Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2020 Appropriations

August 19, 2019 (R45875)
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Tables

Summary

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill contains funding for more than 30 agencies and entities. They include most of the Department of the Interior (DOI) as well as agencies within other departments, such as the Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill also provides funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), arts and cultural agencies, and other organizations and entities. Issues for Congress include determining the amount, terms, and conditions of funding for agencies and programs.

For FY2020, President Trump requested $32.47 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, including $2.25 billion for DOI and Forest Service wildfire suppression under a discretionary cap adjustment. For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the request was $11.75 billion, or 36.2% of the $32.47 billion total requested. For EPA, funded in Title II of the bill, the request was $6.22 billion, or 19.2% of the total. For the 23 agencies and other entities currently funded in Title III of the bill, the request was $14.50 billion, or 44.7% of the total.

The President's FY2020 request would be $3.14 billion (8.8%) lower than the FY2019 regular enacted appropriation of $35.61 billion (in P.L. 116-6, Division E), and $4.72 billion (12.7%) lower than the FY2019 total appropriation of $37.19 billion, which included $1.58 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief (in P.L. 116-20, Title VII).

On June 25, 2019, the House passed H.R. 3055 with $39.59 billion (in Division C) for agencies in the Interior bill. This total included $2.25 billion for wildfire suppression under the cap adjustment, as requested by the President. The FY2020 House-passed total would be $2.40 billion (6.4%) higher than the FY2019 total of $37.19 billion in regular and emergency appropriations, and $3.98 billion (11.2%) higher than the FY2019 total of $35.61 billion in regular appropriations. It would also be $7.12 billion (21.9%) higher than the President's FY2020 request of $32.47 billion.

For individual agencies and programs in the bill, there are many differences among the funding levels enacted for FY2019 and those requested by the President for FY2020 and approved by the House for FY2020. This report highlights funding for selected agencies and programs that have been among the many of interest to Congress, stakeholders, and the public. They include the Bureau of Land Management, EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, Land and Water Conservation Fund, National Park Service, Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program, Reorganization of DOI, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Geological Survey, and Wildland Fire Management.


Introduction

This report focuses on FY2020 discretionary appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.1 At issue for Congress are determining the amount of funding for agencies and programs in the bill, and the terms and conditions of such funding.

This report first presents a short overview of the agencies and other entities funded in the bill. It then describes the appropriations requested by President Trump for FY2020 for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Next, it briefly compares the appropriations enacted for FY2019,2 requested by the President for FY2020, and passed by the House for FY2020.3 Finally, this report compares FY2019 enacted, FY2020 requested, and FY2020 House-passed funding for selected agencies and issues that have been among those of particular interest to Congress. They include the Bureau of Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, Land and Water Conservation Fund, National Park Service, Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program, Reorganization of the Department of the Interior, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Geological Survey, and Wildland Fire Management. This report will be revised to reflect further congressional action on FY2020 Interior appropriations.

Appropriations are complex. Budget justifications for some agencies are large, often a few hundred pages long, and contain numerous funding, programmatic, and legislative changes for congressional consideration. Further, appropriations laws provide funds for numerous accounts, activities, and subactivities, and the accompanying explanatory statements provide additional directives and other important information. This report does not provide in-depth information at the account and subaccount levels, nor does it generally detail budgetary reorganizations or legislative changes enacted in law or proposed for FY2020. For information on a particular agency or on 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 "Interior & Environment Appropriations" subissue under the "Appropriations" Issue Area page on the Congressional Research Service (CRS) website.4

Overview of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

The annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill includes funding and other provisions for agencies and programs in three federal departments and for numerous related agencies. The Interior bill typically contains three primary appropriations titles and a fourth title with general provisions. Title I provides funding for most Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies,5 many of which manage land and other natural resource or regulatory programs. Title I also typically includes general provisions related to DOI agencies. Title II contains appropriations and administrative provisions for EPA. Title III, Related Agencies, currently funds 23 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, including the Smithsonian Institution; and various other organizations and entities. Title III also contains administrative provisions for some agencies funded therein. A fourth title of the bill, General Provisions, typically contains additional guidance and direction for agencies in the bill. In addition, in the FY2019 appropriations law, Title IV also included appropriations for EPA. Selected major agencies in the Interior bill are briefly described below.

Title I. Department of the Interior6

DOI's mission is to conserve and manage the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provide scientific and other information about those resources and natural hazards; and exercise trust responsibilities and other commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.7 There are eight DOI agencies and two other broad accounts funded in the Interior bill that carry out this mission. Hereinafter, these agencies and broad accounts are referred to collectively as the 10 DOI "agencies." Not including the two broad accounts, the DOI agencies funded in the Interior bill include the following:8

Title II. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA has no organic statute establishing an overall mission; rather, the agency administers various environmental statutes, which have an express or general objective to protect human health and the environment. Primary responsibilities include the implementation of federal statutes regulating air quality, water quality, drinking water safety, 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. The agency also administers programs that provide financial assistance for public wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects.15

Title III. Related Agencies

Title III of the Interior bill currently funds 23 agencies, organizations, and other entities, which are collectively referred to hereinafter as the "Related Agencies." Among the Related Agencies funded in the Interior bill, roughly 95% of the funding is typically provided to the following:

FY2020 Appropriations

Components of President Trump's Request

For FY2020, President Trump requested $32.47 billion for the more than 30 agencies and entities in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.20 This total included $2.25 billion for certain wildfire suppression activities under an adjustment to discretionary spending limits for FY2020.21 Budget authority designated for those activities would cause the spending limits to be adjusted, making it effectively not subject to the limits.22

For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the request was $11.75 billion, or 36.2% of the $32.47 billion total requested. For EPA, funded in Title II of the bill, the request was $6.22 billion, or 19.2% of the total. For the 23 agencies and other entities currently funded in Title III of the bill, the request was $14.50 billion, or 44.7% of the total.

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 FY2020 request covered more than 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 more than half (59.2%) of the total request. Further, more than three-quarters (76.2%) of the request was for these three agencies and two others, National Park Service and Indian Affairs.

For DOI agencies, the FY2020 requests ranged from $121.7 million for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to $2.77 billion for Indian Affairs. The requests for 5 of the 10 agencies exceeded $1 billion. Nearly half (47.0%) of the $11.75 billion requested for DOI agencies was for two agencies—Indian Affairs ($2.77 billion) and the National Park Service ($2.74 billion).

For Related Agencies in Title III, the requested funding levels exhibited even more variation. The President sought amounts ranging from no funding for two entities—grants under National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission—to $7.09 billion for the Forest Service.23 The Indian Health Service, with a request of $5.91 billion, was the only other agency in Title III for which the President requested more than $1 billion. The next-largest request was for the Smithsonian Institution, at $978.3 million. By contrast, the other 20 Title III entities each had requests of $154.1 million or less, including 12 with requests of less than $11 million each.

Figure 1 identifies the share of the President's FY2020 request for particular agencies in the Interior bill.

Figure 1. Components of President Trump's FY2020 Request for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) with data from the House Appropriations Committee.

Notes: Agencies shown in shades of red are in the Department of the Interior, Title I of the bill. The Environmental Protection Agency, shown in blue-grey, is in Title II of the bill. Agencies shown in shades of green-brown are Related Agencies, Title III of the bill. Figures may not add to total shown due to rounding.

Overview of FY2020 Requested and FY2020 House-Passed Appropriations Compared with FY2019 Enacted Appropriations

For FY2019, the total enacted appropriation for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was $37.19 billion. This total included $35.61 billion in regular appropriations and $1.58 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief.24 The disaster relief monies were provided to several agencies for various purposes. The FY2019 appropriation did not include a discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression.

As noted, for FY2020, the President sought $32.47 billion for agencies in the Interior bill, including $2.25 billion for wildfire suppression under a discretionary cap adjustment. The President's FY2020 request would be $3.14 billion (8.8%) lower than the FY2019 regular enacted appropriation of $35.61 billion and $4.72 billion (12.7%) lower than the FY2019 total appropriation of $37.19 billion.

On June 25, 2019, the House passed H.R. 3055 with $39.59 billion (in Division C) for agencies in the Interior bill. This total included $2.25 billion for wildfire suppression under the cap adjustment.25 The FY2020 House-passed total is higher than the FY2019 enacted total and the FY2020 requested amount. Specifically, the House-passed amount is

Figure 2 depicts the FY2019 enacted regular and emergency supplemental appropriations, the FY2020 appropriations requested by the President, and the FY2020 appropriations passed by the House in H.R. 3055. It shows the appropriations contained in each of the three main appropriations titles of the Interior bill—Title I (DOI), Title II (EPA), and Title III (Related Agencies). For FY2019 enacted appropriations, it also depicts the appropriations for EPA in the general provisions in Title IV and the emergency supplemental appropriations for several agencies for disaster relief. Table 1, at the end of this report, lists the appropriations for each agency that were enacted for FY2019, requested by the President for FY2020, and passed by the House for FY2020 in H.R. 3055.

Figure 2. Appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, by Major Title, FY2019-FY2020

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

Notes: This figure depicts appropriations enacted for FY2019, requested by the President for FY2020, and passed by the House for FY2020 as contained in H.R. 3055 (Division C). The FY2019 enacted total reflects $791.0 million in Title IV (General Provisions) of the law for EPA, and $1.58 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for several agencies for disaster relief (under P.L. 116-20). Totals shown reflect rescissions.

Selected Agencies and Programs26

There are many differences among the FY2019 enacted appropriations and the FY2020 funding requested by the President and passed by the House. Selected agencies and programs are highlighted below, among the many of interest to Members of Congress, stakeholders, and the public. For the selected agencies and programs, the discussions below briefly compare FY2019 total funding (regular and supplemental) with FY2020 levels requested by the Administration and approved by the House in H.R. 3055. Excluding FY2019 emergency supplemental appropriations would result in different comparisons for some of the agencies and programs covered below.27

Bureau of Land Management

The Administration sought $1.19 billion for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for FY2020, a decrease of 11.8% from the FY2019 appropriation ($1.35 billion).28 The request contained lower funding for the main BLM account, Management of Lands and Resources, and for many programs within the account, including rangeland management, wildlife and aquatic habitat management, resource management planning, and deferred maintenance. However, the Administration requested increases for some programs within the account, including management of coal and renewable energy. The Administration did not seek funding for new land acquisition by BLM (from the Land and Water Conservation Fund [LWCF]), and it proposed an overall rescission to the Land Acquisition account for an account total of -$10.0 million. Other accounts would receive level funding under the Administration's request, including management of Oregon and California Grant Lands. For this account, the President also proposed a budget restructuring.

The House-passed bill would increase BLM appropriations by 4.9% over FY2019. It contained increased funding for the Management of Lands and Resources account and for many programs within the account, such as wild horse and burro management and wildlife and aquatic habitat management. The measure also contained increased funding for other accounts relative to FY2019, including Land Acquisition and Oregon and California Grant Lands. The House did not support the budget restructuring for the latter account as proposed in the President's FY2020 request.

Environmental Protection Agency

For FY2019, EPA received $8.06 billion in Title II of the regular appropriations law and another $791.0 million in Title IV of that law,29 for an FY2019 regular appropriation of $8.85 billion. In addition, EPA received $414.0 million in emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2019, resulting in an FY2019 total appropriation of $9.26 billion.30

Relative to total FY2019 appropriations of $9.26 billion, EPA would receive a decrease (32.8%) for FY2020 under the Administration's request of $6.22 billion. The request contained lower funding for most accounts,31 among them Science and Technology; Environmental Programs and Management (including geographic programs); and State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), including for categorical grants and capitalization grants to states for wastewater infrastructure projects through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) and for drinking water infrastructure grants to states through the Drinking Water SRF.32 Only the Buildings and Facilities account would receive an increase under the President's request.

Relative to total FY2019 appropriations of $9.26 billion, EPA would receive an increase (2.9%) for FY2020 under the House-passed bill. Most accounts would receive additional funds over FY2019. However, the STAG account and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program would receive less funding under the House-passed bill.33

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

For the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Administration proposed $1.33 billion for FY2020, a reduction of 20.0% from the FY2019 level ($1.66 billion).34 The Administration sought to reduce funding for all FWS accounts, for instance for Construction (by 88.5%) and Land Acquisition (by 93.0%, with no new acquisitions funded from LWCF). The Resource Management account would be reduced overall (by 2.7%), but the President proposed increases for some programs, including the National Wildlife Refuge System. Citing "higher priorities,"35 the Administration proposed eliminating discretionary appropriations for two FWS accounts—the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund and the National Wildlife Refuge Fund.36

The House-passed bill would reduce FWS funding by 0.5% relative to the FY2019 enacted appropriation, with Construction cut (by 88.5%) as under the President's proposal. However, the measure would increase funding for several accounts. They included Resource Management, with additional funds for ecological services and the National Wildlife Refuge System, among other programs; the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; and Land Acquisition. The House-passed bill also would retain level funding for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund.37

Forest Service

For FY2020, the Administration requested $7.09 billion (2.1% more) for the Forest Service (FS) than was enacted for FY2019 ($6.94 billion).38 Within the overall increase, the President proposed higher funding (15.4%) for Wildland Fire Management, including $1.95 billion under a discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression, as noted. The President sought reduced funding for all other FS accounts, including 47.5% less for State and Private Forestry, 15.4% less for Forest and Rangeland Research, and 5.4% less for the National Forest System. The Administration also sought to eliminate funding for some accounts and programs, including Land Acquisition (from LWCF), the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund, and certain cooperative forestry programs such as Forest Legacy.

For FY2020, the House-passed bill would provide an increase for FS of 10.1% over FY2019. The measure contained $921.8 million in a new account—Forest Service Operations—for costs of administrative support functions, including salaries and expenses of employees, leases for buildings and sites where support functions occur, utilities and telecommunications, business services, and information technology. The House Appropriations Committee recommended this new account to eliminate the use of "cost pools" for these support functions. The six major FS accounts would be correspondingly reduced in FY2020 to exclude costs of support functions, as shown in the Committee's report.39 In part because of the proposed new account, the House-passed bill reflects reductions for FY2020 for three of the major FS accounts (Forest and Rangeland Research, National Forest System, and Capital Improvement and Maintenance). However, the appropriation for each of these three accounts, together with funding for related administrative support purposes in the new account, would appear to total more than the FY2019 appropriation for each major account.40

Indian Affairs

For several years, instructions accompanying annual appropriations acts had encouraged the Secretary of the Interior to consolidate Indian education functions within the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and present such reorganization in the subsequent fiscal year budget request.41 For FY2020, the Administration proposed funding the BIE independently from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and submitted a separate budget justification for each bureau.42 In FY2019 (and earlier years), Indian education was funded in an account with other Indian programs.43 In proposing a separate budget structure for BIE, the Administration sought to "strengthen BIE as an independent bureau with a separate budget structure to advance ongoing BIE reforms to improve learning and student outcomes" and to reduce overlapping functions between BIA and BIE to "better deliver services to schools, maximize efficiency, and build capacity within BIE."44

The Administration's proposed budget restructuring makes comparisons with FY2019 somewhat challenging. The combined FY2020 request of $2.77 billion for both bureaus was 9.9% less than the FY2019 enacted amount ($3.08 billion). Many Indian programs would be funded at lower levels, including human services and natural resources management, although some would be funded at higher levels, such as self-governance compacts. Construction (including construction of educational facilities) was the largest dollar decrease in the budget request ($231.4 million less); funding for education programs also would decline.

The House-passed measure supported the Administration's request to establish and fund the Bureau of Indian Education separate from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The House-passed measure contained an overall increase of 14.0% relative to FY2019 funding for Indian Affairs. Many programs and activities would be funded at higher levels as compared with FY2019 enacted amounts, including tribal government, natural resources management, and public safety and justice. Construction (including construction of educational facilities) was the largest dollar increase in the House-passed measure ($174.5 million more), and funding for education programs would also increase.

Indian Health Service

Under the Administration's FY2020 request, the Indian Health Service (IHS) would receive $5.91 billion, 1.8% more than the FY2019 appropriation ($5.80 billion). While various programs would receive additional funds, the largest dollar increase would be for hospital and health clinics ($215.9 million). The request also included $25.0 million for adoption and implementation of a new electronic health record system to improve disease management, patient outcomes, opioid tracking, and other aspects of healthcare. Other programs would be reduced under the Administration's request. For example, the Administration proposed no funding for health education, citing other priorities;45 cutting funding for the construction of health care facilities (31.9%); and reducing appropriations for community health representatives (61.8%) to begin phasing out the program and replacing it with a National Community Health Aide Program. Funding for contract support costs, which helps tribes pay the costs of administering IHS-funded programs, would be nearly level.

The House-passed bill for FY2020 contained an increase of 9.3% over FY2019 appropriations for IHS. The measure included relatively stable or higher funding for most activities. Programs that would receive additional appropriations include hospital and health clinics, alcohol and substance abuse, urban Indian health, Indian health professions, and construction of health care facilities. The House bill retained essentially level funding for health education and community health representatives. As under the President's request, funding for contract support costs would be nearly level, and $25.0 million was included for an electronic health record system.46

Land and Water Conservation Fund

LWCF has funded land acquisition for the four main federal land management agencies,47 a matching grant program to states to support outdoor recreation, and other purposes. For FY2019, a total of $435.0 million was appropriated from the LWCF. For FY2020, the Administration did not seek discretionary appropriations for most programs that received appropriations from the LWCF in FY2019.48 Further, the Administration proposed an overall rescission to LWCF, for a program total of -$23.5 million due to cancelation of prior-year funds for some program components. In support of this reduction, the President cited higher priorities,49 a need to focus resources on maintaining existing federal lands rather than acquiring additional ones,50 and a desire to shift funding for the state grant program to mandatory appropriations,51 among other reasons. In contrast, the House-passed bill contained a total of $524.0 million in appropriations from the LWCF, a 20.4% increase over FY2019 total LWCF appropriations. The measure included increases for each of the three main activities for which the LWCF has been used—land acquisition, the state outdoor recreation grant program, and other purposes.52

National Park Service

For FY2020, the Administration requested $2.74 billion, 18.2% less for the National Park Service (NPS) than the total enacted for FY2019 ($3.35 billion).53 Within the overall reduction, the President proposed cuts for each NPS account, including the Operation of the National Park System, Construction, and the Historic Preservation Fund, as well as many programs. The President proposed the elimination of discretionary funding for some programs, including grants for National Heritage Areas, grants to states for outdoor recreation, line item acquisitions by the NPS (through LWCF), and the Centennial Challenge Program (a matching grant program to encourage donations).54

The House approved relatively level funding (0.3% increase) for FY2020, with increases for some accounts and programs but decreases for others. As examples, the House-passed bill contained increased funds for the Operation of the National Park System, for programs including resource stewardship and park protection, and for Land Acquisition, for activities including grants to states for outdoor recreation and line item acquisitions by the NPS. In contrast, the bill contained lower funding for Construction and for the Historic Preservation Fund, for instance. The House bill retained funding for grants for National Heritage Areas and partnerships under the Centennial Challenge Program.55

Payments in Lieu of Taxes

The President's FY2020 request of $465.0 million would reduce (9.7%) the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program (PILT) from the FY2019 level ($515.1 million).56 In the FY2020 budget justification, the Administration asserted that the requested level supports "this important program while balancing Departmental funding priorities in a constrained budget environment.57 For FY2020, the House-passed bill would provide for the full statutory funding level, estimated to be $500.0 million, according to the House Appropriations Committee.58 PILT compensates counties and local governments for nontaxable lands within their jurisdictions. The authorized level for the program is calculated under a formula that considers various factors and varies from year to year.59

Reorganization of DOI

For FY2020, the Administration requested a total of $25.3 million for reorganization of four DOI agencies funded in the Interior bill, namely BLM, FWS, NPS, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).60 The request would be a 79.4% increase over the FY2019 appropriation ($14.1 million) for reorganization of these agencies and Indian Affairs.61 Under the FY2020 request, the funds would be used for costs to agencies of transitioning to a new unified regional structure, relocating certain staff and functions, and integrating business operations.62

The House-passed bill did not specify funding for reorganization. In its report on FY2020 legislation, the House Appropriations Committee stated that its recommended funding did not "provide funds requested within the Department's bureaus for the Department Wide Reorganization." The committee expressed an understanding that DOI had not obligated FY2019 funding or provided to the committee information that had been requested related to the reorganization plan and costs.63

Smithsonian Institution

For FY2020, the Smithsonian Institution (SI) would receive $978.3 million under the Administration's request, a decrease of 6.2% relative to FY2019 enacted appropriations ($1.04 billion). However, the request contained funding at or near the FY2019 level for most SI museums and research institutes (with a 0.9% increase for these entities). It also included additional funds (3.5%) for facilities services, which encompasses maintenance, operation, security, and support. In contrast, the request would decrease (27.8%) the Facilities Capital account, which includes planning, design, and revitalization of facilities. Revitalization involves "making major repairs or replacing declining or failed infrastructure to address the problems of advanced deterioration," according to the SI.64 Major revitalization projects that would be funded under the President's request involve the National Air and Space Museum (part of a multiyear, multiphase renovation), the National Zoo, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, among others.

The House approved an increase (2.7%) for SI, with funding at or higher than the FY2019 level for most SI museums and research institutes (with a 3.4% increase for these entities). The House bill also included an additional 29.4% for facilities services, with most of the additional funding directed towards maintenance. The House approved a decrease of 27.8% for the Facilities Capital account, as requested by the Administration.

U.S. Geological Survey

The USGS would receive $983.5 million under the Administration's FY2020 request, a decrease of 21.9% relative to its total FY2019 appropriations of $1.26 billion.65 It is difficult to compare FY2019 enacted and FY2020 requested funding for the agency's eight major activities.66 This is in part because the Administration proposed a budget restructuring that would reduce USGS budget activities from eight to seven, by eliminating the land resources mission area. The proposed restructuring also would reorganize some programs under the remaining activities. Goals include consolidating similar programs, improving communication, and enhancing integration of information, among others.67

The House approved a reduction of 1.8% for USGS for FY2020. Within the overall reduction were decreases for four of the major activities, among them natural hazards and facilities. However, the House approved increases for the other four major activities, including land resources and core science systems. The House did not adopt the Administration's proposed budget restructuring. The House Committee on Appropriations contended that it "reduces program and funding transparency."68

Wildland Fire Management69

For FY2020, the Administration proposed $6.05 billion in appropriations for Wildland Fire Management (WFM) of DOI and FS, including $2.25 billion under a discretionary cap adjustment.70 The President's request would be a 15.4% increase over the total FY2019 enacted level for DOI and FS ($5.24 billion).71 More specifically, the FY2020 request would increase appropriations by 29.6% for DOI and by 12.3% for FS, primarily for wildfire suppression.

It is difficult to compare the Wildland Fire Management appropriations in the House-passed bill with FY2019 enacted appropriations (and FY2020 requested appropriations). This is because the House-passed amount for Wildland Fire Management does not include FS appropriations for certain administrative support functions that were included in the FY2019 enacted level and in the FY2020 President's request for Wildland Fire Management.72 Not accounting for this difference, the House-passed bill would provide 9.0% more than the FY2019 appropriation for Wildland Fire Management of DOI and FS.73 The two agencies would receive different amounts of increase over FY2019, with 33.4% more for DOI and 3.6% more for FS, primarily for wildfire suppression. The House total included the $2.25 billion under a discretionary cap adjustment, as requested by the President.74

Table 1. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2019-FY2020 Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Bureau or Agency

FY2019 Enacted Approps.

FY2020 Requested Approps.

FY2020 House-Passed (H.R. 3055)

Title I: Department of the Interior

 

 

 

Bureau of Land Management

$1,346,197

$1,187,415

$1,411,788

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

$1,577,645

$1,327,572

$1,651,614

National Park Service

$3,222,657

$2,741,687

$3,362,111

U.S. Geological Survey

$1,160,596

$983,467

$1,236,398

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

$129,450

$133,426

$122,781

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

$136,250

$131,033

$135,711

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

$255,476

$121,673

$261,360

Indian Affairsa

$3,081,132

$2,774,619

$3,513,431

Bureau of Indian Affairs

$3,081,132

$1,838,345

$2,125,946

Bureau of Indian Education

$0

$936,274

$1,387,485

Departmental Offices

$458,474

$437,943

$462,514

Office of the Secretary

$124,673

$129,422

$128,232

Insular Affairs

$104,101

$84,076

$116,867

Office of the Solicitor

$65,674

$66,816

$66,816

Office of Inspector General

$52,486

$52,486

$55,986

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

$111,540

$105,143

$94,613

Department-Wide Programsb

$1,652,228

$1,908,122

$1,985,729

Wildland Fire Management

$941,211

$1,219,908

$1,255,338

Central Hazardous Materials Fund

$10,010

$2,000

$13,010

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund

$7,767

$4,600

$7,767

Working Capital Fund

$55,735

$69,284

$62,284

Office of Natural Resources Revenue

$137,505

$147,330

$147,330

Payments in Lieu of Taxesb

$500,000

$465,000

$500,000

Subtotal, Title I: Department of the Interior

$13,020,105

$11,746,957

$14,143,437

Title II: Environmental Protection Agency

 

 

 

Subtotal, Title II: Environmental Protection Agencyc

$8,058,488

$6,222,490

$9,527,691

Title III: Related Agencies

 

 

 

Dept. of Agri. Under Secretary for Natural Resources & Envt.

$875

$875

$875

Forest Service

$6,087,132

$7,085,998

$7,645,249

Indian Health Service

$5,804,223

$5,909,567

$6,341,991

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

$79,000

$66,581

$80,000

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

$74,691

$62,000

$79,691

Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality

$2,994

$2,750

$2,994

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

$12,000

$10,200

$12,000

Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

$8,750

$7,500

$7,500

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development

$9,960

$10,210

$10,850

Smithsonian Institution

$1,043,497

$978,345

$1,071,345

National Gallery of Art

$168,405

$154,114

$181,625

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

$41,290

$39,690

$43,490

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

$12,000

$8,139

$14,000

National Endowment for the Arts

$155,000

$29,333

$167,500

National Endowment for the Humanities

$155,000

$37,891

$167,500

Commission of Fine Arts

$2,771

$3,050

$3,282

National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs

$2,750

$0

$5,000

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

$6,890

$7,000

$7,388

National Capital Planning Commission

$8,099

$7,948

$8,124

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

$59,000

$59,000

$61,388

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission

$1,800

$1,800

$1,800

Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission

$1,000

$0

$0

World War I Centennial Commission

$7,000

$21,093

$6,000

Subtotal, Title III: Related Agencies

$13,744,127

$14,503,084

$15,919,592

Title IV: General Provisions

 

 

 

EPA Water Infrastructure & Superfund

$791,000

$0

$0

Subtotal, Title IV: General Provisions

$791,000

$0

$0

Total: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

$35,613,720

$32,472,531

$39,590,720

Subtotal, Supplemental Emergency Appropriationsd

$1,581,171

$0

$0

Total: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies with Supplemental Emergency Appropriations

$37,194,891

$32,472,531

$39,590,720

Source: Prepared by CRS with data from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Agency and bill totals generally reflect rescissions.

Notes: This table depicts regular and supplemental appropriations enacted for FY2019, appropriations requested by the President for FY2020, and appropriations contained in H.R. 3055 as passed by the House for FY2020.

a. This row reflects total funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, with component figures shown below the row.

b. The FY2019 enacted and FY2020 House-passed appropriations for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program were included in the general provisions of Title I. They are shown here under Department-Wide Programs for easier comparison with FY2020 requested appropriations, which were included under Department-Wide Programs.

c. See also Title IV, which included $791.0 million for EPA for FY2019.

d. This row reflects FY2019 emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief appropriated in P.L. 116-20. The law contained $1.58 billion for various activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($82.4 million); National Park Service ($128.0 million); U.S. Geological Survey ($98.5 million); DOI Departmental Offices, Insular Affairs ($2.0 million) and the Office of Inspector General ($1.0 million); EPA ($414.0 million); Forest Service ($854.3 million); and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ($1.0 million).

Author Contact Information

Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise

Name

Interior Appropriations, coordinator

Carol Hardy Vincent

Bureau of Indian Affairs, coordinator

Peter Folger

Bureau of Indian Education

Cassandria Dortch

Bureau of Land Management

Carol Hardy Vincent

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Laura B. Comay

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

Laura B. Comay

Environmental Protection Agency

Robert Esworthy

Forest Service

Katie Hoover

Indian Health Service

Elayne J. Heisler

Land and Water Conservation Fund

Carol Hardy Vincent

Office of Insular Affairs

R. Sam Garrett

Office of Natural Resources Revenue

Marc Humphries

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

David M. Bearden

National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities

Shannon S. Loane

National Park Service

Laura B. Comay

Payments in Lieu of Taxes

Katie Hoover

Reorganization of DOI

Mark DeSantis; Carol Hardy Vincent

Smithsonian Institution

Shannon S. Loane

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

R. Eliot Crafton

U.S. Geological Survey

Anna E. Normand

Wildland Fire Management

Katie Hoover

Footnotes

1.

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

2.

Regular appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2019 were included in Division E of P.L. 116-6, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019. Supplemental emergency appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2019 were included in Title VII of P.L. 116-20, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019.

3.

The House included FY2020 appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in Division C of H.R. 3055, as passed on June 25, 2019.

4.

The "Interior & Environment Appropriations" subissue page is on the CRS website at https://www.crs.gov/iap/appropriations.

5.

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 FY2020 appropriations for these entities, see CRS Report R45708, Energy and Water Development: FY2020 Appropriations, by Mark Holt and Corrie E. Clark.

6.

For additional background on DOI and its agencies, see CRS Report R45480, U.S. Department of the Interior: An Overview, by Mark K. DeSantis.

7.

This statement is taken from the Department of the Interior (DOI) website at https://www.doi.gov/whoweare.

8.

In addition, Interior appropriations bills provide funding within two broad DOI accounts covering diverse entities and programs. In FY2019, the Departmental Offices account funded the Office of the Secretary, Insular Affairs, Office of the Solicitor, Office of Inspector General, and Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. The Department-Wide Programs account funded DOI Wildland Fire Management, the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, the Working Capital Fund, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue.

9.

This is the acreage over which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has primary jurisdiction in the United States and the territories. The figure excludes acreage in marine national monuments over which the agency has jurisdiction.

10.

For additional information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, see CRS Report R45265, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: An Overview, by R. Eliot Crafton.

11.

For a discussion of the different types of national park units and an overview of their management, see CRS Report R41816, National Park System: What Do the Different Park Titles Signify?, by Laura B. Comay.

12.

For a discussion of state and federal waters, see CRS Report RL33404, Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework, by Adam Vann.

13.

For a discussion of Indian education programs, see CRS Report RL34205, Indian Elementary-Secondary Education: Programs, Background, and Issues, by Cassandria Dortch; and CRS In Focus IF10554, Postsecondary Education of Native Americans, by Cassandria Dortch.

14.

Hereinafter, "Indian Affairs" refers to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Historically, BIE has been funded within Indian Affairs. For FY2020, the Administration proposed funding BIE as a separate bureau within DOI, and submitted separate budget requests and justifications for BIA and BIE. These justifications are contained on the DOI website at https://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2020.

15.

For a detailed compendium of environmental laws administered by EPA, see CRS Report RL30798, Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, coordinated by David M. Bearden.

16.

For an overview of Forest Service land management, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management: Overview, Appropriations, and Issues for Congress, by Katie Hoover.

17.

Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service (IHS), Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, FY2020, p. CJ-56 and CJ-57 at https://www.ihs.gov/budgetformulation/congressionaljustifications/. For additional information on the agency, see CRS Report R43330, The Indian Health Service (IHS): An Overview, by Elayne J. Heisler.

18.

These statistics are from the Smithsonian Institution's website at http://www.si.edu/About.

19.

For an over of the Smithsonian Institution and related issues for Congress, see CRS Report R44370, Smithsonian Institution: Background and Issues for Congress, by R. Eric Petersen.

20.

Agency and bill totals in this report generally reflect rescissions.

21.

Under Division O of P.L. 115-141, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, an adjustment can be made to discretionary spending limits to accommodate enacted funding for wildfire suppression. The adjustment may not exceed specified amounts for each of FY2020-FY2027. For information on discretionary spending limits, see CRS In Focus IF10647, The Budget Resolution and the Budget Control Act's Discretionary Spending Limits, by Megan S. Lynch; CRS Report R44874, The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions, by Grant A. Driessen and Megan S. Lynch; CRS Insight IN11148, The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019: Changes to the BCA and Debt Limit, by Grant A. Driessen and Megan S. Lynch; and CRS Report R45778, Exceptions to the Budget Control Act's Discretionary Spending Limits, by Megan S. Lynch, especially p. 8.

22.

The President's request for a $2.25 billion discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression included $1.95 billion for the Forest Service and $300.0 million for the Department of the Interior.

23.

As noted, the Forest Service request included $1.95 billion under a discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression.

24.

Regular appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2019 were included in Division E of P.L. 116-6, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019. Supplemental emergency appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2019 were included in Title VII of P.L. 116-20, the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019.

25.

In earlier action, on June 3, 2019, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 3052 (accompanied by H.Rept. 116-100) containing FY2020 appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Similar to H.R. 3055 as passed by the House, H.R. 3052 also contained a total of $39.59 billion, including $2.25 billion for wildfire suppression under the discretionary cap adjustment.

26.

For additional information on the agencies and programs discussed in this section, as well as other agencies and programs in the Interior bill, see the CRS products referenced in this report and other products on the CRS website at https://www.crs.gov/iap/appropriations (on the "Interior & Environment Appropriations" subissue page), or contact the CRS experts identified at the end of this report.

27.

Included in the discussions in this section is $1.58 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2019 that were provided in P.L. 116-20 for various activities of several agencies. Specifically, the law contained funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($82.4 million); National Park Service ($128.0 million); U.S. Geological Survey ($98.5 million); DOI Departmental Offices ($2.0 million for Insular Affairs and $1.0 million for the Office of Inspector General); EPA ($414.0 million); Forest Service ($854.3 million); and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ($1.0 million).

28.

For additional information on BLM appropriations for FY2019, see CRS In Focus IF10381, Bureau of Land Management: FY2019 Appropriations, by Carol Hardy Vincent.

29.

FY2019 funding in Title IV (of P.L. 116-6, Division E) was provided for EPA water infrastructure priorities and Superfund emergency response, removal, and remedial actions.

30.

The FY2019 enacted total included $414.0 million in emergency supplemental appropriations (in P.L. 116-20). Of the total, $0.6 million was for Science and Technology, $1.5 million was for the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, and $411.9 million was for State and Tribal Assistance Grants. For additional information on EPA appropriations for FY2019, see CRS In Focus IF11067, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) FY2019 Appropriations, by Robert Esworthy and David M. Bearden.

31.

The Administration's FY2020 request proposed a rescission of unobligated monies from prior years totaling $377.0 million, but did not specify amounts within individual accounts. The FY2019 enacted appropriation specified rescissions in particular accounts, while also including a rescission of $139.1 million under administrative provisions which did not identify reductions within individual accounts. It is difficult to make precise comparisons of account funding due to the inclusion of rescissions that are not account specific. The FY2020 House-passed bill did not contain rescissions.

32.

Funds are allocated for "categorical" grants generally to support day-to-day implementation of environmental laws, including a range of activities such as monitoring, permitting, standard setting, training, and other pollution control and prevention activities. For information on EPA state revolving funds, see CRS Report R45304, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF): Overview, Issues, and Legislation, by Mary Tiemann; and CRS Report R44963, Wastewater Infrastructure: Overview, Funding, and Legislative Developments, by Jonathan L. Ramseur.

33.

The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program was included in Title V, Subtitle C, in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-121). For additional information on this program, see CRS In Focus IF11193, WIFIA Program: Background and Recent Developments, by Elena H. Humphreys; and CRS Report R43315, Water Infrastructure Financing: The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program, by Jonathan L. Ramseur, Mary Tiemann, and Elena H. Humphreys. For additional information on EPA appropriations for FY2020, see CRS In Focus IF11276, U.S. EPA FY2020 Appropriations, by Robert Esworthy.

34.

The FY2019 enacted total included $82.4 million in emergency supplemental appropriations (in P.L. 116-20) for Construction.

35.

See Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, p. CESCF-2 and RF-3 at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/fy2020_fws_budget_justification.pdf.

36.

Under the President's request, the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund would be funded at -$31.0 million due to a rescission of unobligated monies from prior years.

37.

For additional information on FWS appropriations for FY2020, see CRS In Focus IF11204, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2020 Appropriations, by R. Eliot Crafton.

38.

The FY2019 enacted total included $854.3 million in emergency supplemental appropriations (in P.L. 116-20). Of the total, $1.0 million was for Forest and Rangeland Research, $12.0 million was for State and Private Forestry, $85.0 million was for the National Forest System, $36.0 million was for Capital Improvement and Maintenance, and $720.3 million was for Wildland Fire Management.

39.

House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-100 on H.R. 3052, pp. 102-103.

40.

For additional information on FS appropriations for FY2020, see CRS In Focus IF11169, Forest Service: FY2019 Appropriations and FY2020 Request, by Katie Hoover.

41.

See, for example, House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 115-765 on H.R. 6147, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2019, p. 41, and House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-9, Conference Report to Accompany H.J.Res. 31, Division E—Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, p. 706 and p. 728.

42.

The budget justifications for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education are contained on the DOI website at https://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2020.

43.

For instance, P.L. 116-9 contained FY2019 appropriations under the heading "Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education," and Indian education programs were funded as an activity within the account entitled "Operation of Indian Programs."

44.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2020: The Interior Budget in Brief, p. BH-95.

45.

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Fiscal Year 2020, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. CJ-130.

46.

For a history of recent appropriations for IHS, see CRS Report R45201, Indian Health Service (IHS) FY2019 Budget Request and Funding History: A Fact Sheet, by Elayne J. Heisler.

47.

These agencies are the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service, all within the Department of the Interior, and the Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture.

48.

The state grant program for outdoor recreation also receives mandatory funding under current law (the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, P.L. 109-432, Division C, §105).

49.

See, for instance, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, p. LA-7.

50.

See, for instance, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, p. VII-5.

51.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, p. LASA-13.

52.

For an overview of LWCF funding, see CRS Report RL33531, Land and Water Conservation Fund: Overview, Funding History, and Issues, by Carol Hardy Vincent.

53.

The FY2019 enacted total included $128.0 million in emergency supplemental appropriations (in P.L. 116-20). Of the total, $50.0 million was for the Historic Preservation Fund and $78.0 million was for Construction.

54.

The President's budget supported mandatory funding under existing authorities for some of these programs, namely grants to states for outdoor recreation and partnership projects under the Centennial Challenge.

55.

For additional information on NPS appropriations for FY2020, see CRS In Focus IF11178, National Park Service: FY2020 Appropriations, by Laura B. Comay; and for the past decade see CRS Report R42757, National Park Service Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends, by Laura B. Comay.

56.

At the time the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6) was enacted, full funding for FY2019 was estimated to be $500.0 million, as shown in Table 1 of this report. However, the actual PILT funding under the statutory formula was $515.1 million as reflected in this section. For additional information on the FY2019 PILT payment, see U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2019 Payments in Lieu of Taxes, National Summary, at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/2019_national_summary_pilt_0.pdf.

57.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Department-Wide Programs, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, p. PILT-4.

58.

House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-100 on H.R. 3052, p. 7 and p. 210.

59.

For on overview of PILT, including calculation of the payment, funding history, recent legislation, and related issues, see CRS Report RL31392, PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified, by Katie Hoover.

60.

The amounts requested for each agency were as follows: $7.7 million for BLM, $5.7 million for FWS, $5.7 million for NPS, and $6.2 million for the U.S. Geological Survey. The Administration's request included an additional $2.3 million for reorganization of the Bureau of Reclamation, which receives appropriations through Energy and Water Development Appropriations laws, for a DOI total of $27.6 million. See U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2020: The Interior Budget in Brief, p. DH-26.

61.

House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-9, Conference Report to Accompany H.J.Res. 31, p. 731. The report does not identify the portion of the appropriation for each of the five agencies.

62.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fiscal Year 2020: The Interior Budget in Brief, p. DH-26. Additional information on the Administration's reorganization effort is on the DOI website at https://www.doi.gov/employees/reorg.

63.

House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-100 on H.R. 3052, pp. 67-68.

64.

Smithsonian Institution, Fiscal Year 2020, Budget Justification to Congress, p. 203.

65.

The FY2019 enacted total included $98.5 million in emergency supplemental appropriations (in P.L. 116-20) for Surveys, Investigations, and Research.

66.

The eight major budget activities funded in FY2019 include six interdisciplinary mission areas, science support (administrative activities and information services), and facilities.

67.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2020, pp. 14-16.

68.

House Committee on Appropriations, H.Rept. 116-100 on H.R. 3052, p. 43. For additional information on USGS appropriations for FY2020, see CRS In Focus IF11181, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2020 Appropriations Process and Background, by Pervaze A. Sheikh and Anna E. Normand.

69.

Appropriations figures in this section reflect funding for DOI Wildland Fire Management, FS Wildland Fire Management, and fire operations provided through other FS accounts (e.g., for hazardous fuels, which is within the National Forest System account, and for state fire assistance and volunteer fire assistance, which are within the State and Private Forestry account).

70.

As noted, a discretionary budget cap adjustment for wildfire suppression costs, for FY2020-FY2027, was enacted in Division O of P.L. 115-141, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. For information on the cap adjustment, see CRS Report R45696, Forest Management Provisions Enacted in the 115th Congress, by Katie Hoover et al., pp. 20-21.

71.

The FY2019 enacted total included emergency supplemental appropriations for the Forest Service (in P.L. 116-20), consisting of $720.3 million for Wildland Fire Management, $32.5 million for hazardous fuels management, and $9.2 million for cooperative fire protection programs. These figures were derived from P.L. 116-20 as well as the Forest Service, personal communication to CRS, on August 13, 2019.

72.

For instance, there were $341.1 million in FY2019 appropriations for administrative support functions that were appropriated within the Wildland Fire Management account. For FY2020, the House-passed bill included funding for these functions within a new account—Forest Service Operations—as discussed above in the Forest Service section.

73.

Similarly, not accounting for this difference, the House-passed bill would provide 5.5% less for Wildland Fire Management for FY2020 than requested by the President.

74.

For additional information on wildland fire management appropriations and related issues, see CRS Report R45005, Wildfire Management Funding: Background, Issues, and FY2018 Appropriations, by Katie Hoover; and CRS Report R44966, Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress, by Katie Hoover and Bruce R. Lindsay.