the purpose of working with
State officials and local placer miners to establish metrics
that are viable, reasonable, and in accordance with previous
directions provided in 2016. In the interim, the Bureau is
instructed to utilize existing revegetation standards, and
approve reclamation where evidence of regrowth exists within
180 days of enactment.
Realty and Ownership Management.--The bill provides
$73,480,000 for public land realty and ownership management
activities, an increase of $228,000 above the enacted level.
The Committee expects the Bureau to complete an inventory of
contaminated Alaska Native lands in need of remediation, and
the Committee continues the direction to the Bureau to
coordinate with all responsible Federal agencies to expedite
the cleanup process, including the Department of Defense and
the Forest Service, so that the lands meet appropriate
environmental standards at the earliest possible date.
Resource Protection and Maintenance.--The bill provides
$113,119,000 for resource protection and maintenance, an
increase of $3,941,000 above the enacted level. The additional
funds provided are for the Bureau's geospatial strategy. The
Bureau is expected to prioritize marijuana eradication
programs.
Red River Land Ownership.--The Bureau is expected to defer
any final decision-making regarding land use plans as part of
the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Resource Management Plan
Revision until appropriate surveys have been conducted to
determine ownership along the Red River or until a legislative
solution is enacted. The Bureau is encouraged to consider
recurring recreational events carefully as land use plans are
revised or updated.
Transportation and Facilities Maintenance.--The bill
provides $68,143,000 for transportation and facilities
maintenance, a decrease of $2,186,000 below the enacted level,
of which $1,700,000 is for the Department's Southwest Border
Radio Initiative.
Workforce and Organizational Support.--The bill provides
$169,549,000 for workforce organization and support, $996,000
below the enacted level.
National Landscape Conservation System.--The bill provides
$36,819,000 for major units of the National Landscape
Conservation System, equal to the enacted level. Within the
funds provided, the Bureau shall prioritize initiating
foundational efforts at newly designated national monuments,
particularly new monuments designated in California. That said,
the Committee reminds the Bureau that the fiscal restraint
required by the budget agreement was in place when new
monuments were designated and believes the Bureau should be
cognizant of spending constraints when recommending lands for
monument designation. Additionally, while monument designations
are made at the Presidential level, the Committee reminds the
Bureau and the Department of its belief that monument
designations should only be made in circumstances where there
is robust support at the local, State and Federal level.
Further, it is the Committee's belief that when developing a
plan for a national monument livestock grazing should continue
at historic levels and be considered integral to or
inextricably tied to existing and future conditions of the
area.
Bureau of Land Management Foundation.--The establishment of
a Bureau of Land Management Foundation referred to in title I
of the bill shall be a charitable and nonprofit corporation
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
which shall not be considered an agency or establishment of the
United States and consequently shall have no Federal employees.
The purpose of the Foundation is to provide an opportunity for
the Bureau to address a variety of specific challenges facing
the Bureau that could be better addressed with the support of a
foundation, including: the reclamation and remediation of
legacy wells, abandoned mine land sites, and contaminated
native lands; sustainable management of wild horses and burros;
expanded scientific understanding of responsible development
techniques; voluntary conservation activities; and the proper
identification and cataloging of cultural and historical
treasures on the public lands. To enable this, the Foundation
is established to encourage, accept, and administer private
gifts of money and of real and personal property for the
benefit of, or in connection with the activities and services
of, the Bureau of Land Management; and to undertake and conduct
activities that further the purposes for which public lands are
administered; and to undertake, conduct, and encourage
educational, technical, scientific, and other assistance or
activities that support the mission of the Bureau of Land
Management.
The Bureau of Land Management Foundation shall consist of a
Board having as members no less than six private citizens of
the United States appointed by the Secretary of the Interior
whose initial terms shall be staggered to assure continuity of
administration. Thereafter, the term shall be 6 years, unless a
successor is chosen to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the
expiration of the term for which his predecessor was chosen, in
which event the successor shall be chosen only for the
remainder of that term. The Chairman shall be an elected member
of the Board. Membership on the Board shall not be deemed to be
an office within the meaning of the statutes of the United
States. The Bureau shall submit a report within 30 days of the
date of enactment of this act to the Committee outlining
specifics of the establishment of the Foundation for
concurrence and approval.
Mining Law Administration.--The bill provides $39,696,000
for mining law administration. This amount is equal to the
budget request and the enacted level and is fully offset by
collections from mining claims fees.
Rio Grande Instream Flow Study.--In 1968, Congress
designated a stretch of the Rio Grande River as one of the
America's first Wild and Scenic Rivers and expanded it in 1994
for a total of 74 miles. The Bureau's Taos Resource Management
Plan calls for initiation of flow studies in all permanent
streams within the resource area to establish minimum flows
necessary to maintain aquatic habitat. The Committee is
concerned that the Bureau has yet to initiate a Rio Grande flow
analysis covering the designated scenic, geologic,
recreational, fish habitat, and cultural and riparian values
and notes that an instream flow study is incredibly important
to establish threshold flow values. The Committee urges the
Bureau to identify the resources necessary to complete a study.
Flow levels are especially important to many small business
outfitters that rely on the Rio Grande.
LAND ACQUISITION
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $38,630,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 43,959,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 33,416,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $33,416,000 for land
acquisition, a decrease of $5,214,000 below the enacted level,
and the Committee provides $8,000,000 for recreational access
as requested. The amount provided within this bill is available
for the following distribution of funds and projects requested
by the administration:
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Bill
State Project estimate (Discretionary)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MTMadison River Special Recreation $4,000,000 $4,000,000
Management Are
IDHenry's Lake Area of Critical 50,000 50,000
Environmental Concern
IDSalmon River Special Recreation 700,000 700,000
Management Area
IDThousand Springs Area of 300,000 300,000
Critical Environmental Concern
IDCraters of the Moon National 1,200,000 1,200,000
Monument and Preserve/Oregon
National Historic Trail
IDSands Desert Habitat Management 2,750,000 2,750,000
Area/Teton River
NMRio Grande del Norte National 1,250,000 1,250,000
Monument
CODominguez-Escalante National 350,000 350,000
Conservation Area
COUpper Colorado River Special 1,500,000 1,500,000
Recreation Management Area
VAMeadowood Special Recreation 1,400,000 1,400,000
Management Area
MDNanjemoy National Resource 1,600,000 1,600,000
Management Area
AZAgua Fria National Monument 3,300,000 3,300,000
MTLewis and Clark National 2,000,000 2,000,000
Historic Trail/Upper Missouri
River Breaks National Monument/
Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic
River
CADos Palmas Area of Critical 650,000 650,000
Environmental Concern
NMKasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National 750,000 750,000
Monument
Other Projects 10,501,000 ...............
Sportsman/Recreational Access 8,000,000 8,000,000
Acquisition Management 2,042,000 2,000,000
Inholdings, Emergencies, and 1,616,000 1,616,000
Hardships
----------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition 43,959,000 33,416,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $107,734,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 106,985,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 102,946,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $102,946,000 for
Oregon and California Grant Lands, a decrease of $4,788,000
below the enacted level. The Committee appreciates the unique
and important role of the Oregon and California Grants Lands
within the Bureau. The Committee is concerned about the
Bureau's ability to generate an adequate and predictable supply
of timber and the resulting county revenues in Western Oregon
under the agency's proposal to limit sustained yield management
to just 20 percent of the forest land. The Committee is
concerned that the Bureau's recent management and pending plans
are inconsistent with the agency's principal obligation under
the Oregon and California Act and believes the agency should
reconsider its current direction. Additionally, the Committee
is interested in determining whether efficiencies can be
achieved within the program. The Bureau shall provide
information to the Committee that outlines efficiencies that
could be created within the Oregon and California Grants Lands
program without diminishing production capacity or compromising
core mission requirements, particularly timber harvests within
120 days of enactment.
range improvements
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 10,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 10,000,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $10,000,000 for range
improvements, an amount equal to the enacted level.
service charges, deposits, and forfeitures
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $31,050,000
Offsetting collections.................................. -31,050,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 31,050,000
Offsetting collections.................................. -31,050,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 31,050,000
Offsetting collections.................................. 31,050,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $31,050,000 for
service charges, deposits, and forfeitures. The appropriation
is fully offset by the collection of fees to pay for reasonable
administrative and other costs.
miscellaneous trust funds
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $24,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 24,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 24,000,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $24,000,000 for
miscellaneous trust funds, equal to the enacted level.
FISH AND WILDLIFE AND PARKS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal
agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing
fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats. The Service
manages more than 150 million acres in the National Wildlife
Refuge System, which encompasses 563 national wildlife refuges,
thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas
and Marine National Monuments. It also operates 72 national
fish hatcheries, 65 fish and wildlife management offices, and
80 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces
Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act,
manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally
significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their
conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in
excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and
wildlife agencies.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,238,771,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,309,912,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,249,207,000
The bill provides $1,249,207,000 for resource management.
This amount is $10,436,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level and $60,705,000 below the administration's request.
Ecological Services.--$237,332,000 is provided for
Ecological Services activities. Within the ecological services
program, funding is provided as follows:
Listing.--$17,411,000 is provided for endangered species,
$3,104,000 below the fiscal year 2016 level. Consistent with
the request, legislative caps for petition processing, for
listing activities related to foreign species, and for critical
habitat designations have been maintained. The Committee has
provided $1,501,000 for petition activities, $1,504,000 for
listing of foreign species, and $1,501,000 for critical habitat
designations.
Settlement Agreements.--The Committee is concerned that
there is not adequate transparency for impacted stakeholders
when the Service chooses to enter into a settlement agreement
on an endangered species listing petition. This is particularly
troubling in the context of multiple species--as happened in
the 2011 multispecies litigation settlement agreements. The
Committee urges the Service to avoid entering into any multi-
species settlement agreement unless the State and local
governments where the species are located are a party to that
agreement.
Transparency of Data.--The Committee is also concerned
about the extent to which underlying data that is used in
listing determinations and critical habitat designations is
made available to the public. Specifically, the Committee is
concerned that there are instances where that data is not made
available to the public, including to State and local
governments who are directly impacted by these listing
decisions. Within 60 days of enactment of this act, the
Committee directs the Service provide a plan to improve
transparency of the underlying data it uses to make
determinations for species listings and de-listing activities,
including the feasibility of publishing all data and materials
used in listing determinations on the Internet.
Wildlife Census.--The Committee directs the Fish and
Wildlife Service to conduct a domestic census of the following
exotic U.S. bred wildlife: Red Lechwe, Barasingha, Arabian
Oryx, Eld's Deer. The Service shall not limit data used for
this census to information gathered from permit applications.
In addition to permit applications, the Service should make
inquiries of ranchers and others that own these animals. The
census final numbers shall be statistically validated using a
recognized protocol and compare the Service's census numbers
with other estimates that are publicly available. The Service
shall provide the report to the Committee upon completion and
permitting shall continue uninterrupted for these four species
during the census period. The Service shall take no rulemaking
actions regarding the four species listed herein before the
census is completed, until the Committee has had at least 120
days to review the report.
Planning and Consultation.--The bill provides $102,966,000
for planning and consultation, $3,887,000 above the fiscal year
2016 level. Within planning and consultation, an additional
$3,000,000 is provided for Gulf Coast Restoration activities,
consistent with the budget request.
Conservation and Restoration.--The bill provides
$32,396,000 for conservation and restoration. This is equal to
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Recovery.--$84,556,000 is provided for recovery, an
increase of $2,543,000 over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
The Service dedicated $4,000,000 to initiating and concluding
delisting and downlisting rulemakings in fiscal year 2016. The
bill provides an increase of $2,000,000 above the fiscal year
2016 level for such activities. The Service is directed to use
the additional resources to focus on delisting and downlisting
of species that have met articulated conservation goals. The
Service should use funding to propose or finalize rules for
species with completed five-year review status reviews that
recommend delisting and downlisting. There are at least 49
species that fit into that category.
Within the funds provided, $2,500,000 is for the State of
the Birds program. Additionally, the Service is directed to use
$1,000,000 of the amount provided to reinstate the wolf-
livestock loss demonstration program as authorized by Public
Law 111-11. States with de-listed wolf populations shall
continue to be eligible for funding, provided that those States
continue to meet the eligibility criteria contained in Public
Law 111-11.
California Condor and Aplomado Falcon.--The Service is
directed to prioritize the recovery of the California condor
and the aplomado falcon, and provide the necessary funding to
enable the longstanding public-private partnership to continue
to support the wild population through captive propagation,
releases, and management, as the Service and the States work to
address the continued environmental threats to the species,
including lead.
American Burying Beetle.--The Committee is aware that the
Service is currently undertaking a required status review of
the American Burying Beetle to determine whether listing as an
endangered species is still warranted. Within funds provided,
the Service is directed to propose a rule by the end of the
fiscal year to delisting or downlist the American Burying
Beetle should the status review make a finding that delisting
or downlisting is warranted.
Northern Long-Eared Bat.--The Committee is closely
following the Service's work on the Northern Long-Eared Bat and
notes that white-nose syndrome continues to be the major threat
to the species.
North Carolina Red Wolf.--The Committee acknowledges the
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's request that the
Service end the Red Wolf recovery program and declare the Red
Wolf extinct. The program has failed to meet population goals
for the Red Wolf and has impacted North Carolina landowners and
the populations of several other native species. The Committee
understands that the Service is undertaking a review of the Red
Wolf recovery program that is expected to conclude in September
2016. The Committee urges the Service to coordinate closely
with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on
decisions related to future of the Red Wolf recovery program.
Subsistence Activities.--The Committee is closely
monitoring the Service's efforts to implement an agreement
between the United States and the Russian Federation on
management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear Population. The
Service should seek the most current science on this matter as
it works to implement the agreement. The Committee believes
successful management of the population can only occur with the
engagement of the Alaska Natives and expects the Service to
consult with Alaska Native Organizations on matters related to
subsistence, which are culturally important and a primary
source of their nutritional needs. The Committee expects the
Service to work with Alaska Native organizations and other
wildlife management organizations with expertise in subsistence
to implement a civil-based, co-management regime.
National Wildlife Refuge System.--$482,400,000 is provided
for the National Wildlife Refuge System, an increase of
$973,000 over the fiscal year 2016 level. Within that amount,
an increase of $1,241,000 has been provided for wildlife and
habitat management. Funding for the subsistence program has
been provided at the request level, and $9,726,000 has been
provided for invasive species. Additionally, the bill provides
$1,000,000 for the Pacific Marine National Monuments.
Continued Funding Prohibitions.--The Committee directs the
Service to continue the directive from fiscal year 2016 that
prohibits a caribou hunt on Kagalaska Island and efforts to
remove cattle on Chirikof and Wosnesenski Islands in the State
of Alaska.
Karluk Lake.--The Committee is extremely disappointed with
the Service's January 2016 decision to deny a special use
permit to conduct nutrient enrichment in Karluk Lake within the
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. The final Environmental
Assessment was inadequate and failed to recognize the
measurable benefits of ongoing enrichment programs in other
areas in the State of Alaska. While fish populations have
recently increased in Karluk Lake, the Environmental Assessment
did not adequately consider that nutrient enrichment may have
helped fish populations in prior years and is an important tool
for future years. The Committee understands that the Refuge's
Comprehensive Conservation Plan includes provisions for and
outlines means to rehabilitate fish stocks on the Refuge,
including lake enrichment. In an effort to look at this issue
in a more balanced manner, the Service is directed to move
forward with a formal compatibility determination on the
Refuge's Comprehensive Conservation Plan for fish
rehabilitation and publish a list of approved tools that can be
used to accomplish such rehabilitation.
Corolla Wild Horses.--The Corolla Wild Horses are a unique
piece of America's history that can be traced back over 400
years to the arrival of Spanish explorers on the Outer Banks of
North Carolina. Due to economic development in Currituck
County, North Carolina, the herd size has diminished resulting
in lack of genetic diversity, threatening the entire herd.
Because the horses roam on private and some Service land, a
management plan is needed between the Service, the State of
North Carolina, Currituck County, North Carolina, and the
Corolla Wild Horses Fund that allows for the herd size to be
grown to no fewer than 110 and no greater than 130 horses,
which may be achieved through the introduction of horses from a
related herd. The Committee expects this management plan be
entered into between the four parties no later than 180 days
after enactment of this act and the Committee expects the
Corolla Wild Horses Fund to continue to pay all costs
associated with managing the Corolla horses.
Conservation and Enforcement.--$138,624,000 has been
provided for Conservation and Enforcement, which is $1,723,000
above the enacted level in fiscal year 2016.
Within Conservation and Enforcement, the bill includes
$47,755,000 for the migratory bird management program. This
includes $500,000 for aviation management to continue the
Service's efforts on aviation safety and training for pilots.
Further, $75,053,000 is included for law enforcement
activities to help combat illegal global wildlife trafficking
and for implementation of the Lacey Act. Additionally, the bill
includes $15,816,000 for international affairs, which is equal
to the administration's request. Within that funding, $550,000
is included to support the Arctic Council.
Wildlife Trafficking.--The Service plays a critical role in
the ongoing effort to combat the global crisis of wildlife
poaching and trafficking, which is driven by demand for high-
value illegal wildlife products and facilitated by
sophisticated criminal networks profiting from this multi-
billion dollar black market industry. Poaching of rhinoceros
and elephants has reached unprecedented levels, and illegal
trade is undermining the conservation of scores of other
species. The Committee continues to support government-wide
efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, and recommends funding
equal to the President's request for the Service's Office of
Law Enforcement and the International Affairs program. These
resources will support the Service in continuing to strengthen
its forensic capabilities to disrupt smuggling networks,
improve collaboration with other Federal, State, local, and
foreign governments, and promote international wildlife
conservation.
In response to the high level of wildlife trafficking
flowing into the United States, the Committee directs the
Service to conduct an analysis of potential options for
increasing the capacity of the wildlife port inspection program
under the Office of Law Enforcement. The analysis should
include a detailed explanation of the existing program and
potential options for enhancing the program. The Committee
directs the Service to submit this analysis to the Committee
within 180 days of enactment.
Shellfish Inspections.--The Committee is very concerned
about the Fish and Wildlife Service's recent and unexplained
decision to change its interpretation of their longstanding
shellfish and nonliving fishery products inspection exemption
to no longer include non-threatened and non-injurious
echinoderm, such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. This shift
has had negative economic effects with no demonstrated benefit.
The Committee notes that the general inspection of seafood for
import or export is not included in the Service's mandate and
directs the Service to reevaluate its interpretation of
shellfish to encompass aquatic invertebrates marketed and
consumed as seafood.
Fish and Aquatic Conservation.--$153,880,000 is provided
for Fish and Aquatic Conservation, an increase of $5,624,000
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Adequate funding is
provided to ensure that no fish hatcheries will close in fiscal
year 2017.
Within the Fish and Aquatic Conservation program, funding
is provided for national fish hatchery system operations,
maintenance and equipment, and aquatic habitat and species
conservation as follows:
National Fish Hatchery System Operations.--$53,759,000 is
provided for National Fish Hatchery System Operations, equal to
the fiscal year 2017 request.
It is recognized that the Service has entered into
reimbursable agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Department of Interior's
Central Utah Project, and the Bonneville Power Administration
in order to ensure the continued operation of mitigation
hatcheries. So that operations at these hatcheries are not
disrupted, future budget requests must ensure that Federal
partners have committed to making sufficient funding available
to reimburse the Service before the Service proposes to
eliminate funding for mitigation hatcheries.
Maintenance and Equipment.--$22,920,000 is provided for
maintenance and equipment expenses related to the National Fish
Hatchery System, an increase of $3,000,000 above the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level and equal to the administration's
request. A portion of the funding provided for National Fish
Hatchery Maintenance and Equipment should be allocated to
hatcheries where partner agencies fund mitigation work.
Aquatic Habitat and Species Conservation.--$77,201,000 is
provided for aquatic habitat and species conservation, an
increase of $2,283,000 over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Within aquatic habitat and species conservation, funding is
provided as follows:
Habitat Assessment and Restoration.--$30,220,000 is
provided for habitat assessment and restoration activities, an
increase of $1,579,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level. Within this amount, $3,000,000 has been provided for
work related to implementation of the Klamath Basin Restoration
Agreement and related settlement agreements. The Committee also
provides $14,748,000 for the fish passage improvements,
$1,500,000 above the amount provided in fiscal year 2016.
Population Assessment and Cooperative Management.--
$30,821,000 is provided for population assessment and
cooperative management activities, equal to the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. Funding is provided for fisheries
subsistence.
Aquatic Invasive Species.--$16,160,000 is provided for
aquatic invasive species activities, an increase of $704,000
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the
administration's request. Within this amount, $2,038,000 is
provided for invasive species prevention.
Asian Carp.--The Committee recognizes the importance of the
work conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service to combat the
serious threat of Asian carp to the ecosystem and fisheries of
the Great Lakes and provides $7,900,000 to be used specifically
on Asian carp activities. To prevent Asian carp from entering
the Great Lakes, the Committee recommends the Aquatic Invasive
Species program create a dedicated funding source to increase
the intensity and geographic scope of efforts to combat Asian
carp.
Invasive Species.--The Committee is aware that work is
ongoing in several regions to address the threats posed by
aquatic invasive species and directs the Service to continue to
make available competitive grant funding for projects to
eliminate these destructive, non-native species, which include
Asian carp, quagga-zebra mussels, and variable-leaf
watermilfoil. The Committee encourages the Service to support
research, monitoring, and mitigation efforts, as well as
efforts to disseminate such work, in all regions.
Cooperative Landscape Conservation.--Cooperative landscape
conservation is funded at $11,288,000. This is $1,000,000 below
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Within that amount,
$700,000 is provided for Gulf Coast restoration.
Science Support.--$14,985,000 is provided for science
support. This represents a decrease of $2,000,000 from fiscal
year 2016. Adaptive science is funded at $9,517,000, of which
$931,000 is for Gulf Coast restoration activities. Service
science is funded at $5,468,000.
Within Service science, $2,500,000 is provided for white-
nose syndrome research. In addition to these funds, the Service
is encouraged to continue dedicating at least $2,000,000 of
funds appropriated for species recovery to white-nose syndrome
work. The Service should also continue, along with the United
States Geological Survey, to lead and implement the North
American Bat Monitoring Program in association with other
Federal natural resource management agencies and offices,
States, and non-governmental partners.
General Operations.--$142,957,000 is provided for general
operations, a decrease of $100,000 below the fiscal year 2016
enacted level. The Director's office is funded at $1,699,000.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $23,687,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 23,740,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 16,935,000
A total appropriation of $16,935,000 has been provided for
the Construction account. This amount is $6,752,000 below the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The amount provided within the
bill is available for the following distribution of funds and
projects requested by the administration:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Chairman's
State Project estimate recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OR Clark R. Bavin National Fish and 2,500 2,500
Wildlife Forensics Lab
IL Crab Orchard NWR 400 400
NM Valle de Oro NWR 3,063 3,063
VA Harrison Lake NFH 842 842
VA Harrison Lake NFH 997 997
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAND ACQUISITION
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $68,500,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 58,655,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 47,871,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $47,871,000 for land
acquisition, an overall decrease of $20,629,000 below the
enacted level and a $10,629,000 decrease for specific land
acquisition projects. The Committee provides $2,000,000 for a
recreational access line for these purposes. The Committee
continues to support the work of the Highlands Conservation Act
grants to protect and preserve the priority projects in PA, NJ,
NY, and CT and expects the Service to include the program in
the fiscal year 2018 budget if there are eligible projects. The
amount provided within this bill is available for the following
distribution of funds and projects requested by the
administration:
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Bill
State Project estimate (Discretionary)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HI Hakalau Forest National $6,200,000 $6,200,000
Wildlife Refuge
ND/SD Dakota Grassland Conservation 8,000,000 8,000,000
Area
MT Red Rocks Lake National 2,000,000 2,000,000
Wildlife Refuge
ND/SD Dakota Tallgrass Prairie 3,000,000 3,000,000
Wildlife Management Area
MD Blackwater National Wildlife 1,200,000 1,200,000
Refuge
VA James River National Wildlife 900,000 900,000
Refuge
FL Everglades Headwaters National 2,500,000 2,500,000
Wildlife Refugre and
Conservation Area
PA Cherry Valley National Wildlife 2,200,000 2,200,000
Refuge
AR Cache River National Wildlife 1,406,000 1,406,000
Refuge
Other Projects 8,478,000 ...............
Acquisition Management 12,955,000 12,000,000
Land Protection Planning 465,000 465,000
Inholdings/Emergencies/ 5,351,000 5,000,000
Hardships
Exchanges 1,500,000 1,000,000
Sportsman/Recreational Access 2,500,000 2,000,000
Highlands Conservation .............. ...............
----------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition 58,655,000 47,871,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $53,495,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 53,495,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 53,495,000
The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
program has been provided $53,495,000, equal to the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. Funds are to be distributed as follows:
$10,508,000 for endangered species conservation grants to
States and territories; $9,485,000 for habitat conservation
planning grants; $11,162,000 for species recovery land
acquisition grants; $19,638,000 for habitat conservation land
acquisition grants; and $2,702,000 for program administration.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $13,228,000
Budget estimate, 2017...................................................
Chairman's recommendation............................... 13,228,000
The National Wildlife Refuge Fund has been provided
$13,228,000. This amount is equal to the fiscal year 2016
enacted level.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $35,145,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 35,145,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 38,145,000
The North American Wetlands Conservation Fund program has
been provided $38,145,000. This amount is $3,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $3,910,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 3,910,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 3,910,000
The recommendation for the neotropical migratory bird
conservation fund is $3,910,000 equal to the fiscal year 2016
enacted level.
MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $11,061,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 11,061,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 11,061,000
The multinational species conservation fund programs have
been provided $11,061,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016
enacted level. Funds are distributed as follows: $2,582,000 for
African elephant conservation; $3,440,000 for rhinoceros and
tiger conservation; $1,557,000 for Asian elephant conservation;
$1,975,000 for great ape conservation; and $1,507,000 for
marine turtle conservation.
STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE GRANTS
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $60,571,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 66,981,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 62,571,000
The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program has been
provided $62,571,000. This amount is $2,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommended level provides
$53,000,000 for State and tribal apportioned grants; $4,084,000
for competitive grants for tribes; and $5,487,000 for
competitive grants for States.
Pacific Flyway.--The Committee is concerned about the loss
of seasonal wetland habitat along the Pacific Flyway as a
result of the drought in California. The Committee encourages
the Service to work with private landowners and organizations
representing agriculture, conservation science, and waterbird
habitat enhancement to develop critical waterbird conservation
programs that provide temporary, seasonal, and working wetland
habitat for shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors and other species.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
The bill continues several administrative provisions from
previous years.
National Park Service
Since the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872,
the National Park System has grown to encompass 401 sites
spanning more than 84 million acres in all 50 States, the
District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico,
Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. The National Park Service,
created in 1916, is charged with preserving these sites
``unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.'' The
Service and its more than 20,000 employees also contribute to
the protection of other historical, cultural and recreational
resources through a variety of grant and technical assistance
programs.
operation of the national park system
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,369,596,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,524,362,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,405,627,000
The Committee recommends $2,405,627,000 for the operation
of the national park system, an increase of $36,031,000 above
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The National Park Service
will celebrate its centennial in fiscal year 2017 and in
acknowledgement of this milestone the administration requested
significant additional funding for the agency. The Committee
strongly supports the work of the Service and its unique
mission in not only land management and conservation, but also
in interpreting and preserving America's history and culture.
However, given budgetary constraints not all aspects of the
request could be accommodated. Program changes are detailed
below and in the table that accompanies the Committee report.
Resource Stewardship.--The Committee recommends
$328,071,000 for resource stewardship, an increase of $31,000
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level for Everglades
Restoration efforts as requested. Within the funds provided,
the service shall maintain funding for the National Capital
Area Performing Arts program at current levels.
Visitor Services.--The Committee recommends $251,280,000
for visitor services which is equal to the enacted level.
Facility Operations and Maintenance.--The Committee
recommends $763,487,000 for facility operations and
maintenance, an increase of $25,000,000 above the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. These additional funds are part of the
proposed Centennial Initiative to address the maintenance
backlog and shall be allocated equally between cyclic and
repair/rehab maintenance. The Committee notes that this
recurring base funding increase is in addition to the
$35,000,000 increase provided for these maintenance efforts in
fiscal year 2016.
Park Support.--The Committee recommends $526,641,000 for
park support, an increase of $11,000,000 above the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. The increase above the request is to fully
fund all new park units and monuments, including requested
increases for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park,
Honouliuli, and Wild and Scenic River Partnerships as well as
other critical operating needs. The final allocation of the
funds shall be provided to the Committee as part of the
Service's annual operating plan, which is due 60 days from
enactment of this act. Funding for the Roosevelt-Campobello
International Park shall be at the level detailed on page 21 of
the agency's budget justification entitled ``Special
Exhibits.'' The NPS shall continue to follow the direction
contained in the statement of managers accompanying the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113)
concerning the submission of future budget requests for the
Roosevelt-Campobello International Park. The recommendation
also provides the requested funding levels for the Valles
Caldera National Preserve and for the Belmont-Paul Women's
Equality National Monument, formerly the Sewall-Belmont House
and Museum, which is now a park service unit.
External Administrative Costs.--The Committee recommends
$180,603,000 for external administrative costs which is equal
to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Ste. Genevieve Special Resource Study.--The Committee is
pleased that the National Park Service followed congressional
direction and completed the Ste. Genevieve Special Resources
Study [SRS], which had been ongoing since 2010. The Committee
supports the addition of a new National Park Service unit at
Ste. Genevieve, which was recommended in the study. During the
comment period on the proposed SRS, residents overwhelmingly
voiced support for the addition of Ste. Genevieve as a new unit
of the National Park Service. Ste. Genevieve boasts a history
older than our nation itself and is unique as the home to the
highest concentration of vertical log buildings in the country.
The buildings are representative of French colonial
architecture and well preserved. It is critical this site has
proper recognition for the immense cultural and historical
value it provides to the country.
Point Reyes National Seashore.--The Committee notes that
multi-generational ranching and dairying is not only important
both ecologically and economically for the Point Reyes National
Seashore and surrounding community, but also entirely
consistent with Congress's intent when it first established the
Point Reyes National Seashore. The National Park Service shall,
without delay, complete and begin implementing its Ranch
Comprehensive Management Plan at the Point Reyes National
Seashore in a manner that provides for lease terms of up to 20
years, preserves park resources and supports continued historic
beef and dairy ranches in the pastoral zone of the park. Until
the date on which new permits or other authorizations are
issued pursuant to the Ranch Comprehensive Management Plan, the
Secretary shall continue to support and issue authorizations to
existing beef and dairy ranches, subject to any terms and
conditions the Secretary deems appropriate.
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park.--The
Committee supports requested funding for the Blackstone River
Valley National Historical Park with the expectation that the
Service will continue to make funds available to the local
coordinating entity to maintain staffing and capacity to assist
in management of the park, as authorized by Public Law 113-291.
Freedom Riders Park.--The Committee believes that Freedom
Riders Park, the site of the May 14, 1961 bus burning,
associated and adjacent to the Selma to Montgomery National
Historic Trail is an important national project that will be a
place for school groups, tourists and others to reflect and
learn about the historic events surrounding the Civil Rights
Movement.
Innovative Flood Control Alternatives.--The Committee is
concerned that interior flooding behind levee systems could
jeopardize public safety, Federal investments, and regional
transportation systems due to the dense, urban environment in
Washington, DC particularly in the Federal Triangle area of the
city. The Committee directs the National Park Service to work
collaboratively with the National Capital Planning Commission,
the Smithsonian Institution, affected Federal agencies and
other stakeholders (to study innovative and sustainable low
impact development alternatives to address interior flooding in
the Federal Triangle area of Washington, DC.
Nicodemus, Kansas.--Founded in 1877 by newly freed slaves,
Nicodemus, Kansas was the first African American community
settled west of the Mississippi River. The Nicodemus National
Historic Site was designated in 1996 to preserve, protect and
interpret the legacy of the community. The Committee is
encouraged by discussions between the National Park Service and
the Nicodemus Historic Society regarding a new or enhanced
cooperative agreement that will increase visitor interaction
and transfer greater control of the on-site interpretive
services of the Nicodemus National Historic Site to descendants
of Nicodemus and local community members. The Committee urges
the National Park Service to work in an expedited manner with
local community leaders to finalize such agreement. Given that
many visitors wish to explore National Park Service sites on
the weekend, the Committee also stresses the importance of
ensuring that its normal operating hours include being open on
Saturdays and Sundays.
Bottled Water Ban.--The Park Service issued a Policy
Memorandum on December 14, 2011 (11-03) that requires parks to
educate visitors about the importance of recycling and reducing
waste. In addition, the memorandum provides NPS park
supervisors the option of eliminating the sale of disposable
plastic water bottles as a measure to accomplish the goal of
reducing waste. To date, 22 NPS units have eliminated the sale
of bottled water, 13 in the Intermountain Region, 2 in the
Midwest Region, 1 in the National Capital Region, and 6 in the
Southeast Region. The Committee believes that this is a
misguided policy that makes little sense from an environmental
or health perspective. For example, the policy bans the sale of
water but still permits the sale of other options to park
visitors like soda, juice, and other sugary drinks in plastic
bottles. Moreover, independent groups have reviewed the agency
policy and found the Service does not even collect the data to
determine whether the policy has any impact on reducing waste.
The Committee expects the agency to withdraw this policy
administratively--that is the quickest, easiest solution to
resolve this issue. However, the Committee is aware of
legislative efforts in the House to overturn the policy via
statute and certainly will consider this option if the Service
is unwilling to reverse course on its own.
Director's Order 21.--Given the National Park Service
budget constraints of the last decade and the need to find
other revenue sources, Congress provided NPS authority to
expand its donor acknowledgement policies as part of Public Law
113-291. Within 90 days of enactment, the Service shall report
to the Committee on the steps that it has taken or is planning
to take in fiscal year 2017 to implement the law.
NATIONAL RECREATION AND PRESERVATION
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $62,632,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 54,392,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 62,638,000
The Committee recommends $62,638,000 for national
recreation and preservation programs, an increase of $6,000
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Natural Programs.--The Committee recommends $13,581,000 for
natural programs. As requested, a total of $2,020,000 is
included for the Chesapeake Gateways and Trails program.
Heritage Partnership Programs.--The Committee recommends
$19,821,000 for heritage partnership programs, which is equal
to the enacted level. This level of funding provides
$18,839,000 for grants to national heritage areas and $982,000
to administer the program.
In order to provide stable funding sources for all areas,
the bill provides funding for longstanding areas at fiscal year
2016 funding levels; provides a total of $300,000 to national
heritage areas with recently approved management plans, known
as tier 2 areas; and provides $150,000 to each tier 1 area that
has been authorized and is still in the process of having its
management plan approved. The Service is directed to refrain
from further funding reallocations. The Committee notes that
the Service has not provided the requested report detailing
funding alternatives for the national heritage area program as
provided by Public Law 114-113.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $65,410,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 87,410,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 67,910,000
The Committee recommends $67,910,000 for the historic
preservation fund, an increase of $2,500,000 above the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level.
The Committee recommendation provides $47,925,000 for
grants-in-aid to States and territories a $1 million increase
above the enacted level and $9,985,000 for grants-in-aid to
tribes, which is equal to the enacted level for both programs.
The Committee has provided an additional $1,500,000 above
the enacted level in support of the Civil Rights in America
portion of the Centennial Initiative for a total of
$10,000,000. These funds are available to protect and preserve
the history and sites associated with the Civil Rights
Movement, with priority given to projects focused on the near-
decade of the Movement from August 1955 to July 1963 that have
not received appropriate attention to date.
construction
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $192,937,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 252,038,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 217,320,000
The bill includes $217,320,000 for construction
requirements for the national park system, which is $24,383,000
above the enacted level. These recurring base funds are
provided in addition to the $55,000,000 increase that was
provided by the Committee in fiscal year 2016 and are in
support of the Centennial Initiative, particularly addressing
deferred maintenance needs nationwide. An additional $700,000
above the request has been included for renewable energy
projects at National Park System units.
The following table details the line item construction
activity for specific projects requested by the administration.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CONSTRUCTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman's
State Project Budget request recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DC National Mall, replace Lincoln $2,210,000 $2,210,000
Memorial Roof
NY Gateway NRA, replace electrical 9,144,000 9,144,000
infrastructure
DC White House, replace/rehab 17,160,000 17,160,000
utilities
AK Wrangell St. Elias NP, repair 4,658,000 4,658,000
Kennecott Mine structures
GA Ocmulgee National Monument, roof 2,006,000 2,006,000
repairs
WA Mt. Rainier NP, Paradise Inn 13,211,000 13,211,000
rehabilitation
MA Lowell NHP, Boott Cotton Mills 4,601,000 4,601,000
Museum rehab/fire and safety
PR San Juan NHS, Santa Elena/San 1,947,000 1,947,000
Agustin Bastions rehab
WY Yellowstone NP, Mammoth Hotel 16,126,000 16,126,000
seismic retrofit
DC National Mall, replace George 9,456,000 9,456,000
Washington screening facility
SD Jewel Cave NM, structural 6,797,000 6,797,000
upgrades
CA Yosemite NP, El Portal sewer 13,929,000 13,929,000
rehabilitation
NY Gateway NRA, structural 1,597,000 1,597,000
demolition Floyd Bennett Field
MD C&O Canal NHP, canal structure 7,770,000 7,770,000
repairs
AL Selma to Montgomery NHT, Selma 2,080,000 2,080,000
interpretive center
DC National Mall, water conveyance 7,604,000 7,604,000
rehab
VA Shenandoah NP, water system 2,003,000 2,003,000
repairs
NE Scotts Bluff NM, visitor center 3,080,000 3,080,000
rehabilitation
SD Mt. Rushmore NM, stabilization 2,089,000 2,089,000
and rehabilitation
MO Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 2,033,000 2,033,000
replace utilities
AZ Grand Canyon NP, North Rim water 10,458,000 10,458,000
distribution system
Other requested projects 13,385,000 ..............
---------------------------------
Total 153,344,000 136,276,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
land and water conservation fund
(RESCISSION)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... -$28,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... -30,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... -28,000,000
The bill includes a rescission of $28,000,000 in annual
contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 460l-10a. This
authority has not been used in recent years and there are no
plans to use it in fiscal year 2017.
land acquisition and state assistance
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $173,670,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 178,248,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 168,423,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $168,423,000 for land
acquisition and State assistance, a decrease of $5,247,000
below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level of which $58,417,000
is for land acquisition and $110,006,000 is for State
assistance. The Committee provides $2,000,000 for a
recreational access activity for the Park Service as requested.
The Committee is aware of efforts by non-Federal agencies in
helping the Federal Government leverage funds in order to
maximize funding for the management and acquisition of lands
for the Ice Age, North Country, and New England Scenic Trails.
The funding provided by the Committee for recreation access may
be available to acquire land to close gaps in the National
Scenic Trails. The Committee urges the Service to consider
geographic distribution to ensure investments for the trail
system are reflected in project prioritization. The amount
provided within this bill is available for the following
distribution of funds and projects requested by the
administration:
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Bill
State Project estimate (Discretionary)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WY Grand Teton National Park $22,500,000 $22,500,000
HI Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 6,000,000 6,000,000
ID Nez Perce National Historical 400,000 400,000
Park
AL Little River Canyon National 516,500 517,000
Preserve
Other Projects 7,897,500 ...............
Acquisition Management 10,000,000 9,000,000
Emergencies, Hardships, 3,928,000 3,000,000
Relocations and Deficiencies
Inholdings, Exchanges, 5,000,000 5,000,000
Donations
American Battlefield 10,000,000 10,000,000
Protection Grant Program
Sportsman/Recreational Access 2,000,000 2,000,000
----------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition 68,242,000 58,417,000
==================================
State Assistance Grants, 94,000,000 94,000,000
Discretionary
State Assistance Grants, 12,000,000 12,000,000
Competitive
Administrative Expenses 4,006,000 4,006,000
----------------------------------
Total, State Assistance 110,006,000 110,006,000
==================================
Total, Land Acquisition 178,248,000 168,423,000
and State Assistance
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $15,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 35,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 20,000,000
The recommendation includes $20,000,000, $5,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2016 level for the Centennial Challenge
program. This funding will be used to continue a program begun
under Public Law 110-161 that provides dedicated Federal
funding to leverage partnerships for signature projects and
programs for the national park system, including critical
infrastructure investments. The Committee expects that these
funds will be used primarily as an additional tool for the
Service to address its backlog maintenance issues. These funds
shall be used to complement increases provided in the
Operations of the National Park Service appropriation to
enhance the visitor experience and better protect cultural and
natural resources at national park system units as part of the
Service's 2017 centennial celebration. While a 1-to-1 matching
requirement is required by law for projects to qualify for
these funds, the Service is urged to give preference to
projects that demonstrate additional leveraging capacity from
its partners.
ENERGY AND MINERALS
U.S. Geological Survey
Established in 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey [USGS]
serves as the Earth and natural science research bureau for the
Department of the Interior and is the only integrated natural
resources research bureau in the Federal Government. USGS
conducts research, monitoring, and assessments to contribute to
understanding America's lands, water, and biological resources.
Its research and data products support the Department's
resource and land management needs and also provide the water,
biological, energy, and mineral resources information needed by
other Federal, State, tribal, and local government agencies to
guide planning, management, and regulatory programs. More than
9,000 scientists, technicians, and support staff of the USGS
are located in nearly 400 offices in every State and in several
foreign countries throughout the world. The USGS leverages its
resources and expertise in partnership with more than 2,000
agencies of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; the
academic community; nongovernmental organizations; and the
private sector.
SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,062,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,168,803,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,068,135,000
The bill provides $1,068,135,000 for the U.S. Geological
Survey, an increase of $6,135,000 over the fiscal year 2016
enacted level. General program reductions that accompany these
changes are detailed in the table included at the end of the
report. While the USGS appears to be adapting to new demands by
expanding its research capacity in program areas such
Ecosystems and Climate and Land Use Change, the Committee wants
to ensure that the agency is taking a balanced approach towards
implementing its program areas. The Committee directs the
Survey to report back within 180 days of enactment of this act
on what new studies and projects over $500,000 that have been
initiated within the last 1-3 fiscal years under the various
program areas.
Ecosystems.--The bill provides $157,541,000 for Ecosystems
programs, which is a decrease of $2,691,000 over the 2016
enacted level. Within the wildlife program, an additional
$250,000 is provided to continue White Nose Syndrome studies
and the funds appropriated shall continue to help lead, and
implement the North American Bat Monitoring Program in
association with other Federal natural resource management
agencies and offices, States, and non-governmental partners.
The Committee also provides an additional $250,000 for the
invasive species program to combat invasive species of national
concern. The Committee expects the base funding of $5,620,000
to continue to be used to address Asian Carp issues in the
Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River.
The Committee is aware of the work the Survey is performing
in critical landscapes such as the Arctic, Puget Sound,
California Bay Delta, Great Lakes, Columbia River, and the
Chesapeake Bay, and encourages this work to continue. The
Committee also appreciates the research that USGS is conducting
regarding the Columbia River's flow regimes and understands the
value of such research in light of the Columbia River Treaty.
The Committee urges such flow regime research to be conducted
in partnership with academic partners that have an advanced-
technology observation and prediction system in this Estuary.
Climate and Land Use Change.--The bill provides
$140,475,000 for the Climate and Land Use Change program, an
increase of $500,000 for Arctic research. Program adjustments
have been made to the sub-activities to provide an increase of
$15,400,000 for the Landsat system to stay on track with the
NASA Landsat operation and plan. The Committee is aware of the
Survey's obligations to deliver the ground system for Landsat 9
on time while maintaining support functions for other program
areas; therefore, the Committee directs the Survey to provide a
spending plan in 60 days after enactment of this act on how to
meet these obligations under the current funding levels for the
Climate and Land Use Change sub-activity.
Energy, Minerals and Environmental Health.--The bill
provides $94,511,000 for Energy, Minerals, and Environmental
Health programs, equal to the current year fiscal year 2016
enacted level. The Committee acknowledges the high quality of
research that USGS performs for all the relevant DOI agencies,
but is concerned that some scientific activities are reaching
into non-traditional program areas at a rapid pace while not
devoting enough resources to program areas such as mineral
resources.
The Committee does not accept the proposed decrease of
$1,500,000 for geophysical and remote sensing activities, and
provides an additional $1,550,000 for these activities.
Geologic and geophysical mapping and the understanding they
provide are the basis for resource discovery and without them
the mineral potential is largely unknown, therefore, the
Committee not only rejects the proposal to end these
activities, but expects this work to continue in areas
surrounding the Kugruk fault zone. It is the Committee's
expectation this funding will be used for geologic needs and
encourages the Survey to work collaboratively with State
geological surveys to focus resources toward completing the
core task of geologic mapping where there are regions of the
country that have high quality mineral and energy resources
that remain unmapped at a useable scale. The Committee also
expects a portion of this funding to be used to consult with
State geological surveys to update and conduct new evaluations
of oil and gas resources in low-permeability reservoirs. The
Committee accepts the proposed decrease of $1,550,000 for the
toxic substances hydrology program.
The Committee is concerned about our Nation's dependence on
foreign minerals. The Survey is directed to report back to the
Committee within 1 year on the extent the Survey has surveyed
the U.S. domestic mineral base. This report should include
projections and gaps in knowledge in resource assessments in
order to gain a better understanding of the needs to strengthen
mineral security. The report should also include what
commodities the Survey determines to be strategic or critical
minerals. The Survey is urged to conduct a study on the
feasibility of carbon mineralization for permanent
sequestration of carbon dioxide emissions, as described in the
recently published report, ``Rapid Carbon Mineralization for
Permanent Disposal of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Emissions,''
with specific focus on the technical feasibility and potential
sequestration sites. The Survey should consult with EPA, the
Department of Energy, and other relevant agencies.
Natural Hazards.--The bill includes $142,339,000 for
Natural Hazards programs, an increase of $3,326,000 above the
current fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Within the Earthquake
Hazards program, the Committee continues to support the early
earthquake warning event characterization activity and provides
$1,000,000 to the base level of $8,200,000 for an earthquake
early warning prototype. The Committee is concerned about the
lack of knowledge and real time instrumentation available for
the Cascadia subduction zone and the continued development of a
system for the Cascadia will help prepare for and mitigate the
negative human and economic impacts in the region in the event
of a major event.
Earthquakes have enormous potential to cause catastrophic
casualties, damage, economic loss, and disruption. Many remote
and urbanized areas across the country, including in the
Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and California, are at particular
risk of significant damage should a significant earthquake hit.
The Committee understands the National Science Foundation [NSF]
has supported temporary seismometer deployments across the
United States for the EarthScope USArray project and that once
the project is complete in a specific area the seismometers may
then be available for regional networks, States, and other
entities to adopt after the project concludes. The Committee is
aware the Survey is in the process of working on the cost
benefit proposal and spending plan for adoption of seismic
stations as directed by the Committee in Public Law 114-113. As
the Survey continues to complete this work, the Committee
expects the Survey to include an implementation plan for the
adoption of future seismic stations. The Committee provides an
additional $500,000 for the USGS Earthquake Program to fund the
purchase or maintenance of domestic and international seismic
stations.
In 2000, Congress authorized the Advanced National Seismic
System to ``establish and maintain an advanced infrastructure
for seismic monitoring throughout the United States that
operates with high performance standards . . .''. The Committee
is concerned, that after a decade and half later, not all 50
States meet the baseline earthquake detection and monitoring
standards set by this program; therefore, the Committee
provides $1,000,000 for the Earthquake Program to work with
regional seismic networks to meet the ANSS earthquake detection
standards by leveraging data from active USArray Transportable
Array stations.
The Committee is encouraged by the work to restore
monitoring networks on high-threat volcanoes and the Committee
expects the $1,000,000 provided in fiscal year 2016 for the
Volcano Hazards Program [VHP] and the additional $1,000,000
increase provided in this bill will be used to continue
deferred network maintenance of volcano hazard monitoring
stations for the highest risk volcanoes which includes a plan
for upgrading the telemetry at the networks from analog to
digital, and replacing analog seismometers with new, more
sensitive, digital seismometers. The Committee is concerned
several monitors within the VHP are not in compliance with the
Federal Communications Commission [FCC] regulations and
therefore directs the Survey to report back to the Committee
within 60 days with a funding plan that includes how many
stations are out of compliance and the cost of bringing the
stations into compliance.
The Committee remains concerned that systems and equipment
used to monitor, detect, and warn the public of volcanic and
seismic hazards, including lahars and earthquakes on high-
threat volcanoes, are outdated and inadequate to address the
substantial risks posed by those natural hazards. The Survey is
directed to report back to the Committee within 1 year of
enactment of this act on the agency's plan to repair, upgrade,
and expand monitoring, detection, and warning systems and
equipment on high-threat volcanoes.
Water Resources.--The bill includes $211,187,000 for Water
Resources, an increase of $500,000 above the current year
enacted level. Program increases include $2,000,000 for
groundwater resource studies within the Mississippi River
Alluvial Plain, $700,000 for streamflow information and
streamgages, and $500,000 for the groundwater network. The
Committee also includes $300,000 to re-establish the streamgage
on the Unuk River for water quality testing and monitoring
given the lack of quality data available for study in the
watershed. The Committee directs the Survey to enter into a
formal partnership with local tribes and other Federal agencies
as necessary in the area to develop a water quality strategy
for the area's transboundary rivers. The Committee recognizes
the need for additional groundwater research on shallow and
fractured bedrock terrain, and expects the Survey to report
back within 60 days of enactment of this act on a research
strategy that would enhance the understanding of groundwater
contamination occurrences and threats.
The Water Resources Research Act remains at the enacted
fiscal year level of $6,500,000.
Core Science Systems.--The bill includes $116,050,000 for
Core Science Systems, an increase of $4,500,000 from the
current year enacted level. Program increases include
$2,000,000 for 3D Elevation: National Enhancement and
$2,500,000 for the Alaska mapping program. The National
Geologic Cooperative Mapping program is funded at $24,397,000
with $24,299,000 provided for Science Synthesis, Analysis and
Research Program.
Science Support.--The bill includes $105,611,000 for
Science Support programs, an amount equal to the enacted level.
Facilities.--The bill includes $100,421,000 for facilities,
deferred maintenance and capital improvement, which is equal to
the current year enacted level.
The Committee supports the USGS's National Wildlife Health
Center [NWHC] and its important role in detecting novel
pathogens and emerging infectious diseases, developing rapid
diagnostic tests, conducting disease surveillance, and
designing vaccines used to control these diseases. The current
location of NWHC provides critical collaboration opportunities
that enhances the work of the center. The Committee is aware of
preliminary agency plans regarding the future of NWHC. No final
decision on possible relocation of the center shall be made
this fiscal year. Within 90 days of enactment of this act, the
Committee requests a report on how USGS future budget planning
will support the infrastructure needs at NWHC.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is responsible for
resource evaluation, environmental review, leasing activities,
and lease management for the Nation's offshore energy and
minerals resources.
OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $170,857,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 175,138,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 169,560,000
The bill provides $169,560,000 for the Ocean Energy
Management account, $1,297,000 below the enacted level. This
amount will be partially offset with the collection of
offsetting rental receipts and cost recovery fees totaling
$94,944,000.
Renewable Energy.--The bill provides $23,887,000 for
renewable energy activities, a decrease of $391,000 below the
enacted level as detailed in the request. The Bureau should
continue to work with the Department of Energy to identify and
permit a national offshore wind test site and to exchange
information with the Department and the coastal States about
the development of new technology related to the structural
material, environmental, and design safety criteria, as well as
design and performance standards, of transitional depth and
floating wind turbines. The Bureau is also expected to continue
working with coastal States and other stakeholders to study new
wind energy areas, including in shallow, transitional, and deep
(over 200 feet) waters.
Conventional Energy.--The bill provides $58,963,000 for
conventional energy activities, a decrease of $906,000 below
the enacted level. The Committee concurs with the agency
proposed reductions. The Bureau is reminded to continue to
provide quarterly reports on the status of exploration and
development plans to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations as required under the approval of the
reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Regulation and Enforcement.
Environmental Assessment.--The bill provides $68,045,000
for environmental assessment activities, equal to the enacted
level.
Executive Direction.--The bill provides $18,665,000 for
executive direction of the Bureau, including the Office of the
Director, equal to the enacted level.
Other.--The Committee recognizes the critical need to
inventory sources of sand in Federal waters and strongly
supports the Bureau's work on these efforts, particularly
through the Atlantic Sand Assessment Project. The Bureau should
continue to support and expand these efforts, particularly in
the Northeast, and work with affected coastal States to assess
the feasibility of resource extraction and reduce conflicts
with other activities, including commercial fishing.
The Committee rejects the Administration's proposal to
divert outer continental shelf [OCS] oil and gas revenues from
Gulf of Mexico coastal communities to their Coastal Climate
Resilience Program. The Committee finds this proposal to be in
direct contradiction to current law, the Gulf of Mexico Energy
Security Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-432). Since 2006, Gulf of
Mexico OCS revenues have served a necessary purpose for coastal
conservation, restoration, and hurricane protection. The
Committee believes the Administration's proposed action would
force Gulf States to shoulder the full responsibility for
environment and infrastructure costs resulting from energy
production and spontaneous meteorological events. In future
requests, the Administration should prioritize activities like
the Coastal Climate Resilience Program either within current
discretionary spending caps or find acceptable offsets that do
not take away from important critical existing needs.
Offshore Wind Energy Development.--North Carolina beaches
and historic lighthouses attract tourists from all over the
world, and any hindrance of the viewshed from shore could
greatly impact tourist revenue to the State and local economy.
Consequently, the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management shall not issue wind leases offshore that would
allow wind turbines to be constructed or located less than 24
nautical miles from the State of North Carolina shoreline.
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is
responsible for regulating and enforcing safety, environmental,
and conservation compliance during the development of the
Nation's ocean energy and mineral resources on the Outer
Continental Shelf, and oil spill research.
OFFSHORE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $189,772,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 189,968,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 189,772,000
The bill provides $189,772,000 for the Offshore Safety and
Environmental Enforcement account, commensurate with the
enacted level. This amount will be partially offset with the
collection of offsetting rental receipts, cost recovery fees,
and inspection fees, totaling $96,530,000.
Operations, Safety and Regulation.--The bill provides
$144,954,000 for operations, safety, and regulation activities,
equal to the enacted level.
Administrative Operations.--The bill provides $18,268,000
for administrative operations equal to the enacted level.
Executive Direction.--The bill provides $18,236,000 for
executive direction of the Bureau, including the Office of the
Director equal to the enacted level.
The Committee has taken a rescission of $25,000,000 from
this account given the unusually high level of unobligated
balances. This will have no impact on the safety functions
performed by the agency.
Other.--The Committee continues to be concerned about the
current downward leasing trends on the Outer Continental Shelf.
The Committee believes this trend will have a negative impact
on future production and royalties and continues to have an
immediate negative impact upon bonus bids and rentals.
The cumulative impact of rule-makings and proposed guidance
by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [BOEM] and the Bureau
of Safety and Environmental Enforcement [BSEE] and lack of
outreach and communication with the regulated community has
created uncertainty and a lack of interest for some entities to
do business in the United States. The Committee notes the
Central Gulf of Mexico recently held lease sales that generated
some of the lowest revenues in history, including during times
when commodity prices were lower.
The Committee recognizes while the Government has talented
engineers and geologists within its ranks, the Committee
understands that the private sector also has many talented
individuals with many years of experience. The Committee
strongly urges a more cooperative working relationship between
the bureaus and the regulated community. The Well-Control Rule
was the most technically complex OCS regulation ever
promulgated. The Committee believes BSEE should have had a
better process in place that could have led to better results
for industry, the regulating agencies, and the environment.
The Committee recognizes that the offshore energy industry
is now regulated by multiple bureaus. This has created a
scenario where the same entities are responding to multiple
Government agencies at the same time and occasionally seeking
the same information. The Committee directs BOEM and BSEE to
provide the Committee with a joint report demonstrating the two
agencies are coordinating future rule-makings and ensuring the
timing is such that new rule-making or proposed guidance
comment periods do not overlap with the exceptions of
emergencies.
The Committee is concerned that the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement, and its agents, may be utilizing
inappropriate tactics towards oil and gas operators, lessees
and third parties with respect to the acquisition of privately
owned helicopter fuel in the Gulf of Mexico. The Committee
strongly believes that privately owned fuel should only be
acquired with the explicit approval of its owners. In the event
the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement continues to
access and use fuel owned by third parties without their
explicit, full approval, the Committee directs the Department
of the Interior to provide an official legal opinion that
identifies the direct, specific legal and regulatory authority
that BSEE cites as authorizing the acquisition of privately
owned helicopter fuel without consent of the owner. The legal
opinion shall be provided to the Committee within 90 days of
enactment of this act.
oil spill research
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $14,899,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 14,899,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 14,899,000
The bill provides $14,899,000 for oil spill research, as
requested and equal to the enacted level.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
[OSMRE] was established in 1977 to oversee and carry out the
requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
[SMCRA] in concert with States and Indian tribes. OSMRE's
primary objectives are to ensure coal mining activities are
conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the
environment during mining, ensure the land is properly
reclaimed, and mitigate effects of past mining by reclaiming
abandoned coal mines. OSMRE addresses its mission with a mix of
grants to States and tribes to carry out their own regulatory
and reclamation programs, and the administration of OSMRE's
regulatory and reclamation programs. The Surface Mining Control
and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2006 (Public Law 109-432)
revised the mine reclamation fee distribution mechanism
beginning in fiscal year 2008. State and tribal reclamation
grants are now provided under mandatory appropriations instead
of through this bill.
REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $123,353,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 127,650,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 119,811,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $119,811,000 for
Regulation and Technology, $3,542,000 below the fiscal year
2016 enacted level.
Since fiscal year 2011, the administration has proposed to
reduce grants to State programs. This proposal has been
rejected by the full Congress each year and is once again
rejected this year. The bill funds regulatory grants at
$68,590,000, which is equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level. Program development and maintenance is funded at
$2,764,000, a reduction of $2,000,000. Additionally, State
program evaluation is funded at $7,616,000.
Stream Buffer.--The Committee is disappointed with OSMRE's
efforts to implement the directives contained in the fiscal
year 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The Committee does
not believe that OSMRE fully implemented the directive in the
manner the act required. As such, the bill includes language
that prohibits OSMRE from moving forward with the Stream Buffer
Zone rule in fiscal year 2017.
Approximate Original Contours.--The Committee understands
that OSMRE has taken aggressive actions against States with
primacy under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
1977 [SMCRA] for alleged violations of policies and regulations
pertaining to the standards in SMCRA that require land be
restored to the approximately original contour. The Committee
is concerned that OSMRE has lost multiple enforcement actions
on the merits, but continues to appeal those enforcement
actions at potentially high costs to both the Federal
Government and the small businesses that have been targeted. In
fiscal year 2017, the Committee urges OSMRE to conclude
enforcement actions in the most expeditious manner possible.
Further, within 60 days of enactment, the Committee directs
OSMRE to provide a report with details of all enforcement
actions initiated by OSMRE to ensure compliance with SMCRA's
approximate original contour requirements since 2007. The
report should include the outcomes of enforcement actions that
have concluded and the status of enforcement actions that
continue to be appealed.
ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND
Appropriations, 2015.................................... $117,303,000
Budget estimate, 2016................................... 30,375,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 117,134,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $117,134,000 for
the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, $169,000 below the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level. Of the funds provided, $27,134,000
shall be derived from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund
consistent with the fiscal year 2016 appropriation, and
$90,000,000 shall be derived from the General Fund.
The Committee provides a total of $90,000,000 for grants to
States for the reclamation of abandoned mine lands in
conjunction with economic and community development and reuse
goals. States shall use these funds to accelerate the
remediation of AML sites with economic and community
development end uses in mind. In doing so, the Committee
envisions a collaborative partnership between the State AML
programs and their respective State and local economic and
community development programs that will explore ways to return
legacy coal sites to productive reuse. The Committee notes that
these grants are provided from the General Fund and are
therefore separate from the estimated $174,000,000 in mandatory
payments from the Abandoned Mine Land fund in fiscal year 2017.
Assistance to Impacted States.--Consistent with fiscal year
2016 implementation, $75,000,000 shall be provided to the three
Appalachian States with the largest unfunded needs for the
reclamation of Priority 1 and Priority 2 sites as delineated in
the Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System. State AML programs,
in consultation with State economic and community development
authorities, shall develop a list of eligible AML projects in
Appalachian counties that have a nexus to economic and
community development, and select qualifying AML projects that
have the potential to create long-term economic benefits. State
AML programs should consider whether a model similar to the
Appalachian Regional Commission grants process could streamline
project selection, and whether an interagency agreement or
other contracting mechanisms could streamline program
implementation. Eligible grant recipients are limited to State
and local governmental entities who may subcontract project-
related activities as appropriate.
Further, the Committee believes that an incremental
approach is warranted to better understand programmatic impacts
of proposing criteria changes to the underlying law. Each State
presents unique opportunities and the Committee believes more
States can contribute to the success of the pilot. As such, the
Committee provides $15,000,000 for the next three Appalachian
States with the largest unfunded needs for the reclamation of
Priority 1 and Priority 2 sites as delineated in the Abandoned
Mine Land Inventory System. The $15,000,000 shall be divided
equally among the next three States. Eligible grant recipients
for the $15,000,000 are also limited to State and local
governmental entities who may subcontract project-related
activities as appropriate. The Committee expects that the
efforts of all six States under this pilot program will inform
future policy discussions, possibly under a reauthorization of
SMCRA, which the Committee supports.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education
The Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] was founded in 1824 to
uphold a Government-to-government relationship between the
Federal Government and tribal entities. The Federal Government
retains trust responsibility for individual Indians and tribes
as a result of formal treaties and agreements with Native
Americans.
The Bureau provides services directly or through contracts,
grants, or compacts to a population of 1.9 million American
Indians and Alaska Natives who are members of 566 federally
recognized Indian tribes in the lower 48 States and Alaska.
Programs administered by the BIA and tribes include an
education system for almost 48,000 elementary and secondary
students; 28 tribal colleges, universities and post secondary
schools; social services; natural resource management on 56
million acres of trust land; economic development; law
enforcement; administration of tribal courts; implementation of
land and water claim settlements; replacement and repair of
schools; repair and maintenance of roads and bridges; and
repair of structural deficiencies on high hazard dams.
operation of indian programs
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,267,924,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,395,786,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,326,339,000
The bill provides a total of $2,326,339,000 for the
Operations of Indian Programs account, an increase of
$58,415,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Fixed
costs and internal transfers for BIA have been included
throughout the core programs of the agencies.
Tribal Government.--The bill provides $308,686,000 for
tribal government programs, an increase of $7,169,000 over the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommendation supports
$4,645,000 for small and needy tribes. This increase in funding
will enable all small and needy tribes to receive the maximum
base level provided by the Bureau to run tribal governments.
The recommendation supports $464,000 for new tribes and notes
the challenge of reconciling the timing of the tribal
recognition process with the annual budget formulation process.
If additional tribes are recognized during fiscal year 2017
beyond those contemplated in the budget request, the Bureau is
urged to support their capacity building efforts to the extent
feasible. The Committee also provides an increase of $3,614,000
for road maintenance. The Committee is concerned about the
future funding of the Road Maintenance account and the backlog
for deferred maintenance of roads in Indian Country; therefore,
the Committee directs the Bureau to report back to the
Committee in 60 days of enactment of this act on how the Bureau
plans to allocate the funds provided in the bill.
Human Services.--The bill includes $159,161,000 for human
services programs, an increase of $12,157,000 above the enacted
level. Program increases include $7,164,000 for Social
Services, $3,305,000 for the Indian Child Welfare Act, and
$1,687,000 for the Housing Program in order to expand and
continue the Tiwahe initiative. The Committee recommends
increasing funds for Tiwahe as a way to strengthen tribal
communities in Indian country by leveraging programs and
resources; however, it is important to measure program
effectiveness as the initiative continues and grows. The
Committee directs the Bureau to report back in 90 days of
enactment of this act on the performance measures being used to
monitor and track the initiative's effectiveness in Indian
country.
Trust--Natural Resources Management.--The recommendation
includes $201,992,000 for trust and natural resources programs,
an increase of $10,146,000 above the enacted level. Within this
amount, $39,661,000 is provided for rights protection
implementation programs, an increase of $2,023,000 above the
enacted level; $12,905,000 for irrigation operations and
maintenance, an increase of $1,507,000 above the enacted level;
$54,155,000 for forestry thinning activities, an increase of
$2,241,000 above the enacted level; and $16,203,000 for Fish,
Wildlife, and Parks, an increase of $2,557,000. The Committee
recommends an increase of $2,000,000 for the Tribal Management/
Development Program for Alaska subsistence programs as
requested, which includes consideration of funding for the
projects and pilot programs referenced in the budget
submission.
Within the increases provided for Fish, Wildlife, and
Parks, the Committee recommends $545,000 for substantially
producing tribal hatcheries in BIA's Northwest Region currently
not receiving BIA hatchery operations funding. Also within the
amounts provided, the Committee expects the Bureau to make
$300,000 available for tribal trust fishery resources, and
$1,700,000 for fish hatchery operations and maintenance
programs.
The Committee directs the Bureau to enter into a formal
partnership with local tribes and the United States Geological
Survey to help develop a water quality strategy for
transboundary rivers including the Unuk River.
The Committee also recognizes that many tribes west of the
Mississippi River tend to have reservations that are larger in
terms of land mass than those east of the Mississippi River and
face challenges including drought. However, the Committee
expects that tribes across the country who have resource
challenges receive appropriate funding.
Trust-Real Estate Services.--The bill includes
$123,092,000, for trust-real estate services programs, a
decrease of $4,394,000 from the enacted level. The Committee
accepts the proposed reduction of $6,893,000, as requested. The
decrease eliminates funding for economic development that
supported the Klamath River Basin Agreement which is not
required in fiscal year 2017. The Committee does include
$1,500,000 to support tribes' capacity to engage in settlement
negotiations and implementation related to water rights and
tribal trust fishery resources in the Klamath Basin. The
Committee also includes an increase of $400,000 for the Alaska
Native programs which includes the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act [ANSCA] Historical Places and Cemetery Sites
program that certifies claims for historical places and
cultural sites.
Education.--The bill includes $874,159,000 for educational
programs, an increase of $21,792,000 above the enacted level.
Program increases include: $8,396,000 for ISEP formula funds to
support a level of $400,233,000; $2,019,000 for the education
program enhancements to support a level of $14,201,000;
$2,039,000 for early child and family development to support a
level of $17,659,000; $2,059,000 for tribal grant support costs
to support a level of $75,335,000; $1,603,000 for student
transportation to support a level of $54,745,000; $3,121,000
for facilities maintenance to support a level of $66,219,000;
$3,156,000 for facilities operation to support a level of
$59,043,000. Program increases for post-secondary programs
include $2,127,000 for Haskell and SIPI to support a level of
$22,117,000; $503,000 for Tribal Technical Colleges to support
a level of $7,414,000; and $2,000,000 for education information
technology to support a level of $10,283,000.
The administration is commended for its continued focus on
tribal education programs, including efforts to improve
collaboration between the Departments of the Interior and
Education and to implement Executive Order 13592 to improve
educational outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native
students. It is noted the administration is currently in the
process of making much needed reforms to the Bureau of Indian
Education [BIE] to improve the quality of education offered to
address the performance gap of students educated at BIE-funded
schools. The first phase of the reform effort was approved in
2015; however, the Bureau has not provided sufficient
information to the Committee on the progress of implementing
the first phase of reform nor has the Bureau provided
sufficient information on the second phase of reform. The
Committee is fully supportive of efforts to reform the Bureau
in order to improve the quality of education and services
provided to schools funded by the Bureau, particularly with
respect to facilities maintenance and improvement needs.
However, the Committee is very concerned that the Bureau
continues to struggle to provide basic detail about proposed
organizational and budgetary changes associated with the
administration's reform efforts, including significant
increases proposed in the request. As a result, funding
increases proposed for the education program management
activity have been withheld until the Bureau can better justify
its request.
The Committee is concerned that the Bureau has been unable
to provide sufficient detail regarding how the education
program enhancements funds will be allocated in fiscal year
2017. The Committee is also concerned that the Bureau has
failed to fully account for the proposed costs of its new
Education Resource Centers, which are now partially funded.
Within 30 days of enactment of this act, the Bureau is directed
to provide to the Committee a report that includes: (1) a
detailed allocation of the activities funded through the
education program enhancement program for fiscal year 2015,
2016 and 2017; and (2) a line-item budget for the Bureau's
Education Resource Centers for fiscal year 2016 and 2017,
including all sources of funding they are expected to receive.
The Committee remains concerned the Office of the Assistant
Secretary-Indian Affairs, which includes the Bureau of Indian
Education [BIE], and the Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] has not
addressed the findings or implemented 11 of 13 recommendations
in the Government Accountability Office [GAO] reports (GAO-13-
774, GAO-14-121, and GAO-16-313). These reports outline
systemic problems with management and the safety condition of
BIE schools, such as lack of oversight over school spending and
facilities, including construction, operation, maintenance,
basic repair, and safety upgrades needed to improve the
condition of schools that serve Indian Country. The Committee
stands ready to work with the administration on the appropriate
steps forward and directs the Office of the Assistant
Secretary-Indian Affairs to report back within 30 days of
enactment of this act on the progress made towards implementing
the GAO recommendations.
The Committee fully supports broadening access to Native
language and culture programs, which have been linked to higher
academic achievement for Native youth. The Committee is pleased
to see that the proposed increase for the ISEP program is
expected to enhance access to Native language and culture
programs in BIE-funded schools and directs the Bureau to report
within 60 days of enactment that details how the increases
provided in this bill will be used to support these programs.
The Committee remains concerned about the distribution
methodology of the Johnson O'Malley assistance grants and
requests the Bureau report back to the Committee within 30 days
of enactment of this act on the status of updating the JOM
counts and the methodology used to determine the new counts.
The Committee strongly supports the work that tribal
colleges and universities do to provide high quality,
affordable higher education opportunities to Native students.
The Committee's recommendation provides the requested
$2,000,000 increase above the enacted level for the operations
of Haskell and SIPI universities and supports the requested
levels for Tribal Technical Colleges and postsecondary
programs. The Committees provided sufficient funding to forward
fund the Tribal Technical Colleges in fiscal year 2016 and
continues to believe there should be parity in the way that all
tribal colleges receive assistance and are funded. The
Committee encourages the Bureau to look for ways to forward
fund Haskell and SIPI in future budget requests so that all
tribal colleges are on the same funding schedule.
The Committee also recognizes that many tribal colleges
have significant unfunded needs and directs the Bureau to work
with tribal leaders and other stakeholders to develop a
consistent methodology for determining tribal college operating
needs to inform future budget requests. The Committee expects
the methodology to address operating and infrastructure needs
including classrooms and housing.
The administration's emphasis on education must be
complemented by efforts to improve interagency coordination for
the multiplicity of programs that affect the wellbeing of
Native children. In addition to education, these include
healthcare, social service, child welfare and juvenile justice
programs. The Committee encourages the Bureau to work with
other relevant Federal, State, local, and tribal organizations
to begin the process of identifying ways to make programs more
effective in serving Native Children.
The Committee understands the importance of bringing
broadband to reservations and villages and includes an
additional $2,000,000 in this bill to partially fund this
effort. The Committee directs the Agency to report back within
90 days of enactment of this act on a scalable plan to increase
bandwidth in schools, procure computers, and software.
Within the funding provided for the Early Childhood and
Family Development Program, the Bureau shall not reduce funding
for currently operating Family and Child Education programs.
The Bureau, working with the Indian Health Service as
appropriate, is also urged to consider integrating school-based
preventative health services such as dental care into
elementary schools in order to improve health outcomes of
tribal students.
The Committee recognizes the importance Alaska Native
boarding schools play in the education and development of
Alaska Native youth. The Committee encourages and recommends
the Bureau take steps to ensure these schools receive
sufficient support that allows them to help students
effectively transition to post-secondary and career options.
Public Safety and Justice.--The bill includes $386,921,000
for public safety and justice programs, an increase of
$9,498,000 above the enacted level. The program increases
support a level of $203,191,000 for criminal investigations and
police services, $96,507,000 for detention and corrections,
$16,245,000 for tribal justice support, and $30,753,000 for
tribal courts.
The Committee does not accept the proposed $8,206,000
decrease for tribal justice support and restores this amount to
ensure $10,000,000 remains available to address the needs of
Public Law 83-280 States. The Committee remains concerned about
the tribal courts needs as identified in the Indian Law and
Order Commission's November 2013 report which notes Federal
investment in tribal justice for Public Law 83-280 States has
been more limited than elsewhere in Indian Country. The
Committee expects the Bureau to work with Indian tribes and
tribal organizations to consider options that promote, sustain,
design, or pilot tribal court systems for tribal communities
subject to full or partial State jurisdiction under Public Law
83-280. As part of this process, the Bureau should conduct
meaningful consultations with tribes and tribal organizations
and the Committee expects the Bureau to have extensive
communication with tribes on how this funding may result in a
strategic plan identifying the funding and technical
infrastructure needs for these States.
The Committee is also aware the Bureau has not submitted
reports required by the Tribal Law and Order Act, Public Law
111-211. Providing this information would help ensure tribal
governments are receiving funding levels for public safety and
justice programs based on need; therefore, the Committee
strongly encourages the Bureau submit this annual report.
Community and Economic Development.--The bill provides
$41,844,000 for community and economic development programs, an
increase of $1,225,000 above the enacted level. Program
increases included $1,059,000 for the job placement and
training program and $151,000 for minerals and mining program.
The Committee is concerned the Bureau has not maintained
sufficient digital records for the oil and gas programs and
understands the Bureau has developed a National Indian Oil and
Gas Evaluation Management System [NIOGEMS] which has been
distributed to some tribes and regional offices. The Committee
instructs the Bureau to report back within 120 days of
enactment of this act on the cost to further expand this system
to more reservations and offices. The Committee is also
concerned about the status of the new Energy Service Center
which is supposed to help facilitate energy development in
Indian Country. The Committee directs the Bureau to report back
in 120 days of enactment of this act on the progress of opening
this office and outline any obstacles that may delay the
opening of the Center.
Executive Direction and Administrative Services.--The bill
includes $230,484,000 for executive direction and
administrative services, an increase of $822,000 above the
enacted level.
The Committee is concerned that the Bureau's budget does
not adequately fund operating costs for treaty fishing sites on
the Columbia River that were authorized to be set aside by
Congress by Public Law 79-14 and title IV of Public Law 100-581
to allow tribes access to fishing locations in lieu of
traditional fishing grounds that were compromised by dams. The
Bureau is directed to work with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and affected tribes and provide a report to the
Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of enactment of
this act that details the amounts needed to fully fund
operating and law enforcement needs at such sites. The Bureau
is also urged to incorporate any unfunded needs identified by
the requested report in future budget requests.
Rights of Way.--The Committee is aware that the Bureau's
process for maintaining rights-of-way records has long been a
problem and encourages the Bureau to develop a plan to update
and digitize its inventory of records and to make the records
publicly available in a commonly used mapping format. The
Committee is concerned that some records have been lost and the
Bureau often struggles to provide documentation to tribes and
other stakeholders in a timely fashion. The lack of access to
current records creates bureaucratic roadblocks that too often
disrupt projects on Indian land and create unnecessary
conflict. Updating and digitizing rights-of-way documents and
making them available on a public database will ensure that the
BIA is fulfilling its responsibility to tribes and will help
ensure that projects are completed in a more timely and cost-
effective manner.
CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $277,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 278,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 278,000,000
Contract Support Costs.--The Committee has continued
language from fiscal year 2016 establishing an indefinite
appropriation for contract support costs estimated to be
$278,000,000, which is an increase of $1,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2016 level. The Committee believes fully funding
these costs will ensure that tribes have the necessary
resources they need to deliver program services efficiently and
effectively. The Committee also modified the language to delete
a provision that contradicted certain provisions of the Indian
Self Determination Act.
CONSTRUCTION
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $193,973,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 197,017,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 192,017,000
The bill includes a total appropriation of $192,017,000 for
the Construction account. This amount is a decrease of
$1,956,000 below the enacted level. The decrease is attributed
to the one time funding amount of $5,000,000 provided in fiscal
year 2016 as outlined in the joint explanatory statement
accompanied by Public Law 114-113. The Committee understands
many schools are in need of repair, improvement, and upgrades
in order to bring schools into good condition. The Committee
stands ready to work with the administration and tribes to
develop a comprehensive strategy that provides safe,
functional, and accessible facilities for schools. The
Committee directs the Bureau to report back within 90 days of
enactment of this act on the progress the Bureau has made
towards implementing a long-term facilities plan similar to the
Department of Defense [DOD] process in 2009 as encouraged in
the joint explanatory statement accompanied by Public Law 114-
113. Details of the recommendation are contained in the table
that accompanies this statement.
INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIMS SETTLEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS TO
INDIANS
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $49,475,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 55,155,000.
Chairman's recommendation............................... 49,475,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $49,475,000 for
the Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements account which is
equal to the enacted level. The Committee appreciates the
importance of settling the numerous land and water settlements
and directs the Department to submit a spending plan to the
Committee within 90 days of enactment of this act for how it
plans to allocate the funds provided by the bill for the
specific settlements detailed in the budget request.
INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $7,748,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 7,757,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 8,748,000
The bill includes a total appropriation of $8,748,000 for
the Indian Guaranteed Loan account. This amount is an increase
of $1,000,000 above the enacted level. The total loan principal
provided is not to exceed $119,907,851.
Departmental Offices
Office of the Secretary
DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $721,769,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 278,376,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 265,000,000
The bill includes a total appropriation of $265,000,000 for
the Office of the Secretary account. This amount is
$456,769,000 below the enacted level. The large reduction is
explained by moving PILT to a separate appropriation.
Leadership and Administration.--The recommendation includes
an appropriation of $121,885,000 for the leadership and
administration activity, $1,000,000 below the enacted level.
Within leadership and administration programs, the Committee
has provided the amounts requested for community development
programs.
The Committee is deeply concerned with the direction of the
Office of the Secretary and its role in implementing policies
which have led to the erosion of programs that generate
royalties to the Treasury. The unnecessary Federal coal leasing
moratorium will have a highly significant impact upon revenues
that would otherwise accrue to the Treasury. In addition, oil
and gas leasing is at an all-time low, a trajectory that began
long before the presence of low commodity prices. The
Department has been delegated duties and responsibilities
beyond those relating to its conservation mission. Congress has
provided no direction to cease or fundamentally alter
activities or authorities under the Mineral Leasing Act and it
is the duty of the Secretary to follow the direction of
Congress in faithfully administering these programs, unless
otherwise directed by Congress.
The Committee is also concerned about raising royalty rates
at a time of weak interest in Federal resources, a weak
interest that results, at least is significant measure, due to
policies hostile to development on Federal lands. The Committee
directs the Secretary not to raise royalty rates until such
time as the Secretary can formally report to the Committee and
justify, using economic data, how the raising of royalty rates
will lead to greater interest in Federal resources that belong
to the taxpayer and how higher rates will ultimately result in
a better return on the taxpayer's resources.
As noted above, the Committee continues to be concerned
about Secretarial Order 3338 which placed a moratorium on coal
leasing until the completion of a new Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement. The Committee believes the
Secretarial order will have significant consequences for States
that share in mineral revenues through the Mineral Leasing Act.
These State budgets often rely upon a steady stream of revenues
from Federal minerals within the individual State borders. The
Committee believes the impact of this decision will have
lasting negative consequences for the States and the U.S.
Treasury.
Management Services.--The bill provides an appropriation of
$21,365,000 for the management services activity, equal to the
enacted level.
Natural Resources Revenue.--The bill includes an
appropriation of $121,750,000 for the natural resources revenue
activity, $3,769,000 below the enacted level.
The Committee is concerned with the Office of Natural
Resources Revenue's [ONRR] coal valuation rule. The Committee
is concerned on a number of fronts. It appears this rule is
meant to solve problems of royalty evasion or underpayment that
both the Government Accountability Office and the Department's
Office of Inspector General found are not industry wide. In the
Committee's opinion, ONRR would be better served enforcing
actions on violators instead of promulgating new regulations
that potentially harm an entire industry. The Committee is also
concerned about ONRR's interest under the rule to ``exercise
considerable discretion''. The Committee notes that an
excessive amount of agency discretion, including the adjustment
of royalty rates could lead to abuse. The Committee directs
ONRR to brief the Committee on the rule and how it will use its
discretion within 90 days of enactment.
Lease Terminations.--The Office of Natural Resources
Revenue is directed to work with the Bureau of Land Management
on the direction regarding Lease Terminations found in the
report language relating to the Bureau of Land Management.
The Committee understands that if the proposed funding
levels are maintained for at least one additional year the
Office of Navajo and Hopi Relocation [OHNIR] may close in 2018.
The Committee directs the Secretary, in consultation with the
Office of Navajo and Hopi Relocation [OHNIR], to report back to
the Committee within 90 days detailing the functions of the
OHNIR that could be transferred to the Department of Interior.
It is the Committee's expectation this report include any costs
associated with a potential transfer and any costs to maintain
ongoing activities of the OHNIR. This report should also
include a legal analysis examining whether any potential office
closure would require enacting legislation to transfer or
maintain any identified functions to another agency or
organization.
Insular Affairs
The Office of Insular Affairs [OIA] was established on
August 4, 1995, through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also
abolished the former Office of Territorial and International
Affairs. OIA has administrative responsibility for coordinating
Federal policy in the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands [CNMI], and oversight of Federal programs and
funds in the freely associated states of the Federated States
of Micronesia [FSM], the Republic of the Marshall Islands
[RMI], and the Republic of Palau.
Following the expiration of the first Compact of Free
Association in 2003, a new Compact of Free Association was
negotiated between the United States and the states of FSM and
RMI. Under the Compact, the status of free association
recognizes each Freely Associated State as a sovereign state
with the capacity to conduct foreign affairs consistent with
the terms of the Compact. The Compact places full
responsibility for defense with the United States. The Compact
also provides grant funds and Federal program assistance,
principally through the Department of the Interior.
assistance to territories
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $86,976,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 99,399,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 93,870,000
The bill includes $93,870,000 for assistance to
territories, $6,894,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level.
Within these amounts, the bill includes a total of
$3,000,000 to continue discretionary grants to mitigate the
impact of Compact-related migration on affected jurisdictions,
as authorized by section 104(e) of Public Law 108-188. This
amount is equal to the fiscal year 2016 level. As in previous
years, the Department shall allocate these grants in
conjunction with other currently authorized mandatory grants in
order to help offset educational costs incurred by these
jurisdictions. The recommendation also includes a total of
$3,000,000 for brown tree snake removal activities.
The bill recognizes that the Office of Insular Affairs'
most impactful spending is through projects to improve
education, drinking water, sanitation, health, safety,
transportation, reliability of power, improving availability of
technology, including through fiber optics, and economic
opportunity and sustainability. The agreement directs these
funds to be awarded accordingly and does not provide funding
for new initiatives proposed in the budget request.
Additionally, the Office of Insular Affairs is directed to
continue to award non-competitive technical assistance funds to
support investments in civic education programs for Insular
Area students.
The Office is directed to coordinate with the Forest
Service and other applicable entities to prepare a report on
activities to implement the Regional Biosecurity Plan for
Micronesia and Hawaii within 180 days of enactment. The report
shall include an update of Department of the Interior and
Forest Service accomplishments in implementation of the RBP in
the previous fiscal year. The report shall also include the
agencies' planned activities for further implementation of the
RBP.
American Samoa Operations Grants/American Samoa
Construction.--The bill provides $22,752,000 for grants to
American Samoa, equal to the enacted level.
CNMI/Covenant Grants.--The recommendation includes
$27,720,000 for covenant grants, equal to the enacted level.
compact of free association
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $16,465,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 3,318,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 16,465,000
The bill includes $16,465,000 for Compact of Free
Association programs, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level. Within the funds provided, the Committee has provided
$500,000 for Enewetak support, in agreement with the request.
Language has been included in the title I general
provisions section to extend the eligibility for the Republic
of Palau to receive Federal aid until a new Compact of Free
Association is enacted by Congress.
Office of the Solicitor
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $65,800,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 69,448,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 65,758,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $65,758,000 for
the Office of the Solicitor, $42,000 below the enacted level.
Office of Inspector General
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $50,047,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 55,911,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 50,047,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $50,047,000 for
the Office of Inspector General, equal to the enacted level.
Office of Special Trustee for American Indians
The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
holds responsibility for approximately 56 million acres of
land, with more than 10 million acres belonging to individual
Indians and 46 millions acres held in trust for Indian tribes.
FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $139,029,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 140,379,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 139,029,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $139,029,000 for the
``Federal Trust Programs'' account, equal to the fiscal year
2016 level. The recommendation includes a total appropriation
of $19,632,000 for historical accounting activities.
Department-wide Programs
wildland fire management
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Department's Wildland Fire Management account funds
fire prevention, readiness, suppression, and rehabilitation
activities performed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of
Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
National Park Service.
Appropriations, 2016\1\................................. $993,745,000
Budget estimate, 2017\2\................................ 1,114,624,000
Chairman's recommendation\3\............................ 1,113,962,000
\1\Includes $177,000,000 appropriated under the FLAME Wildfire
Suppression Reserve Account.
\2\Includes $290,000,000 for suppression designated as disaster pursuant
to pending congressional action.
\3\Includes $171,291,000 for suppression designated as emergency.
The bill provides a total appropriation of $1,113,962,000
for wildland fire management, an increase of $120,217,000 above
the enacted level. This includes $171,291,000 provided with an
emergency designation, for additional suppression resources.
This bill includes a proposal for a permanent fix to end fire
borrowing and make wildfire budgeting sustainable. Funding
levels for each subactivity can be found in the table at the
end of this statement and in the following budget activity
narrative.
Fire Operations.--The bill provides $727,784,000 for
wildfire preparedness and suppression, an increase of
$112,426,000 above the enacted level. This amount includes
$332,784,000 for preparedness and $395,000,000 for fire
suppression operations. As noted, the bill provides
$171,291,000, with an emergency designation, for additional
suppression resources that the Department can access in lieu of
the President's budget proposal to provide this amount within
the disaster cap. These emergency funds are only available if
discretionary funds for suppression are exhausted.
Other Operations.--The bill provides $214,887,000 for other
wildland fire management operations, an increase of $13,500,000
above the enacted level. This includes $180,000,000 for
hazardous fuels reduction, $20,470,000 for burned area
rehabilitation, $8,427,000 for fire facilities, and $5,990,000
for joint fire science. Within the amount provided for
hazardous fuels reduction, $20,000,000 is available for
resilient landscape activities.
The Committee notes the importance of proactive actions
that protect communities and habitat from catastrophic
wildfire. For example, a fire break was created by a
partnership between the State of Alaska, Fish and Wildlife
Service, and private landowners in the Kenai Peninsula of
Alaska as a preventative measure prior to the start of the
Funny River Fire. This fire break prevented a destructive fire
from needlessly destroying homes and threatening lives. Within
the additional funds provided for hazardous fuels management,
the Department should increase efforts to partner with other
Federal and non-Federal entities to proactively prevent and
fight wildfire.
CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $10,010,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 13,513,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 10,010,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $10,010,000 for the
Central Hazardous Materials Fund, equal to the enacted level.
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $7,767,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 9,229,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 7,767,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $7,767,000 for
the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, an amount equal to
the enacted level. The detailed allocation of funding by
activity is included in the table at the end of this
explanatory report.
WORKING CAPITAL FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $67,100,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 111,524,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 67,100,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $67,100,000 for
the Working Capital Fund. This amount is equal to the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level.
PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $452,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017...................................................
Chairman's recommendation............................... 480,000,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $480,000,000 for
Payments in Lieu of Taxes [PILT]. This amount is $28,000,000
above the enacted level and sufficient to fully fund estimated
payments for the fiscal year. A separate appropriation has been
established to fund PILT outside of the Office of the
Secretary.
General Provisions
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Title I of the bill includes ``General Provisions,
Department of the Interior'', which are various legislative
provisions affecting the Department. Several of these
provisions have been carried in previous years and others are
newly proposed this year. The provisions are:
Sec. 101. Provides secretarial authority for the intra-
bureau transfer of program funds for expenditures in cases of
emergency when all other emergency funds are exhausted.
Sec. 102. Provides for the department-wide expenditure or
transfer of funds by the Secretary in the event of actual or
potential emergencies including forest fires, range fires,
earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, storms, oil spills,
grasshopper and Mormon cricket outbreaks, and surface mine
reclamation emergencies.
Sec. 103. Provides for use of appropriated funds by the
Secretary for contracts, rental cars and aircraft, certain
library memberships, and certain telephone expenses.
Sec. 104. Provides for the transfer of unobligated balances
from the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the Office of Special
Trustee for American Indians for expenditure or transfer for
Indian trust management activities.
Sec. 105. Permits the redistribution of tribal priority
allocation and tribal base funds to alleviate funding
inequities.
Sec. 106. Authorizes the acquisition of lands for the
purpose of operating and maintaining facilities that support
visitors to Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands.
Sec. 107. Authorizes Outer Continental Shelf inspection
fees to be collected by the Secretary of the Interior.
Sec. 108. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to
continue the reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement.
Sec. 109. Provides the Secretary of the Interior with
authority to enter into multi-year cooperative agreements with
nonprofit organizations for long-term care of wild horses and
burros.
Sec. 110. Provides for the humane transfer of excess wild
horses.
Sec. 111. Prohibits funds from being used to list the
lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened or endangered species.
Sec. 112. Addresses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
responsibilities for mass marking of salmonid stocks.
Sec. 113. Continues prohibition on Secretarial Order No.
3310.
Sec. 114. Allows the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of
Indian Education to more efficiently and effectively perform
reimbursable work.
Sec. 115. Addresses the issuance of rules for sage-grouse.
Sec. 116. Extends authorization for certain payments to the
Republic of Palau for fiscal year 2017.
Sec. 117. Prohibits funds from being used to implement a
Fish and Wildlife Service regulation.
Sec. 118. Extends a provision limiting funding for any
proposal to approve specified rights-of-way or similar
authorizations on the Mojave National Preserve or lands managed
by the Needles Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management.
Sec. 119. Requires reissuance of final rules regarding the
gray wolf.
Sec. 120. Provides authority for the Department of the
Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit
organizations designated under the Older Americans Act.
Sec. 121. Funding prohibition for the Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Sec. 122. Authorizes land exchange between the State of
Alaska and the Department of the Interior for the purpose of
construction of a one-lane, life-saving road from King Cove to
Cold Bay, Alaska.
Sec. 123. Boundary Adjustment, Natchez National Historical
Park.
Sec. 124. Renames ``Olympic Wilderness'' in the Olympic
National Park after Daniel J. Evans. Any reference in a law,
map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United
States to the Olympic Wilderness shall be deemed to be a
reference to the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness.
Sec. 125. Special resource study to preserve Civil Rights
sites.
Sec. 126. Reconstitutes the Royalty Policy Committee to
provide additional public input.
Sec. 127. Modifies the Continuous Operations rule.
TITLE II
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Program Description
The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] was created
through Executive Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, designed
to consolidate certain Federal Government environmental
activities into a single agency. The plan was submitted by the
President to the Congress on July 8, 1970, and the EPA was
established as an independent agency in the executive branch on
December 2, 1970, by consolidating 15 components from 5
departments and independent agencies.
A description of EPA's pollution control programs by media
follows:
Air.--The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 authorize a
national program of air pollution research, regulation,
prevention, and enforcement activities.
Water Quality.--The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended, provides the framework for protection of the Nation's
surface waters. The law recognizes that it is the primary
responsibility of the States to prevent, reduce, and eliminate
water pollution. The States determine the desired uses for
their waters, set standards, identify current uses and, where
uses are being impaired or threatened, develop plans for the
protection or restoration of the designated use. They implement
the plans through control programs such as permitting and
enforcement, construction of municipal waste water treatment
works, and nonpoint source control practices. The act also
regulates discharge of dredge or fill material into waters of
the United States, including wetlands.
Drinking Water.--The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as
amended in 1996, charges EPA with the responsibility of
implementing a program to assure that the Nation's public
drinking water supplies are free of contamination that may pose
a human health risk, and to protect and prevent the
endangerment of ground water resources which serve as drinking
water supplies.
Hazardous Waste.--The Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act of 1976 [RCRA] mandated EPA to develop a regulatory program
to protect human health and the environment from improper
hazardous waste disposal practices. The RCRA Program manages
hazardous wastes from generation through disposal.
EPA's responsibilities and authorities to manage hazardous
waste were greatly expanded under the Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments of 1984. Not only did the regulated universe of
wastes and facilities dealing with hazardous waste increase
significantly, but past mismanagement practices, in particular
prior releases at inactive hazardous and solid waste management
units, were to be identified and corrective action taken. The
1984 amendments also authorized a regulatory and implementation
program directed to owners and operators of underground storage
tanks.
The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act
of 2012 amended subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to
establish an electronic means of tracking wastes subject to
RCRA regulation. Appropriations to the Hazardous Waste
Electronic Manifest Fund support development, operation,
maintenance, and upgrading of the hazardous waste electronic
manifest system.
Pesticides.--The objective of the pesticide program is to
protect the public health and the environment from unreasonable
risks while permitting the use of necessary pest control
approaches. This objective is pursued by EPA under the Food
Quality Protection Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and
the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2012
through three principal means: (1) review of existing and new
pesticide products; (2) enforcement of pesticide use rules; and
(3) research and development to reinforce the ability to
evaluate the risks and benefits of pesticides.
Radiation.--The radiation program's major emphasis is to
minimize the exposure of persons to ionizing radiation, whether
from naturally occurring sources, from medical or industrial
applications, nuclear power sources, or weapons development.
Toxic Substances.--The Toxic Substances Control Act
establishes a program to stimulate the development of adequate
data on the effects of chemical substances on health and the
environment, and institute control action for those chemicals
which present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the
environment. The act's coverage affects more than 60,000
chemicals currently in commerce, and all new chemicals.
Multimedia.--Multimedia activities are designed to support
programs where the problems, tools, and results are cross media
and must be integrated to effect results. This integrated
program encompasses the EPA's research, enforcement, and
abatement activities.
Superfund.--The Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 established a national
program to protect public health and the environment from the
threats posed by inactive hazardous waste sites and
uncontrolled spills of hazardous substances. The original
statute was amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986. Under these authorities, EPA
manages a hazardous waste site clean-up program including
emergency response and long-term remediation.
Brownfields.--The Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 as amended by the Small
Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of
2002 establishes a national program to assess, cleanup, and
provide support to States, tribes, local communities, and other
stakeholders to work together to develop Brownfields.
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks.--The Leaking Underground
Storage Tank [LUST] Program addresses petroleum releases from
federally regulated underground storage tanks. It was created
in 1986 when Congress amended subtitle I of the Solid Waste
Disposal Act. EPA implements the LUST response program
primarily through cooperative agreements with the States. In
2005, the Energy Policy Act expanded eligible uses of the Trust
Fund to include certain leak prevention activities.
Inland Oil Spill.--The Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
as amended by section 4202 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990,
established a national program to help prepare for, and respond
to, any oil spill affecting the inland waters of the United
States.
Science and Technology
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $734,648,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 754,184,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 695,910,000
The bill provides $695,910,000 for science and technology
activities with an additional $15,496,000 to be paid from
Hazardous Substance Superfund to fund ongoing research
activities authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended. This amount
is $38,738,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. A
detailed allocation of funding by program is included in the
table that accompanies this report. Additional changes to the
request are detailed below
Clean Air and Climate.--$104,886,000 is provided for clean
air and climate activities. This amount is $11,655,000 below
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Indoor Air and Radiation.--$5,997,000 is provided for
indoor air and radiation activities. This amount is equal to
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The proposed elimination of
radon activities has been rejected.
Homeland Security.--$36,765,000 is provided for homeland
security activities. This amount is a decrease of $358,000
below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Pesticides Licensing.--$5,289,000 is provided for pesticide
program activities. This amount is a decrease of $738,000 below
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Research: National Priorities.--The bill provides
$5,000,000, which shall be used for extramural research grants,
independent of the Science to Achieve Results [STAR] grant
program, to fund high-priority water quality and availability
research by not-for-profit organizations who often partner with
the Agency. Funds shall be awarded competitively with priority
given to partners proposing research of national scope and who
provide a 25-percent match. The Agency is directed to allocate
funds to grantees within 180 days of enactment of this act.
Research: Air, Climate, and Energy.--$82,715,000 is
provided for the air, climate, and energy research program.
This amount is a decrease of $9,191,000 below the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. The funding requested to engage in
additional research related to hydraulic fracturing is not
provided.
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources.--
$106,275,000 is provided for safe and sustainable water
resources research. This amount is $1,177,000 below the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level. The Committee notes that the Agency
has indicated that it will complete its assessment related to
hydraulic fracturing in 2016. The assessment was first
requested in 2010 and it is the Committee's view that the
Agency has spent substantial time and resources on this topic.
As such, no additional funding for hydraulic fracturing
research is provided.
Research: Sustainable Communities.--$134,327,000 has been
provided for research activities for sustainable communities.
This amount is $5,648,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level.
Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability.--$126,058,000
is provided for the chemical safety and sustainability program.
This amount is a reduction of $872,000 below the fiscal year
2016 enacted level.
Within the funds provided, $1,000,000 shall be used to
contract with the National Academy of Sciences [NAS] to conduct
the peer review of the revised draft IRIS assessment of
formaldehyde. The review shall ensure that all recommendations
and concerns raised in the April 2011 report of the NAS are
fully addressed in the revised draft assessment.
Additional Guidance.--The Committee has provided the
following additional guidance with respect to funding provided
under this account.
Computational Toxicology.--The Committee supports the
Agency's computational toxicology research activities to
advance the next generation of risk assessment methods to
enable integration of tiered toxicity evaluation strategies,
advanced high throughput molecular biological assays and
computational methods with exposure information to support
risk-based decisions for privatization and screening. The
Committee directs the Agency's National Center for
Computational Toxicology [NCCT] to develop data use guidance
for ToxCast and other computational data which describes
appropriate methods for data analyses, determining true
positives from artifacts and non-specific responses, and for
establishing scientific confidence, including limitations, in
the use of results for specific applications, including
limitations, in the use of results for specific applications,
including those by EPA programs and offices. This guidance
shall be subjected to public review and comment and independent
scientific peer review prior to finalization.
The Committee directs NCCT to lead in developing
applications of new computational approaches in risk
assessment. These programs will be critical to informing
implementation of an enhanced Toxic Substances Control Act
[TSCA] chemical assessment program. Both NCCT and the Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics [OPPT] shall assign one FTE to
collaborate on evaluation and demonstration of confidence in
such methods for specific applications by OPPT, in particular
the TSCA work plan program. An interim progress report shall be
submitted no later than February 2, 2017.
Enhanced Aquifer Use.--The Committee notes ground water
levels are continuing to decline across the Nation from decades
of aquifer use. Augmenting drinking water supplies through
artificial or enhanced recharge into aquifers represents a
cost-effective way of increasing the availability of water and
to address seasonal scarcity. Enhanced Aquifer Recharge [EAR]
also represents a key practice for the management and
restoration of ecosystems. EAR may involve the use or injection
of treated drinking water, treated wastewater or collected
storm water. However the most promising systems have focused on
the use of surface water diversion during high flow periods.
The Committee further notes that in much of the West, the
availability of new allocations of surface waters is severely
limited or non-existent. Ground water supplies in many areas
are stressed by over use and decreasing natural recharge. While
conservation and recovery are key water resource management
tools, EAR represents a significant approach to creating new
water supplies. The conversion of storm-flow, during times of
excess supply, to base-flow and ground water based drinking
water supplies, for times of high demand, provides a new
resource management approach for the Nation's water needs. The
Committee urges the Agency to coordinate with the United States
Geological Survey to support research efforts designed to
establish a best practices approach for EAR.
Integrated Risk Information System.--The Committee is aware
of efforts by the Agency to implement the 2011 National Academy
of Science's [NAS] Chapter 7 and 2014 NAS report
recommendations for the Integrated Risk Information System
[IRIS] but remains concerned that the recommendations have not
been fully implemented. In published appendices that accompany
final IRIS assessments, EPA has detailed some of the Agency's
deficiencies in meeting the NAS high-priority reforms. The
Committee directs the Agency to convene an interagency working
group to be Co-Chaired with the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs and to include relevant executive branch
stakeholders to review compliance with the NAS recommendations
in IRIS assessments issued since the 2014 NAS report. The
working group shall focus specifically on transition from the
use of single point estimates of hazard and exposure to
presenting more complete information on the distribution of
estimated hazards, exposures, and/or risks, including central
tendency values; on processes for evaluating study quality,
relevance, and risk of bias; the use of a transparent and
reproducible weight-of-evidence process for applying scientific
findings; the selection of an adverse outcome; and the use of
default linear low-dose extrapolation and other default
modeling approaches to hazard determinations. The Committee
directs the Agency to issue a report to the Committees of
Appropriations of the House and Senate on the findings of the
working group and the implementation plans of its findings
within 180 days of enactment of this act. The working group
report shall also include a timetable for EPA's full
implementation of the NAS recommendations for all IRIS
assessments issued since the 2014 NAS report.
Nanomaterials Research.--The Committee notes the increased
capabilities that the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] has
developed to study environment, health, and safety of
nanomaterials [nanoEHS] within FDA's Jefferson Laboratory
Campus, including the National Center for Toxicological
Research, and its consolidated headquarters at White Oak,
Maryland. The FDA can and should be more involved in nanoEHS
research with other agencies, particularly in activities
involving human health. Out of the amounts appropriated, the
Administrator shall seek to involve the FDA in nanoEHS research
to the maximum extent possible, including participation in EPA
funded research.
Public Access to Research.--In February 2013, the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the
President issued guidelines on increasing public access to the
results of federally funded scientific research. Given the
importance of research funded by EPA, the Agency is encouraged
to comply expeditiously.
Risk Assessment Methods.--For all draft or final EPA risk
assessments that will be issued in fiscal year 2017, the Agency
is directed to provide clear criteria for judging the quality
of all key studies and to provide a description of how all
evidence will be integrated, based on the strengths and
weaknesses.
Response to Public Comments.--The Administrator shall
ensure that each Science Advisory Board [SAB] review panel
makes certain that all reports to EPA include a written summary
responding to substantive public comments received by the panel
during the SAB review process.
Environmental Programs and Management
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,613,679,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,852,893,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,538,545,000
The bill provides $2,538,545,000 for environmental programs
and management activities. This amount is a decrease of
$75,134,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. A
detailed allocation of funding by program is included in the
table that accompanies this report. Additional changes to the
request are detailed below.
Brownfields.--$25,593,000 has been provided for the
Brownfields program. This amount is equal to the fiscal year
2016 enacted level.
Clean Air and Climate.--$245,797,000 has been provided for
clean air and climate programs. This amount is a decrease of
$27,311,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The
Committee notes that the Clean Power Plan has been stayed by
the United States Supreme Court.
Enforcement.--The bill provides $216,573,000 for
enforcement, $24,064,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level.
Environmental Protection: National Priorities.--The bill
provides $15,000,000 for a competitive grant program to provide
technical assistance for improved water quality or safe
drinking water to rural and urban communities or individual
private well owners. The Agency is directed to provide
$13,500,000 for grants to qualified not-for-profit
organizations, including organizations authorized by section
1442(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
1(e)(8)), for the sole purpose of providing on-site training
technical assistance for water systems in rural or urban
communities. The Agency is also directed to provide $1,500,000
for grants to qualified not-for-profit organizations for
technical assistance for individual private well owners. The
Agency shall require each grantee to provide a minimum 10
percent match, including in-kind contributions. The Agency is
directed to allocate funds to grantees within 180 days of
enactment.
Geographic Programs.--The bill provides $435,410,000 for
Geographic Programs, an increase of $7,673,000 above the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level. Funding levels for the specific
geographic programs are as follows:
--$300,000,000 for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
--$73,000,000 for the Chesapeake Bay program.
--$4,819,000 for the San Francisco Bay program.
--$28,000,000 for the Puget Sound program.
--$1,399,000 for the South Florida program.
--$5,940,000 for the Long Island Sound program.
--$11,000,000 for the Gulf of Mexico program.
--$4,399,000 for the Lake Champlain program.
--$5,000,000 for the Southern New England Estuaries program.
--$948,000 for the Lake Pontchartrain program.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.--A long-term goal of
the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative [GLRI] articulated in
the GLRI Plan calls for land use, recreation and economic
activities that are managed to ensure that nearshore aquatic,
wetland and upland habitats will sustain the health and
function of natural communities. The Committee is aware that
Metropolitan Planning Organizations in the region are working
on site-specific land-use and economic development projects
with local communities bordering the Great Lakes that can help
advance this effort. The Agency is encouraged to work with
these groups to advance this long-term goal as they allocate
funding under the GLRI.
Additionally, the Committee urges the Environmental
Protection Agency and Great Lakes Interagency Taskforce to
provide continued attention and resources towards building the
capacity of on-the-ground partners, including States and
tribes, as ongoing partners in the stewardship of the Great
Lakes. The Committee recognizes the importance of tribal self-
governance and encourages the EPA to work with tribal
governments and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to develop a
proposal for the creation of a distinct GLRI tribal program
through which GLRI funds would be provided to allow tribes the
flexibility to develop the programs that are of the highest
priorities to their communities, and which fulfill the spirit
of self-determination, meet treaty obligations, and carry out
Federal trust responsibilities.
Chesapeake Bay.--The Committee recommends $73,000,000 for
the Chesapeake Bay program. From within the amount provided,
$6,000,000 is for nutrient and sediment removal grants and
$6,000,000 is for small watershed grants to control polluted
runoff from urban, suburban and agricultural lands.
Indoor Air and Radiation.--$2,272,000 has been provided for
indoor air and radiation activities, equal to the fiscal year
2016 enacted level. The proposed elimination of the radon
program has been rejected.
Information Exchange.--$118,305,000 has been provided for
information exchange programs. This amount is a decrease of
$8,234,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Within
that amount, the environmental education program is funded at
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Additional funding is as
follows: Executive Management and Operations is funded at
$42,019,000, including $4,000,000 for the Office of Public
Affairs.
Legal/Science/Regulatory/Economic Review.--The
recommendation provides $100,272,000, a reduction of
$11,142,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Funding
for the Civil Rights/Title VI compliance program is not less
than the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Operations and Administration.--$482,751,000 is provided
for operations and administration.
Pesticides Licensing.--$107,896,000 is provided for
pesticides licensing activities, an increase of $5,534,000
above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.--The recommendation
provides $104,887,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level.
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention.--$89,298,000 is provided
for toxics risk review and prevention activities, equal to the
fiscal year 2016 level for all program projects with the
exception of the endocrine disruptor program project, which is
reduced by $3,224,000 as requested in the budget. Within
funding provided to the Agency, EPA is required to maintain
funding for the Chemical Risk Review and Reduction program
project at not less than the fiscal year 2014 level.
Water: Ecosystems.--$48,256,000 has been provided for water
ecosystem programs, an increase of $468,000 above the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level. Within the amount provided,
$27,191,000 has been provided for National Estuary Program
grants as authorized by section 320 of the Clean Water Act.
This amount is an increase of $468,000 above the fiscal year
2016 enacted level and is sufficient to provide each of the 28
national estuaries in the program with a grant of at least
$600,000.
Water: Human Health Protection.--$98,507,000 has been
provided for water-related human health protection activities
equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The proposed
elimination of the beach program has been rejected and funding
is restored to the fiscal year 2016 level.
Water Quality Protection.--$191,191,000 has been provided
for water quality protection. This is $19,226,000 below the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Within that amount, $3,000,000
has been provided for a pilot project to assist communities
successfully implement plans under EPA's Integrated Planning
Initiative. The Committee notes that the Agency's rule to
redefine navigable waters has been stayed by the Courts.
Additional Guidance.--The Committee has provided the
following additional guidance with respect to funding provided
under this account.
Anti-Deficiency Act Violations.--On December 14, 2015, the
Government Accountability Office [GAO] concluded that the
Agency violated existing prohibitions against publicity or
propaganda and grassroots lobbing contained in prior
appropriations acts in association with its advocacy related to
the Waters of the United States Rulemaking. Because the Agency
expended funds in violation of these prohibitions, the GAO
concluded that the Agency violated the Antideficiency Act. In
addition to the reporting requirements that are required as a
result of the Antideficiency Act violation, the Agency is
directed to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget
to ensure that GAO's findings are disseminated to
communications office throughout the Government.
Carbon Emissions From Biomass.--The Committee notes that
``forest management activities'' referred to in section 414
includes activities to increase yield after stand
establishment, and activities to maintain or enhance forest
health including fuel, pest infestation, and disease
treatments. Forest management activities maintain or increase
forest carbon stocks over time.
Combined Sewer Overflow.--The Committee supports the
Agency's mission to improve water quality and protect the Great
Lakes, the drinking water source for millions of Americans.
This Committee notes that many communities around the entire
Great Lakes Basin have made great strides to update wastewater
infrastructures since the Agency's last report to Congress on
Combined Sewer Overflows in the Lake Michigan Basin, as
directed by Congress in H.Rept. 108-674. Despite the progress
made, the Committee remains concerned that billions of gallons
of untreated water and contaminants from a variety of sources,
including combined sewage overflows from wastewater treatment
facilities, are dumped into the Great Lakes every year.
The Committee directs the EPA to report to Congress, within
60 days, the plan and timeline for the implementation of
immediate public notice requirements for treatment works
dumping sewage into the Great Lakes as required by the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016. Specifically, the
requirements should allow for immediate notice via a widely
accessed medium such as local newspaper or television
programming for each community affected by a discharge as well
as enable a region wide and transparent database allowing for
an accurate assessment of the cause of sewer overflows, where
these overflows are occurring, the total annual volume, as well
as, the average historic volume at the locations where these
overflows occur. The Agency should also outline what steps are
being taken to work with States and local stakeholders to
quickly notify the public about the volume and state of the
treatment of the discharge, the date and time of the discharge,
expected duration, and the location of the discharge to the
maximum level of specificity practicable.
Coal Combustion Residuals.--The Committee believes that
coal combustion residuals [CCRs] are an important resource for
the Nation's economy. In 2014, over 60 million tons of CCRs
were used in road and bridge construction, saving taxpayers
billions. CCRs must continue to be beneficially used. At the
same time, they must also be responsibly stored under a Federal
regulatory framework that provides effective oversight at the
State level. The Committee is concerned the final rule on CCRs
issued on April 17, 2015 relies solely on citizen-suits for
enforcement instead of providing the regulatory guidance and
oversight necessary to ensure the proper management of CCRs.
Within 120 days of the date of enactment, the Committee directs
the Administrator to provide a report on the effectiveness of
self-implementing Federal CCR regulations enforced solely
through citizen suits versus the effectiveness of
implementation of a Federal CCR rule through a State-
implemented permit program authorized by EPA.
Corn Rootworm.--The United State Department of Agriculture
estimates that damage caused by the corn rootworm costs farmers
$1 billion annually in yield losses and treatment expenses. The
Committee understands that the Agency has been reviewing a new
mode of action to control corn rootworm for a number of years,
and recently completed a preliminary step. As growers need
additional modes of action to most effectively deal with this
pest, the Committee notes its strong interest in a timely
completion of the registration for this new mode of action.
Ecolabels for Federal Procurement.--Multiple forest
certification programs have been recognized throughout the
Federal Government as supporting the use of sustainable
products in building construction and other uses. The Committee
urges EPA to add additional forest certification standards that
have been recognized by other Federal programs, including
USDA's BioPreferred Program, to its Interim Recommendations
under Executive Order 13693. The Committee urges EPA to report
back on progress on implementation of the Committee's
recommendation within 60 days of enactment.
Glyphosate Reregistration.--The Committee is aware that the
Agency is currently in the process of reviewing the
registration for glyphosate, which is a very important crop
protection tool for America's farmers. Furthermore, glyphosate
has been used for decades and, when properly applied, has been
found to present a low risk to humans and wildlife by
regulatory bodies around the world, including Australia,
Canada, the European Union, Japan, and by the Joint FAO/WHO
Meeting on Pesticide Residues. The Committee urges the Agency
to complete its reregistration of glyphosate expeditiously.
Grant Guidelines.--The Committee is extremely concerned
about reports that an Agency grant was used to support an anti-
agriculture advocacy campaign. The campaign, funded in part by
Federal funding, included billboards and a Web site that
explicitly accused the agriculture industry as being a primary
polluter of local waterways and urged increased regulation of
agriculture. The use of Federal funds for such advocacy is
inappropriate and may be in violation of Federal lobbying
prohibitions. In response to this, the Agency must ensure there
is sufficient oversight and training in place to avoid similar
misuse of grant funds in the future. To achieve this goal,
within 90 days of enactment, the Agency is directed to update
its grant policies, training, and guidelines to ensure Federal
funds are not used in this manner, including an update of the
mechanism by which the Agency tracks the use of its grants, and
to provide the Committee with a copy of its updated grant
policies, training, and guidelines.
Fuel Standards.--The Committee supports efforts to reduce
pollution from marine vessels that may be harmful to human
health and coastal environments. While that is the case, the
Committee is concerned the mandate for fuel with a sulfur
content of 0.1% in the North American Emission Control Area is
having a disproportionately negative impact on vessels which
have engines that generate less than 32,000 horsepower. This
impact may cause some shippers to shift from marine based
transport to less efficient, higher emitting modes. In an
effort to avoid negative environmental consequences and modal
shifting, the Committee directs the Agency to consider
exempting vessels with engines that generate less than 32,000
horsepower and operate more than 50 miles from the coastline.
Within 180 days of enactment of this act, the Agency should
provide the Committee with a report detailing their decision.
Interagency Consultations.--Several provisions of the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act [FIFRA]
require the Agency and the United States Department of
Agriculture [USDA] to coordinate activities related the
products regulated under the law. USDA has a robust history of
collecting and analyzing data related to agricultural economics
and the environmental impacts of farming tools and practices,
including crop protection and pest management. However, there
have been recent instances in which the USDA has not been
consulted or informed of key regulatory actions and decisions
by the EPA as prescribed by FIFRA. In two of these cases USDA
has publicly commented on their exclusion from the process.
Consequently, the Committee directs the Administrator of the
EPA to consult with the Secretary of the Department of
Agriculture on economic analyses, rules and other regulatory
actions that impact products currently approved under FIFRA.
Lead Test Kit.--In 2008, EPA adopted the Lead Renovation,
Repair and Painting rule which included criteria by which the
Agency could certify a test kit that contractors could use
onsite to comply with the rule. The Committee is concerned that
8 years later, no kit has been developed that meets these
standards. The Committee is concerned that this action is not
adequate and is concerned that progress is not being made to
identify a solution to this issue. If no solution is reached by
the end of the fiscal year, EPA should reopen the rule and
determine whether it is possible to include an opt-out
provision until a test kit is certified that can comply with
the rule.
Methane.--The Committee is concerned about the Agency's
efforts to regulate methane from existing petroleum and gas
sources. Over the past decade, the United States added more
than 86,000 new petroleum and natural wells, during which
methane emissions from petroleum and natural gas systems fell
by 11 percent. Based on the data suggesting that methane
emissions are declining, the Committee believes that States are
adequately regulating methane emissions.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards.--The Committee
remains concerned about potentially overlapping implementation
schedules related to the 2008 and 2015 standards for ground-
level ozone. Because the Agency did not publish implementing
regulations for the 2008 standard of 75 parts per billion [ppb]
until February 2015 and then revised the standard to 70 ppb in
October 2015, States now face the prospect of implementing two
national ambient air quality standards for ozone
simultaneously. Based on Agency data, the Committee expects a
number of counties to be in non-attainment with both the 2008
standard and the 2015 standard. Additionally, Agency data
suggests that a number of marginal non-attainment counties will
meet the 2015 standard by 2025 due to other air regulations. In
an effort to find the most sensible path to reduce ground level
ozone, some flexibility must be granted to States that face the
burden of implementing these potentially overlapping standards.
Within 90 days of the date of enactment of this act, the Agency
is directed to provide the Committee with a report examining
the potential for administrative options to enable States to
enter into cooperative agreements with the Agency that provide
regulatory relief and meaningfully clean up the air.
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act.--The Committee
appreciates the work of the Agency and its partners to
implement a sensible registration service fee system for
applications for pesticide registration. The Committee urges
the Agency to ensure that its review of applications complies
with the predictable evaluation process and specific decision
review periods contemplated in the legislation to the maximum
extent possible.
Additionally, the Committee is aware that there are
approximately $10,300,000 in maintenance fees paid by
registrants in prior years under 7 U.S.C. 136a-1 that are
currently unavailable for obligation. The Committees note that
the underlying authorization provides the Agency with the
authority to make those fees available when appropriated
dollars exceed the statutory maximum collection of $27,800,000.
The Committee urges the Agency to dedicate appropriated
resources, to the extent practicable, toward reducing the
maintenance fee backlog without harming other aspects of the
program and asks the Agency to provide the Committee with a
detailed plan to show how the Agency intends to make available
the previously collected maintenance fees in this and future
fiscal years.
Rural Heating Costs.--Many rural Alaskan villages depend
primarily on diesel-run generators to provide their homes and
businesses with electricity, and fuel oil to generate heat.
Diesel must be shipped on barges or delivered by airplane. The
Committee is concerned that some rural Alaskan villages are
facing significantly increased costs of home heating because of
the Agency's requirement for Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel [ULSD]. In
addition to increased cost, the Committee is aware that some
villages experience as much as 50 percent loss of efficiency.
Given that these villages are remote and using traditional
diesel could have a limited impact on air quality, the
Committee directs the Agency to determine whether there is an
exemption available from the requirement to use ULSD in these
villages.
Small Refinery Relief.--Congress directed the Agency, in
consultation with the Department of Energy [DOE], to grant
hardship relief to small refineries if compliance with the
Renewable Fuel Standard [RFS] would impose a disproportionate
economic hardship. In response to several recent petitions, the
Agency determined that compliance with the RFS would have a
disproportionate economic impact on a small refinery, but
denied hardship relief because the small refinery remained
profitable notwithstanding the disproportionate economic
impact. This is inconsistent with congressional intent because
the statute does not contemplate that a small refinery would
only be able to obtain an exemption by showing that the RFS
program threatens its viability. Congress explicitly authorized
the Agency to grant small refinery hardship relief to ensure
that small refineries remain both competitive and profitable.
In the intensely competitive transportation fuels market, small
entities cannot remain competitive and profitable if they face
disproportionate structural or economic metrics such as
limitations on access to capital, lack of other business lines,
disproportionate production of diesel fuel, or other site
specific factors identified in DOE's original 2011 Small
Refinery Exemption Study prepared for Congress.
When making decisions about small refinery exemptions under
the RFS program, the Agency is directed to follow DOE's
recommendations which are to be based on the original 2011
Small Refinery Exemption Study prepared for Congress and the
conference report to division D of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2016. Should the Administrator disagree
with a waiver recommendation from the Secretary of Energy,
either to approve or deny, the Agency shall provide a report to
the Committee on Appropriations and to the Secretary of Energy
that explains the Agency position. Such report shall be
provided 10 days prior to issuing a decision on a waiver
petition.
Significant New Alternatives Policy (``SNAP'') Program.--
The Committee is concerned that the Agency has proposed to
change the listing status of certain substitutes used in
domestic and commercial refrigeration and foam-blowing sectors
pursuant to the SNAP program. This proposal comes less than 1
year after the publication of a first round of restrictions
that are being implemented over the next several years. The
current proposal, coupled with the mandates from last year's
rulemaking, will greatly impact the compliance and transition
costs faced by companies and industries as they work to
implement and comply with two sets of regulations in relatively
short amounts of time given the complexity of transitioning to
new materials. These transition and compliance costs and tasks
include: research and development activities, conducting risk
assessments of replacement materials, designing, testing and
building new manufacturing units and capabilities, developing
and implementing safety and training programs and ensuring
certifications and building codes compliance. In addition, as
the Committee previously noted with the first round of
regulations, there are also potential timeframe conflicts with
the Department of Energy's energy conservation standards. With
respect to foam applications, the Committee is aware that the
proposal provides an exception for certain military, space and
aeronautic foam applications until 2025. The Committee believes
that a similar exception should also be allowed for other
businesses in order to ensure a level playing field. Since the
Agency's proposal is not being driven by any statutory
deadline, the Committee encourages the Agency to take into
account all reasonable transition costs, parallel efforts at
the international level, industry and non-governmental
organization recommendations, and compliance concerns,
including ensuring that a maximum amount of time is provided
for an efficient and smooth status transition and that avoids
or limits, to the maximum extent possible, the costs and
transition issues noted above.
Toxic Substances Control Act Modernization.--The Committee
notes that legislation to modernize the Toxic Substances
Control Act [TSCA] was recently approved by both the Senate and
the House of Representatives. This bill includes language that
will enable the EPA to collect and spend new fees to conduct
additional chemical reviews, consistent with TSCA modernization
legislation. Those fees are expected to be $25,000,000 per year
once the program is fully implemented. The Congressional Budget
Office estimates that in fiscal year 2017, fee collections will
begin several months after the beginning of the fiscal year and
will total $4,000,000. This bill also includes language
ensuring that new fee collections will supplement, not
supplant, appropriated resources for these activities.
Uranium.--This Committee is extremely concerned with the
Agency's rulemaking regarding health and environmental
protection standards for uranium and thorium mill tailings
(Part 192). The Committee is concerned the Agency has failed to
justify this rulemaking or consult with State regulators or the
industry that will be regulated by this rule. The Agency
acknowledges it is not aware of a single example of groundwater
contamination caused by an in-situ uranium recovery project.
The Committee encourages EPA to withdraw this rulemaking and
instead work with State regulators, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, and the uranium recovery industry to collect
sufficient data to determine if any updates are needed to the
existing generally applicable standards.
Weed Resistance.--The Committee is aware of American
farmers' need for additional tools to combat weed resistance.
The Committee notes that on March 31, 2016, the Agency opened
the public comment period for the registration for new uses of
dicamba in conjunction with soybean and cotton products already
in the market. That period was extended for another thirty days
on May 1. The Committee encourages the Agency to finalize the
registration by the end of this summer incorporating the
concerns of farmers and applicators in order to facilitate
timely corresponding State registrations, which will enable
farmers to have the full flexibility of weed control options
for the 2017 growing season.
Wood Stoves.--EPA's final rule entitled ``Standards of
Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential
Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces'' published at 80 Fed.
Reg. 13672 (March 16, 2015) will hold manufacturers to new
emissions standards for particulate matter [PM] in 2020. The
Committee is concerned that the observed variance for the best
current methods of measuring PM emission from new residential
wood stoves may be too great for the test to reliably confirm
compliance with the Step II, 2020 standard. The Administrator
shall report to the Committee in 180 days with steps the EPA is
taking to develop, and confirm, precise and repeatable testing
methodologies, and on progress by the industry to implement
reliable product testing with the 2020 standard in mind, and
how the EPA will act if reliable tests cannot be developed and
deployed with sufficient time for the industry to design,
demonstrate, market and manufacture compliant product lines in
advance of the Step II emissions limits set to take place in
2020.
Sustainable Chemistry.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of activities promoting sustainable chemistry
innovation, research, and development. Within available funds,
the Committee encourages the Agency to continue to invest in
supporting these activities.
Dust and Soil Evaluation.--The Committee recognizes that
lead-contaminated dust and soil found in homes is a significant
source of lead exposure for children. The current hazard
standards for lead in dust and soil are based on pre-1995
research, and may no longer be sufficient to protect children
from lead poisoning. The Committee is aware that the Agency is
currently making use of an Information Collection Request from
the Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] in its
deliberations on potential changes to the Lead Dust Standard.
The Committee directs the Agency, in consultation with the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and HUD, to provide
the Committee with a report on the progress related to its
deliberations related to lead-contaminated dust and soil within
90 days of enactment and every 180 days thereafter. Given the
significant impact lead exposure can have on children and their
development, once such deliberations are complete, the
Committee urges the Agency to act expeditiously to take
appropriate regulatory action, if warranted.
HAZARDOUS WASTE ELECTRIC MANIFEST SYSTEM FUND
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $3,674,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 7,433,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 3,674,000
The bill provides $3,674,000 for the Hazardous Waste
Electric Manifest System Fund. This amount is equal to the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Office of Inspector General
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $41,489,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 51,527,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 41,489,000
The bill provides $41,489,000 for the Office of Inspector
General. This amount is equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level. A detailed allocation of funding is included in the
table that accompanies this report.
Buildings and Facilities
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $42,317,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 52,078,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 38,660,000
The bill provides $38,660,000 for buildings and facilities
programs. This amount is a reduction of $3,657,000 from the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Hazardous Substance Superfund
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,088,769,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,128,989,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,077,784,000
The bill provides $1,077,784,000 for Superfund programs.
This amount is a decrease of $10,985,000 below above the
enacted level. A detailed allocation of funding by program is
included in the table that accompanies this report. Additional
changes to the request are detailed below.
Homeland Security.--$32,589,000 is provided for homeland
security activities, a reduction of $3,773,000 below the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level.
Research: Sustainable Communities.--$11,463,000 is provided
for the sustainable and healthy communities program, a
reduction of $2,569,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level.
Superfund Cleanup.--$711,067,000 is provided for Superfund
cleanup activities, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted
level. The Agency is directed to factor community acceptance
into its Superfund remedial cleanup remedy selection process
and, when supported by a community, consider remedial cleanup
remedies that provide green space as part of a remedial action
that is protective of human health and the environment.
Additional Guidance.--The Committee has provided the
following additional guidance with respect to funding provided
under this account:
Animas River Spill.--The Committee is still concerned with
ensuring that an adequate long-term water quality monitoring
program is in place for the States and tribes affected
following the Gold King Mine Spill into the Animas River that
impacted Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Navajo Nation.
The Committee recognizes the investments made by the EPA in
fiscal year 2016 and believes that EPA should continue to work
using available and previously obligated funds to continue this
effort in fiscal year 2017 and beyond. The Committee directs
the EPA to work in consultation with affected States and Tribes
on this effort.
In addition, the Committee expects the EPA to process all
State, tribal, and local requests for reimbursements for costs
incurred in an expeditious manner. For cooperative agreements
providing reimbursement for past costs, the Committee directs
EPA to only require a close out report indicating the funds
were reimbursed to the requesting entity based on the
documented justification received. No further Agency reporting
requirements are needed. Within 30 days of enactment, EPA shall
provide the Committee with a written report outlining all
State, local, and Tribal reimbursement requests and their
status as granted, denied, or pending, with an explanation of
the source of funds and any reasons for denial or pending
requests.
Finally, the Committee directs the EPA, in conjunction with
the Department of Justice, to ensure that the process for
making determinations under the Federal Torts Claims Act is
conducted and completed in a timely manner.
Financial Assurance.--The Committee remains concerned that
the Agency is engaged in a rulemaking to require potentially
duplicative financial assurance requirements for hardrock
mining under the Superfund statute and has included bill
language to prohibit funding for this matter moving forward.
The Committee has directed the Agency to engage in a
comprehensive market capacity study prior to publishing its
draft rule that is expected to be released early in fiscal year
2017. Based on information provided by the Agency, the
Committee is concerned that the Agency is not engaging in as
comprehensive a study as was directed because the Agency is
relying primarily on existing data. Because the Agency insists
this rulemaking is not duplicative of other financial assurance
requirements, it seeks to reason that the financial products
that are required do not currently exist and therefore, a sole
reliance on existing data is unwarranted and may not provide
the full picture contemplated for a comprehensive study.
Therefore, the Committee directs the agency to include
projections and potential future market adaptations in the
market capacity study before it is submitted to the Congress.
Recycling.--The Committee finds that, in order to increase
recycling, it is necessary to clarify that recyclables (i.e.,
metals, paper, plastic, glass, rubber, and textiles) should not
be regulated as ``waste'' but rather as valuable commodities
with significant economic and environmental benefits. Under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [RCRA], the Agency has
the statutory authority to regulate the management and disposal
of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. Regulatory
uncertainty around whether and when a substance becomes a solid
waste subject to RCRA's regulatory and compliance schemes is
the central challenge facing the recycling industry. The
Committee acknowledges the process established by the Agency in
its January 2015 Definition of Solid Waste rule to ensure that
certain scrap materials are legitimately recycled. The
Committee notes that qualifying scrap materials which are
handled in accordance with the rule are not solid waste, but
are instead commodity-grade materials.
Sediment Guidance.--The Committee is aware that the
Government Accountability Office is auditing the Agency's
cleanup of contaminated sediment sites under the Superfund
program as a result of concern in Congress that the Agency is
not following its own 2005 Contaminated Sediment Guidance. The
Fiscal Year 2016 Interior, Environment Conference Report
directed EPA to complete within 90 days of enactment a report
on the Agency's compliance with the Contaminated Sediment
Guidance, especially with regard to the integration of
Contaminated Sediment Technical Advisory Committee and National
Remedy Review Board recommendations into final remedies
selected, as well as the use of adaptive management policies in
these remedies for sites currently undergoing investigation or
where remedies have been selected in the last 5 years. The
Committee directs the Agency to submit a report on its
implementation of the GAO recommendations within 90 days of
enactment.
Contaminants of Emerging Concern.--The Committee recommends
$181,306,000 for Emergency Response and Removal activities to
include collaborative work with State, tribal, and local
governments to help communities address contaminants of
emerging concern. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that
the Agency expeditiously remediate Superfund sites contaminated
by these emerging contaminants, and provide technical
assistance and support to States and tribes during the remedial
cleanup process.
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $91,941,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 94,285,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 91,296,000
The bill provides $91,296,000 for leaking underground
storage tank trust fund activities. This amount is $645,000
below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. A detailed allocation
of funding by program is included in the table that accompanies
this statement.
Inland Oil Spill Program
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $18,209,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 25,410,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 18,079,000
The bill provides $18,079,000 for inland oil spill
programs. This amount is a decrease of $130,000 below the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. A detailed allocation of
funding by program is included in the table that accompanies
this statement.
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $3,518,161,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 3,280,400,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 3,613,278,000
The bill provides $3,613,278,000 for State and tribal
assistance grants. This amount is $95,117,000 above the fiscal
year 2016 enacted level. A detailed allocation of funding by
program is included in the table that accompanies this
statement. Additional changes to the request are detailed
below.
Infrastructure Assistance.--$2,400,500,000 has been
provided for infrastructure assistance. The amount provided
includes $1,350,000,000 for the Clean Water State Revolving
Fund [CWSRF] program and $1,020,500,000 for the Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund [DWSRF] program. The funding provided is
$378,500,000 more than was requested by the administration in
fiscal year 2017. The Committee directs the Agency to continue
implementing the American Iron and Steel provision in the same
manner as it has done in fiscal year 2016.
Targeted Airshed Grant.--$20,000,000 has been provided for
Targeted Airshed Grants. These grants shall be distributed on a
competitive basis to nonattainment areas that EPA determines
are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to
annual ozone or particulate matter 2.5 standards as well as the
top five areas based on the 24-hour particulate matter 2.5
standard where the design values exceed the 35 mg/m3 standard.
To determine these areas, the Agency shall use the most recent
design values calculated from validated air quality data. The
Committees notes that these funds are available for emission
reduction activities deemed necessary for compliance with
national ambient air quality standards and included in a State
Implementation Plan submitted to EPA. Not later than the end of
fiscal year 2017, EPA should provide a report to the Committees
on Appropriations that includes a table showing how fiscal year
2016 funds were allocated. The table should also include grant
recipients and metrics for anticipated or actual results.
Categorical Grants.--For categorical grants to States and
other environmental partners for the implementation of
delegated programs, the bill provides $1,087,778,000. The
Committee continues to reject the elimination of the Radon
program and the Beaches Protection program and funding is
provided at fiscal year 2016 enacted levels for both programs.
Categorical Grant: Multipurpose Grants.--The multipurpose
grant program was intended to distribute grants to States in a
manner that gave States flexibility to work on each individual
State's high priority environmental activities. The Agency
chose to implement the multipurpose grant program in a manner
that was not flexible and aligns more directly with the
Agency's priorities. Given that such is the case, the Committee
has not continued funding for the multipurpose grant program.
Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319).--The
Committee has provided $184,915,000 in Nonpoint Source grants,
a $20,000,000 increase above the fiscal year 2016 level. The
Committee expects the Agency to examine the allocation formula
to ensure that resources are being spent in areas with the most
pressing need.
Categorical Grant: Public Water System Supervision.--The
bill provides $109,700,000 for Public Water System Supervision
grants. This is an increase of $7,737,000 above the fiscal year
2016 level.
Categorical Grant State and Tribal Air Quality
Management.--The Committee disagrees with the Agency's
implementation of the directive from fiscal year 2016 to update
the formula for State and Tribal Air Quality Management Grants.
The Committee directs the Agency to hold all States and regions
harmless in fiscal year 2017 by allocating funds in the exact
same manner as fiscal year 2016. The Agency has indicated that
it may further update the formula to consider additional
factors. Should the Agency update the formula, the Committee
directs the Agency to provide the new formula and funding
estimates.
Further, the Committee notes that internal transportation
systems can make a significant impact on improving air quality
by reducing traffic congestion and vehicle emissions. The
Committee directs the EPA to seek opportunities to support the
planning and development of such systems via grants and
technical assistance, as appropriate, as a component of broader
efforts to improve air quality.
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program
Appropriations, 2016....................................................
Budget estimate, 2017................................... $20,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 30,000,000
The bill provides $30,000,000 for the Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Program [WIFIA], which is $10,000,000
above the administration's request. The Committee believes this
level of funding will allow for a minimum of $250,000,000 in
loans to help improve water infrastructure. The WIFIA program
is intended to supplement the State Revolving Funds and help
reduce the tremendous water infrastructure challenges facing
the Nation. A detailed allocation of funding by program is
included in the table that accompanies this statement.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER AND RESCISSIONS OF FUNDS)
The bill continues several administrative provisions from
previous years.
TITLE III
RELATED AGENCIES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service, a bureau of the Department of
Agriculture, manages 193 million acres in 44 States and
territories. In addition, the Service maintains a system of
research stations and experimental forests and ranges
throughout the country. The Agency also provides technical and
financial assistance to private landowners, States, and
communities to help sustain the Nation's urban and rural
forests.
forest and rangeland research
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $291,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 291,982,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 280,000,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $280,000,000 for
forest and rangeland research. This amount is $11,000,000 below
the enacted level.
Forest Inventory and Analysis.--The bill provides
$77,000,000 for forest inventory and analysis, $2,000,000 above
the enacted level.
Research and Development Programs.--The bill provides
$203,000,000 for base research activities. The Committee
recognizes the role of the forests products sector in the U.S.
economy and supports work at the Forest Products Laboratory to
research the use of wood building materials in the domestic
construction industry; and wood-based material usage such as
fiber-based productions, cellulose nanomaterials, chemical feed
stocks, and bioenergy. Because demand is expected to increase
substantially for wood as a sustainable raw material and for
associated technical expertise in the design of timber, wood
and wood products in architecture and engineering, and other
sustainable, renewable, and recyclable material and products,
the Committee directs the Forest Products Laboratory to support
work conducted at Land Grant Universities intended to
accelerate the growth of the domestic finished wood products
industry.
The Forest Products Laboratory, which conducts innovative
wood and fiber utilization research that contributes to
conservation and forest resource productivity, is provided
$27,000,000 to advance ongoing work and collaborative
partnerships that will optimize the research for the
commercialization of high value, high volume biomass uses while
helping eliminate hazardous fuels in our Nation's forests. Of
the funds provided to the Forest Products Laboratory, no less
than $2,000,000 is to leverage investments in research and
technology development, creating new and expanded markets for
wood products to help ensure forests are healthy, sustainable
and more resilient to disturbances. Additionally, the Committee
directs the Forest Products Laboratory to collaborate with
University partners to advance cost-effective biomass uses.
Ceratocystis Disease.--The Committee notes the Forest
Service's report ``Risk and pathway assessment for the
introduction of exotic insects and pathogens that could affect
Hawai'i's native forests'' and directs the Forest Service to
work with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park
Service, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
and the States of Hawai'i and Florida to develop recommended
actions based on the findings of the report to respond to the
emergence of Ceratocystis disease in Hawai'i and Florida.
Within the Research and Development program, the Committee
recognizes the Water, Air & Soil Program's potential to advance
environmental monitoring technologies and methods. The
Committee urges the Forest Service to advance partnerships
between this program and other Federal agencies to explore
alternative and innovative testing systems for toxins,
pollutants, and other environmental contaminants such as
analyzing moss to detect heavy metal deposition.
STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $237,023,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 234,004,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 220,831,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $220,831,000 for
State and private forestry programs, a decrease of $16,192,000
below the enacted level. Program changes to the enacted level
are detailed in the following budget activity narratives and
funding levels for each subactivity can also be found in the
table at the end of this report.
Landscape Scale Restoration [LSR].--The bill provides an
appropriation of $14,000,000 for landscape scale restoration,
an amount equal to the enacted level. The Committee recommends
that all funding allocated be awarded competitively to States
for the purpose of conducting collaborative, science-based
restoration of priority forest landscapes and managing forest
resources that are at risk of catastrophic wildfire, invasive
species, insect infestations and disease, and any other threats
that degrade the vitality of forest ecosystems. The Committee
believes LSR investments should be used exclusively for
projects that are outcome driven to encourage active forest
management on cross-boundary priority forest landscapes, to
actively restore and protect forests from natural threats and
wildfire, and to advance active forest management priorities
identified in statewide forest assessment and resource
strategies. Additionally, Committee urges the Forest Service to
work with the Department of the Interior to increase cross-
boundary collaboration through the Hazardous Fuels Program,
particularly with State Foresters and private sector
organizations, in efforts to reduce hazardous fuels in high
fire risk landscapes and to prioritize projects that work
across ownership boundaries in landscapes, particularly those
areas identified as priorities in State Forest Action Plans.
For greater transparency and accountability, the Secretary
shall provide to the Committee a report within 180 days on the
status of development, execution, and administration of
selected projects; accounting of program funding expenditures;
and specific accomplishments that have resulted from landscape-
scale restoration projects funded through this appropriation
and projects funded since the inception of the LSR budget line
item.
Forest Health Management.--The bill provides $92,060,000
for forest health management activities, an amount $7,540,000
below the enacted level. This includes $51,382,000 for
activities on Federal lands and $40,678,000 on cooperative
lands.
Cooperative Forestry.--The bill provides $98,474,000 for
cooperative forestry activities, a decrease of $16,949,000
below the enacted level. This includes $19,036,000 for forest
stewardship, $3,000,000 for community forest and open space
conservation, and $23,686,000 for urban and community forestry.
Forest Legacy.--The bill provides $61,049,000 for the
forest legacy program, a decrease of $1,298,000 below the
enacted level. The Committee includes a rescission of
$8,297,000 in Forest Legacy funds. This funding rescission is
from cost savings of some projects and funds returned from
failed or partially failed projects. The amount provided within
this bill is available for the following distribution of funds
and projects requested by the administration:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Bill
State Project estimate (Discretionary)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAAltamaha River--Sansavilla $5,000,000 $5,000,000
Project
MTWhitefish Lake Watershed Project 7,000,000 7,000,000
OREast Moraine Wallowa Lake 900,000 900,000
FLSilver Springs Watershed 3,500,000 3,500,000
WASouth Puget Sound 6,318,000 6,318,000
HIHo'omau 2,000,000 2,000,000
SCGold Branch 2,030,000 2,030,000
FLWolfe Creek Forest 2,800,000 2,800,000
TNKarst Forest at Grassy Cove 1,350,000 1,350,000
UTZion-Simon Gulch 2,500,000 2,500,000
NCEast Fork of French Broad 4,000,000 4,000,000
Headwaters Phase IV
NHBeebe River uplands 2,600,000 2,600,000
FMYela Valley Watershed 565,000 565,000
MAWest Quabbin Woodlands 2,895,000 2,895,000
MOEleven Point Forest 2,000,000 2,000,000
HIHelemano Wilderness Area 2,000,000 2,000,000
VANew River Headwaters 1,320,000 1,320,000
NMBrazos Cliff 3,480,000 3,480,000
ALCoastal Headwaters Forest 3,000,000 3,000,000
Other Projects 689,000 ...............
Administration 6,400,000 5,791,000
----------------------------------
Subtotal, Forest Legacy .............. 61,049,000
Program
Rescission of funds from failed .............. -8,297,000
or partially failed projects
----------------------------------
Total, Forest Legacy 62,347,000 52,752,000
Program
------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Forestry.--The bill provides $8,000,000 for
international forestry activities, an amount equal to the
enacted level.
The Committee recognizes that the Wild Salmon Center has
successfully competed for grants through the International
Forestry and other programs. Forest Service specialists with
expertise in fisheries, habitat restoration, protected area
management, community engagement, and other topics contribute
to the Wild Salmon Center's three basic strategies for wild
salmon conservation: protect important habitat, promote
sustainable fisheries, and empower local communities to
advocate for the health of their own watersheds. These efforts
also draw from examples and experiences of community-based
watershed councils in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, a multi-
stakeholder initiative to improve watershed health and
conservation. For the last 10 years, the U.S. Forest Service
and Wild Salmon Center have worked together to build a
community of invested stakeholders to protect wild salmon and
safeguard food security and economic stability for communities
across the Pacific Rim.
national forest system
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,509,364,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,500,996,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,519,672,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $1,519,672,000 for
national forest system operations, an increase of $10,308,000
above the enacted level. Program changes to the enacted level
are detailed in the following budget activity narratives and
funding levels for each subactivity can also be found in the
table at the end of this statement.
Land Management Planning, Inventory and Monitoring.--The
bill provides $32,930,000 for Land Management Planning and
$147,998,000 for Inventory and Monitoring, a decrease of
$4,608,000 and equal to the enacted level, respectively. The
Committee continues to reject the proposal to consolidate these
two line items.
Grazing Management.--The bill provides $56,856,000 for
grazing management programs, equal to the enacted level. The
Committee again rejects the proposed new grazing fees.
The Committees directs the Forest Service to make vacant
grazing allotments available to a holder of a grazing permit or
lease when lands covered by the holder of the permit or lease
are unusable because of drought or wildfire. The Committee
recognizes the importance of grazing on Forest Service lands
not only because of its economic impacts and ability to be used
as management tool, but also for its role in the heritage of
the Western States.
Forest Products.--The bill provides $369,805,000 for forest
products, $10,000,000 above the enacted level. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to report program outputs from the
Forest Products line item by counting only commercial products,
including sawlogs, pulpwood, commercial biomass, and commercial
firewood. Personal use firewood should be reported separately
and should not be used to calculate program costs or
efficiencies.
The Committee notes that over the last 10 years the timber
supply in Region 10 has been constrained to less than 10
percent of the allowable sale quantity in the current land
management plan. As a result, numerous mills have closed. The
Committee reproves the Forest Service for not previously
following this directive. In an effort to restore confidence in
the timber supply and foster and allow investment in new
facilities, the Forest Service pledged to prepare and offer
four 10-year timber sales each with a volume of 150-200 million
board feet; however, the agency converted the first two timber
sales to smaller stewardship projects, which neither restored
confidence or allowed investment in new facilities. The
Committee directs the Forest Service to prepare and offer,
within 2 years, the four 10-year timber sales as promised.
Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness.--The bill provides
$264,595,000 for recreation, heritage, and wilderness,
$2,876,000 above the enacted level. The Committee appreciates
that the Forest Service has initiated a comprehensive review of
its permitting system in order to improve and facilitate access
to Federal lands. The Committee is concerned that the
permitting process for recreational activities varies widely
across regions and from forest-to-forest, and is concerned that
the Forest Service does not have a functioning online
permitting system. The Forest Service is directed to increase
transparency and consistency in their permitting processes and
provide a report to the Committee within 120 days regarding a
plan to address these concerns and any legislative or
administrative changes that must be made to improve the process
for citizens to access their public lands.
Additional funds are included for recreation programs
within the Forest Service. The Forest Service is directed to
increase the pace and scale of evaluation of special-use
permits, particularly in Region 10, as a means by which access
to public lands and economic activity can be increased in
national forest communities.
Vegetation and Watershed Management.--The bill provides
$188,716,000 for vegetation and watershed management
activities, which is $4,000,000 above the enacted level. The
Committee expresses concern with the pace and scale of the
Forest Service's use of the authorities granted by section 8204
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 to perform critically needed
treatments of insect and disease infested trees on National
Forests. The Committee expects the Forest Service to fully and
promptly implement this authority. Additionally, the Service is
directed to include in the fiscal year 2018 budget submission
specific information regarding geographic locations where the
Service intends to take advantage of this authority.
Wildlife and Fish Habitat Management.--The bill provides
$138,466,000 for wildlife and fish habitat management,
$2,000,000 below the enacted level.
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund.--The bill
provides $40,000,000 for collaborative forest landscape
restoration projects.
Minerals and Geology Management.--The bill provides
$81,923,000 for minerals and geology management, $5,500,000
above the enacted level. Of the funds provided, $5,500,000 is
for the remediation of Forest Service liabilities on orphan
mine sites pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
Law Enforcement.--The bill provides $124,653,000 for law
enforcement activities, $2,000,000 below the enacted level. Of
the funds provided, up to $13,000,000 is for marijuana
eradication activities.
Integrated Resource Restoration [IRR].--The Committee notes
with interest that the Forest Service did not include a
proposal in the request for expansion of the IRR program and
continues to have concerns relating to transparency and
execution of congressional priorities as it relates to IRR.
Tongass National Forest.--The Committee remains opposed to
the Forest Service's implementation strategy in Region 10 with
respect to the timber program and its ability to preserve a
viable timber industry. The Committee notes that in order to
preserve a viable timber industry, the Forest Service must
provide a reliable supply of economically viable timber from
the national forest system that includes both old growth and
young growth. The Committee expects the Forest Service to meet
the requirements of section 705(a) of the Alaska National
Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 539d(a)) and directs
to Forest Service to submit a report to the Committee within 60
days outlining how the transition plan to-date has meet the
requirements of the above referenced law, as well as how the
Forest Service intends to comply with the above referenced law
moving forward. Additionally, the Committee reproves the Forest
Service for ignoring the direction to make available funds
previously set-aside for activities related to the proposed
Transition Framework for assistance in Region 10 to conduct a
comprehensive inventory of young growth to include the stand-
level field work on young growth, recommended by the Tongass
Advisory Committee, to ground-proof and refine inventory and
growth data and improve inventory accuracy. The Forest
Service's insistence on ignoring this direction, as well as
other direction regarding the offering of timber sales in
Region 10, is unacceptable to the Committee. Given all of these
factors, no funds are provided for the Forest Service to issue
a Record of Decision for any Forest Plan Amendments to the 2008
Tongass Land Management Plan that includes transition to young
growth management.
Bighorn Sheep.--The Committee directs the Service to
complete Risk of Contact analyses using the Western Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' occupied bighorn habitat maps,
telemetry data, and recent bighorn observations. The Service is
further directed to transparently and promptly share findings
with other Federal land management agencies, State and local
governments, State wildlife agencies, and State and Federal
animal health professionals, including the Agricultural
Research Service, permittees, and stakeholders. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to engage the Agricultural Research
Service and the aforementioned cooperating agencies and
participants to ensure the best professional scientific
understanding of where and if disease transmission occurs, and
the degree of that risk, before making further management
decisions that impact permittees. The Forest Service is further
directed, if warranted, to use this base of information to
swiftly identify and implement actions to resolve high-risk of
disease transmission allotments, including if agreeable to the
permittee, the relocation of domestic sheep to lower-risk
allotments, with minimal disruption and displacement of
permittees. The Forest Service is directed to provide bi-annual
briefings to the Committee on its progress and adherence to the
directives contained herein. Additionally, the Forest Service
is directed to make vacant grazing lots available to a holder
of a grazing permit or lease when lands covered by the holder
of the permit or lease are unusable because of drought,
wildfire, or agency action beyond the permittee's control.
Gila Headwaters.--The Forest Service is expected to
consider the Wild and Scenic River qualities, as defined by the
Wild and Scenic River Act, of the headwaters of the Gila River
as part of the ongoing Forest Plan Revision on the Gila
National Forest in New Mexico. The headwaters of the Gila River
originates in America's first designated wilderness area and
supports a rich forest ecosystem including distinct native fish
species.
Stewardship Contracting.--The Committee understands a
rulemaking is underway for a Small Business Timber Set Aside
for Stewardship Contracting and expects the process to be
completed expeditiously.
Good Neighbor Authority.--The Committee directs the Forest
Service, to the greatest extent possible, to make the Federal
and State Cooperative Watershed Restoration and Protection
authority (as amended by section 417, division G, of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76; 128
Stat. 341)) widely available for treatment of insect infested
trees, reduction of hazardous fuels, and other activities,
including for removal of timber.
The Committee supports efforts of the Forest Service to
foster and facilitate partnerships with collaborative groups
working to increase the pace, scale, and quality of forest
restoration in all forest types, grasslands and unique habitats
managed by the Forest Service and on adjacent lands.
Coordination should occur between divisions within the agency
to facilitate and implement partnership agreements.
The Forest Service is directed to provide a report to the
Committee regarding their spending and strategies related to
wild horses and burros management on national forest lands.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $364,164,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 343,280,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 355,674,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $355,674,000 for
capital improvement and maintenance programs, a decrease of
$8,490,000 below the enacted level. As in previous years, this
amount is offset with a $16,000,000 scoring credit related to
the Roads and Trails Fund.
Facilities.--The bill provides $69,600,000, including
$55,369,000 for maintenance and $14,231,000 for construction, a
total decrease of $1,790,000 below the enacted level. The
Committee finds that repairs, maintenance and upgrades are
needed for the smokejumper bases operated by the Forest
Service. The Forest Service should seek to address the backlog
of repairs, maintenance and needed upgrades of its smokejumper
bases in order to help keep bases in operational status.
Roads.--The bill provides $179,094,000, including
$150,454,000 for maintenance and $28,640,000 for construction,
a total increase of $7,000,000 above the enacted level.
Trails.--The bill provides $74,830,000, including
$69,777,000 for maintenance and $5,053,000 for construction,
$2,700,000 below the enacted level.
Deferred Maintenance.--The bill provides $3,150,000 for
deferred maintenance, an amount equal to the enacted level.
Legacy Road and Trail Remediation.--The bill provides
$29,000,000 for the legacy road initiative, a decrease of
$11,000,000 below the enacted level. The Forest Service is
expected to allocate this funding in a manner proportionate to
the distribution of roads in need of attention across the
system and to direct funds to regions most in need of road
remediation.
land acquisition
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $63,435,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 65,653,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 54,738,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $54,738,000 for land
acquisition. This amount is a decrease of $8,697,000 below the
enacted level.
The Committee has provided $5,000,000 for recreational
access and the Forest Service is directed to prioritize
recreational access projects that significantly enhance access
to existing public lands that have inadequate access for
hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. The
Committee remains concerned about the prioritization of
projects and the ability to allocate funds once appropriated.
The Committee strongly encourages the Agency to quickly close
projects once funds have been made available and a willing
seller has been identified, a appraisal has been completed, and
a purchase contract has been agreed to.
The amount provided within this bill is available for the
following distribution of funds and projects requested by the
administration:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Bill
State Project estimate (Discretionary)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID CLP: High Divide (Sawtooth $2,800,000 $2,800,000
National Recreation Area)
ID CLP: High Divide (Caribou- 330,000 330,000
Targee)
WY Greater Yellowstown Are 2,850,000 2,850,000
(Bridger-Teton)
CA Sierra Nevada Checkerboard (El 1,200,000 1,200,000
Dorado/Tahoe)
CA CLP: National Trails (Pacific 4,905,000 4,905,000
Crest National Scenic Trail)
MN Minnesota North Woods 3,500,000 3,500,000
FL CLP: Florida/Georgia Longleaf 3,850,000 3,850,000
Pine Initiative
MT Swan Valley 4,000,000 4,000,000
IN Hoosiers Upland Natural 1,600,000 1,600,000
Treasures
AK Admiralty Island National 4,000,000 4,000,000
Monument Cube Cove
VA CLP: Southern Blue Ridge 2,280,000 2,280,000
TN CLP: Southern Blue Ridge 3,400,000 3,400,000
NC CLP: Southern Blue Ridge 1,850,000 1,850,000
NC North Carolina Threatened 360,000 360,000
Treasures
SC South Carolina Coastal Legacy 1,600,000 1,600,000
Other Projects 11,178,000 ...............
Acquisition Management 8,500,000 7,200,000
Cash Equalization 750,000 700,000
Critical Inholdings/Wilderness 2,000,000 3,313,000
Sportsman/Recreational Access 4,700,000 5,000,000
----------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition 65,653,000 54,738,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
acquisition of lands for national forests, special acts
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $950,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 950,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 950,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $950,000, which is
equal to the enacted level. These funds are derived from
receipts at certain forests.
acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $216,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 216,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 216,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $216,000, which is
equal to the enacted level. This amount is derived from funds
deposited by State, county, and municipal governments or public
school authorities pursuant to the act of December 4, 1967, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 484a).
range betterment fund
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,320,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,320,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,320,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $2,320,000, which is
equal to the request. This amount is for range rehabilitation,
protection, and improvement, and is derived from fees received
for livestock grazing on national forests pursuant to section
401(b)(1) of Public Law 94-579, as amended.
gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland research
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $45,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 45,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 45,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $45,000, which is
equal to the budget request. This amount is derived from the
fund established under 16 U.S.C. 1643(b).
MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,500,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,441,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,500,000
The bill provides an appropriation of $2,500,000, equal to
the enacted level. This account provides for carrying out the
Forest Service's responsibilities for subsistence under the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
wildland fire management
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2016\1\................................. $3,909,329,000
Budget estimate, 2017\2\................................ 3,315,541,000
Chairman's recommendation\3\............................ 3,332,329,000
\1\Includes $823,000,000 appropriated under the FLAME Wildfire
Suppression Reserve Account and $700,000,000 in fire borrowing
repayment.
\2\Includes $864,096,000 for suppression designated as disaster pursuant
to pending congressional action.
\3\Includes $490,000,000 for suppression designated as emergency.
The bill provides a total appropriation of $3,332,329,000
for wildland fire management, an increase of $123,000,000 above
the enacted level. This includes $490,000,000 provided with an
emergency designation, for additional suppression resources.
This year's bill includes a proposal for a permanent fix to end
fire borrowing and make wildfire budgeting sustainable. Funding
levels for each subactivity can also be found in the table at
the end of this statement. Of the funds provided, $2,000,000 is
for the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes to continue
to enhance the Forest Service's capacity to execute science-
based forest restoration treatments to reduce the risk of
wildfires and improve the health of dry forest ecosystems.
Fire Operations.--The bill provides $2,330,620,000 for
wildfire preparedness and suppression operations, $437,000,000
above the enacted level. This amount includes $1,082,620,000
for preparedness and $1,248,000,000 for suppression. As noted,
the bill provides $490,000,000, with an emergency designation,
for additional suppression resources that the Forest Service
can access in lieu of the President's budget proposal to
provide this amount within the disaster cap. These emergency
funds are only available if discretionary funds for suppression
are exhausted.
Other Operations.--The bill provides $511,709,000 for other
wildland fire management operations, an increase of $19,000,000
above the enacted level. The bill provides $390,000,000 for
hazardous fuels reduction, of which up to $15,000,000 may be
used for biomass utilization grants. The Forest Service is
encouraged to use biomass utilization grant funds for the
development of bioenergy and bio-based products, such as
nanotechnology, that will expand commercial markets for low
value wood to facilitate increased removal of biomass beyond
traditional fuels treatment. Investing in the research and
development of advanced woody biomass uses will help reduce
excessive hazardous fuels on our Nation's forestlands while
creating new economic markets and opportunity for taxpayers.
The bill also provides $19,795,000 for fire plan research
and development, $6,914,000 for joint fire science, $80,000,000
for State fire assistance, and $15,000,000 for volunteer fire
assistance.
The Committee urges the Forest Service to increase cross-
boundary collaboration through their hazardous fuels programs,
including with State Foresters and private sector
organizations, in efforts to reduce hazardous fuels in high
fire risk landscapes and to prioritize projects that work
across ownership boundaries in landscapes, particularly those
areas identified as priorities in State Forest Action Plans.
The Committee notes the importance of proactive actions that
protect communities and habitat from catastrophic wildfire.
Fire Suppression Aviation.--The Committee acknowledges the
importance of ensuring all necessary resources are on hand to
fight the wildfires that ravage the Nation's forests, and
understands how critical private industry is in these efforts.
The Committee also recognizes the investment of the Forest
Service in developing the Next Generation Large Air Tanker
Modernization Strategy and the need to ensure a sufficient
number of available aircraft and the proper mix of Federal and
private equipment to adequately respond to the needs of the
agencies fighting wildfires. Due to Congressional action, the
Forest Service has begun to take possession of seven,
Government-owned C-130H aircraft, as well as to pursue the
acquisition of new aircraft with funding provided in fiscal
year 2015. The Forest Service is directed to provide a report
to the Committee, prior to requesting additional acquisition of
air tankers, providing evidence of cost-savings expected to
result from the acquisition of Federal aircraft. This
evaluation should include not only costs charged to the Forest
Service, but costs charged to other agencies so the Committee
has an accurate accounting of the actual cost of Federal
ownership compared with utilization of private contractors. The
Committee also recognizes the importance of scoopers in
fighting wildland fire and encourages the Service to continue
to utilize scooper contracts, as appropriate.
Wildland Fire Science Partnership.--The Committee
appreciates the work of the Wildland Fire Science Partnership
and expects funds within joint fire science to be used to study
current wildland firefighting operations and the safety and
health impacts of such operations on wildland firefighters.
Administrative Provisions
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The bill continues several administrative provisions from
previous years.
There continues to be a need to improve transparency and
communication between the Forest Service and the Committee. To
accomplish this, the Forest Service is directed to work with
the Committee on a budget restructure proposal with the goal of
improving methods by which spending can be reported by
congressional priority, as well as by region, State, and
forest.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
The Indian Health Service [IHS] is the agency within the
Department of Health and Human Services that has responsibility
for providing Federal health services to approximately 2.2
million American Indians and Alaska Natives. The provision of
health services to tribes grew out of the special relationship
between the Federal Government and Indian tribes that was
established in 1787, based on article I, section 8 of the
Constitution, and given form and substance by numerous
treaties, laws, Supreme Court decisions, and Executive orders
that followed. Most notable among these is the Snyder Act of
1921, which provides the basic authority for most Indian health
services provided by the Federal Government to Native Americans
and Alaska Natives.
IHS services are provided directly and through tribally
contracted and operated programs in over 600 healthcare
facilities located throughout the United States, primarily in
rural and isolated areas. Healthcare is also purchased from
more than 9,000 private providers annually. The Federal system
consists of 28 hospitals, 61 health centers, and 34 health
stations. Through Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Act, tribes and tribal
organizations compact and contract health programs to manage 17
hospitals, 249 health centers and 70 health stations. In
addition, grants to 34 nonprofit urban Indian health
organizations provide a variety of health and referral
services.
indian health services
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $3,566,387,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 3,815,109,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 3,650,171,000
The Committee recommends $3,650,171,000 for clinical
services programs of the Indian Health Service. This is an
increase of $83,784,000 above the enacted level. Changes to the
enacted level are detailed below and in the table accompanying
this report.
While the Committee must live within statutory budget
constraints, it has fully funded the programmatic budget
request for high priority programs designed to address some of
the most difficult issues facing Indian Country such as suicide
and alcohol and substance abuse.
Accordingly, the Committee has provided increases above the
enacted level in the services account including $4,000,000 for
the Domestic Violence Prevention Program, and $16,800,000 for
the alcohol and substance abuse program to focus on tribal
youth and the incorporation of more holistic healthcare models
to improve outcomes. The Service is directed to allocate
$2,000,000 of the increase provided for the alcohol and
substance abuse program to fund essential detoxification and
related services provided by the Service's public and private
partners to IHS beneficiaries.
The Committee has fully funded the programmatic request for
mental health programs of $25,000,000 which includes $3,600,000
for the Zero Suicide Initiative and $21,400,000 for the
Behavioral Health Integration Initiative to better integrate
treatment programs for mental health and substance abuse
problems.
The Committee has also provided $29,587,000 for staffing of
newly opened health facilities and $9,000,000 for tribal clinic
leases, particularly Village Built Clinics, for a total of
$11,000,000. Other important increases include $1,000,000 for
the Urban Health program and $1,000,000 for the Indian Health
Professions program which is equal to the request.
Funds for the staffing of new facilities are provided
solely to support facilities on the Health Care Facilities
Construction Priority System and Joint Venture construction
projects that have opened in fiscal year 2016 or will open in
fiscal year 2017. None of these funds may be allocated to a
facility until such facility has achieved beneficial occupancy
status.
The Committee notes that the Service's budget request
included $20,000,000 for a Health Information Technology
Initiative. However, the Committee was recently informed that
the agency was allocated $60,000,000 of Nonrecurring Expenses
Fund resources from the Department of Health and Human Services
some of which is available for IT programs.
Other.--The Committee is aware that the community of
Gallup, New Mexico, has long faced a crisis of alcohol-related
deaths of tribal members, including deaths of 24 individuals
over the past 2 years, many of which were linked to exposure.
These deaths underscore the urgent need for substance abuse
treatment, residential services and detoxification services,
particularly those provided by the nonprofit Na' Nizhoozhi
Center, also known as the Gallup Detox Center, which has a
longstanding relationship with the Service and serves members
of multiple tribes. Over the past several years, however, the
Center has lost access to critical funding sources, resulting
in reduced services and the threat of the facility's closure.
Given the public health risk involved, the Committee believes
that it is essential that this facility remain open to provide
its life-saving services to the community and expects the
Service to continue its partnership with the Center and to work
with the Center and other Federal, State, local, and tribal
partners to develop a sustainable model for the Center to
enhance its clinical capacity.
Dental Care Alternatives.--The Committee is concerned that
tooth decay in Indian Country has reached epidemic proportions
and notes that preschool children of American Indian and Alaska
Natives have the highest level of tooth decay of any population
group in the United States. The Committee understands that the
geographic isolation of tribal health facilities makes it
difficult to attract dentists to serve as providers and
believes that one alternative to improve access to dental care
is to allow volunteer dentists to treat patients. However, the
Committee has heard reports that delays in getting approved
healthcare providers credentialed to work at tribal or Indian
Health Service facilities have resulted in candidates
abandoning their efforts to volunteer because they could not be
processed in a timely fashion. To address this problem, the
Committee urges the Service to explore establishing a
centralized credentialing system to encompass volunteer
providers. The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have
centralized credentialing systems and the Committee believes
that the Service should consult with those Departments, as well
as private sector credential verification organizations and
state dental associations, and work to establish a pilot
project to test the feasibility of a centralized credentialing
system.
Contract Support Costs
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $717,970,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 800,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 800,000,000
The Committee has continued language from fiscal year 2016
establishing an indefinite appropriation for contract support
costs estimated to be $800,000,000, which is an increase of
$82,030,000 above the fiscal year 2016 level. The Committee has
modified the language to delete a provision that contradicted
certain provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act.
indian health facilities
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $523,232,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 569,906,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 543,607,000
INDIAN HEALTH FACILITIES
The Committee recommends $543,607,000 for health facilities
operations of the Indian Health Service. This amount is
$20,375,000 above the enacted level. Increases above the
enacted level include $3,395,000 for the staffing of new
facilities; $3,367,000 for facilities maintenance and
improvement, equal to the request; $3,613,000 for sanitation
facilities construction, equal to the request; and $10,000,000
for healthcare facilities construction for the small ambulatory
clinic program. The Committee notes that this is the first
funding for the small ambulatory program since 2008. This
program is another critical tool for addressing facilities
maintenance and construction backlogs throughout the Nation.
The Committee encourages the Service to give strong
consideration to utilizing these new resources to assist with
infrastructure improvements at remote sites such as Gambell and
Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.
The Committee directs the Service to work with the
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium to formulate
options for facilities upgrades and ultimately a replacement
facility at Mt. Edgecombe in Sitka. The plan shall be submitted
to the Committee within 180 days of enactment of this act.
The stipulations included in the ``Indian Health Services''
account regarding the allocation of funds for the staffing of
new facilities pertain to the funds in this account as well.
Within 60 days of enactment of this act, the Service shall
submit a spending plan to the Committee that details the
project-level distribution of funds provided for healthcare
facilities construction.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the quality
of healthcare services provided at many of the Service's
facilities and expects the Service, in consultation with the
Committee, to update its performance metrics to better address
patient health outcomes.
National Institutes of Health
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, an
agency within the National Institutes of Health, was authorized
in section 311(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, to conduct
multidisciplinary research and training activities associated
with the Nation's Hazardous Substance Superfund program, and in
section 126(g) of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization
Act of 1968, to conduct training and education of workers who
are or may be engaged in activities related to hazardous waste
removal or containment or emergency response.
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $77,349,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 77,349,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 77,349,000
The bill provides $77,349,000 for the operations of the
``National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences''
account. This amount is equal to the budget request and the
enacted level.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
[ATSDR], an agency of the Public Health Service, was created in
section 104(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The ATSDR's primary
mission is to conduct surveys and screening programs to
determine relationships between exposure to toxic substances
and illness. Other activities include the maintenance and
annual update of a list of hazardous substances most commonly
found at Superfund sites, the preparation of toxicological
profiles on each such hazardous substance, consultations on
health issues relating to exposure to hazardous or toxic
substances, and the development and implementation of certain
research activities related to ATSDR's mission.
TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $74,691,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 74,691,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 74,691,000
The bill provides a total appropriation of $74,691,000 for
the operations of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry account. This amount is equal to the budget request
and the enacted level.
Birth Cohort Study.--Continued funding for the ATSDR
supports the birth cohort study on the Navajo Nation. The
Committee supports the continuation of this study to better
understand the relationship between uranium exposures, birth
outcomes, and early developmental delays on the Navajo Nation.
OTHER RELATED AGENCIES
Executive Office of the President
COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
The Council on Environmental Quality [CEQ] and the Office
of Environmental Quality [OEQ] were established by the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [NEPA] and the Environmental
Quality Improvement Act of 1970, respectively. The Council
serves as a source of environmental expertise and policy
analysis for the White House, Executive Office of the
President, and other Federal agencies. CEQ promulgates
regulations binding on all Federal agencies to implement the
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
and resolves interagency environmental disputes informally and
through issuance of findings and recommendations.
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $3,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 3,015,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 3,000,000
The bill provides $3,000,000 for the operations of the
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental
Quality account. This amount is equal to the enacted level.
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board was
authorized by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to
investigate accidental releases of certain chemicals substances
that result in, or may cause, serious injury, death,
substantial property damage, or serious adverse effects on
human health. It became operational in fiscal year 1998.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $11,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 12,436,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 11,000,000
The bill provides $11,000,000 for salaries and expenses of
the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. This amount
is equal to the enacted level.
The Committee remains focused on internal activities at the
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. A report
from the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection
Agency investigated the Board and found that a ``lack of
internal guidance and implementation of controls puts the CSB's
$11,000,000 budget at risk.'' The Committee is encouraged by
efforts at the Board under the new Chair's leadership to remedy
these issues, but remains concerned that more must to be done
to restore credibility to an agency with the important
responsibility of investigating industrial chemical accidents.
Given the scope of internal issues still requiring resolution
and pending investigations that require completion, the
Committee encourages CSB to focus the resources allocated on
these critical tasks.
The Inspector General report indicated that the CSB does
not have internal guidance over its annual budget process. The
Committee directs the CSB to develop such guidance and provide
it to the Committee within 90 days of passage of this act.
The Committee also notes that this year's budget request
included funding for CSB to organize an annual symposium or
forum on innovations in chemical safety. Although attendance at
conferences on chemical safety can be useful for CSB staff,
industry stakeholders, and other interested parties, the
Committee notes that a number of similar meetings related to
chemical safety already take place on an annual basis and
questions the utility of another federally funded event. The
Committee directs the CSB to provide further justification for
this expenditure prior to expending any resources for this
purpose.
The Committee is aware of CSB's announcement of a study on
land use and facility siting. The Committee is concerned about
the scope of such a study and the necessity of the Board
devoting Federal resources to land use issues that are
historically the province of state and local jurisdiction. The
Committee directs CSB to provide a report detailing the
intended scope of and justification for the study prior to
expending any funds for this purpose.
The Committee notes that this year's budget request
includes funding for safety video production. The Committee has
heard concerns that certain videos produced by the CSB have
encouraged members of the public to lobby Members of Congress
and state legislatures on pending or future Federal or State
legislation. The Board is reminded of the prohibition against
this type of advocacy and expects strict adherence to the
prohibition.
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation
The Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation was
established by Public Law 93-531. The Office is charged with
planning and conducting relocation activities associated with
the settlement of land disputes between the Navajo Nation and
Hopi Tribe.
The Committee directs the Office of Navajo and Hopi
Relocation [OHNIR], in consultation with the Secretary of
Interior, to report back to the Committee within 90 days
detailing the functions of the OHNIR that could be transferred
to the Department of Interior. It is the Committee's
expectation this report include any costs associated with a
potential transfer and any costs to maintain ongoing activities
of the OHNIR. This report should also include a legal analysis
examining whether any potential office closure would require
enacting legislation to transfer or maintain any identified
functions to another agency or organization.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $15,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 15,431,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 15,431,000
The bill provides $15,431,000 for the Office of Navajo and
Hopi Indian Relocation, an increase of $431,000 above the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts
Development
The Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture
and Arts Development [IAIA] was originally founded in 1962 as a
Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] high school. The Institute was
moved out of the BIA in 1988 to become a federally chartered 4-
year college governed by a board of trustees appointed by the
President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. Its
mission is to serve as the national center of research,
training, language, and scholarship for Native Americans and
Alaska Natives through the dedicated study, creative
application, preservation, and care of Native cultures and
arts. In addition to its academic programs, the IAIA houses the
National Collection of Contemporary Indian Art and carries the
designation as the National Repository for Native Languages.
The IAIA's operations are funded by direct Federal support and
a diversified private sector approach to foundations,
corporations, tribes, and individual donors.
payment to the institute
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $11,619,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 11,835,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 15,212,000
The recommendation provides $15,212,000 for the Institute
of American Indian Arts, an increase of $3,377,000 above the
request and $3,593,000 above the enacted level. The increase
above the request shall be used to complete the Institute's
transition to forward funding during fiscal year 2017 rather
than to phasing in forward funding over multiple years as
proposed by the administration. Amounts provided for fiscal
year 2017 shall be supplemented by $2,000,000 in prior-year
carryover funds, for a total operating level of $9,835,000.
Requested increases for fixed costs and academic program
requirements are included within the Committee's
recommendation.
Smithsonian Institution
Congress established the Smithsonian Institution in 1846 to
administer a large bequest left to the United States by James
Smithson, an English scientist, for the purpose of establishing
in Washington, DC, an institution ``. . . for the increase and
diffusion of knowledge among men.'' The act establishing the
Smithsonian provided for the administration of the trust,
independent of the Government itself, by a Board of Regents and
a Secretary, who were given broad discretion in the use of
these funds. The board was to be composed of both private
citizens and members of all three branches of the Federal
Government in order to ensure ``the wise and faithful use'' of
the Institution's funds. The trust funds were permanently
loaned to the U.S. Treasury to be maintained in a separate
account, with the interest from that money used for the
operation of the Institution. Construction of the Smithsonian
Castle was completed in 1855 and collections that the
Government had accepted on behalf of the Institution were moved
into the building. Today, the Smithsonian Institution is the
world's largest museum and research complex, housing
approximately 144 million objects and specimens, and receiving
an estimated 25 million visitors annually.
Its facilities include 19 museums and galleries, the
National Zoo, and nine research facilities--most located in or
near Washington, DC, with others in Massachusetts, New York,
Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, and the Republic of Panama. The
Smithsonian's growth continues as construction proceeds on the
National Museum of African American History and Culture,
authorized by Congress in 2003 and scheduled to open to the
public in 2016.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $696,045,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 759,224,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 718,059,000
The bill provides $718,059,000 for salaries and expenses of
the Smithsonian Institution. This amount is an increase of
$22,014,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Unless
otherwise provided, increases above the fiscal year 2016 level
account for fixed costs for the Institution's programs. In
fiscal year 2016, the Institution reprogrammed $1,500,000 from
the Collections Care Preservation Fund within the Institution-
wide Programs to support staffing needed to provide for the
Smithsonian's collections. The recommendation includes the
annualized costs to maintain the collections staffing hired in
fiscal year 2016 by the Institution to support multiple
museums.
The Committee understands the role the Institution has
played as a source of learning and inspiration, and appreciates
the challenges the Institution must overcome to keep the
museums open and available to the public. The Committee also
understand the importance of collaboration and partnerships and
strongly encourages areas, such as the National Zoological
Park, to work with external sources to provide support in
pathological research, services, and training to augment the
existing needs of the National Zoo.
The Committee provides a total of $294,323,000 for
Facilities Services, of which $76,327,000 is for Facilities
Maintenance and $217,996,000 is for Facilities Operations,
Security and Support. Increases of $1,600,000 for the
Facilities Maintenance and $3,900,000 for the Facilities
Operations have been included for facilities, operations, and
maintenance, respectively, to fund necessary expenses required
for the opening of the National Museum of African American
History and Culture in 2016.
The creation of a Museum of the American Latino within the
Smithsonian Institution at some future date continues to be a
strongly supported priority. Until such time, the Smithsonian
Latino Center, which was formed in 1997 with the goal of
promoting the inclusion of Latino contributions in the
Institution's exhibitions, collections and public outreach
programs, should continue this important work. In accordance
with the recommendations provided to Congress and the President
of the United States in the May 2011 report by the National
Museum of the American Latino Commission (created by Public Law
110-229), the Committee urges collaboration between the
Smithsonian and appropriate Federal and local organizations to
increase Latino programming, exhibitions, collections, and
outreach at the Institution. The Committee expects that within
the funds provided for program support and outreach, the
Institution will be able to increase support for this effort.
The Committee is also aware the Asian Pacific American Center
is examining ways in which it could expand its outreach, both
within the Institution and beyond the National Mall. The
Committee continues to encourage the Institution to find ways
to share the contributions Asian Americans have contributed to
the American experience.
The subcommittee recognizes that the Smithsonian must raise
private funds to supplement its Federal funding. The
subcommittee wishes to ensure, however, that revenue-producing
activities do not detract from the core mission or the
reputation of the Smithsonian. The subcommittee directs the
Smithsonian to review and report with 90 days of enactment of
this act on how it balances the need to produce revenue through
the activities of Smithsonian Enterprises with the pursuit of
its core mission and with protection of its reputation.
facilities capital
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $144,198,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 163,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 142,184,000
The bill includes $142,184,000 for the Smithsonian
Institution's Facilities Capital program, $2,014,000 below the
current year enacted level. Within these funds, $71,884,000 is
provided for revitalizations efforts, $20,300,000 for planning
and design efforts, and $50,000,000 is provided for
construction.
The Committee understands the Institution is in the process
of a multi-year, multi-phase renovation project for the
National Air and Space Museum, including the necessary
replacement of the building's facade. The Committee has
included the $50 million, as requested, to support the
construction of a storage facility at Udvar-Hazy to facilitate
the upcoming renovation. The Committee recognizes the museum is
a popular stop for visitors and it is important to ensure the
public has access to the collection of artifacts; however, the
Committee is also concerned the estimated half a billion dollar
cost for the museum's renovations will limit the ability to
modernize and make repairs to other facilities. Therefore, the
Committee directs the Smithsonian to report back to the
Committee within 90 days from enactment of this act regarding
total estimated project costs, phasing opportunities, and
construction timelines, as well as potential partnership
funding options and building technologies or design features
that could be integrated during the construction of the project
to lower the estimated costs. The report shall also detail the
Institution's plans to maintain the public's access to the
National Air and Space Museum's important collections during
the construction of the project.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art was created in 1937 by a joint
resolution of Congress accepting Andrew W. Mellon's gift to the
Nation of his art collection. The generosity of the Mellon
family also provided the funds to construct the Gallery's two
landmark buildings, the West Building, designed by Alexander
Pope and completed in 1941, and the East Building, designed by
I.M. Pei and completed in 1978. In 1999, an outdoor sculpture
garden was created with funding from the Cafritz Foundation.
Today, these two buildings and the Sculpture Garden form a
museum complex that houses one of the world's premier art
collections. Since the Gallery's founding, Federal funds have
been appropriated to ensure the operation, maintenance,
protection, and care of its collection. Private contributions
are used by the Gallery for art acquisition and conservation,
scholarly and scientific research, exhibitions, and educational
outreach programs.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $124,988,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 135,801,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 132,961,000
The bill provides $132,961,000 for salaries and expenses of
the National Gallery of Art. This amount is $7,973,000 above
the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The distribution of funds
among the Gallery's various activities is displayed in the
table that accompanies this report.
repair, restoration, and renovation of buildings
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $22,564,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 22,600,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 22,564,000
The bill provides $22,564,000 for major repairs,
restoration and renovation of the Gallery's buildings. This
amount is equal to the enacted level.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Originally established in 1958 as the National Cultural
Center, an independently administered bureau of the Smithsonian
Institution, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
was designated as a living memorial to President Kennedy in
1964. The Kennedy Center building was constructed with a
combination of private contributions, Federal matching funds
and long-term revenue bonds held by the U.S. Department of the
Treasury. Since 1972, Congress has provided funds for the
operations and repair of the presidential monument, initially
through the National Park Service and since 1995 to the Kennedy
Center Board of Trustees. Approximately 87 percent of the
Center's total annual operating budget is derived from
nonappropriated funds such as ticket sales, auxiliary income,
investment income and private contributions that support
performing arts programming and administrative activities.
operations and maintenance
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $21,660,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 22,260,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 22,260,000
The bill provides $22,269,000 for the operations and
maintenance of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts, the same amount as the administration's fiscal year 2017
request.
CAPITAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $14,740,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 13,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 13,000,000
The bill provides $13,000,000 for the Kennedy Center's
capital repair and restoration program, equal to the
administration's request.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the
living national memorial to President Wilson established by
Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Its
mission is to commemorate the ideals and concerns of the former
president by providing a link between the world of ideas and
the world of policy; and by fostering research, study,
discussion, and collaboration among a full spectrum of
individuals concerned with policy and scholarship in national
and world affairs. The Woodrow Wilson Center is a nonpartisan
institution that is supported by a combination of public and
private funds.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $10,500,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 10,400,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 10,500,000
The bill provides $10,500,000 for salaries and expenses of
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the same
amount as the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
National Endowment for the Arts
Established in 1965 as an independent agency of the Federal
Government, the National Endowment for the Arts [NEA] is the
official arts organization of the United States Government. As
the largest annual funder of the arts in the United States, the
NEA has helped to create regional theater, opera, ballet,
symphony orchestras, museums and other arts organizations that
Americans now enjoy. Since its founding, the National Endowment
for the Arts has awarded more than 120,000 grants that have
brought the arts to Americans in communities both large and
small. The NEA, through its competitive, peer-reviewed grants
process, uses the majority of its annual operating funds to
award grants to nonprofit organizations for arts education,
arts outreach, artistic excellence and partnership agreements.
In addition to those activities, State and jurisdictional arts
agencies are awarded 40 percent of the Endowment's funds.
grants and administration
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $147,949,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 149,849,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 148,449,000
The bill provides $148,449,000 for grants and
administration of the National Endowment for the Arts, $500,000
above the fiscal year enacted level. The NEA is to be commended
for the work it has done through its Healing Arts Partnerships
with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Fort
Belvoir Community Hospital to incorporate arts therapy into the
treatment plans of active-duty military patients and their
families. The Committee understands the NEA is working to
expand this successful program to additional locations and
supports this expansion to help service members and their
families in their recovery, reintegration, or transition to
civilian life. The Committee also encourages State arts
agencies to explore how they can contribute to expanding arts
programs for service members and their families at the local
level. The distribution of funds among the agency's various
activities is displayed in the table that accompanies this
statement.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities [NEH] was
established by the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and
Humanities Act as an independent Federal agency of the United
States Government dedicated to supporting research, education,
preservation, and public programs in the humanities. Today, it
is the largest funder of humanities programs in the Nation.
NEH's longstanding tradition of a peer-reviewed competitive
grant process is designed to ensure that the most meritorious
projects are funded. Typically, NEH grants are used to support
cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries,
colleges, universities, public television and radio, and
individual scholars. The NEH, through its State-Federal
partnership, also provides grants to State humanities councils
in all 50 States and the 6 territories.
grants and administration
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $147,942,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 149,848,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 148,442,000
The bill provides $148,442,000 for grants and
administration of the National Endowment for the Humanities,
$500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The
Committee understands the NEH has continued two components of
the popular ``We the People'' initiative grant opportunities,
the National Digital Newspapers Program [NDNP] and the
Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops. The
Committee encourages NEH to continue providing support to
projects that focus on our Nation's history and culture. The
distribution of funds among the agency's various activities is
displayed in the table that accompanies this statement. The
distribution of funds among the agency's various activities is
displayed in the table that accompanies this statement.
Commission of Fine Arts
The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910 to fill
the need for a permanent agency whose members would be
qualified to make available to the Government expert opinion on
questions of art and architecture. The Commission's mission, as
design proposals are brought before it, is to safeguard and
improve the appearance and symbolic significance of the city as
a capital. The Commission provides knowledgeable advice on
matters pertaining to architecture, landscape architecture,
sculpture, painting, and the decorative arts to all branches
and departments of the Federal and District of Columbia
governments when such matters affect the National Capital. The
Commission also must approve of the site and design of all
commemorative works and memorials erected in the District. The
Commission advises on the design of circulating and
commemorative coinage and must approve the siting and design
for national memorials, both in the United States and on
foreign soil, in accordance with the American Battle Monuments
Act and the Commemorative Works Act.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,653,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 2,762,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,653,000
The bill provides $2,653,000 for salaries and expenses of
the Commission of Fine Arts, equal to the fiscal year 2016
enacted level.
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs
The National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program was
established by Public Law 99-190 to provide grants for general
operating support to District of Columbia nonprofit arts and
other cultural organizations. In fiscal year 1988,
administrative responsibility for the program was transferred
from the National Endowment for the Humanities to the
Commission of Fine Arts. Currently, this program helps support
more than 20 nationally renowned organizations in the Nation's
Capital by providing funding for operating expenses, jobs,
exhibits, and performances that might not have been possible
otherwise.
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,400,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 2,000,000
The bill provides $2,000,000, the same amount as the fiscal
year 2016 appropriation, to continue support for the National
Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program administered by the
Commission of Fine Arts. The Committee has not received the
report as required by Public Law 114-113 detailing the
potential impacts to arts and cultural affairs organizations
who have previously received funding; therefore the bill does
not include the requested bill language addressing limitations
on grant recipients. The Committee expects the program to
submit this report and encourages its timely completion.
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as an independent
Federal agency. The Council's mission is to promote the
preservation, enhancement, and productive use of our Nation's
historic resources, and advise the President and Congress on
national historic preservation policy. It also provides a forum
for discussion of Federal activities, programs, and policies
that affect historic properties. One of the principal
responsibilities of the Council is to implement Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires that the
Council be given an opportunity to comment on the impacts of
projects or actions undertaken by other Federal agencies on
sites or structures eligible for inclusion in the National
Register of Historic Places.
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $6,080,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 6,493,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 6,493,000
The bill provides $6,493,000 for the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, an increase of $413,000 above the
enacted level.
National Capital Planning Commission
The National Capital Planning Commission [NCPC] was
established in 1924 as a park planning agency. Two years later,
the agency's role was expanded to included more comprehensive
planning. The National Capital Planning Act of 1952 designated
the NCPC as the central planning agency for the Federal
Government in the National Capital Region. Today, major
functions and responsibilities of the NCPC include
comprehensive and coordinated planning for the Nation's
Capital; an annual assessment of all proposed Federal capital
improvements in the national capital region; the review of
proposed Federal development projects; and representation of
the Federal interest in local and regional planning
initiatives.
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $8,348,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 8,099,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 8,099,000
The bill provides $8,099,000 for salaries and expenses of
the National Capital Planning Commission, $249,000 below the
fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was created by
Congress in 1980 through Public Law 96-388 with the mandate to
operate and maintain a permanent living memorial museum to the
victims of the Holocaust; provide appropriate ways for the
Nation to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust through the
annual national civic observances known as the Days of
Remembrance; and carry out the recommendations of the
President's Commission on the Holocaust. The building that
houses the museum was constructed with private funds and opened
to the public in 1993. Since that time, the museum has
attracted four to five times the number of expected visitors
and has been highly successful in its fundraising efforts. With
private contributions comprising nearly 50 percent of its
annual operating budget, the Holocaust Memorial Museum serves
as a model for the public-private partnership.
holocaust memorial museum
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $54,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 57,000,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 57,000,000
The bill provides $57,000,000 for operations of the United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum, $3,000,000 above the enacted
level.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2016.................................... $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 2017................................... 1,800,000
Chairman's recommendation............................... 1,000,000
The bill provides $1,000,000 for salaries and expenses of
the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, equal to the
enacted level.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriations, 2016....................................................
Budget estimate, 2017................................... $43,000,000
Chairman's recommendation...............................................
No funds have been provided in the ``Capital Construction''
account for the memorial. However, language has been included
in the bill under title IV, General Provisions, that extends
the memorial's site authority to September 30, 2017. The
current authority expires in September 2016.
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2016....................................................
Budget estimate, 2017...................................................
Chairman's recommendation............................... $2,000,000
The bill includes $2,000,000 to establish the new Women's
Suffrage Centennial Commission, as authorized by title VII of
this act. The Commission shall plan, execute and coordinate
programs and activities in honor of the 100th anniversary of
the passage and ratification the Nineteenth Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
TITLE IV
GENERAL PROVISIONS
(Including Transfers of Funds)
Title IV of the bill includes the following general
provisions:
Sec. 401. Provides that appropriations available in the
bill shall not be used to produce literature or otherwise
promote public support of a legislative proposal or regulation
on which action is not complete or for publicity or propaganda
purposes in support of administration policies except to the
executive branch or Congress.
Sec. 402. Continues a provision providing for annual
appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this act.
Sec. 403. Continues a provision providing restrictions on
departmental assessments unless approved by the Committees on
Appropriations.
Sec. 404. Retains the mining patent moratorium carried in
previous years.
Sec. 405. Continues a provision regarding the payment of
contract support costs.
Sec. 406. Provides that only certain amounts provided in
this act may be used to fund contract support costs.
Sec. 407. Continues a provision providing that the
Secretary of Agriculture shall not be considered in violation
of certain provisions of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act solely because more than 15 years have
passed without revision of a forest plan, provided that the
Secretary is working in good faith to complete the plan
revision within available funds.
Sec. 408. Prohibits oil, natural gas, and mining-related
activities within current national monument boundaries, except
where such activities are allowed under the presidential
proclamation establishing the monument.
Sec. 409. Restricts funding appropriated for acquisition of
land or interests in land from being used for declarations of
taking or complaints in condemnation.
Sec. 410. Addresses timber sales involving Alaska western
red and yellow cedar.
Sec. 411. Prohibits modifying definition of waters under
the jurisdiction of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Sec. 412. Restricts awards of no-bid contracts.
Sec. 413. Requires the public disclosure of certain
reports.
Sec. 414. Provision related to carbon emissions from forest
biomass.
Sec. 415. Continues a provision which delineates the grant
guidelines for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sec. 416. Continues a provision which delineates the
program priorities for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sec. 417. Prohibits expansion of certain regulations under
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act.
Sec. 418. Retains certain reporting requirements regarding
the status of appropriations balances.
Sec. 419. Continues a provision on reporting on the use of
climate change funds.
Sec. 420. Continues prohibition of any rules that would
require the regulation of emissions from livestock.
Sec. 421. Continues prohibition on EPA using funds to
implement a mandatory greenhouse gas reporting system for
manure management systems.
Sec. 422. Modification of authorities for the Dwight D.
Eisenhower Memorial Commission.
Sec. 423. Continues prohibition on regulation of fishing
tackle and ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Sec. 424. Continues provision regarding grazing permits on
Forest Service lands
Sec. 425. Extends existing authority to collect recreation
fees for 1 year.
Sec. 426. Stewardship Contracting technical correction.
Sec. 427. Continues standards for the use of American iron
and steel for certain infrastructure projects.
Sec. 428. John F. Kennedy Center 1 year reauthorization.
Sec. 429. Technical corrections to Good Neighbor Authority.
Sec. 430. Boundary adjustment to Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Sec. 431. Prohibits denial of timely access of records to
Inspectors General.
TITLE V
WILDFIRE DISASTER FUNDING
Title V of the bill includes language to create a new cap
adjustment to the statutory discretionary spending limits for
wildland fire suppression activities, to combat the most
severe, complex, and threatening fires, and to serve as a
contingency reserve. This mechanism is critically needed to
provide certainty for the Federal agencies tasked with
preventing and responding to the increasing incidence of
catastrophic wildfires throughout the country. In addition, the
language requires specific reporting and cost containment by
the agencies utilizing this new cap adjustment. Further
explanation can be found in the front matter of this statement.
The language in title V is a modification of the proposal
included in the fiscal year 2017 budget request, which is also
the subject matter of bipartisan legislation introduced in both
the House and the Senate.
TITLE VI
ALASKA LAND USE COUNCIL ACT
Title VI establishes a revised and modernized Alaska Land
Use Council [ALUC]. The original ALUC was established in title
12 of the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act
[ANILCA]. The ALUC sunset in 1990, but the current relationship
between the State of Alaska, residents of Alaska, and the
Federal land management agencies make it clear that a
constructive venue at which to discuss land and resource
management issues and to facilitate enhanced coordination and
cooperation is necessary. The purpose of the new ALUC is to
improve coordination, efficiency, and cooperation among
Federal, State, and Alaska Native Corporation and Tribal land
managers in addressing land and resource issues in order to
fulfill the intent of Congress to balance social, economic, and
environmental considerations as required by ANILCA.
TITLE VII
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION
Title VII of the bill authorizes a new Women's Suffrage
Centennial Commission to commemorate the events that led to
women gaining the right to vote, including the passage and
ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Rule XVI, paragraph 7 requires that every report on a
general appropriation bill filed by the Committee must identify
each recommended amendment which proposes an item of
appropriation which is not made to carry out the provisions of
an existing law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution
previously passed by the Senate during that session.
Those items are as follows:
--Sums provided to the Bureau of Land Management for
management of lands and resources, land acquisition,
construction and maintenance, and loans to States.
--Sums provided to the Bureau of Land Management to
inventory, manage, and improve rangelands for domestic
livestock grazing pursuant to Public Law 95-514, the
Public Rangeland Improvement Act of 1978.
--$237,332,000 for the endangered species program, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
--Sums provided to the Fish and Wildlife service for coastal
wetlands planning, protection, and restoration.
--Sums provided for the Yukon River Restoration and
Enhancement Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
pursuant to the Fisheries Act of 1995.
--Sums provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service for the
conservation and protection of marine mammals pursuant
to Public Law 103-238, the Marine Mammal Protection Act
Amendments of 1994.
--Sums provided for Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration
grants.
--Sums provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to
the Klamath River Basin Fishery Resources Restoration
Act; Fisheries Restoration Irrigation Mitigation Act;
and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act.
--Sums provided to the U.S. Geological Survey for the
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
--Sums provided to the Bureau of Indian Affairs pursuant to
The Tribal Colleges or Universities Assistance Act of
1978; The Indian Tribal Justice Act; Indian Child
Protection and Family Violence Act; and The No Child
Left Behind Act.
--$1,077,784,000 for the Hazardous Substance Superfund.
--$20,000,000 for State and tribal assistance grants: Alaska
Native Villages.
--$1,350,000,000 for State and tribal assistance grants:
Clean Water SRF.
--$1,020,500,000 for State and tribal assistance grants:
Drinking Water SRF.
--Sums provided pursuant to the Clean Air Act, Radon
Abatement Act, Clean Water Act, BEACH Act, Safe
Drinking Water Act, Solid Waste Disposal Act [RCRA],
Toxic Substances Control Act, Pollution Prevention Act,
and the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program
Act.
--$3,000,000 for matching funds for projects of the National
Forest Foundation, U.S. Forest Service.
--$148,449,000 for the National Endowment for the Arts.
--$148,442,000 for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(c), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on June 16, 2016,
the Committee ordered favorably reported an original bill (S.
3068) making appropriations for the Department of the Interior,
environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2017, and for other purposes, provided, that the
bill be subject to amendment and that the bill be consistent
with its budget allocation, and provided that the Chairman of
the Committee or his designee be authorized to offer the
substance of the original bill as a Committee amendment in the
nature of a substitute to the House companion measure, by a
recorded vote of 16-14, a quorum being present. The vote was as
follows:
Yeas Nays
Chairman Cochran Ms. Mikulski
Mr. McConnell Mr. Leahy
Mr. Shelby Mrs. Murray
Mr. Alexander Mrs. Feinstein
Ms. Collins Mr. Durbin
Ms. Murkowski Mr. Reed
Mr. Graham Mr. Tester
Mr. Kirk Mr. Udall
Mr. Blunt Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Moran Mr. Merkley
Mr. Hoeven Mr. Coons
Mr. Boozman Mr. Schatz
Mrs. Capito Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Cassidy Mr. Murphy
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Daines
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by
the committee.''
In compliance with this rule, the following changes in
existing law proposed to be made by the bill are shown as
follows: existing law to be omitted is enclosed in black
brackets; new matter is printed in italic; and existing law in
which no change is proposed is shown in roman.
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
Chapter 1--National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores
Subchapter LIX-M--Natchez National Historical Park
[Sec. 410oo-6. Authorization of appropriations
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated not to
exceed $12,000,000 to carry out this subchapter.] Repealed.
* * * * * * *
Chapter 41--Cooperative Forestry Assistance
Sec. 2113a. Good neighbor authority
(a) Definitions
* * * * * * *
(b) Good neighbor agreements
(1) Good neighbor agreements
* * * * * * *
(2) Timber sales
(A) In general
* * * * * * *
(B) Approval of silviculture prescriptions and
marking guides
The Secretary shall provide or approve all
silviculture prescriptions and marking guides
to be applied on Federal land in all timber
sale projects conducted under this section.
(C) Forest development roads.--
(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection
(a)(3)(B), existing roads shall be repaired or
reconstructed to a satisfactory condition to
perform authorized restoration services
including removal of timber.
* * * * * * *
Chapter 84--Healthy Forest Restoration
Subchapter VI--Miscellaneous
Sec. 6591c. Stewardship end result contracting projects
(a) Definitions
* * * * * * *
(d) Agreements or contracts
(1) Procurement procedure
* * * * * * *
(5) Relation to other laws
Notwithstanding subsections (d) and (g) of section
472a of this title, the Chief may enter into an
agreement or contract under subsection (b).
Notwithstanding the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C.
602(a)), the Director may enter into an agreement or
contract under subsection (b).
* * * * * * *
(7) Fire liability provisions
Not later than 90 days after February 7, 2014, the
Chief [and the Director] shall issue for use in all
contracts and agreements under this section fire
liability provisions that are in substantially the same
form as the fire liability provisions contained in--
* * * * * * *
Chapter 87--Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement
Sec. 6809. Sunset provision
The authority of the Secretary to carry out this chapter
shall terminate on [September 30, 2017] September 30, 2018.
------
TITLE 20--EDUCATION
Chapter 3--Smithsonian Institution, National Museums and Art Galleries
Subchapter V--John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Sec. 76r. Authorization of appropriations
[(a) Maintenance, repair, and security
[There is authorized to be appropriated to the Board to
carry out section 76j(a)(1)(H) of this title, $22,000,000 for
fiscal year 2016.
[(b) Capital projects
[There is authorized to be appropriated to the Board to
carry out subparagraphs (F) and (G) of section 76j(a)(1) of
this title, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.]
(a) Maintenance, Repair, and Security.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Board to carry out section
4(a)(1)(H), $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.
(b) Capital Projects.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Board to carry out subparagraphs (F) and
(G) of section 4(a)(1), $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.
------
TITLE 40--PUBLIC BUILDING, PROPERTY, AND WORKS
SUBTITLE II--PUBLIC BUILDING AND WORKS
Part C--Federal Building Complexes
Chapter 63--Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and John
F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Sec. 6301. Definition
In this chapter, the term ``specified buildings and
grounds'' means--
(1) Smithsonian institution.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(2) National gallery of art.--* * *
(A) * * *
* * * * * * *
(C) to the line of the face of the south
curb of Constitution Avenue Northwest, between
Ninth Street Northwest and Seventh Street
Northwest; to the line of the face of the west
curb of Seventh Street Northwest, between
Constitution Avenue Northwest and Madison Drive
Northwest; to the line of the face of the north
curb of Madison Drive Northwest, between
Seventh Street Northwest and the line of the
face of the east side of the east retaining
wall of the Ninth Street Expressway Northwest;
and to the line of the face of the east side of
the east retaining wall of the Ninth Street
Expressway Northwest, between Madison Drive
Northwest and Constitution Avenue Northwest[.];
and
(D) all other buildings, service roads,
walks, and other areas within the exterior
boundaries of any real estate or land or
interest in land (including temporary use) that
the National Gallery of Art acquires and that
the Director of the National Gallery of Art
determines to be necessary for the adequate
protection of individuals or property in the
National Gallery of Art and suitable for
administration as a part of the National
Gallery of Art.
------
BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985, PUBLIC LAW
99-177
PART C--EMERGENCY POWERS TO ELIMINATE DEFICITS IN EXCESS OF MAXIMUM
DEFICIT AMOUNT
SEC. 251. ENFORCING DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS.
(a) Enforcement.--
* * * * * * *
(b) Adjustments to Discretionary Spending Limits.--
(1) Concepts and definitions.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(2) Sequestration reports.--* * *
(A) Emergency appropriations; overseas
contingency operations/global war on
terrorism.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(D) Disaster Funding.--
(i) If, for fiscal years 2012
through 2021, appropriations for
discretionary accounts are enacted that
Congress designates as being for
disaster relief in statute, the
adjustment for a fiscal year shall be
the total of such appropriations for
the fiscal year in discretionary
accounts designated as being for
disaster relief, but not to exceed the
total of--
(I) the average funding
provided for disaster relief
over the previous 10 years,
excluding the highest and
lowest years; [and] plus
(II) the amount, for years
when the enacted new
discretionary budget authority
designated as being for
disaster relief for the
preceding fiscal year was less
than the average as calculated
in subclause (I) for that
fiscal year, that is the
difference between the enacted
amount and the allowable
adjustment as calculated in
such subclause for that fiscal
year[.] ; less
(III) the additional new
budget authority provided in an
appropriation Act for wildfire
suppression operations pursuant
to subparagraph (E) for the
preceding fiscal year.
* * * * * * *
(iv) Appropriations considered
disaster relief under this subparagraph
in a fiscal year shall not be eligible
for adjustments under subparagraph (A)
for the fiscal year.
(v) Beginning in fiscal year 2019,
and for each fiscal year thereafter,
the calculation of the `average funding
provided for disaster relief over the
previous 10 years' shall include for
each year within that average the
additional new budget authority
provided in an appropriation Act for
wildfire suppression operations
pursuant to subparagraph (E) for the
preceding fiscal year.
(E) Wildfire suppression.--
(i) Definitions.--In this
subparagraph:
(I) Additional new budget
authority.--The term
`additional new budget
authority' means the amount
provided for a fiscal year in
an appropriation Act that is--
(aa) in excess of
100 percent of the
average costs for
wildfire suppression
operations over the
previous 10 years; and
(bb) specified to
pay for the costs of
wildfire suppression
operations.
(II) Wildfire suppression
operations.--The term `wildfire
suppression operations' means
the emergency and unpredictable
aspects of wildland
firefighting, including--
(aa) support,
response, and emergency
stabilization
activities;
(bb) other
emergency management
activities; and
(cc) the funds
necessary to repay any
transfers needed for
the costs of wildfire
suppression operations.
(ii) Additional new budget
authority.--If a bill or joint
resolution making appropriations for a
fiscal year is enacted that specifies
an amount for wildfire suppression
operations in the Wildland Fire
Management accounts at the Department
of Agriculture or the Department of the
Interior, then the adjustments for that
fiscal year shall be the amount of
additional new budget authority
provided in that Act for wildfire
suppression operations for that fiscal
year, but shall not exceed--
(I) for fiscal year 2017,
$1,410,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(II) for fiscal year 2018,
$1,460,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(III) for fiscal year 2019,
$1,560,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(IV) for fiscal year 2020,
$1,780,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(V) for fiscal year 2021,
$2,030,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(VI) for fiscal year 2022,
$2,320,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(VII) for fiscal year 2023,
$2,650,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
(VIII) for fiscal year
2024, $2,690,000,000 in
additional new budget
authority;
(IX) for fiscal year 2025,
$2,690,000,000 in additional
new budget authority; and
(X) for fiscal year 2026,
$2,690,000,000 in additional
new budget authority.
(iii) Average cost calculation.--
The average costs for wildfire
suppression operations over the
previous 10 years shall be calculated
annually and reported in the budget of
the President submitted under section
1105(a) of title 31, United States
Code, for each fiscal year.
------
WASHINGTON PARK WILDERNESS ACT OF 1988,
PUBLIC LAW 100-668
TITLE I--OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK WILDERNESS
SEC. 101. DESIGNATION.
(a) Wilderness.--In furtherance of the purposes of the
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.; 78 Stat. 890), certain
lands in the Olympic National Park, Washington, which--
(1) * * *
(2) * * *
are hereby designated as wilderness and therefore as components
of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Such lands
shall be known as the [Olympic Wilderness] Daniel J. Evans
Wilderness.
------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000, PUBLIC LAW 106-79
TITLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 8162. Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. (a) Findings.--
Congress finds that--
* * * * * * *
(m) Authority to Establish Memorial.--
(1) In general.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(3) Expiration.--Any reference in section
8903(e) of title 40, U.S.C. to the expiration
at the end of, or extension beyond, a 7-year
period shall be considered to be a reference to
an expiration on, or extension beyond,
[September 30, 2016] September 30, 2017.
BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL
PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
AMENDED
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority Outlays
-------------------------------------------------------
Committee Amount in Committee Amount in
allocation bill allocation bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee
allocation for 2017: Subcommittee on Department of the
Interior, environment, and related agencies:
Mandatory........................................... 62 62 62 \1\62
Discretionary....................................... 32,034 32,695 32,797 \1\33,442
Security........................................ ............ ............ NA NA
Nonsecurity..................................... 32,034 32,695 NA NA
Projections of outlays associated with the
recommendation:
2017................................................ ............ ............ ............ \2\22,017
2018................................................ ............ ............ ............ 6,091
2019................................................ ............ ............ ............ 2,647
2020................................................ ............ ............ ............ 1,170
2021 and future years............................... ............ ............ ............ 651
Financial assistance to State and local governments for NA 6,655 NA \2\2,752
2017...................................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
NA: Not applicable.
NOTE.--Consistent with the funding recommended in the bill as an emergency requirement and in accordance with
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the BBEDCA of 1985, the Committee anticipates that the Budget Committee will
provide a revised 302(a) allocation for the Committee on Appropriations reflecting an upward adjustment of
$661,000,000 in budget authority plus associated outlays.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2017
[In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman's recommendation compared
with (+ or -)
Item 2016 Budget estimate Chairman's -----------------------------------
appropriation recommendation 2016
appropriation Budget estimate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Management of Lands and Resources
Land Resources:
Soil, water and air management............................ 43,609 45,378 42,734 -875 -2,644
Rangeland management...................................... 79,000 62,832 80,000 +1,000 +17,168
Grazing administration management......................... ................ 16,500 ................ ................ -16,500
Grazing administration management offsetting collections.. ................ -16,500 ................ ................ +16,500
Forestry management....................................... 9,980 10,076 11,980 +2,000 +1,904
Riparian management....................................... 21,321 22,920 21,321 ................ -1,599
Cultural resources management............................. 16,131 17,328 16,131 ................ -1,197
Wild horse and burro management........................... 80,555 80,108 80,555 ................ +447
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 250,596 238,642 252,721 +2,125 +14,079
Wildlife and Fisheries:
Wildlife management....................................... 89,381 108,691 100,066 +10,685 -8,625
Fisheries management...................................... 12,530 12,628 12,530 ................ -98
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 101,911 121,319 112,596 +10,685 -8,723
Threatened and endangered species............................. 21,567 21,698 21,567 ................ -131
Recreation Management:
Wilderness management..................................... 18,264 18,392 15,264 -3,000 -3,128
Recreation resources management........................... 51,197 53,465 53,465 +2,268 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 69,461 71,857 68,729 -732 -3,128
Energy and Minerals:
Oil and gas management.................................... 59,671 80,574 67,574 +7,903 -13,000
Oil and gas permit processing............................. 7,125 6,365 6,365 -760 ................
Oil and gas inspection and enforcement.................... 48,000 48,000 48,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Oil and gas................................... 114,796 134,939 121,939 +7,143 -13,000
Oil and gas permit processing fees........................ ................ -48,000 ................ ................ +48,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, offsetting collections........................ ................ -48,000 ................ ................ +48,000
Coal management........................................... 10,868 10,962 10,868 ................ -94
Other mineral resources................................... 11,879 10,978 11,879 ................ +901
Renewable energy.......................................... 29,061 29,189 27,061 -2,000 -2,128
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Energy and Minerals........................... 166,604 138,068 171,747 +5,143 +33,679
Realty and Ownership Management:
Alaska conveyance......................................... 22,000 17,327 22,000 ................ +4,673
Cadastral, lands, and realty management................... 51,252 51,480 51,480 +228 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 73,252 68,807 73,480 +228 +4,673
Resource Protection and Maintenance:
Resource management planning.............................. 48,125 65,203 52,125 +4,000 -13,078
Abandoned mine lands...................................... 19,946 20,036 20,036 +90 ................
Resource protection and law enforcement................... 25,495 25,616 25,495 ................ -121
Hazardous materials management............................ 15,612 15,463 15,463 -149 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 109,178 126,318 113,119 +3,941 -13,199
Transportation and Facilities Maintenance:
Annual maintenance........................................ 38,942 39,125 38,942 ................ -183
Deferred maintenance...................................... 31,387 29,201 29,201 -2,186 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 70,329 68,326 68,143 -2,186 -183
Workforce and Organizational Support:
Administrative support.................................... 50,942 51,139 50,942 ................ -197
Bureauwide fixed costs.................................... 93,645 92,649 92,649 -996 ................
Information technology management......................... 25,958 26,077 25,958 ................ -119
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 170,545 169,865 169,549 -996 -316
Challenge cost share.......................................... 2,413 ................ ................ -2,413 ................
National landscape conservation system, base program.......... 36,819 50,645 36,819 ................ -13,826
Communication site management................................. 2,000 2,000 2,000 ................ ................
Offsetting collections........................................ -2,000 -2,000 -2,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Management of lands and resources............. 1,072,675 1,075,545 1,088,470 +15,795 +12,925
Mining Law Administration:
Administration............................................ 39,696 39,696 39,696 ................ ................
Offsetting collections.................................... -56,000 -55,000 -55,000 +1,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Mining Law Administration..................... -16,304 -15,304 -15,304 +1,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Management of Lands and Resources................ 1,056,371 1,060,241 1,073,166 +16,795 +12,925
=========================================================================================
Land Acquisition
Land acquisition.............................................. 27,014 32,301 21,800 -5,214 -10,501
Emergencies, hardships, and inholdings........................ 1,616 1,616 1,616 ................ ................
Acquisition management........................................ 2,000 2,042 2,000 ................ -42
Recreational access........................................... 8,000 8,000 8,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Land acquisition................................. 38,630 43,959 33,416 -5,214 -10,543
=========================================================================================
Oregon and California Grant Lands
Western Oregon resources management........................... 95,255 94,445 92,555 -2,700 -1,890
Western Oregon information and resource data systems.......... 1,786 1,798 1,786 ................ -12
Western Oregon transportation & facilities maintenance........ 9,602 9,628 7,517 -2,085 -2,111
Western Oregon construction and acquisition................... 324 335 335 +11 ................
Western Oregon national monument.............................. 767 779 753 -14 -26
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Oregon and California Grant Lands................ 107,734 106,985 102,946 -4,788 -4,039
=========================================================================================
Range Improvements
Current appropriations........................................ 10,000 10,000 10,000 ................ ................
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures
Service charges, deposits, and forfeitures.................... 31,050 31,050 31,050 ................ ................
Offsetting fees............................................... -31,050 -31,050 -31,050 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Service Charges, Deposits & Forfeitures.......... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
=========================================================================================
Miscellaneous Trust Funds and Permanent Operating Funds
Current appropriations........................................ 24,000 24,000 24,000 ................ ................
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT........................ 1,236,735 1,245,185 1,243,528 +6,793 -1,657
=========================================================================================
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Resource Management
Ecological Services:
Listing................................................... 20,515 22,901 17,411 -3,104 -5,490
Planning and consultation................................. 99,079 105,650 102,966 +3,887 -2,684
Conservation and restoration.............................. 32,396 34,562 32,396 ................ -2,166
(National Wetlands Inventory)......................... (3,471) (4,671) (3,471) ................ (-1,200)
(Coastal Barrier Resources Act)....................... (1,390) (1,390) (1,390) ................ ................
Recovery.................................................. 82,016 89,180 84,559 +2,543 -4,621
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 234,006 252,293 237,332 +3,326 -14,961
Habitat conservation:
Partners for fish and wildlife............................ 51,776 54,047 52,547 +771 -1,500
Coastal programs.......................................... 13,375 13,494 13,494 +119 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 65,151 67,541 66,041 +890 -1,500
National Wildlife Refuge System:
Wildlife and habitat management........................... 230,343 240,389 232,584 +2,241 -7,805
Visitor services.......................................... 73,319 80,380 74,043 +724 -6,337
Refuge law enforcement.................................... 38,054 40,712 37,054 -1,000 -3,658
Conservation planning..................................... 2,523 2,544 2,544 +21 ................
Refuge maintenance........................................ 137,188 142,594 137,175 -13 -5,419
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 481,427 506,619 483,400 +1,973 -23,219
Conservation and Enforcement:
Migratory bird management................................. 47,480 49,961 47,755 +275 -2,206
Law enforcement........................................... 74,725 75,053 75,053 +328 ................
International affairs..................................... 14,696 15,816 15,816 +1,120 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 136,901 140,830 138,624 +1,723 -2,206
Fish and Aquatic Conservation:
National fish hatchery system operations.................. 53,418 53,759 53,759 +341 ................
Maintenance and equipment................................. 19,920 22,920 22,920 +3,000 ................
Aquatic habitat and species conservation.................. 74,918 76,150 77,201 +2,283 +1,051
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 148,256 152,829 153,880 +5,624 +1,051
Cooperative landscape conservation............................ 12,988 17,789 11,988 -1,000 -5,801
Science Support:
Adaptive science.......................................... 10,517 11,522 9,517 -1,000 -2,005
Service science........................................... 6,468 9,057 5,468 -1,000 -3,589
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 16,985 20,579 14,985 -2,000 -5,594
General Operations:
Central office operations................................. 40,722 42,149 40,622 -100 -1,527
Regional office operations................................ 37,722 41,354 37,722 ................ -3,632
Servicewide bill paying................................... 35,177 35,778 35,177 ................ -601
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation..................... 7,022 7,022 7,022 ................ ................
National Conservation Training Center..................... 22,414 25,129 22,414 ................ -2,715
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 143,057 151,432 142,957 -100 -8,475
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Resource Management.............................. 1,238,771 1,309,912 1,249,207 +10,436 -60,705
=========================================================================================
Construction
Construction and rehabilitation:
Line item construction projects........................... 14,554 14,554 7,802 -6,752 -6,752
Bridge and dam safety programs............................ 1,972 1,972 1,972 ................ ................
Nationwide engineering service............................ 7,161 7,214 7,161 ................ -53
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Construction..................................... 23,687 23,740 16,935 -6,752 -6,805
=========================================================================================
Land Acquisition
Acquisitions.............................................. 35,911 35,884 27,406 -8,505 -8,478
Emergencies, hardships, and inholdings.................... 5,351 5,351 5,000 -351 -351
Exchanges................................................. 1,500 1,500 1,000 -500 -500
Acquisition management.................................... 12,773 12,955 12,000 -773 -955
Highlands Conservation Act Grants......................... 10,000 ................ ................ -10,000 ................
Recreational access....................................... 2,500 2,500 2,000 -500 -500
Land protection planning.................................. 465 465 465 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Land acquisition................................. 68,500 58,655 47,871 -20,629 -10,784
=========================================================================================
Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
Grants and administration:
Conservation grants....................................... 10,508 12,603 10,508 ................ -2,095
HCP assistance grants..................................... 9,485 7,390 9,485 ................ +2,095
Administration............................................ 2,702 2,702 2,702 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 22,695 22,695 22,695 ................ ................
Land acquisition:
Species recovery land acquisition......................... 11,162 11,162 11,162 ................ ................
HCP land acquisition grants to states..................... 19,638 19,638 19,638 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 30,800 30,800 30,800 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Cooperatiave Endangered Species Conservation Fund 53,495 53,495 53,495 ................ ................
=========================================================================================
National Wildlife Refuge Fund
Payments in lieu of taxes..................................... 13,228 ................ 13,228 ................ +13,228
North American Wetlands Conservation Fund
North American Wetlands Conservation Fund..................... 35,145 35,145 38,145 +3,000 +3,000
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Migratory bird grants......................................... 3,910 3,910 3,910 ................ ................
Multinational Species Conservation Fund
African elephant conservation fund............................ 2,582 2,582 2,582 ................ ................
Rhinoceros and tiger conservation fund........................ 3,440 3,440 3,440 ................ ................
Asian elephant conservation fund.............................. 1,557 1,557 1,557 ................ ................
Great ape conservation fund................................... 1,975 1,975 1,975 ................ ................
Marine turtle conservation fund............................... 1,507 1,507 1,507 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Multinational Species Conservation Fund.......... 11,061 11,061 11,061 ................ ................
=========================================================================================
State and Tribal Wildlife Grants
State wildlife grants (formula)............................... 51,000 51,000 53,000 +2,000 +2,000
State wildlife grants (competitive)........................... 5,487 9,981 5,487 ................ -4,494
Tribal wildlife grants........................................ 4,084 6,000 4,084 ................ -1,916
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, State and tribal wildlife grants................. 60,571 66,981 62,571 +2,000 -4,410
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE................... 1,508,368 1,562,899 1,496,423 -11,945 -66,476
=========================================================================================
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Operation of the National Park System
Park Management:
Resource stewardship...................................... 328,040 340,352 328,071 +31 -12,281
Visitor services.......................................... 251,280 276,206 251,280 ................ -24,926
Park protection........................................... 355,545 362,082 355,545 ................ -6,537
Facility operations and maintenance....................... 738,487 842,453 763,487 +25,000 -78,966
Park support.............................................. 515,641 522,537 526,641 +11,000 +4,104
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 2,188,993 2,343,630 2,225,024 +36,031 -118,606
External administrative costs................................. 180,603 180,732 180,603 ................ -129
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Operation of the National Park System............ 2,369,596 2,524,362 2,405,627 +36,031 -118,735
=========================================================================================
National Recreation and Preservation
Recreation programs........................................... 589 853 589 ................ -264
Natural programs.............................................. 13,575 13,659 13,581 +6 -78
Cultural programs............................................. 24,562 26,262 24,562 ................ -1,700
International park affairs.................................... 1,648 1,656 1,648 ................ -8
Environmental and compliance review........................... 433 436 433 ................ -3
Grant administration.......................................... 2,004 2,079 2,004 ................ -75
Heritage Partnership Programs................................. 19,821 9,447 19,821 ................ +10,374
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, National Recreation and Preservation............. 62,632 54,392 62,638 +6 +8,246
=========================================================================================
Historic Preservation Fund
State historic preservation offices........................... 46,925 46,925 47,925 +1,000 +1,000
Tribal grants................................................. 9,985 11,985 9,985 ................ -2,000
Competitive grants............................................ 8,500 25,500 10,000 +1,500 -15,500
New Grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.... ................ 3,000 ................ ................ -3,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Historic Preservation Fund....................... 65,410 87,410 67,910 +2,500 -19,500
=========================================================================================
Construction
General Program:
Line item construction and maintenance.................... 116,276 153,344 139,959 +23,683 -13,385
Emergency and unscheduled................................. 3,855 3,855 3,855 ................ ................
Housing................................................... 2,200 2,203 2,200 ................ -3
Dam safety................................................ 1,248 1,249 1,248 ................ -1
Equipment replacement..................................... 13,500 17,545 13,500 ................ -4,045
Planning, construction.................................... 7,266 15,518 7,966 +700 -7,552
Construction program management........................... 36,771 46,431 36,771 ................ -9,660
General management plans.................................. 11,821 11,893 11,821 ................ -72
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Construction..................................... 192,937 252,038 217,320 +24,383 -34,718
=========================================================================================
Land and Water Conservation Fund (rescission of contract -28,000 -30,000 -28,000 ................ +2,000
authority)...................................................
Assistance to States:
State conservation grants (formula)....................... 94,839 94,000 94,000 -839 ................
State conservation grants (competitive)................... 12,000 12,000 12,000 ................ ................
Administrative expenses................................... 3,161 4,006 4,006 +845 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 110,000 110,006 110,006 +6 ................
National Park Service:
Acquisitions.............................................. 33,135 37,314 29,417 -3,718 -7,897
Recreational access....................................... 2,000 2,000 2,000 ................ ................
American Battlefield Protection Program................... 10,000 10,000 10,000 ................ ................
Emergencies, hardships, relocations, and deficiencies..... 3,928 3,928 3,000 -928 -928
Acquisition management.................................... 9,679 10,000 9,000 -679 -1,000
Inholdings, donations, and exchanges...................... 4,928 5,000 5,000 +72 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 63,670 68,242 58,417 -5,253 -9,825
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition and State Assistance............ 173,670 178,248 168,423 -5,247 -9,825
=========================================================================================
Centennial Challenge.......................................... 15,000 35,000 20,000 +5,000 -15,000
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE............................ 2,851,245 3,101,450 2,913,918 +62,673 -187,532
=========================================================================================
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Surveys, Investigations, and Research
Ecosystems:
Status and trends......................................... 20,473 22,267 20,473 ................ -1,794
Fisheries: Aquatic and endangered resources............... 20,886 24,083 19,886 -1,000 -4,197
Wildlife: Terrestrial and endangered resources............ 45,757 46,125 46,007 +250 -118
Terrestrial, Freshwater and marine environments........... 38,415 43,352 36,224 -2,191 -7,128
Invasive species.......................................... 17,330 19,877 17,580 +250 -2,297
Cooperative research units................................ 17,371 18,234 17,371 ................ -863
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Ecosystems....................................... 160,232 173,938 157,541 -2,691 -16,397
=========================================================================================
Climate and Land Use Change:
Climate variability:
Climate science centers............................... 26,435 30,908 21,935 -4,500 -8,973
Climate research and development...................... 21,495 22,714 18,995 -2,500 -3,719
Carbon sequestration.................................. 9,359 9,381 8,959 -400 -422
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................ 57,289 63,003 49,889 -7,400 -13,114
Land Use Change:
Land remote sensing................................... 72,194 96,506 81,594 +9,400 -14,912
Land change science................................... 10,492 11,935 8,992 -1,500 -2,943
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................ 82,686 108,441 90,586 +7,900 -17,855
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Climate and Land Use Change...................... 139,975 171,444 140,475 +500 -30,969
Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health:
Mineral and Energy Resources:
Minerals resources.................................... 48,371 48,695 49,921 +1,550 +1,226
Energy resources...................................... 24,695 26,228 24,695 ................ -1,533
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................ 73,066 74,923 74,616 +1,550 -307
Environmental Health:
Contaminant biology................................... 10,197 11,465 10,197 ................ -1,268
Toxic substances hydrology............................ 11,248 13,095 9,698 -1,550 -3,397
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................ 21,445 24,560 19,895 -1,550 -4,665
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Energy, Minerals, and Environmental Health... 94,511 99,483 94,511 ................ -4,972
=========================================================================================
Natural Hazards:
Earthquake hazards........................................ 60,503 62,196 63,003 +2,500 +807
Volcano hazards........................................... 26,121 26,238 27,121 +1,000 +883
Landslide hazards......................................... 3,538 4,054 3,538 ................ -516
Global seismographic network.............................. 6,453 7,322 6,453 ................ -869
Geomagnetism.............................................. 1,888 3,598 1,888 ................ -1,710
Coastal and marine geology................................ 40,510 46,293 40,336 -174 -5,957
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Natural Hazards.................................. 139,013 149,701 142,339 +3,326 -7,362
=========================================================================================
Water Resources:
Water Availability and Use Science Program................ 42,052 54,388 44,052 +2,000 -10,336
Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program............ 71,535 72,957 73,035 +1,500 +78
National Water Quality Program............................ 90,600 94,147 87,600 -3,000 -6,547
Water Resources Research Act Program...................... 6,500 6,500 6,500 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Water Resources.................................. 210,687 227,992 211,187 +500 -16,805
=========================================================================================
Core Science Systems:
Science, synthesis, analysis, and research................ 24,299 24,930 24,299 ................ -631
National cooperative geological mapping................... 24,397 24,486 24,397 ................ -89
National Geospatial Program............................... 62,854 68,979 67,354 +4,500 -1,625
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Core Science Systems............................. 111,550 118,395 116,050 +4,500 -2,345
=========================================================================================
Science Support:
Administration and management............................. 81,981 86,319 81,981 ................ -4,338
Information services...................................... 23,630 24,273 23,630 ................ -643
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Science Support.................................. 105,611 110,592 105,611 ................ -4,981
=========================================================================================
Facilities:
Rental payments and operations & maintenance.............. 93,141 109,978 93,141 ................ -16,837
Deferred maintenance and capital improvement.............. 7,280 7,280 7,280 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Facilities....................................... 100,421 117,258 100,421 ................ -16,837
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.................. 1,062,000 1,168,803 1,068,135 +6,135 -100,668
=========================================================================================
BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Ocean Energy Management
Renewable energy.............................................. 24,278 23,887 23,887 -391 ................
Conventional energy........................................... 59,869 64,156 58,963 -906 -5,193
Environmental assessment...................................... 68,045 68,399 68,045 ................ -354
Executive direction........................................... 18,665 18,696 18,665 ................ -31
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 170,857 175,138 169,560 -1,297 -5,578
Offsetting rental receipts.................................... -92,961 -88,487 -88,487 +4,474 ................
Cost recovery fees............................................ -3,661 -6,457 -6,457 -2,796 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, offsetting collections........................ -96,622 -94,944 -94,944 +1,678 ................
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT................ 74,235 80,194 74,616 +381 -5,578
=========================================================================================
BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT
Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Environmental enforcement..................................... 8,314 8,314 8,314 ................ ................
Operations, safety and regulation............................. 144,954 145,150 144,954 ................ -196
Administrative operations..................................... 18,268 18,268 18,268 ................ ................
Executive direction........................................... 18,236 18,236 18,236 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 189,772 189,968 189,772 ................ -196
Offsetting rental receipts.................................... -49,399 -37,922 -37,922 +11,477 ................
Inspection fees............................................... -59,000 -65,000 -53,000 +6,000 +12,000
Cost recovery fees............................................ -7,808 -5,608 -5,608 +2,200 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, offsetting collections........................ -116,207 -108,530 -96,530 +19,677 +12,000
Rescission of prior year balances............................. ................ ................ -25,000 -25,000 -25,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement.... 73,565 81,438 68,242 -5,323 -13,196
=========================================================================================
Oil Spill Research
Oil spill research............................................ 14,899 14,899 14,899 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL, BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT... 88,464 96,337 83,141 -5,323 -13,196
=========================================================================================
OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Regulation and Technology
Environmental protection...................................... 91,832 90,138 88,832 -3,000 -1,306
Permit fees............................................... 40 1,900 40 ................ -1,860
Offsetting collections.................................... -40 -1,900 -40 ................ +1,860
Technology development and transfer........................... 15,205 21,485 15,205 ................ -6,280
Financial management.......................................... 505 713 505 ................ -208
Executive direction........................................... 15,711 15,214 15,169 -542 -45
Civil penalties (indefinite).................................. 100 100 100 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 123,353 127,650 119,811 -3,542 -7,839
Civil penalties (offsetting collections)...................... -100 -100 -100 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Regulation and Technology........................ 123,253 127,550 119,711 -3,542 -7,839
=========================================================================================
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund
Environmental restoration..................................... 9,480 9,825 9,480 ................ -345
Technology development and transfer........................... 3,544 6,367 3,544 ................ -2,823
Financial management.......................................... 6,396 6,440 6,396 ................ -44
Executive direction........................................... 7,883 7,743 7,714 -169 -29
State grants.................................................. 90,000 ................ 90,000 ................ +90,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.................. 117,303 30,375 117,134 -169 +86,759
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND 240,556 157,925 236,845 -3,711 +78,920
ENFORCEMENT............................................
=========================================================================================
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AND BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION
Operation of Indian Programs
Tribal Budget System
Tribal Government:
Aid to tribal government.................................. 24,833 27,118 27,118 +2,285 ................
Consolidated tribal government program.................... 77,088 75,429 75,429 -1,659 ................
Self governance compacts.................................. 162,321 162,346 162,346 +25 ................
New tribes................................................ 464 ................ 464 ................ +464
Small and needy tribes.................................... 1,845 3,095 4,645 +2,800 +1,550
Road maintenance.......................................... 26,693 26,783 30,307 +3,614 +3,524
Tribal government program oversight....................... 8,273 12,377 8,377 +104 -4,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 301,517 307,148 308,686 +7,169 +1,538
Human Services:
Social services........................................... 45,179 57,343 52,343 +7,164 -5,000
Welfare assistance........................................ 74,791 74,773 74,773 -18 ................
Indian child welfare act.................................. 15,641 18,946 18,946 +3,305 ................
Housing improvement program............................... 8,021 9,708 9,708 +1,687 ................
Human services tribal design.............................. 246 254 254 +8 ................
Human services program oversight.......................... 3,126 3,137 3,137 +11 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 147,004 164,161 159,161 +12,157 -5,000
Trust--Natural Resources Management:
Natural resources, general................................ 5,168 7,953 4,953 -215 -3,000
Irrigation operations and maintenance..................... 11,398 12,905 12,905 +1,507 ................
Rights protection implementation.......................... 37,638 40,161 39,661 +2,023 -500
Tribal management/development program..................... 9,263 14,266 11,266 +2,003 -3,000
Endangered species........................................ 2,684 3,685 2,685 +1 -1,000
Cooperative landscape conservation........................ 9,955 13,056 9,956 +1 -3,100
Integrated resource information program................... 2,996 3,996 2,996 ................ -1,000
Agriculture and range..................................... 30,751 30,769 30,769 +18 ................
Forestry.................................................. 51,914 52,155 54,155 +2,241 +2,000
Water resources........................................... 10,367 15,000 10,450 +83 -4,550
Fish, wildlife and parks.................................. 13,646 15,658 16,203 +2,557 +545
Resource management program oversight..................... 6,066 5,993 5,993 -73 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 191,846 215,597 201,992 +10,146 -13,605
Trust--Real Estate Services................................... 127,486 136,192 123,092 -4,394 -13,100
Education:
Elementary and secondary programs (forward funded)........ 553,458 574,075 569,575 +16,117 -4,500
(Tribal grant support costs).............................. (73,276) (75,335) (75,335) (+2,059) ................
Post secondary programs (forward funded).................. 74,893 77,207 77,207 +2,314 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, forward funded education...................... 628,351 651,282 646,782 +18,431 -4,500
Elementary and secondary programs......................... 134,263 144,295 140,195 +5,932 -4,100
Post secondary programs................................... 64,602 66,841 60,031 -4,571 -6,810
Education management...................................... 25,151 50,012 27,151 +2,000 -22,861
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Education..................................... 852,367 912,430 874,159 +21,792 -38,271
Public Safety and Justice:
Law enforcement........................................... 347,976 341,281 354,742 +6,766 +13,461
Tribal courts............................................. 28,173 30,753 30,753 +2,580 ................
Fire protection........................................... 1,274 1,426 1,426 +152 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 377,423 373,460 386,921 +9,498 +13,461
Community and economic development............................ 40,619 42,844 41,844 +1,225 -1,000
Executive direction and administrative services............... 229,662 243,954 230,484 +822 -13,470
(No-year funds in bill language).............................. (43,813) (47,848) (47,848) (+4,035) ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Operation of Indian Programs..................... 2,267,924 2,395,786 2,326,339 +58,415 -69,447
=========================================================================================
Contract Support Costs
Contract support costs........................................ 272,000 273,000 273,000 +1,000 ................
Indian self-determination fund................................ 5,000 5,000 5,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Contract Support Costs........................... 277,000 278,000 278,000 +1,000 ................
=========================================================================================
Construction
Education..................................................... 138,245 138,257 133,257 -4,988 -5,000
Public safety and justice..................................... 11,306 11,306 11,306 ................ ................
Resources management.......................................... 34,488 36,513 36,513 +2,025 ................
General administration........................................ 9,934 10,941 10,941 +1,007 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Construction..................................... 193,973 197,017 192,017 -1,956 -5,000
=========================================================================================
Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements and Miscellaneous
Payments to Indians
Settlements and Miscellaneous Payments to Indians............. 49,475 55,155 49,475 ................ -5,680
Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account
Indian guaranteed loan program account........................ 7,748 7,757 8,748 +1,000 +991
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AND INDIAN EDUCATION.... 2,796,120 2,933,715 2,854,579 +58,459 -79,136
=========================================================================================
DEPARTMENTAL OFFICES
Office of the Secretary
Leadership and administration................................. 122,885 127,394 121,885 -1,000 -5,509
Management services........................................... 21,365 21,676 21,365 ................ -311
Office of Natural Resources Revenue........................... 125,519 129,306 121,750 -3,769 -7,556
Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT).............................. 452,000 ................ ................ -452,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of the Secretary.......................... 721,769 278,376 265,000 -456,769 -13,376
=========================================================================================
Insular Affairs
Assistance to Territories
Territorial Assistance Office of Insular Affairs.............. 9,448 9,863 9,863 +415 ................
Technical assistance...................................... 15,504 21,064 18,064 +2,560 -3,000
Maintenance assistance fund............................... 1,081 5,000 4,000 +2,919 -1,000
Brown tree snake.......................................... 3,500 3,000 3,000 -500 ................
Coral reef initiative..................................... 1,000 2,000 1,500 +500 -500
Empowering Insular Communities............................ 2,971 5,000 3,971 +1,000 -1,029
Compact impact............................................ 3,000 3,000 3,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Territorial Assistance........................ 36,504 48,927 43,398 +6,894 -5,529
American Samoa operations grants.............................. 22,752 22,752 22,752 ................ ................
Northern Marianas covenant grants............................. 27,720 27,720 27,720 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Assistance to Territories........................ 86,976 99,399 93,870 +6,894 -5,529
=========================================================================================
Compact of Free Association
Compact of Free Association--Federal services................. 2,818 2,818 2,818 ................ ................
Enewetak support.............................................. 500 500 500 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Compact of Free Association................... 3,318 3,318 3,318 ................ ................
Compact payments, Palau (Title I, General Provision).......... 13,147 ................ 13,147 ................ +13,147
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Compact of Free Association...................... 16,465 3,318 16,465 ................ +13,147
=========================================================================================
Total, Insular Affairs.................................. 103,441 102,717 110,335 +6,894 +7,618
=========================================================================================
Office of the Solicitor
Legal services................................................ 59,091 62,781 59,091 ................ -3,690
General administration........................................ 4,971 4,940 4,940 -31 ................
Ethics........................................................ 1,738 1,727 1,727 -11 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of the Solicitor.......................... 65,800 69,448 65,758 -42 -3,690
=========================================================================================
Office of Inspector General
Audit and investigations...................................... 37,538 43,263 37,538 ................ -5,725
Administrative services and information management............ 12,509 12,648 12,509 ................ -139
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of Inspector General...................... 50,047 55,911 50,047 ................ -5,864
=========================================================================================
Office of Special Trustee for American Indians
Federal Trust Programs
Program operations, support, and improvements................. 136,998 138,335 136,998 ................ -1,337
(Office of Historical Accounting)......................... (22,120) (19,632) (19,632) (-2,488) ................
Executive direction........................................... 2,031 2,044 2,031 ................ -13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians... 139,029 140,379 139,029 ................ -1,350
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, DEPARTMENTAL OFFICES............................. 1,080,086 646,831 630,169 -449,917 -16,662
=========================================================================================
DEPARTMENT-WIDE PROGRAMS
Wildland Fire Management
Fire Operations:
Preparedness.............................................. 323,685 332,784 332,784 +9,099 ................
Fire suppression.......................................... 291,673 276,291 395,000 +103,327 +118,709
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Fire operations............................... 615,358 609,075 727,784 +112,426 +118,709
Other Operations:
Fuels management.......................................... 170,000 149,089 180,000 +10,000 +30,911
Resilient landscapes...................................... ................ 30,000 ................ ................ -30,000
Burned area rehabilitation................................ 18,970 20,470 20,470 +1,500 ................
Fire facilities........................................... 6,427 10,000 8,427 +2,000 -1,573
Joint fire science........................................ 5,990 5,990 5,990 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Other operations.............................. 201,387 215,549 214,887 +13,500 -662
Wildland fire management (emergency).......................... ................ ................ 171,291 +171,291 +171,291
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Wildland fire management......................... 816,745 824,624 1,113,962 +297,217 +289,338
=========================================================================================
FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Account
FLAME wildfire suppression reserve account.................... 177,000 ................ ................ -177,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, all wildland fire accounts....................... 993,745 824,624 1,113,962 +120,217 +289,338
=========================================================================================
Suppression Cap Adjustment.................................... ................ 290,000 ................ ................ -290,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Wildland Fire Management with cap adjustment..... 993,745 1,114,624 1,113,962 +120,217 -662
=========================================================================================
Central Hazardous Materials Fund
Central hazardous materials fund.............................. 10,010 13,513 10,010 ................ -3,503
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund
Damage assessments............................................ 2,500 2,071 2,500 ................ +429
Program management............................................ 2,192 2,438 2,192 ................ -246
Restoration support........................................... 2,075 3,619 2,075 ................ -1,544
Oil Spill Preparedness........................................ 1,000 1,101 1,000 ................ -101
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund.......... 7,767 9,229 7,767 ................ -1,462
=========================================================================================
Working Capital Fund.......................................... 67,100 111,524 67,100 ................ -44,424
Payment in Lieu of Taxes
Payments to local governments in lieu of taxes................ ................ ................ 480,000 +480,000 +480,000
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, DEPARTMENT-WIDE PROGRAMS......................... 1,078,622 1,248,890 1,678,839 +600,217 +429,949
Appropriations...................................... (1,078,622) (958,890) (1,507,548) (+428,926) (+548,658)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (171,291) (+171,291) (+171,291)
Disaster Relief cap adjustment...................... ................ (290,000) ................ ................ (-290,000)
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, TITLE I, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.............. 12,016,431 12,242,229 12,280,193 +263,762 +37,964
Appropriations...................................... (12,044,431) (12,272,229) (12,161,902) (+117,471) (-110,327)
Rescissions of contract authority................... (-28,000) (-30,000) (-28,000) ................ (+2,000)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (171,291) (+171,291) (+171,291)
(Disaster Relief cap adjustment)........................ ................ (290,000) ................ ................ (-290,000)
=========================================================================================
TITLE II--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Science and Technology
Clean Air and Climate......................................... 116,541 128,154 104,886 -11,655 -23,268
(Climate protection program).............................. (8,018) (8,127) (7,216) (-802) (-911)
Enforcement................................................... 13,669 14,608 13,669 ................ -939
Homeland security............................................. 37,122 37,205 36,765 -357 -440
Indoor air and Radiation...................................... 5,997 7,510 5,997 ................ -1,513
IT / Data management / Security............................... 3,089 3,092 3,089 ................ -3
Operations and administration................................. 68,339 78,447 68,339 ................ -10,108
Pesticide licensing........................................... 6,027 5,289 5,289 -738 ................
Research: Air, climate and energy............................. 91,906 101,151 82,715 -9,191 -18,436
Research: Chemical safety and sustainability.................. 126,930 134,221 126,058 -872 -8,163
(Research: Computational toxicology)...................... (21,409) (25,744) (21,409) ................ (-4,335)
(Research: Endocrine disruptor)........................... (16,253) (15,381) (15,381) (-872) ................
Research: National priorities................................. 14,100 ................ 5,000 -9,100 +5,000
Research: Safe and sustainable water resources................ 107,434 106,257 106,257 -1,177 ................
Research: Sustainable and healthy communities................. 139,975 134,327 134,327 -5,648 ................
Water: Human health protection................................ 3,519 3,923 3,519 ................ -404
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Science and Technology........................... 734,648 754,184 695,910 -38,738 -58,274
(By transfer from Superfund).......................... (18,850) (15,496) (15,496) (-3,354) ................
=========================================================================================
Environmental Programs and Management
Brownfields................................................... 25,593 25,906 25,593 ................ -313
Clean air and climate......................................... 273,108 340,974 245,797 -27,311 -95,177
(Climate protection program).............................. (95,436) (107,761) (85,892) (-9,544) (-21,869)
Compliance.................................................... 101,665 111,270 101,665 ................ -9,605
Enforcement................................................... 240,637 268,118 216,573 -24,064 -51,545
(Environmental justice)................................... (6,737) (15,291) (6,063) (-674) (-9,228)
Environmental protection: National priorities................. 12,700 ................ 15,000 +2,300 +15,000
Geographic programs:
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative........................ 300,000 250,000 300,000 ................ +50,000
Chesapeake Bay............................................ 73,000 70,000 73,000 ................ +3,000
San Franciso Bay.......................................... 4,819 4,040 4,819 ................ +779
Puget Sound............................................... 28,000 30,034 28,000 ................ -2,034
Long Island Sound......................................... 3,940 2,893 5,940 +2,000 +3,047
Gulf of Mexico............................................ 4,482 3,983 11,000 +6,518 +7,017
South Florida............................................. 1,704 1,339 1,339 -365 ................
Lake Champlain............................................ 4,399 1,399 4,399 ................ +3,000
Lake Pontchartrain........................................ 948 948 948 ................ ................
Southern New England Estuaries............................ 5,000 5,000 5,000 ................ ................
Other geographic activities............................... 1,445 965 965 -480 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 427,737 370,601 435,410 +7,673 +64,809
Homeland security............................................. 10,195 11,518 10,195 ................ -1,323
Indoor air and radiation...................................... 27,637 29,908 27,636 -1 -2,272
Information exchange / Outreach............................... 126,538 152,445 118,305 -8,233 -34,140
(Children and other sensitive populations:
Agency coordination)...................................... (6,548) (7,842) (6,548) ................ (-1,294)
(Environmental education)................................. (8,702) (11,157) (4,351) (-4,351) (-6,806)
International programs........................................ 15,400 18,099 17,097 +1,697 -1,002
IT / Data management / Security............................... 90,536 126,974 90,931 +395 -36,043
Legal/science/regulatory/economic review...................... 111,414 145,683 100,272 -11,142 -45,411
Operations and administration................................. 482,751 520,316 482,751 ................ -37,565
Pesticide licensing........................................... 102,363 110,896 107,896 +5,533 -3,000
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)................. 104,877 110,708 104,877 ................ -5,831
Toxics risk review and prevention............................. 92,521 99,043 89,298 -3,223 -9,745
(Endocrine disruptors).................................... (7,553) (4,329) (4,329) (-3,224) ................
Underground storage tanks (LUST / UST)........................ 11,295 11,612 11,295 ................ -317
Water: Ecosystems:
National estuary program / Coastal waterways.............. 26,723 27,191 27,191 +468 ................
Wetlands.................................................. 21,065 23,668 21,065 ................ -2,603
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 47,788 50,859 48,256 +468 -2,603
Water: Human health protection................................ 98,507 109,437 98,507 ................ -10,930
Water quality protection...................................... 210,417 238,526 191,191 -19,226 -47,335
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Environmental Programs and Management............ 2,613,679 2,852,893 2,538,545 -75,134 -314,348
=========================================================================================
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund
E-Manifest System Fund........................................ 3,674 7,433 3,674 ................ -3,759
Office of Inspector General
Audits, evaluations, and investigations....................... 41,489 51,527 41,489 ................ -10,038
(By transfer from Superfund)............................ (9,939) (8,778) (8,778) (-1,161) ................
Buildings and Facilities
Homeland security: Protection of EPA personnel and 6,676 7,875 6,676 ................ -1,199
infrastructure...............................................
Operations and administration................................. 35,641 44,203 31,984 -3,657 -12,219
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Buildings and Facilities......................... 42,317 52,078 38,660 -3,657 -13,418
=========================================================================================
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Audits, evaluations, and investigations....................... 9,939 8,778 8,778 -1,161 ................
Compliance.................................................... 995 1,099 995 ................ -104
Enforcement................................................... 166,375 175,657 166,375 ................ -9,282
Homeland security............................................. 36,362 32,616 32,589 -3,773 -27
Indoor air and radiation...................................... 1,985 2,182 1,985 ................ -197
Information exchange / Outreach............................... 1,328 1,366 1,328 ................ -38
IT /data management/security.................................. 14,485 20,141 14,407 -78 -5,734
Legal/science/regulatory/economic review...................... 1,253 1,278 1,186 -67 -92
Operations and administration................................. 128,105 130,608 124,787 -3,318 -5,821
Research: Chemical safety and sustainability.................. 2,843 2,824 2,824 -19 ................
Research: Sustainable communities............................. 14,032 11,463 11,463 -2,569 ................
Superfund cleanup:
Superfund: Emergency response and removal................. 181,306 185,233 181,306 ................ -3,927
Superfund: Emergency preparedness......................... 7,636 7,931 7,636 ................ -295
Superfund: Federal facilities............................. 21,125 26,770 21,125 ................ -5,645
Superfund: Remedial....................................... 501,000 521,043 501,000 ................ -20,043
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 711,067 740,977 711,067 ................ -29,910
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Hazardous Substance Superfund.................... 1,088,769 1,128,989 1,077,784 -10,985 -51,205
=========================================================================================
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund [LUST]
Enforcement................................................... 620 668 620 ................ -48
Operations and administration................................. 1,352 1,669 1,345 -7 -324
Research: Sustainable communities............................. 320 365 320 ................ -45
Underground storage tanks (LUST / UST)........................ 89,649 91,583 89,011 -638 -2,572
(LUST/UST)................................................ (9,240) (9,322) (9,240) ................ (-82)
(LUST cooperative agreements)............................. (55,040) (54,402) (54,402) (-638) ................
(Energy Policy Act grants)................................ (25,369) (27,859) (25,369) ................ (-2,490)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund...... 91,941 94,285 91,296 -645 -2,989
=========================================================================================
Inland Oil Spill Program
Compliance.................................................... 139 160 139 ................ -21
Enforcement................................................... 2,413 2,492 2,413 ................ -79
Oil........................................................... 14,409 20,461 14,409 ................ -6,052
Operations and administration................................. 584 1,763 584 ................ -1,179
Research: Sustainable communities............................. 664 534 534 -130 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Inland Oil Spill Program......................... 18,209 25,410 18,079 -130 -7,331
=========================================================================================
State and Tribal Assistance Grants [STAG]
Alaska Native villages........................................ 20,000 17,000 20,000 ................ +3,000
Brownfields projects.......................................... 80,000 90,000 80,000 ................ -10,000
Clean water state revolving fund [SRF]........................ 1,393,887 979,500 1,350,000 -43,887 +370,500
Diesel emissions grants....................................... 50,000 10,000 25,000 -25,000 +15,000
Drinking water state revolving fund [SRF]..................... 863,233 1,020,500 1,020,500 +157,267 ................
Mexico border................................................. 10,000 5,000 10,000 ................ +5,000
Targeted airshed grants....................................... 20,000 ................ 20,000 ................ +20,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Infrastructure assistance grants.............. 2,437,120 2,122,000 2,525,500 +88,380 +403,500
Categorical grants:
Beaches protection........................................ 9,549 ................ 9,549 ................ +9,549
Brownfields............................................... 47,745 49,500 47,745 ................ -1,755
Environmental information................................. 9,646 25,346 9,646 ................ -15,700
Hazardous waste financial assistance...................... 99,693 99,693 99,693 ................ ................
Lead...................................................... 14,049 14,049 14,049 ................ ................
Nonpoint source (Sec. 319)................................ 164,915 164,915 184,915 +20,000 +20,000
Pesticides enforcement.................................... 18,050 18,050 18,050 ................ ................
Pesticides program implementation......................... 12,701 13,201 12,701 ................ -500
Pollution control (Sec. 106).............................. 230,806 246,164 230,806 ................ -15,358
(Water quality monitoring)................................ (17,848) (17,848) (17,848) ................ ................
Pollution prevention...................................... 4,765 4,765 4,765 ................ ................
Public water system supervision........................... 101,963 109,700 109,700 +7,737 ................
Radon..................................................... 8,051 ................ 8,051 ................ +8,051
State and local air quality management.................... 228,219 268,229 228,219 ................ -40,010
Toxics substances compliance.............................. 4,919 4,919 4,919 ................ ................
Tribal air quality management............................. 12,829 12,829 12,829 ................ ................
Tribal general assistance program......................... 65,476 96,375 65,476 ................ -30,899
Underground injection control (UIC)....................... 10,506 10,506 10,506 ................ ................
Underground storage tanks................................. 1,498 2,498 1,498 ................ -1,000
Wetlands program development.............................. 14,661 17,661 14,661 ................ -3,000
Multipurpose grants....................................... 21,000 ................ ................ -21,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Categorical grants............................ 1,081,041 1,158,400 1,087,778 +6,737 -70,622
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, State and Tribal Assistance Grants............... 3,518,161 3,280,400 3,613,278 +95,117 +332,878
=========================================================================================
Subtotal, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY............... 8,152,887 8,247,199 8,118,715 -34,172 -128,484
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program:
Administrative Expenses................................... ................ 5,000 5,000 +5,000 ................
Direct Loan Subsidy....................................... ................ 15,000 25,000 +25,000 +10,000
Administrative Provisions
Cybersecurity................................................. 27,000 ................ ................ -27,000 ................
Rescission.................................................... -40,000 ................ -40,000 ................ -40,000
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, TITLE II, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY........ 8,139,887 8,267,199 8,108,715 -31,172 -158,484
Appropriations...................................... (8,179,887) (8,267,199) (8,148,715) (-31,172) (-118,484)
Rescissions......................................... (-40,000) ................ (-40,000) ................ (-40,000)
(By transfer)........................................... (28,789) (24,274) (24,274) (-4,515) ................
=========================================================================================
TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOREST SERVICE
Forest and Rangeland Research
Forest inventory and analysis................................. 75,000 77,000 77,000 +2,000 ................
Research and development programs............................. 216,000 214,982 203,000 -13,000 -11,982
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Forest and rangeland research.................... 291,000 291,982 280,000 -11,000 -11,982
=========================================================================================
State and Private Forestry
Landscape scale restoration................................... 14,000 23,513 14,000 ................ -9,513
Forest Health Management:
Federal lands forest health management.................... 58,922 51,382 51,382 -7,540 ................
Cooperative lands forest health management................ 40,678 40,678 40,678 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 99,600 92,060 92,060 -7,540 ................
Cooperative Forestry:
Forest stewardship........................................ 23,036 22,398 20,036 -3,000 -2,362
Forest legacy............................................. 62,347 62,347 61,049 -1,298 -1,298
(Rescission).............................................. ................ ................ -8,297 -8,297 -8,297
Community forest and open space conservation.............. 2,000 2,000 2,000 ................ ................
Urban and community forestry.............................. 28,040 23,686 23,686 -4,354 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Cooperative Forestry.......................... 115,423 110,431 98,474 -16,949 -11,957
International forestry........................................ 8,000 8,000 8,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, State and Private Forestry....................... 237,023 234,004 212,534 -24,489 -21,470
(Appropriations)...................................... (237,023) (234,004) (220,831) (-16,192) (-13,173)
(Rescission).......................................... ................ ................ (-8,297) (-8,297) (-8,297)
=========================================================================================
National Forest System
Land management planning...................................... 36,998 ................ 32,930 -4,068 +32,930
Inventory and monitoring...................................... 147,998 ................ 147,998 ................ +147,998
Land management planning, assessment and monitoring........... ................ 183,928 ................ ................ -183,928
Recreation, heritage and wilderness........................... 261,719 263,942 264,595 +2,876 +653
Grazing management............................................ 56,856 50,000 56,856 ................ +6,856
Grazing administration management......................... ................ 15,000 ................ ................ -15,000
Grazing administration management offsetting collections.. ................ -15,000 ................ ................ +15,000
Forest products............................................... 359,805 359,805 369,805 +10,000 +10,000
Vegetation and watershed management........................... 184,716 184,716 188,716 +4,000 +4,000
Wildlife and fish habitat management.......................... 140,466 140,466 138,466 -2,000 -2,000
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund............... 40,000 40,000 40,000 ................ ................
Minerals and geology management............................... 76,423 75,069 81,923 +5,500 +6,854
Landownership management...................................... 77,730 71,440 73,730 -4,000 +2,290
Law enforcement operations.................................... 126,653 131,630 124,653 -2,000 -6,977
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, National Forest System........................... 1,509,364 1,500,996 1,519,672 +10,308 +18,676
=========================================================================================
Capital Improvement and Maintenance
Facilities:
Maintenance............................................... 55,369 55,369 55,369 ................ ................
Construction.............................................. 16,021 16,231 14,231 -1,790 -2,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 71,390 71,600 69,600 -1,790 -2,000
Roads:
Maintenance............................................... 145,454 126,840 150,454 +5,000 +23,614
Construction.............................................. 26,640 23,160 28,640 +2,000 +5,480
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 172,094 150,000 179,094 +7,000 +29,094
Trails:
Maintenance............................................... 69,777 70,597 69,777 ................ -820
Construction.............................................. 7,753 7,933 5,053 -2,700 -2,880
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 77,530 78,530 74,830 -2,700 -3,700
Deferred maintenance.......................................... 3,150 3,150 3,150 ................ ................
Legacy road and trail remediation............................. 40,000 40,000 29,000 -11,000 -11,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Capital improvement and maintenance........... 364,164 343,280 355,674 -8,490 +12,394
Deferral of road and trail fund payment....................... -16,000 -17,000 -16,000 ................ +1,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Capital improvement and maintenance.............. 348,164 326,280 339,674 -8,490 +13,394
=========================================================================================
Land Acquisition
Acquisitions.................................................. 44,685 49,703 38,525 -6,160 -11,178
Acquisition management........................................ 8,500 8,500 7,200 -1,300 -1,300
Cash equalization............................................. 250 750 700 +450 -50
Recreational access........................................... 8,000 4,700 5,000 -3,000 +300
Critical inholdings/wilderness................................ 2,000 2,000 3,313 +1,313 +1,313
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Land Acquisition................................. 63,435 65,653 54,738 -8,697 -10,915
=========================================================================================
Acquisition of land for national forests, special acts........ 950 950 950 ................ ................
Acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges............... 216 216 216 ................ ................
Range betterment fund......................................... 2,320 2,320 2,320 ................ ................
Gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland 45 45 45 ................ ................
research.....................................................
Management of national forest lands for subsistence uses...... 2,500 2,441 2,500 ................ +59
Wildland Fire Management
Fire operations:
Wildland fire preparedness................................ 1,082,620 1,082,620 1,082,620 ................ ................
Wildland fire suppression operations...................... 811,000 873,904 1,248,000 +437,000 +374,096
Additional suppression funding (Public Law 114-53)........ 700,000 ................ ................ -700,000 ................
Wildland fire management (emergency).................. ................ ................ 490,000 +490,000 +490,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Fire operations........................... 2,593,620 1,956,524 2,820,620 +227,000 +864,096
Other operations:
Hazardous fuels........................................... 375,000 384,126 390,000 +15,000 +5,874
(Hazardous Fuels Base Program)........................ (360,000) (369,126) (375,000) (+15,000) (+5,874)
(Biomass Grants)...................................... (15,000) (15,000) (15,000) ................ ................
Fire plan research and development........................ 19,795 19,795 19,795 ................ ................
Joint fire sciences program............................... 6,914 ................ 6,914 ................ +6,914
State fire assistance..................................... 78,000 78,000 80,000 +2,000 +2,000
Volunteer fire assistance................................. 13,000 13,000 15,000 +2,000 +2,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Other operations.............................. 492,709 494,921 511,709 +19,000 +16,788
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Wildland Fire Management...................... 3,086,329 2,451,445 3,332,329 +246,000 +880,884
Appropriations...................................... (3,086,329) (2,451,445) (2,842,329) (-244,000) (+390,884)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (490,000) (+490,000) (+490,000)
FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Account
FLAME wildfire suppression reserve account.................... 823,000 ................ ................ -823,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, all wildland fire accounts....................... 3,909,329 2,451,445 3,332,329 -577,000 +880,884
=========================================================================================
Suppression cap adjustment.................................... ................ 864,096 ................ ................ -864,096
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Wildland Fire Management with cap adjustment..... 3,909,329 3,315,541 3,332,329 -577,000 +16,788
=========================================================================================
Total, Forest Service without Wildland Fire Management.. 2,455,017 2,424,887 2,412,649 -42,368 -12,238
Appropriations...................................... (2,455,017) (2,424,887) (2,412,649) (-42,368) (-12,238)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (490,000) (+490,000) (+490,000)
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, FOREST SERVICE................................... 6,364,346 5,740,428 5,744,978 -619,368 +4,550
Appropriations...................................... (6,364,346) (4,876,332) (5,263,275) (-1,101,071) (+386,943)
Rescissions......................................... ................ ................ (-8,297) (-8,297) (-8,297)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (490,000) (+490,000) (+490,000)
Disaster Relief cap adjustment...................... ................ (864,096) ................ ................ (-864,096)
=========================================================================================
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
Indian Health Services
Clinical Services:
Hospital and health clinics............................... 1,857,225 1,979,998 1,890,303 +33,078 -89,695
Dental health............................................. 178,286 186,829 180,923 +2,637 -5,906
Mental health............................................. 82,100 111,143 108,331 +26,231 -2,812
Alcohol and substance abuse............................... 205,305 233,286 225,750 +20,445 -7,536
Purchased/referred care................................... 914,139 962,331 914,139 ................ -48,192
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 3,237,055 3,473,587 3,319,446 +82,391 -154,141
Preventive Health:
Public health nursing..................................... 76,623 82,040 78,312 +1,689 -3,728
Health education.......................................... 18,255 19,545 18,562 +307 -983
Community health representatives.......................... 58,906 62,428 58,906 ................ -3,522
Immunization (Alaska)..................................... 1,950 2,062 2,062 +112 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 155,734 166,075 157,842 +2,108 -8,233
Other services:
Urban Indian health....................................... 44,741 48,157 45,741 +1,000 -2,416
Indian health professions................................. 48,342 49,345 49,345 +1,003 ................
Tribal management grant program........................... 2,442 2,488 2,442 ................ -46
Direct operations......................................... 72,338 69,620 69,620 -2,718 ................
Self-governance........................................... 5,735 5,837 5,735 ................ -102
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 173,598 175,447 172,883 -715 -2,564
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Indian Health Services........................... 3,566,387 3,815,109 3,650,171 +83,784 -164,938
=========================================================================================
Contract Support Costs
Contract support.............................................. 717,970 800,000 800,000 +82,030 ................
Indian Health Facilities
Maintenance and improvement................................... 73,614 76,981 76,981 +3,367 ................
Sanitation facilities construction............................ 99,423 103,036 103,036 +3,613 ................
Health care facilities construction........................... 105,048 132,377 115,048 +10,000 -17,329
Facilities and environmental health support................... 222,610 233,858 226,005 +3,395 -7,853
Equipment..................................................... 22,537 23,654 22,537 ................ -1,117
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Indian Health Facilities......................... 523,232 569,906 543,607 +20,375 -26,299
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE............................ 4,807,589 5,185,015 4,993,778 +186,189 -191,237
=========================================================================================
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences........... 77,349 77,349 77,349 ................ ................
AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY
Toxic substances and environmental public health.............. 74,691 74,691 74,691 ................ ................
=========================================================================================
TOTAL, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.......... 4,959,629 5,337,055 5,145,818 +186,189 -191,237
=========================================================================================
OTHER RELATED AGENCIES
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental 3,000 3,015 3,000 ................ -15
Quality......................................................
CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD
Salaries and expenses......................................... 11,000 12,436 11,000 ................ -1,436
OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION
Salaries and expenses......................................... 15,000 15,431 15,431 +431 ................
INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE CULTURE AND
ARTS DEVELOPMENT
Payment to the Institute...................................... 11,619 11,835 15,212 +3,593 +3,377
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Salaries and Expenses
Museum and Research Institutes:
National Air and Space Museum............................. 18,937 19,853 19,603 +666 -250
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory..................... 24,141 24,393 24,393 +252 ................
Major scientific instrumentation.......................... 4,118 6,118 4,118 ................ -2,000
Universe Center........................................... 184 184 184 ................ ................
National Museum of Natural History........................ 48,503 49,205 49,205 +702 ................
National Zoological Park.................................. 26,382 27,252 26,752 +370 -500
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center................. 3,956 4,171 4,171 +215 ................
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute................... 14,166 14,344 14,344 +178 ................
Biodiversity Center....................................... 1,523 4,230 1,530 +7 -2,700
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Freer Gallery of Art............ 6,111 6,197 6,197 +86 ................
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage................. 2,581 3,122 3,039 +458 -83
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum..................... 4,810 5,105 4,869 +59 -236
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden..................... 4,414 4,913 4,477 +63 -436
National Museum of African Art............................ 4,263 4,576 4,496 +233 -80
World Cultures Center..................................... 284 792 284 ................ -508
Anacostia Community Museum................................ 2,116 2,329 2,329 +213 ................
Archives of American Art.................................. 1,880 2,005 1,909 +29 -96
National Museum of African American History and Culture... 41,347 41,564 41,564 +217 ................
National Museum of American History....................... 23,122 26,142 24,630 +1,508 -1,512
National Museum of the American Indian.................... 31,726 32,341 32,117 +391 -224
National Portrait Gallery................................. 6,064 6,460 6,339 +275 -121
Smithsonian American Art Museum........................... 9,587 10,115 9,920 +333 -195
American Experience Center................................ 595 596 596 +1 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Museums and Research Institutes............... 280,810 296,007 287,066 +6,256 -8,941
Mission enabling:
Program support and outreach:
Outreach.................................................. 9,229 9,214 9,214 -15 ................
Communications............................................ 2,594 2,632 2,632 +38 ................
Institution-wide programs................................. 14,784 14,984 13,284 -1,500 -1,700
Office of Exhibits Central................................ 3,009 3,057 3,057 +48 ................
Museum Support Center..................................... 1,866 1,890 1,890 +24 ................
Museum Conservation Institute............................. 3,277 3,320 3,320 +43 ................
Smithsonian Institution Archives.......................... 2,203 2,316 2,316 +113 ................
Smithsonian Institution Libraries......................... 10,654 11,275 11,146 +492 -129
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Program support and outreach.................. 47,616 48,688 46,859 -757 -1,829
Office of Chief Information Officer........................... 50,400 54,641 51,371 +971 -3,270
Administration................................................ 34,554 37,526 34,941 +387 -2,585
Inspector General............................................. 3,451 3,499 3,499 +48 ................
Facilities services:
Facilities maintenance.................................... 73,985 89,227 76,327 +2,342 -12,900
Facilities operations, security and support............... 205,229 229,636 217,996 +12,767 -11,640
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Facilities services........................... 279,214 318,863 294,323 +15,109 -24,540
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Mission enabling.............................. 415,235 463,217 430,993 +15,758 -32,224
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Salaries and expenses............................ 696,045 759,224 718,059 +22,014 -41,165
=========================================================================================
Facilities Capital
Revitalization................................................ 92,788 83,650 71,884 -20,904 -11,766
Facilities planning and design................................ 51,410 29,350 20,300 -31,110 -9,050
Construction.................................................. ................ 50,000 50,000 +50,000 ................
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Total, Facilities Capital............................... 144,198 163,000 142,184 -2,014 -20,816
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TOTAL, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.......................... 840,243 922,224 860,243 +20,000 -61,981
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NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
Salaries and Expenses
Care and utilization of art collections....................... 41,581 45,418 44,778 +3,197 -640
Operation and maintenance of buildings and grounds............ 33,858 35,011 34,554 +696 -457
Protection of buildings, grounds and contents................. 22,643 24,231 23,495 +852 -736
General administration........................................ 26,906 31,141 30,134 +3,228 -1,007
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Total, Salaries and Expenses............................ 124,988 135,801 132,961 +7,973 -2,840
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Repair, Restoration and Renovation of Buildings
Base program.................................................. 22,564 22,600 22,564 ................ -36
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TOTAL, NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART.......................... 147,552 158,401 155,525 +7,973 -2,876
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JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Operations and maintenance.................................... 21,660 22,260 22,260 +600 ................
Capital repair and restoration................................ 14,740 13,000 13,000 -1,740 ................
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TOTAL, JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS... 36,400 35,260 35,260 -1,140 ................
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WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS
Salaries and expenses......................................... 10,500 10,400 10,500 ................ +100
NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
National Endowment for the Arts
Grants and Administration
Grants:
Direct grants............................................. 63,420 63,906 63,266 -154 -640
Challenge America grants.................................. 7,600 7,600 7,600 ................ ................
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Subtotal................................................ 71,020 71,506 70,866 -154 -640
State partnerships:
State and regional........................................ 37,262 37,517 36,919 -343 -598
Underserved set-aside..................................... 10,084 10,154 9,992 -92 -162
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Subtotal................................................ 47,346 47,671 46,911 -435 -760
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Subtotal, Grants........................................ 118,366 119,177 117,777 -589 -1,400
Program support............................................... 1,780 1,950 1,950 +170 ................
Administration................................................ 27,803 28,722 28,722 +919 ................
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Total, Arts............................................. 147,949 149,849 148,449 +500 -1,400
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National Endowment for the Humanities
Grants and Administration
Grants:
Special Initiative: The Common Good....................... 5,500 10,190 7,500 +2,000 -2,690
Federal/State partnership................................. 43,040 43,040 43,540 +500 +500
Preservation and access................................... 15,200 14,385 14,625 -575 +240
Public programs........................................... 13,454 12,730 12,945 -509 +215
Research programs......................................... 14,536 13,755 13,990 -546 +235
Education programs........................................ 13,040 12,000 12,550 -490 +550
Program development....................................... 500 500 500 ................ ................
Digital humanities initiatives............................ 4,480 4,600 4,600 +120 ................
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Subtotal, Grants........................................ 109,750 111,200 110,250 +500 -950
Matching Grants:
Treasury funds............................................ 2,400 2,200 2,244 -156 +44
Challenge grants.......................................... 8,500 8,500 8,000 -500 -500
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Subtotal, Matching grants............................... 10,900 10,700 10,244 -656 -456
Administration................................................ 27,292 27,948 27,948 +656 ................
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Total, Humanities....................................... 147,942 149,848 148,442 +500 -1,406
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TOTAL, NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE 295,891 299,697 296,891 +1,000 -2,806
HUMANITIES.............................................
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COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS
Salaries and expenses......................................... 2,653 2,762 2,653 ................ -109
NATIONAL CAPITAL ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Grants........................................................ 2,000 1,400 2,000 ................ +600
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Salaries and expenses......................................... 6,080 6,493 6,493 +413 ................
NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION
Salaries and expenses......................................... 8,348 8,099 8,099 -249 ................
UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Holocaust Memorial Museum..................................... 54,000 57,000 57,000 +3,000 ................
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER MEMORIAL COMMISSION
Salaries and expenses......................................... 1,000 1,800 1,000 ................ -800
Capital construction.......................................... ................ 43,000 ................ ................ -43,000
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Total, DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER MEMORIAL COMMISSION......... 1,000 44,800 1,000 ................ -43,800
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WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION
Salaries and expenses......................................... ................ ................ 2,000 +2,000 +2,000
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TOTAL, TITLE III, RELATED AGENCIES...................... 12,769,261 12,666,736 12,373,103 -396,158 -293,633
Appropriations...................................... (12,769,261) (11,802,640) (11,891,400) (-877,861) (+88,760)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (490,000) (+490,000) (+490,000)
(Disaster Relief cap adjustment).................... ................ (864,096) ................ ................ (-864,096)
GRAND TOTAL............................................. 32,925,579 33,176,164 32,762,011 -163,568 -414,153
Appropriations...................................... (32,993,579) (32,052,068) (32,202,017) (-791,562) (+149,949)
Rescissions......................................... (-40,000) ................ (-73,297) (-33,297) (-73,297)
Rescissions of contract authority................... (-28,000) (-30,000) (-28,000) ................ (+2,000)
Emergency appropriations............................ ................ ................ (661,291) (+661,291) (+661,291)
Disaster Relief cap adjustment.......................... ................ (1,154,096) ................ ................ (-1,154,096)
(By transfer)........................................... (28,789) (24,274) (24,274) (-4,515) ................
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