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Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2017 Appropriations

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Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2017 Appropriations

April 15August 19, 2016 (R44470)
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Contents

Summary

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill includes funding for most of the Department of the Interior (DOI) and for agencies within other departments—including the Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. It also provides funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), arts and cultural agencies, and numerous other entities.

For FY2017, the President requested $33.1318 billion for the approximately 30 agencies and entities typically funded in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations law. For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the request was $12.24 billion, or 36.9% of the total requested. For EPA, funded by Title II of the bill, the request was $8.27 billion, or 25.0% of the total. For the 20 agencies and other entities funded in Title III of the bill, the request was $12.62 billion, or 38.1% of the total.

The President's request of $33.13 billion would be an increase of $907.6 million (2.8%) compared to the total FY2016 enacted appropriations of $32.23 billion in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), Division G. The FY2016 total included $452.0 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which compensates counties and local governments for nontaxable lands within their jurisdictions. The FY2017 request did not include funding for PILT because the President proposed to fund this program through mandatory appropriations. In addition, the President's request included a proposal for a new adjustment to the discretionary spending limits in law that would provide an additional $1.15 billion for wildfire suppression for FY2017. FY2016 enacted appropriations did not include such a discretionary cap adjustment.

Under the President's proposal, the total for each of the three titles of the bill would increase by varying amounts over FY2016 enacted appropriations. DOI agencies would receive an increase of $225.8 million (1.9%), funding for EPA would increase by $127.3 million (1.6%), and the total for all Related Agencies in Title III would increase by $554.5 million (4.6%).

H.R. 5538, as passed by the House on July 14, 2016, would provide $32.15 billion for FY2017, while S. 3068, as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 16, 2016, contains $32.76 billion.

Appropriations for FY2016 for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies totaled $32.93 billion. This total included $700.0 million in additional, emergency appropriations for wildland fires. The President's request of $33.18 billion would be an increase of $250.6 million (0.8%) compared with the total FY2016 enacted appropriations. By contrast, both H.R. 5538 as passed by the House and S. 3068 as reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee would provide lower appropriations than enacted for FY2016. The House bill would be $779.3 million (2.4%) less than the FY2016 appropriation, whereas the Senate bill contains $163.6 million (0.5%) less than FY2016.

The FY2016 appropriation, and FY2017 appropriations requested by the President, approved by the House, and reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee, differed in a number of ways. For instance, only the President's request did not include discretionary appropriations for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, as the President proposed mandatory funds for this program. PILT compensates counties and local governments for nontaxable lands within their jurisdictions. The total amounts also represent different levels of funding for wildland fires on DOI and Forest Service lands, as well as varied approaches to providing funds. The President proposed a new adjustment to the discretionary spending limits in law for wildfire suppression, the House bill included funding for the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Accounts, and the Senate bill would provide some wildfire funds as emergency appropriations. The FY2016 appropriation included FLAME and emergency funding, but not a discretionary cap adjustment.

Other differences relate to the amount of funds proposed for particular agencies. For example, whereas the President sought an increase in funds over FY2016 for EPA, the House and Senate bills would provide lower funding. In other cases, the President, House, and Senate Committee proposed increased funds of varying amounts over the FY2016 level, as for the National Park Service, Indian Affairs bureaus, Indian Health Service, and Smithsonian Institution, among other agencies. In still other cases, decreased funds relative to FY2016 were included in the President's, House, and Senate Committee proposals, as in the case of the Forest Service.

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2017 Appropriations

Introduction

This report focuses on FY2017 appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. It first presents a brief overview of the agencies in the bill. It then provides a description of the appropriations requested by the President for FY2017. Next, it compares the President's request for FY2017 with appropriations enacted for FY2016.

It then compares the FY2017 House-passed and Senate-committee reported appropriations with each other, with FY2016 enacted appropriations, and with FY2017 appropriations requested by the President.

Appropriations are complex. Budget justifications for requests for some agencies are large, generally several hundred pages long and containing numerous funding, programmatic, and legislative changes for congressional consideration. Further, appropriations laws provide funds for numerous accounts, activities, and sub-activities, and the accompanying explanatory statements provide additional directives and other important information. This report does not provide information at the account and sub-account levels, nor does it detail budgetary reorganizations or legislative changes enacted in law or proposed by the President. For information on a particular agency or individual accounts, programs, or activities administered by a particular agency, contact the key policy staff listed at the end of this report. In addition, for selected reports related to appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, such as individual agencies (e.g., National Park Service) or cross-cutting programs (e.g., Wildland Fire Management), see the Congressional Research Service (CRS) website at http://www.crs.gov/Cli/SubIssue?cliid=2346.

Overview of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations

The annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill1 includes funding for agencies and programs in three separate federal departments as well as for numerous related agencies.2 The Interior bill typically contains three primary titles. Title I provides funding for most Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies,3 many of which manage land and other natural resource or regulatory programs. Title II contains appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Title III currently funds 20 agencies in other departments, such as the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services; arts and cultural agencies, such as the Smithsonian Institution; and various other entities. Title III of the bill is referred to as "Related Agencies." Selected major agencies in the Interior bill are briefly described below.

Title I. Department of the Interior

DOI's mission is to protect and manage the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provide scientific and other information about those resources; and exercise trust responsibilities and other commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.4 DOI agenciesThere are eight DOI agencies and two other broad accounts funded in the Interior bill5 that carry out this mission include the following:

  • that carry out this mission. These agencies and broad accounts are referred to collectively hereinafter as the 10 DOI "agencies." DOI agencies funded in the Interior bill include the following:5The Bureau of Land Management administers about 246 million acres of public land, mostly in the West, for diverse uses such as energy and mineral development, livestock grazing, recreation, and preservation. The agency is also responsible for about 700 million acres of federal onshore subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation and supervises the mineral operations on about 56 million acres of Indian Trust lands.
  • The Fish and Wildlife Service administers 91 million acres of federal land6 within the National Wildlife Refuge System and other areas, including 77 million acres in Alaska. It also manages several large marine refuges and marine national monuments, sometimes jointly with other federal agencies. In addition, the Fish and Wildlife Service is the primary agency responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§1531 et seq.) through listing of species; consulting with other federal agencies; collaborating with private entities and state, tribal, and local governments; and other measures. It is also the primary agency responsible for promoting wildlife habitat; enforcing federal wildlife laws; supporting wildlife and ecosystem science; conserving migratory birds; administering grants to aid state fish and wildlife programs; and coordinating with state, international, and other federal agencies on fish and wildlife issues.
  • The National Park Service administers 80 million acres of federal land within the National Park System, which includes 410412 diverse units in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Roughly two-thirds of the system's lands are in Alaska. The National Park Service has a dual mission—to preserve unique resources and to provide for their enjoyment by the public. The agency also supports and promotes some resource conservation activities outside the Park System through grant and technical assistance programs and cooperation with partners.
  • The U.S. Geological Survey is a science agency that provides physical and biological information related to geological resources; climate change; and energy, mineral, water, and biological sciences and resources. In addition, it is the federal government's principal civilian mapping agency and a primary source of data on the quality of the nation's water resources.
  • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management manages development of the nation's offshore conventional and renewable energy resources in the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Arctic. These resources are in areas covering approximately 1.7 billion acres located beyond state waters, mostly in the Alaska region (more than 1 billion acres) but also off all coastal states.
  • The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement provides regulatory and safety oversight for resource development in the outer continental shelf. Among its responsibilities are oil and gas permitting, facility inspections, environmental compliance, and oil spill response planning.
  • The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement works with states and tribes to reclaim abandoned coal mines. The agency also regulates active coal mines to minimize environmental impacts during mining and to reclaim affected lands and waters after mining.
  • Indian Affairs agencies provide and fund a variety of services to federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and their members. Historically, these agencies have taken the lead in federal dealings with tribes. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for programs that include government operations, courts, law enforcement, fire protection, social programs, roads, economic development, employment assistance, housing repair, irrigation, dams, Indian rights protection, implementation of land and water settlements, and management of trust assets (real estate and natural resources). The Bureau of Indian Education funds an elementary and secondary school system, institutions of higher education, and other educational programs.

7Title II. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. Primary responsibilities include the implementation of federal statutes regulating air quality, water quality, pesticides, toxic substances, management and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, and cleanup of environmental contamination. EPA also awards grants to assist states and local governments in implementing federal law and complying with federal requirements to control pollution.8

Title III. Related Agencies

There are 20 agencies, organizations, and other entities funded by Title III of the Interior bill, collectively referred to hereinafter as the 20 "Related Agencies." Among the Related Agencies funded in the Interior bill, roughly 95% of the funding is typically provided to the following agencies and organizations:

  • The Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture manages 193 million acres of the National Forest System—consisting of national forests, national grasslands, and other areas—in 43 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It also provides technical and financial assistance to states, tribes, and private forest landowners and conducts research on sustaining forest resources for future generations.
  • The Indian Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services provides medical and environmental health services for more than 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Health care is provided through a system of facilities and programs operated by the agency, tribes and tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations. The agency operates 28 hospitals, 62 health centers, and 25 health stations. Tribes and tribal organizations, through Indian Health Service contracts and compacts, operate another 18 hospitals, 282 health centers, 80 health stations, and 150 Alaska Native village clinics. Urban Indian organizations operate 33 ambulatory or referral programs.79
  • The Smithsonian Institution is a museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoo, and 9nine research facilities throughout the United States and around the world.10 Established by federal legislation in 1846 with the acceptance of a trust donation by the institution's namesake benefactor, the Smithsonian is funded by both federal appropriations and a private trust, with nearly $1.36 billion in total revenue from all sources of funding for FY2014.8
    • .
  • The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities make up the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. The National Endowment for the Arts is a major federal source of support for all arts disciplines. Since 1965, it has awarded more than 145,000 grants, which have been distributed to all states. The National Endowment for the Humanities generally supports grants for humanities education, research, preservation, and public humanities programs; creation of regional humanities centers; and development of humanities programs under the jurisdiction of state humanities councils. Since 1965, it has awarded approximately 63,000 grants. It also supports a Challenge Grant program to stimulate and match private donations in support of humanities institutions.

FY2017 Appropriations

Components of the President's Request

For FY2017, the President requested $33.1318 billion for the approximately 30 agencies and entities typically funded in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the request was $12.24 billion, or 36.9% of the total requested. For EPA, funded in Title II of the bill, the request was $8.27 billion, or 25.024.9% of the total. For the 20 agencies and other entities currently funded in Title III of the bill, the request was $12.6267 billion, or 38.12% of the total.

The President's request included a proposal for a new adjustment to the discretionary spending limits in law that would provide an additional $1.15 billion for wildfire suppression for FY2017.911 Of the total proposed adjustment for FY2017, $290.0 million was for DOI Wildland Fire Management and $864.1 million was for Forest Service Wildland Fire Management.

Appropriations for agencies vary widely for reasons relating to the number, breadth, and complexity of agency responsibilities; alternative sources of funding (e.g., mandatory appropriations); and Administration and congressional priorities, among other factors. Thus, although the President's FY2017 request covered approximately 30 agencies, funding for a small subset of these agencies accounted for most of the total. For example, the requested appropriations for three agencies—EPA, Forest Service, and Indian Health Service—were nearly three-fifths (57.9%) of the total request. Further, more than three-quarters (76.10%) of the request was for these three agencies and two others, National Park Service and Indian Affairs.

For DOI agencies, the FY2017 requests ranged from $80.2 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to $3.10 billion for the National Park Service. The requests for 6 of the 10 agencies exceeded $1 billion. Nearly half (49.3%) of the $12.24 billion requested for DOI agencies was for two agencies—Indian Affairs ($2.93 billion) and the National Park Service.

For Related Agencies in Title III, the requested funding levels exhibited even more variation. The President sought amounts ranging from $1.4 million for grants under National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs to $5.74 billion for the Forest Service. The Indian Health Service would be the only other agency to receive more than $5 billion. The next-largest request was for the Smithsonian Institution, at $922.2 million. By contrast, 14 agencies would receive less than $80 million each, including 65 with appropriations of less than $10 million each.

Figure 1 identifies the share of the President's request for particular agencies in the Interior bill. Table 1 , at the end of this report, contains the amount requested by the President for FY2017 for each agency, FY2016 enacted appropriations for each agency, and the percentage change between FY2016 enacted appropriations and the President's request for FY2017, the appropriations included in H.R. 5538 as passed the House, and the appropriations contained in S. 3068 as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Figure 1. Components of the President's FY2017 Request for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Source: Prepared by CRS with data from the House Appropriations Committee.

Notes: Agencies shown in shades of brown and yellow are in the Department of the Interior, Title I of the bill. The Environmental Protection Agency, shown in blue, is Title II of the bill. Agencies shown in shades of green are Related Agencies, Title III of the bill.

FY2017 President's Request Compared with FY2016 Enacted Appropriations

The President's request of $33.1318 billion for FY2017 would be an increase of $907250.6 million (20.8%) over the total FY2016 enacted appropriations of $32.23 billion. 93 billion. This FY2016 total includes $700.0 million in emergency funding for Wildland Fire Management by the Forest Service (P.L. 114-53, Section 135).12 These funds were provided for urgent fire suppression, but also could be transferred to other accounts to repay monies that had been borrowed for fire suppression. Unlike the President's FY2017 request, the FY2016 enacted appropriations did not include a cap adjustment to discretionary spending limits in law (for Wildland Fire Management). The FY2016 appropriations included $452.0 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, whereas the President did not seek discretionary funding for PILT for FY2017. Instead, the President supported mandatory funding for PILT for FY2017, which would require a change in law.10 Unlike the President's FY2017 request, the FY2016 enacted appropriations did not include a cap adjustment to discretionary spending limits in law (for Wildland Fire Management).

PILT compensates counties and local governments for nontaxable lands within their jurisdictions.13

Under the President's proposal, the total for eachtwo of the three titles of the bill would increase by varyingdifferent amounts. DOI agencies would receive an increase of $225.8 million (1.9%), and funding for EPA would increase by $127.3 million (1.6%), and. However, the total for all Related Agencies in Title III would increase by $554decrease by $102.5 million (4.60.8%).

With regard to DOI, the President proposed increases above FY2016 enacted levels for 8 of the 10 agencies. The increases varied in dollar amount and percentage of appropriations, with the lowest dollar increase of $6.0 million (8.0%) for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the highest of $250.2 million (8.8%) for the National Park Service. Some of the National Park Service increase was intended to enhance park units in light of the agency's 2016 centennial. Activities receiving additional funds would include repair, rehabilitation, and maintenance of facilities; line item construction; visitor services for young people and families; historic preservation; and the Centennial Challenge program (a federal matching program to leverage donations for park units).

In addition to the National Park Service, three other DOI agencies would receive increases of more than $100.0 million under the President's request. Proposed increases are as follows: Department-Wide Programs, $170.3 million (15.8%); Indian Affairs, $137.6 million (4.9%); and U.S. Geological Survey, $106.8 million (10.1%). Under Department-Wide Programs, Wildland Fire Management on DOI lands would receive the largest increase. The second-largest increase would be for the Working Capital Fund, primarily for cybersecurity and DOI compliance with the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act, P.L. 113-101). For Indian Affairs, the President requested increases for many activities, among them education, natural resource management, and social services. For the U.S. Geological Survey, the President requested additional funds across agency activities, including ecosystems, climate and land use change, natural hazards, water resources, and facilities.

Two DOI agencies, Departmental Offices and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, would receive decreased appropriations under the President's FY2017 request. For Departmental Offices, the decrease was primarily because the President did not seek discretionary funding under this account for PILT, as noted. For the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the decrease was primarily because the President did not request to continue the FY2016 appropriation of $90.0 million for grants to three states for reclamation of abandoned mine lands, together with economic and community development activities.

Within the overall increase for EPA, the President sought additional funds for each of the agency's accounts except State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG). The $239.2 million (9.2%) increase for the Environmental Programs and Management account was the largest overall dollar increase proposed for EPA accounts. This account funds a broad array of activities supporting EPA's development and enforcement of pollution-control regulations and standards, technical assistance, and administrative and operational expenses. The $40.2 million (3.7%) increase for the Hazardous Substance Superfund account was the second-largest overall dollar increase for EPA accounts. This account supports the assessment and cleanup of sites contaminated from the release of hazardous substances. EPA administers these activities under the Superfund program, as authorized in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA; 42 U.S.C. §§9601 et seq.).11 The overall decrease from FY2016 enacted levels proposed for STAG14 The President also sought $50.0 million for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program, through a proposed new account to consolidate resources for loans to improve water infrastructure.15 The overall decrease from FY2016 enacted levels proposed for EPA's account for State and Tribal Assistance Grants ($237.8 million, or 6.8%) includes both decreases and increases for programs within the account. For instance, grants to states for wastewater infrastructure projects through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund would decline by $414.4 million (29.7%), whereas funding for drinking water infrastructure grants to states through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund would increase by $157.3 million (18.2%).

FourteenThirteen of the 20 Title III agencies would receive increases over FY2016 enacted levels under the President's FY2017 proposal, and two of the threethe 3 largest agencies would receive the biggest dollar increases. Specifically, the President sought an additional $377.4 million (7.9%) for the Indian Health Service, and $82.0 million (9.8%) for the Smithsonian Institution, and $76.1 million (1.3%) for the Forest Service. The Indian Health Service would receive increases for many programs and activities, including hospitals and health clinics, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse, contract support costs, and construction of health care and other facilities. The Smithsonian Institution's additional funds would be directed to facilities maintenance, operations, security, and construction, among other purposes. The Forest Service increase would be used primarily for suppressing wildland fires and other wildland fire management activities. By contrast, two Title III agencies would receive level funding and four agencies would receive decreases.12

Table 1. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2017 Appropriations Requested by the President Compared with FY2016 Enacted Appropriations

($ in thousands)

By contrast, two Title III agencies would receive level funding and five agencies would receive decreases. The President proposed the largest dollar decrease for the Forest Service—a $623.9 million (9.8%) reduction—primarily through lower funding for Wildland Fire Management. Comparison of FY2017 Bills Passed by the House and Reported by the Senate Appropriations Committees H.R. 5538, as passed by the House on July 14, 2016, would provide $32.15 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2017. S. 3068, as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 16, 2016, would provide $32.76 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Both bills included $480.0 million for PILT. The House-passed bill included this funding in the DOI Departmental Offices account, with funding for the Office of the Secretary. The Senate included PILT funding in the Department-Wide Programs account. See Table 1 for the House-passed and Senate committee-reported funding levels for each title and agency in the Interior bill.

The bills differed in the amount and type of funding for addressing wildland fires. Overall, the Senate bill contained $521.6 million (13.3%) more than the House bill. The Senate bill would provide a total of $4.45 billion for Wildland Fire Management, composed of $1.11 billion for DOI and $3.33 billion for the Forest Service. The Senate total included $661.3 million in emergency appropriations for managing wildland fires, with $171.3 million for DOI and $490.0 million for the Forest Service. Such emergency funding typically does not count toward a subcommittee's allocation for the bill.16 The House-passed bill did not include emergency appropriations, but instead provided a portion of the funding through the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Accounts. It would provide a total of $3.92 billion for managing wildland fires, with $943.9 million for DOI and $2.98 billion for the Forest Service.

The inclusion of emergency appropriations in the Senate committee-reported bill contributed to a larger overall appropriation in S. 3068 than in H.R. 5538. The Senate bill was $615.7 million (1.9%) more than the House-passed bill. Similarly, the emergency funding was a factor in the larger appropriations in S. 3068 for DOI agencies ($151.1 million, 1.2% higher), the Forest Service ($307.3 million, 5.7% higher), and Title III agencies overall ($224.0 million, 1.8% higher).

The Senate committee-reported bill also contained higher amounts than H.R. 5538 for some other major agencies, including EPA ($240.6 million, 3.1% higher). While the measures contained differing amounts for many EPA accounts, more funding in the Senate bill for the Environmental Programs and Management account and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF, in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants account) contributed to the overall higher Senate bill total. However, the House bill would provide higher funding for some agencies than the Senate measure. For instance, it would fund the Indian Health Service at $5.08 billion, which would be $84.9 million (1.7%) more than the $4.99 billion in S. 3068. The House bill had higher appropriations for clinical services, among other Indian Health Service programs.

FY2017 Bills Compared with FY2016 Appropriations

Both H.R. 5538 as passed by the House and S. 3068 as reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee would provide lower appropriations than enacted for FY2016 ($32.93 billion). One contributor to the lower overall bill totals was lower funding for wildland fires relative to the FY2016 enacted level ($4.90 billion). As noted, the FY2016 total appropriation included $700.0 million in additional, emergency funding for Forest Service Wildland Fire Management. For both DOI and Forest Service wildfires, H.R. 5538 would provide $978.4 million (20.0%) less than FY2016 appropriations, whereas S. 3068 contained $456.8 million (9.3%) less than the FY2016 level.

Like the FY2016 appropriation, the House and Senate bills contained discretionary funding for PILT. PILT would receive a $28.0 million (6.2%) increase under both bills, from $452.0 million in FY2016 to $480.0 million in FY2017.

H.R. 5538 Compared with FY2016 Appropriations

The $32.15 billion for FY2017 in H.R. 5538, as passed by the House, was $779.3 million (2.4%) less than the FY2016 appropriation of $32.93 billion. DOI agencies, however, would receive an overall increase of $112.7 million (0.9%) for FY2017, with 6 of the 10 DOI agencies sharing in the increase. The largest recommended dollar increase was $78.8 million (2.8%) for the National Park Service, with increases for facility operations and maintenance, construction, the Historic Preservation Fund, the Centennial Challenge federal matching program, and other activities. The next largest dollar increase was $73.8 million (2.6%) for Indian Affairs, with increases for human services, elementary and secondary education programs, and other programs.

H.R. 5538 would reduce EPA funding by $271.8 million (3.3%) relative to FY2016 appropriations. The account with the largest dollar decline would be Environmental Programs and Management, with $207.2 million (7.9%) less than FY2016. Programs in the account that would be reduced include clean air and climate; enforcement; information exchange and outreach; and legal, science, regulatory, and economic review. The EPA account with the second-largest reduction would be State and Tribal Assistance Grants, with $147.4 million (4.2%) less than FY2016, largely from lower funds for grants to states through the Clean Water SRF. In contrast, the House bill would increase appropriations for the Drinking Water SRF, and provide $50.0 million for a new account to fund the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program.

Title III agencies would receive an overall decrease of $620.2 million (4.9%) for FY2017 under H.R. 5538. The largest dollar reduction—of $926.6 million (14.6%)—would go to the Forest Service, largely from lower funding for Wildland Fire Management.17 A total of three agencies would receive lower amounts than enacted in FY2016, and eight others would receive level funding. Funds for nine agencies would increase, with the largest dollar amount—$271.0 million (5.6%)—for the Indian Health Service. Additional funds would be provided for clinical services, such as hospital and health clinics, contract support costs, and construction of health care and other facilities.

S. 3068 Compared with FY2016 Appropriations

With regard to the Senate bill, the $32.76 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies would be $163.6 million (0.5%) less than FY2016 appropriations of $32.93 billion. DOI agencies, however, would receive an overall increase of $263.8 million (2.2%) for FY2017, with 6 of the 10 DOI agencies sharing in the increase. The largest recommended dollar increase in S. 3068 was $600.2 million (55.6%) for Department-Wide Programs, whereas the largest recommended dollar decrease was $449.9 million (41.7%) for Departmental Offices. These differences primarily result from funding PILT through different accounts—under Departmental Offices in FY2016 but under Department-Wide Programs in S. 3068. Within the Department-Wide Programs account, the Senate bill also contains an additional $120.2 million (12.1%) for DOI Wildland Fire Management. The Senate bill also contained increases over the FY2016 level of $62.7 million (2.2%) for the National Park Service and $58.5 million (2.1%) for Indian Affairs.

S. 3068 would fund EPA at $31.2 million (0.4%) less than the FY2016 appropriation. The EPA account with the largest dollar decrease would be Environmental Programs and Management, with $75.1 million (2.9%) less than FY2016. As with the House bill, programs in the account that would be reduced include clean air and climate; enforcement; information exchange and outreach; and legal, science, regulatory, and economic review. Funding in the account for water quality protection also would decline. The EPA account with the largest dollar increase in S. 3068 would be State and Tribal Assistance Grants, with $95.2 million (2.7%) more than FY2016 appropriations. While funding for some programs in the account would increase, such as for the Drinking Water SRF and certain categorical grants, funding for other programs would be reduced, such as for the Clean Water SRF, diesel emission grants, and multi-purpose grants. The Senate bill also would provide $30.0 million for a new account to fund the WIFIA Program.

Title III agencies would decrease by $396.2 million (3.1%) in FY2017 under S. 3068. The largest dollar reduction—of $619.4 million (9.7%)—would go to the Forest Service, largely from lower funding for wildland fires. A total of three agencies would receive lower amounts than enacted in FY2016, and eight others would receive level funding. Funds for nine agencies would increase, with the largest amount—of $186.2 million (3.9%)—for the Indian Health Service. Additional funds would be provided for clinical services (such as hospital and health clinics, mental health, and alcohol and substance abuse), contract support costs, and construction of facilities.

FY2017 Bills Compared with President's FY2017 Request

Both the House-passed and Senate committee-reported bills contained lower funding for FY2017 than sought by the President. This was the case although the President's request did not include discretionary appropriations for PILT, whereas the House and Senate bills contained $480.0 million for the program. As noted, the Administration instead sought mandatory funding for PILT. Among other differences, the President sought at least $100.0 million more than either bill provided for each of the following agencies: National Park Service, EPA, and Indian Health Service.

The President and the House and Senate bills proposed somewhat different ways of funding wildland fires in FY2017. Neither the House nor the Senate legislation included funding for Wildland Fire Management through a new adjustment to the discretionary spending limits in law, as proposed by the President. However, the Senate bill contained provisions (Title V) to enact such a structure, and the House Appropriations Committee expressed support for such a budgetary adjustment mechanism.18 Only the House bill would provide a portion of wildland fire funding through the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Accounts, and only the Senate bill would provide a portion of wildfire funding as emergency appropriations.

H.R. 5538 Compared with President's FY2017 Request

The $32.15 billion for FY2017 in H.R. 5538, as passed by the House, was $1.03 billion (3.1%) lower than the President's FY2017 requested appropriations of $33.18 billion. The House bill contained less funding than the request for each of the three titles of the bill. DOI agencies would receive $113.1 (0.9%) less, with lower appropriations for 8 of the 10 agencies. The largest dollar decrease was $220.1 million (17.6%) for Department-Wide Programs, with each major activity in the account accorded lower funding. The next largest dollar decrease in the House bill—$171.4 million (5.5%)—was for the National Park Service. However, the House-passed bill would provide $440.3 million (68.1%) more than sought by the President for Departmental Offices, due to the inclusion of funding for PILT in this account. H.R. 5538 also contained $93.7 million (59.3%) more than requested for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The House bill, unlike the President's request, would fund grants to states for reclamation of abandoned mines with economic and community development and reuse purposes.

EPA funding would be $399.1 million (4.8%) lower under the House bill than requested by the President for FY2017. H.R. 5538 would provide the Environmental Programs and Management account with $446.4 million (15.6%) less than the President's request. Programs in the account that would receive lower funding include clean air and climate; enforcement; information exchange and outreach; IT, data management, and security; legal, science, regulatory, and economic review; and operations and administration. Not all accounts would receive less funding under the House bill. For instance, the State and Tribal Assistance Grants account would be funded at $90.3 million (2.8%) more under H.R. 5538, with higher amounts for a variety of infrastructure assistance grants—the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRFs, diesel emission grants, and targeted air shed grants.

Under H.R. 5538, Title III agencies would be funded at $517.7 million (4.1%) less for FY2017 than sought by the President. While the bill contained level funding for 8 agencies and increases for 3, 9 of the 20 agencies in Title III would receive lower funds, with the largest dollar reductions for the three largest agencies. For the Forest Service, the House bill included $302.7 million (5.3%) less than the Administration requested, primarily from lower funding for Wildland Fire Management. H.R. 5538 would fund the Indian Health Service at $106.4 million (2.1%) less than the request, with lower amounts for clinical services, including hospital and health clinics, and construction of health care facilities. The House bill contained $58.9 million (6.4%) less than the request for the Smithsonian Institution, mainly due to lower funding for salaries and expenses for museums and research institutes, and for facilities-related programs, including maintenance; operations, security, and support; and planning and design. Additionally, the House bill would not fund the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, for which the President requested a total of $44.8 million, primarily to construct a memorial.

S. 3068 Compared with President's FY2017 Request

The $32.76 billion total in S. 3068 would be $414.2 million (1.2%) less than the Administration's request of $33.18 billion. Nevertheless, S. 3068 would increase DOI agencies by $38.0 million (0.3%) for FY2017, primarily because the bill contained discretionary funding for PILT whereas the President's request did not. Specifically, for the account that would fund PILT—Department-Wide Programs—S. 3068 contained $429.9 million (34.4%) more than the President sought. S. 3068 also included $78.9 million (50.0%) more than requested for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Like the House bill, S. 3068 would fund grants to states for reclamation of abandoned mines with economic and community development and reuse purposes; the President did not request funds for this purpose. The other eight agencies in Title I would receive lower appropriations under S. 3068 than requested by the President. The largest dollar decrease in the Senate bill—$187.5 million (6.0%)—was for the National Park Service, with lower appropriations than requested for visitor services, facility operations and maintenance, the Historic Preservation Fund, construction, and other programs.

The Senate bill contained $158.5 million (1.9%) less for EPA than the President sought for FY2017. The EPA account with the largest dollar decrease would be Environmental Programs and Management, with $314.3 million (11.0%) less than the Administration's request. As with the House bill, programs in the account that would receive lower funding under S. 3068 include clean air and climate; enforcement; information exchange and outreach; IT, data management, and security; legal, science, regulatory, and economic review; and operations and administration. Some accounts would receive more funds under S. 3068 than requested. As with the House bill, the EPA account with the largest dollar increase would be State and Tribal Assistance Grants, with $332.9 million (10.1%) more than requested by the President for FY2017. Higher funding would be directed to the Clean Water SRF and other infrastructure assistance grants, among other programs.

Title III agencies would receive $293.6 million (2.3%) less for FY2017 under S. 3068 than under the President's request for FY2017. Nine of the 20 agencies in Title III would receive lower funding. The largest dollar difference was with regard to the Indian Health Service. S. 3068 would provide $191.2 million (3.7%) less than requested, with lower funds for clinical services, including hospital and health clinics, and construction of health care facilities, among other programs. The Senate bill also contained $62.0 million (6.7%) less than the request for the Smithsonian Institution, mainly due to lower funding for various facilities-related programs, including maintenance; operations, security, and support; revitalization; and planning and design. Additionally, S. 3068 did not fund construction of a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower, while continuing appropriations for salaries and expenses of the memorial commission. The President had sought $43.0 million for capital construction, in addition to funding for salaries and expenses of the commission. S. 3068 would provide higher funds than requested for four agencies, and the bill and the request included the same amount for another seven agencies. Only the Senate bill contained funding ($2.0 million) for the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission, which would be established by the bill.

Table 1. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2016-FY2017 Appropriations

($ in thousands)

    

 

   

1,496,423

2,913,918

1,068,135

1,087,092b 61.4 741,922b 0c0c

12,280,193

   

5,744,978

148,449

2,000

12,373,103

.8

Bureau or Agency

FY2016 Enacted Approps.

FY2017 Requested Approps.

Percentage Change

Title I: Department of the Interior

  

 

 

Bureau of Land Management

$1,236,735

$1,245,185

0.7

Bureau or Agency

FY2016 Enacted Approps.

FY2017 Requested Approps.

Percentage Change, FY2016 Enacted- FY2017 Requested

FY2017 House Passed (H.R. 5538)

FY2017 Senate Committee Reported (S. 3068)

Title I: Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

$1,236,735

$1,245,185

0.7

$1,227,003

$1,243,528

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

1,508,368

1,562,899

3.6

1,491,918

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

1,508,368

1,562,899

3.6

National Park Service

2,851,245

3,101,450

8.8

2,930,048

U.S. Geological Survey

1,062,000

1,168,803

10.1

1,080,006

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

74,235

80,194

8.0

74,362

74,616

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

88,464

96,337

8.9

88,337

83,141

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

240,556

157,925

-34.4

251,603

236,845

Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education

2,796,120

2,933,715

4.9

2,869,934

2,854,579

Departmental Offices

1,080,086a

646,831

-40.1

630,169

Office of the Secretary

721,769a

278,,376

-61.4

265,000

Insular Affairs

103,441

102,,717

-0.7

90,294

110,335

Office of the Solicitor

65,800

69,,448

5.5

65,800

65,758

Office of Inspector General

50,047

55,,911

11.7

50,047

50,047

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

139,029

140,,379

1.0

139,029

139,029

Department-Wide Programs

1,078,622

1,248,890

15.8

1,028,822

1,678,839

Wildland Fire Management

993,745

1,114,,114,624

12.2

943,945

1,113,962

Central Hazardous Materials Fund

10,010

13,,513

35.0

10,010

10,010

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund

7,767

9,,229

18.8

7,767

7,767

Working Capital Fund

67,100

111,,524

66.2

67,100

67,100

Payments in Lieu of Taxes

0

0

480,000

Subtotal, Title I: Department of the Interior

12,016,431a

12,242,,242,229

1.9

12,129,125

Subtotal, Title II: Environmental Protection Agencyb

d

8,139, 887

8,267,,267,199

1.6

7,868,071

8,108,715

Title III: Related Agencies

  

  

  

Forest Service

5,6646,364,346

5,740,428

1.3

-9.8

5,437,701

Indian Health Service

4,807,589

5,185,015

7.9

5,078,636

4,993,778

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

77,349

77,349

0

77,349

77,349

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

74,691

74,691

0

74,691

74,691

Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality

3,000

3,015

0.5

3,000

3,000

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

11,000

12,436

13.1

11,000

11,000

Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

15,000

15,431

2.9

15,431

15,431

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development

11,619

11,835

1.9

11,619

15,212

Smithsonian Institution

840,243

922,224

9.8

863,347

860,243

National Gallery of Art

147,552

158,401

7.4

153,365

155,525

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

36,400

35,260

-3.1

36,400

35,260

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

10,500

10,400

-1.0

10,500

10,500

National Endowment for the Arts

147,949

149,849

1.3

149,849

National Endowment for the Humanities

147,942

149,848

1.3

149,848

148,442

Commission of Fine Arts

2,653

2,762

4.1

2,762

2,653

National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs

2,000

1,400

-30.0

2,000

2,000

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

6,080

6,493

6.8

6,480

6,493

National Capital Planning Commission

8,348

8,099

-3.0

8,099

8,099

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

54,000

57,000

5.6

57,000

57,000

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission

1,000

144,800

e

80.0

4,380

0

1,000

Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission

0

0

0

0

Subtotal, Title III: Related Agencies

12,069769,261

12,623666,736

4.6

-0.8

12,149,077

Total: Interior, Environment, and Related Agenciescf

32,225925,579

33,133,176,164

20.8

32,146,273

32,762,011

Source: Prepared by CRS with data from the House and Senate Appropriations Committee.

a. This figure includes $452.0 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program.

b. This figure includes $480.0 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program. c. Funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program is included in another account—Departmental Offices. d. For additional information on appropriations enacted for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for FY2016, see CRS Report R44208, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): FY2016 Appropriations, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. For information on appropriations requested for EPA for FY2017, see CRS In Focus IF10383, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): FY2017 President's Budget Request, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

ce. This figure includes $1.8 million for salaries and expenses and $43.0 million for construction of a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower. f. The FY2016 appropriations figure reflects appropriations in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), Division G, of $32.29 billion, $700.0 million in emergency appropriations for Forest Service Wildland Fire Management in Section 135 of P.L. 114-53, and rescissions of $68.0 million. The FY2017 request reflects appropriations of $32.0105 billion, a proposed discretionary cap adjustment of $1.15 billion, and rescissions of $30.0 million.

The FY2017 House-passed bill reflects appropriations of $32.19 billion, and rescissions of $48.0 million. The FY2017 Senate committee-reported bill reflects appropriations of $32.20 billion, $661.3 million in emergency appropriations, and rescissions of $101.3 million.

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Natural Resources Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise

Name

Phone

E-mail

Coordinator

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Bureau of Indian Affairs, coordinator

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Bureau of Indian Education

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Bureau of Land Management

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[author name scrubbed]

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[author name scrubbed]

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Environmental Protection Agency

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Fish and Wildlife Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Forest Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Indian Health Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Land and Water Conservation Fund

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Office of Insular Affairs

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Office of Natural Resources Revenue

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

National Park Service

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Smithsonian Institution

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

U.S. Geological Survey

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Wildland Fire Management

[author name scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Footnotes

Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, "IHS Year 2015 Profile," December 2015, at http://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/factsheets/ihsyear2015profile/. For additional information on the agency, see CRS Report R43330, The Indian Health Service (IHS): An Overview, by [author name scrubbed].

13.

H.Rept. 114-632 on H.R. 5538, p. 4.

1.

Hereinafter, the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill is sometimes referred to as the Interior bill.
2.

Many of the agencies that receive discretionary appropriations through the Interior bill also receive mandatory appropriations under various authorizing statutes. This report does not address mandatory appropriations.

3.

The exceptions are the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project, which receive appropriations through Energy and Water Development appropriations laws. For information on FY2016FY2017 appropriations for these entities, see CRS Report R43966R44465, Energy and Water Development: FY2016FY2017 Appropriations, by [author name scrubbed].
4.

This statement is taken from the Department of the Interior (DOI) website at http://www.doi.gov/whoweare/mission-statement.cfm.
5.

In addition, Interior appropriations bills provide funding within two broad DOI accounts covering diverse programs. The Departmental Offices account funds the Office of the Secretary (including the Office of Natural Resources Revenue), Insular Affairs, Office of the Solicitor, Office of Inspector General, and Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. Discretionary appropriations for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program are also shown within this account for FY2016. The Department-Wide Programs account funds DOI Wildland Fire Management, the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, and the Working Capital Fund.
6.

This is the acreage over which the Fish and Wildlife Service has primary jurisdiction, excluding acreage in marine national monuments.
7.

Hereinafter in this report, "Indian Affairs" refers to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education.

8.

For information on FY2016 and FY2017 appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency beyond that contained in this report, see CRS Report R44208, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): FY2016 Appropriations, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed] and CRS In Focus IF10383, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): FY2017 President's Budget Request, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].
9.
810.

Except for the revenue figure, theseThese statistics are from the Smithsonian Institution's website at http://www.si.edu/About. The revenue figure is from Smithsonian Institution, Today. Tomorrow. Forever. 2014 Annual Report, p. 48, at http://www.si.edu/Content/Pdf/About/2014-Smithsonian-Annual-Report.pdf. The 2014 report is the most recent available.

9 11.

Budget authority designated for certain purposes would cause the limits to be adjusted, making such authority effectively not subject to the limits. The President sought a new cap adjustment for some of the costs of wildland fire management. For additional information on discretionary spending limits, cap adjustments, and proposals for a cap adjustment related to wildland fire managementFY2016 and FY2017 appropriations for wildland fire management beyond that contained in this report, including on the proposed cap adjustment, see CRS Report R44082, Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress, by [author name scrubbed] et al.
1012.

The FY2016 total of $32.93 billion, including the $700.0 million in emergency appropriations for Forest Service Wildland Fire Management, is used throughout this report.

See CRS Report RL31392, PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified, by [author name scrubbed], for additional information on PILT beyond that contained in this report.
1114.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA; 42 U.S.C. §§9601 et seq.) requires responsible parties to pay for the cleanup of environmental contamination and authorizes the cleanup of sites where the responsible parties cannot pay or cannot be found.
12.

Agencies that would receive level appropriations are the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Agencies that would receive decreases are the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs, National Capital Planning Commission, and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

15.

The program was funded in FY2016 through the Environmental Programs and Management account.
16.

Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees report "302(b)" allocations for the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittees (and other appropriations subcommittees). These allocations function as ceilings on the Interior bill. For the Senate Interior Subcommittee for FY2017, the discretionary allocation was $32.03 billion and the total allocation (including mandatory budget authority) was $32.10 billion. See S.Rept. 114-286, issued on June 27, 2016. The House Interior Subcommittee is operating under an interim allocation for FY2017; the discretionary allocation was $32.10 billion and the total allocation (including mandatory budget authority) was $32.16 billion. See H.Rept. 114-632 on H.R. 5538, June 21, 2016. For an overview of 302(b) allocations, see CRS Report RS20144, Allocations and Subdivisions in the Congressional Budget Process, by [author name scrubbed]
17.

As noted, the total FY2016 appropriation included $700 million in additional, emergency funding for Wildland Fire Management by the Forest Service.
18.