House Report 117–400 — Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2023 (July 1, 2022)
Summary
House Report 117–400, dated July 1, 2022, is the report of the Committee on Appropriations on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2023, to accompany H.R. 8262, submitted together with minority views. The report states that the bill provides regular annual appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023. The introduction states that the bill totals $44,775,000,000, $6,775,000,000 above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level. It states that 362 Members submitted 9,230 programmatic and community project requests and that the subcommittee conducted eight oversight hearings.
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“House Report 117–400 — Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2023 (July 1, 2022).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crpt-crpt-117hrpt400-crpt-117hrpt400/
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117TH CONGRESS REPORT
" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES !
2d Session 117–400
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRON-
MENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPRO-
PRIATIONS BILL, 2023
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
together with
MINORITY VIEWS
[TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 8262]
JULY 1, 2022.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
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State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2023
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117TH CONGRESS REPORT
" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES !
2d Session 117–400
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRON-
MENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPRO-
PRIATIONS BILL, 2023
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
together with
MINORITY VIEWS
[TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 8262]
JULY 1, 2022.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
47–906 WASHINGTON : 2022
E:\Seals\Congress.#13
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117TH CONGRESS REPORT
" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES !
2d Session 117–400
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2023
JULY 1, 2022.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of
the Union and ordered to be printed
Ms. PINGREE, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
together with
MINORITY VIEWS
[To accompany H.R. 8262]
The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in
explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the
Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency,
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2023. The bill provides regular annual appropriations for the De-
partment of the Interior (except the Bureau of Reclamation and the
Central Utah Project), the Environmental Protection Agency, and
for other related agencies, including the Forest Service, the Indian
Health Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National
Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities.
CONTENTS
Page number
Bill Report
Title I—Department of the Interior .......................................................... 2 10
Bureau of Land Management ............................................................ 2 10
United States Fish and Wildlife Service ........................................... 8 17
National Park Service ......................................................................... 13 33
United States Geological Survey ....................................................... 19 39
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ............................................. 22 48
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ......................... 23 50
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement ................. 25 51
Bureau of Indian Affairs .................................................................... 28 53
Bureau of Indian Education ............................................................... 33 64
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians ......................... 39 70
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Page number
Bill Report
Office of the Secretary ........................................................................ 41 71
Insular Affairs ..................................................................................... 43 73
Office of the Solicitor .......................................................................... 47 74
Office of Inspector General ................................................................. 47 74
Department-wide Programs ...................................................................... 47 75
Wildland Fire Management, Interior Department ........................... 47 75
Central Hazardous Materials Fund .................................................. 52 77
Energy Community Revitalization Program ..................................... 53 77
Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration ................. 54 78
Working Capital Fund ........................................................................ 54 78
Office of Natural Resources Revenue ................................................ 56 78
General Provisions, Department of the Interior ............................... 57 78
Title II—Environmental Protection Agency ............................................. 82 80
Science and Technology ...................................................................... 82 82
Environmental Programs and Management ..................................... 82 86
Office of Inspector General ................................................................. 84 95
Buildings and Facilities ...................................................................... 84 96
Hazardous Substance Superfund ....................................................... 84 96
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program ............. 85 97
Inland Oil Spill Programs .................................................................. 86 98
State and Tribal Assistance Grants .................................................. 86 99
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account ... 100 104
Administrative Provisions .................................................................. 102 104
Title III—Related Agencies ....................................................................... 106 105
Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environ-
ment .................................................................................................. 106 105
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture .............................. 106 105
Wildland Fire Management, Forest Service ..................................... 112 118
Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services ............................................................................................ 124 121
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ..................... 134 130
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ......................... 135 130
Other Related Agencies ............................................................................. 136 131
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental
Quality .............................................................................................. 136 131
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board ........................... 136 132
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation ................................... 137 133
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts
Development .................................................................................... 138 133
Smithsonian Institution ..................................................................... 139 133
National Gallery of Art ....................................................................... 141 136
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ............................ 143 137
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars ........................ 144 138
National Endowment for the Arts ..................................................... 144 138
National Endowment for the Humanities ......................................... 144 140
Commission of Fine Arts .................................................................... 146 142
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs ...................................... 147 142
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation ....................................... 147 143
National Capital Planning Commission ............................................ 148 143
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum .................................... 148 143
World War I Centennial Commission ................................................ 149 144
United States Semiquincentennial Commission .............................. 149 145
Title IV—General Provisions .................................................................... 150 145
INTRODUCTION
The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agen-
cies Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2023 totals $44,775,000,000,
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$6,775,000,000 above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level and
$7,255,906,000 above the fiscal year 2023 budget request.
The amounts in the accompanying bill are reflected by title in
the table below. References throughout this report to the enacted
bill and the budget request refer to the fiscal year 2022 enacted
level and the fiscal year 2023 budget request unless otherwise stat-
ed.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT
Members of Congress have provided considerable input in fash-
ioning this bill. In total, 362 Members submitted 9,230 pro-
grammatic and community project requests relating to multiple
agencies and programs.
The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
conducted eight oversight hearings this year to carefully review the
programs and budgets under its jurisdiction. The Subcommittee
held the following oversight hearings:
Fiscal Year 2023 National Tribal Organizations Public Wit-
ness Day—April 5, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Regional Tribal Organizations Public Wit-
ness Day—April 6, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Member Day—April 7, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the United States For-
est Service—April 27, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the United States De-
partment of the Interior—April 28, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency—April 29, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the National Park Serv-
ice—May 18, 2022
Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the Arts and Human-
ities—June 8, 2022
In total, 24 individuals representing the Executive Branch, Con-
gress, State, Tribal, and local governments, and the general public
testified before the Subcommittee. In addition to those who testi-
fied in person, another 175 organizations, or coalitions provided
written testimony for the hearing record which is publicly available
online.
BIGHORN SHEEP
The Committee is aware that the Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) use the Western Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies’ occupied bighorn habitat maps, telemetry data,
and recent bighorn observations in conducting Risk of Contact
analysis and that risk of contact models are currently being run on
a State-wide basis where sufficient data exists. The Committee ex-
pects the agencies to continue to share findings transparently and
promptly with other Federal land management agencies, State and
local governments, State wildlife agencies, and State and Federal
animal health professionals, including the Agricultural Research
Service, permittees, and stakeholders. This will ensure the inclu-
sion of the most directly affected interests in a common under-
standing of the Risk of Contact analysis, the search for suitable al-
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ternative allotments, and the development of options for wild and
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domestic sheep. The Forest Service and BLM are further directed
to continue to engage the Agricultural Research Service, research
institutions, state wildlife agencies, and other scientific entities to
ensure the best professional scientific understanding of the risk of
disease transmission between domestic and bighorn sheep is known
before making management decisions that impact permittees.
BIRD COLLISIONS ON FEDERAL PROPERTY
Birds play an important role in ecosystems and North America
has lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970. This is a staggering loss
in every biome because birds play important roles such as being
pollinators or in controlling pests. Collisions with glass kill up to
1 billion birds per year in the United States. All agencies under the
jurisdiction of this Act are directed to monitor visitor and nature
centers and office buildings for bird collisions with glass to address
bird collision risk. At a minimum, facilities identified as high-risk
should take low cost or no cost action, such as turning off interior
lights at night or applying films or other adhesives to glass win-
dows to reduce bird collisions. Every year more than 6 million bird
fatalities occur at communication towers. The Committee supports
efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to encourage commu-
nication tower owners to take simple actions like extinguishing
non-flashing lights and using flashing LED lights, as well as the
Service’s collaboration with other Federal agencies to conserve mi-
gratory birds.
CARBON STORAGE ON FEDERAL LANDS
The Committee notes that geologic storage of carbon dioxide pro-
vides an opportunity for carbon capture and removal projects that
could reduce emissions and mitigate climate change, and encour-
ages land management agencies, including the Bureau of Land
Management and Forest Service, to evaluate carbon storage as a
potential activity on public lands. The Committee reminds the Bu-
reau of Land Management and the Forest Service of the direction
in fiscal year 2022 to brief the Committee on the outcome of discus-
sions with the U.S. Geological Survey and whether there have been
any advancements made to develop a program.
CIVILIAN CLIMATE CORPS
The Committee supports the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC).
Funding provided in this recommendation will leverage work occur-
ring in a variety of different agencies and maximize efforts to en-
gage and mobilize a new generation of climate focused conservation
work to revitalize public lands, waters, infrastructure, and commu-
nities. The Committee acknowledges the CCC expands long-
standing partnership, apprenticeship, and youth engagement pro-
grams.
COLLABORATION ON WILDFIRE PREVENTION
The Committee recognizes the important work in wildfire preven-
tion for which the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
are responsible. The Committee encourages the Forest Service and
Bureau of Land Management to conduct more frequent fuel content
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and soil moisture testing in consultation with the National Oceanic
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and Atmospheric Administration to ensure the government’s ability
to develop more accurate wildfire modeling and artificial intel-
ligence solutions.
CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS AND TRIBAL LEASE PAYMENTS
Payments for 105(l) Tribal lease costs directly resulting from de-
cisions in the case of Maniilaq Ass’n v. Burwell in both 2014 (72
F. Supp. 3d 227 (D.D.C. 2014)) and 2016 (70 F. Supp. 3d 243
(D.D.C. 2016)) appear to create an entitlement to compensation
that is typically not funded through discretionary appropriations.
Instead, obligations of this nature are typically addressed through
mandatory spending. Estimates for contract support costs and pay-
ments for section 105(l) Tribal lease costs continue to increase and
have the potential to increase even further. Uncertainty sur-
rounding estimates has inserted a high level of unpredictability
into the budget process placing the Committee in the difficult posi-
tion where rapidly escalating requirements are negatively impact-
ing the ability to use discretionary appropriations to support core
tribal programs, including health, education and construction pro-
grams, or provide essential fixed cost requirements. In addition, be-
cause contract support costs and payments for Tribal leases are ad-
dressed through discretionary spending, all other programs funded
under the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropria-
tions bill are impacted. The costs are growing exponentially, neces-
sitating a long-term funding strategy to address them. The Com-
mittee notes the Administration’s proposal to reclassify these costs
for the Bureau of Indian Affairs as an appropriated entitlement in
fiscal year 2023 and an mandatory entitlement for the Indian
Health Service. The Department of the Interior and the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services are directed to continue work-
ing with the House and Senate committees of jurisdiction, the Of-
fice of Management and Budget, and the Committees on Appropria-
tions to formulate long-term accounting, budget, and legislative
strategies to address this situation, including discussions reclassi-
fying these funds as an appropriated entitlement.
CORAL REEF HEALTH
The Committee remains concerned that an unprecedented coral
disease outbreak especially along the Florida Reef Tract, has left
America’s Great Barrier Reef on the brink of functional extinction,
posing a significant obstacle to coral reef restoration efforts. Coral
reef tracts serve as a major economic driver for the State of Florida
and the U.S. territories and are the most biologically diverse eco-
systems in the ocean. The Committee recognizes the restoration
work of the Department of the Interior and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, as well as state and territorial
government partners, to support coral monitoring, research, and
restoration efforts in highly impacted and high priority coral reef
habitats in U.S. waters, including in Biscayne National Park and
Dry Tortugas National Park, and further recommends the diver-
sion of additional resources to support the state and local partners
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conducting this work on a daily basis.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Committee directs all agencies funded by this Act to comply
with title 31 of the United States Code, including the development
of their organizational priority goals and outcomes such as per-
formance outcome measures, output measures, efficiency measures,
and customer service measures, as well as developing standards to
improve customer service and incorporation of the standards into
the performance plans.
EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS
The Committee strongly supports academic internships, partner-
ships, and educational and outreach programs of the agencies fund-
ed through this bill and encourages them to ensure that their ef-
forts reach the widest possible audience including, but not limited
to, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities, as appropriate.
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
The explanatory statement that accompanied the Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 di-
rected the Attorney General to ensure implementation of evidence-
based training programs on de-escalation, the use-of force, and the
protection of civil rights, that are broadly applicable and scalable
to all Federal law enforcement agencies. Several agencies funded
by this Act employ Federal law enforcement officers and are Fed-
eral Law Enforcement Training Centers partner organizations.
These agencies are again directed to consult with the Attorney
General regarding the implementation of these programs for their
law enforcement officers. The Committee further directs such agen-
cies to submit a report to the Committee on their efforts relating
to such implementation not later than 90 days after consultation
with the Attorney General. In addition, the Committee continues to
direct such agencies to the extent that they are not already partici-
pating, to consult with the Attorney General and the Director of
the FBI regarding participation in the National Use-of-Force Data
Collection. The Committee further directs such agencies to submit
a report to the Committee not later than 180 days after enactment
of this Act on their efforts to so participate.
FIRE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES
The Committee supports public-private partnerships that support
and promote fire resilient communities including efforts to encour-
age the design, construction, and retrofitting of fire resilient resi-
dential homes and commercial buildings. Collaborative efforts be-
tween private industry, university-based wildfire researchers, com-
munity-based organizations and local communities are making no-
table progress in developing construction techniques and identi-
fying building materials to actively mitigate fire risk in areas sus-
ceptible to catastrophic wildland fire, including the wildland urban
interface. The Committee strongly encourages efforts at the state
and local level, particularly within high-risk fire areas, to support
the use of non-combustible American made construction materials
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to support and promote fire hardened and resilient communities.
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FORMERLY INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTER
The Committee directs the Department of the Interior and the
Forest Service to continue to explore the possibility of allowing for-
merly incarcerated individuals to qualify for Federal wildland fire-
fighting positions. Within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the
Committee further directs the Department of the Interior and the
Forest Service to provide a joint briefing to the Committee on the
limitations to expanding the hiring of formerly incarcerated indi-
viduals including limitations from frequent travel in federal fire-
fighting roles.
GIANT SEQUOIAS
The Committee is concerned that over the last two years, cata-
strophic wildfires in the State of California have killed up to nine-
teen percent of all giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada. These trees
play an important role in forest health and support tourism in com-
munities near or adjacent to the groves. The Committee strongly
encourages the Forest Service, National Park Service, and the Bu-
reau of Land Management to use all existing authorities, and when
appropriate, using the best available science and forest manage-
ment practices to remove dead and dying non-sequoia trees from
giant sequoia groves and take other actions, as appropriate, to re-
duce the risk of wildfire-related mortality of giant sequoias. Fur-
thermore, within one year of enactment of this Act, the Committee
directs the Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, and local stakeholders,
to develop a strategy to protect giant sequoias and groves from cat-
astrophic fire.
GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT
At the end of this report, the Committee has included allocation
of projects pursuant to the Great American Outdoors Act (Public
Law 116–152).
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
With the August 4, 2020, enactment of the Great American Out-
doors Act (Public Law 116–152), Congress provided a permanent
appropriation of $900,000,000 per year from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF). The Act also mandated that account
allocations and detailed project information be proposed by the ad-
ministration each year through the president’s annual budget sub-
mission, and that such allocations, following review by the Com-
mittee, may be modified through an alternate allocation. A detailed
table showing the LWCF allocation by agency, account, activity,
and project, including lists of specific federal land acquisition
projects and Forest Legacy Program projects, including Community
Project Funding acquisition projects, is included at the end of this
report.
The Committee encourages the National Park Service to
prioritize funding under State and Local Assistance Programs to
support the establishment of greenways, parks, trails, and other
outdoor recreation facilities in honor of America’s veterans.
The Committee is concerned about significant delays with the
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purchase of inholdings within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
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Wilderness (BWCA) in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota
using the private forestland exchange alternative to allow the For-
est Service to acquire land owned by the state school trust with the
added benefit of conserving valuable forestlands outside of the Su-
perior National Forest. Given the significant LWCF investment
and prior Committee statements in support of this effort, the Com-
mittee directs the Forest Service to expeditiously find a solution
with the Tribes, State and non-profit partner toward the purchase
and exchange of the state lands in the BWCA.
The Committee includes bill language allowing the National
Park Service to use up to seven percent of the funds provided for
State Conservation Grants as matching grants to support State
program administrative costs. These funds will provide states with
additional support to cover administrative costs associated with the
program, which have increased in recent years. The National Park
Service is to apportion these funds to the States, District of Colum-
bia and insular areas on the basis of need as matching grants to
support state administrative costs. Within 60 days of enactment of
this Act, the Committee expects the Department to report on the
number of grants made and the amount of each grant made.
The National Park Service is directed to assess the feasibility of
acquiring key parcels on the east rim of Little River Canyon Na-
tional Preserve, and to report back to the Committee on any new
authorizations needed for such acquisitions.
The Committee is hearing from agency partners about unreason-
able appraisal delays and a lack of communication by the Office of
Valuation Services. Now that the Land and Water Conservation
Fund is fully funded, spending the annual appropriation efficiently
on quality projects at fair market value from willing sellers will be
key to the program’s continued success. The Committee is aware
the Department is reviewing the root causes of these delays as well
as options to address problems including the possibility of return-
ing some appraisal or related functions to the bureaus. The Com-
mittee directs the Department to report back to the Committee
with the results of this review within 90 days of enactment of this
Act.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail, once completed, will stretch from
the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah, over 280 miles in length. This
popular trail currently spans over 100 miles and becomes more val-
uable as the Salt Lake City’s population continues to grow and in-
crease demand for access to recreational opportunities. Various en-
tities have worked for decades to complete the trail, including con-
struction across public lands and acquisition from willing sellers
using private and LWCF dollars. The Committee supports these ef-
forts to complete the trail and urges the Forest Service to consider
prioritizing LWCF funds for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Additional instruction for Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Con-
servation Plan Land Acquisition is provided later in this report
under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
heading.
MARIJUANA ON PUBLIC LANDS
The Committee is aware that trespassers illegally grow mari-
juana on public lands in California. These unlawful activities
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harmfully impact the public, water, soil, and wildlife. The Com-
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mittee supports Forest Service efforts to develop tools to detect and
eradicate grow sites. The Committee directs the Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management to continue to cooperate with
state, local, and tribal governments on survey, reclamation, and
prevention efforts to the maximum extent possible. The Committee
also supports the Department of the Interior’s use of drones to con-
duct statewide remote-sensing surveys of federal public lands to
identify grow sites and allow for the development of cost estimates
for reclamation.
MONARCH BUTTERFLY POPULATIONS
The Committee is aware the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service determined that listing the monarch as endangered or
threatened is warranted but precluded by higher priority listing ac-
tions. The monarch is now a candidate under the Endangered Spe-
cies Act and the Service will review its status annually until a list-
ing decision is made. The Committee supports the historic Can-
didate Conservation Agreement with Assurances recently forged to
create and maintain habitat for monarch butterflies and other pol-
linators on energy and transportation lands. The Committee has
provided funding within the Department of the Interior to assist
with monarch recovery.
PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES (PILT)
The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides com-
pensation to local governments for the loss of tax revenue resulting
from the presence of Federal land in their county or State. The rec-
ommendation includes full funding for PILT for fiscal year 2023 in
Section 114 of Title I General Provisions.
PRESCRIBED BURNS
The Committee encourages the Department of the Interior and
the Forest Service to continue utilizing prescribed burns as a forest
management tool in the western United States. Within 180 days of
enactment of this Act, the Committee directs the Department of
the Interior and the Forest Service to submit a report detailing the
barriers to implementing prescribed burns in the western United
States, possible solutions, and an estimate of fire damage in 2021
that could have potentially been avoided had the agencies imple-
mented a more robust prescribed burn regime.
PUBLIC ACCESS
The Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service are
directed to notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropria-
tions in advance of any proposed project specifically intending to
close an area to recreational shooting, hunting, or fishing on a non-
emergency basis of more than 30 days.
REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES
Reprogramming guidelines were codified in Division D of P.L.
116–94 and outlined in the accompanying explanatory statement.
Bill language and direction is maintained to protect the integrity
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of this Committee.
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10
TRIBAL CONSULTATION
The Committee notes with concern the frustrations heard from
Tribes about agency failures to conduct ‘‘true’’ and ‘‘meaningful’’
government-to-government consultation. Although the level of frus-
tration varies by agency and event, the common theme is that
while most consultations solicit input and feedback from Tribes,
the communication is one way and fails to return feedback to
Tribes. Tribes often report that they don’t know whether and how
their input is considered. On decisions made in consultation with
Tribes, the Committee expects agencies funded in this bill to pub-
lish decision rationale in the context of and in reasonable detail to
the Tribal input received during consultation.
VACANT GRAZING ALLOTMENTS
The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are di-
rected, to the greatest extent practicable, to make vacant grazing
allotments available to a holder of a grazing permit when lands
covered by the holder of the permit or lease are unusable because
of drought or wildfire.
TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,281,940,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,427,959,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,416,126,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +134,186,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥11,833,000
The Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) was created in 1946,
to steward the nation’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of
present and future generations. Today the Bureau administers
more land than any other Federal agency by managing and con-
serving resources for multiple use and sustained yield on approxi-
mately 245 million surface acres or one-tenth of America’s land
base and 700 million acres of the subsurface mineral estate (30%
of the United States). These lands and minerals are found in every
state and include biomes such as forests, mountains, rangelands,
arctic tundra, and deserts.
A significant focus in fiscal year 2023 is building back capacity
and addressing the Bureau’s loss of staff and institutional knowl-
edge that occurred under the previous Administration and impacts
the Bureau’s ability to achieve their mission. The Bureau is to pro-
vide quarterly briefings to the Committee on its progress in re-
building staff capacity and filling critical vacancies such as in
human resources and contracting.
The Committee recommends $1,416,126,000 in new budget au-
thority for the Management of Lands and Resources appropriation.
This amount is $134,186,000 above the enacted level and
$11,833,000 below the budget request. The recommendation as-
sumes the enacted level of funding for all programs, provides fixed
costs as requested, and specifies any program changes accepted
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from the budget request. Program changes, instructions and details
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11
follow below and in the table at the end of this report. Additional
instructions are included in the front of this report.
Land Resources.—The Committee recommends $304,467,000 for
Land Resources, $28,007,000 above the enacted level and
$5,039,000 above the budget request.
Rangeland Management.—The Committee recommends
$112,793,000 which includes program increases of $300,000 to
build capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States, and
local governments to advance natural and cultural resource con-
servation and protection and $185,000 for fleet enhancement.
Funding for National Scenic and Historic Trails has been reduced
from this account and moved to a new subactivity in Recreation
Management. The Committee directs the Bureau to prioritize the
analysis and review of grazing permits, especially those permits
not meeting baseline rangeland health standards, and directs the
Bureau to use the additional $2,000,000 above the budget request
provided in this recommendation, for analysis and administration
of grazing permit renewals.
Forestry Management.—The Committee recommends $12,204,000
which includes program increases of $542,000 to build capacity and
support partnerships with Tribes, States, and local governments to
advance natural and cultural resource conservation and protection,
$1,000,000 for conserving and restoring lands including identifying
and managing for carbon sinks, and $28,000 for fleet enhancement.
Executive Order 14072 outlines the importance of mature and
old-growth forests on Federal lands for the health, prosperity, and
resilience of communities and the role they play in reducing green-
house gas emissions. The Committee supports the Bureau of Land
Management’s collaboration with the Forest Service to define, iden-
tify, and complete an inventory of old-growth and mature forests on
Federal lands, coordinate conservation and wildfire risk reduction,
and develop policies, with public comment, to institutionalize cli-
mate-smart management and conservation strategies that address
threats to these Federal lands.
Cultural Resource Management.—The Committee recommends
$23,370,000 which includes program increases of $791,000 to build
capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States, and local
governments to advance natural and cultural resource conservation
and protection, $6,000 for fleet enhancement, and a general pro-
gram increase of $2,509,000. Funding for National Scenic and His-
toric Trails has been reduced from this account and moved to a
new subactivity in Recreation Management.
Wild Horse and Burro Management.—The Committee rec-
ommends $156,100,000 which supports implementation of the May
2020 plan and includes $11,000,000 for administration of and re-
search on reversible immunocontraceptive fertility control and in-
cludes $206,000 for fleet enhancement. The Committee restates the
need for the Wild Horse and Burro Task Force to be actively en-
gaged and to leverage resources to protect the welfare of the wild
horses and burros and conserve and restore the range for the habi-
tat it provides to other species and the ecosystem services that are
essential to protect human and species health and well-being in the
face of climate change. The Committee directs the Task Force to re-
view the Bureau’s efforts in fertility control, examine how to in-
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crease off-range holdings that can sustain year-round grazing by
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many horses, and review the Adoption Incentive Program to make
sure there are no weaknesses that would jeopardize the welfare of
these animals. Staffing is critical to effectively administer this pro-
gram and the Bureau is directed to ensure the program is at full
staffing capacity especially in the areas of contracting. The chal-
lenges of this program are intensified by the historic drought condi-
tions being experienced in the West. The Committee directs the Bu-
reau to develop plans that ensure they can administer fertility con-
trol, conduct targeted removals from the most heavily and im-
pacted population areas, expand long-term off range holding and
any alternatives, and increase adoptions. To better accomplish
these goals, the Bureau should establish public/private partner-
ships, to include working with veterans and wild horse organiza-
tions, to implement a robust immunocontraceptive fertility control
program. The Bureau must also ensure that all removals are con-
ducted in strict compliance with the Bureau’s Comprehensive Ani-
mal Welfare Program and any population growth suppression
strategies must be proven, safe, and humane. The strategy will not
include any sale or actions that result in the destruction of healthy
animals, which continues to be prohibited by this bill. The Bureau
is directed to provide quarterly updates to the Committee on the
allocation of resources, achievement of performance metrics, input
from the Departmental task force, efficacy of identifying and relo-
cating horses to different Herd Management Areas, and to discuss
any proposed changes to the current course of action.
Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management.—The Committee rec-
ommends $229,787,000 for Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Manage-
ment, $32,118,000 above the enacted level and $9,360,000 below
the budget request.
Wildlife Habitat Management.—The Committee recommends
$159,680,000 which includes $71,000,000 for sage grouse conserva-
tion activities, $37,000,000 for threatened and endangered species,
$20,600,000 for plant conservation and restoration, $2,947,000 to
build capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States, and
local governments to advance natural and cultural resource con-
servation and protection, and $245,000 for fleet enhancement.
Funding for National Scenic and Historic Trails has been reduced
from this account and moved to a new subactivity in Recreation
Management. The Bureau is directed to brief the Committee within
60 days of enactment of this Act on its analysis of developing a bio-
diversity data platform including the estimated total cost.
Aquatic Habitat Management.—The Committee recommends
$70,107,000 which includes program increases of $1,518,000 to
build capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States, and
local governments to advance natural and cultural resource con-
servation and protection, $7,000,000 for improving water resources,
$3,000,000 for restoring landscape connectivity, and $94,000 for
fleet enhancement. Funding for National Scenic and Historic Trails
has been reduced from this account and moved to a new subactivity
in Recreation Management.
Recreation Management.—The Committee recommends
$89,544,000 for Recreation Management, $10,616,000 above the en-
acted level and $3,092,000 below the budget request. The rec-
ommendation provides for a new subactivity, National Scenic and
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Historic Trails. Increases above enacted include $1,960,000 to build
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capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States, and local
governments to advance natural and cultural resource conservation
and protection, $151,000 for fleet enhancement, and $903,000 for
National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
The Bureau is also encouraged to ensure that the public is ade-
quately informed regarding the protection of lands, as well as open
and closed routes for trails and recreational activities, for the areas
protected by Public Law 116–9. To help inform the public, the De-
partment should properly post signage and conduct regular reviews
to ensure that signage is maintained, in good readable condition,
and to replace any damaged or unreadable signs in a timely man-
ner.
National and Scenic Historic Trails.—To increase transparency,
the recommendation has consolidated all funding for National and
Scenic Historic Trails into a new subactivity under Recreation
Management and recommends $12,000,000. Within available funds
the Bureau is encouraged to provide additional resources for the
Iditarod, Pacific Crest, Arizona, and Continental Divide National
Scenic Trails, the Arizona Trail Indigenous Place Name project,
and the construction of a hiking trail from Elko, Nevada to the
California Trail Center. The Bureau is directed to brief the Com-
mittee on unit level allocations within 60 days of enactment of this
Act.
Energy and Minerals.—The Committee recommends
$242,195,000 for Energy and Minerals, $25,660,000 above the en-
acted level and $7,657,000 below the budget request, which in-
cludes $336,000 for fleet enhancement. This funding level supports
the Bureau’s sustainable and responsible energy approach which
includes renewable energy resources and strategic minerals that
economically benefit the Nation and states by providing revenue
sources where the energy source is developed and supports the Bu-
reau’s multiple-use mandate.
The Bureau has a significant role in promoting environmentally
sound development of renewable energy on public lands and the
recommendation provides $49,713,000, the budget request, for Re-
newable Energy. The Bureau is urged to increase staff for permit-
ting and realty activities. The Committee supports the Bureau’s es-
tablishment of Renewable Energy Coordination Offices (RECOs) to
prioritize renewable energy permitting and improve permitting co-
ordination for renewable energy projects. The Committee requests
a briefing on how RECOs have streamlined the permitting process
and communication of standard operating procedures and best
practices between the RECOs.
The recommendation provides $27,400,000 for Alaska legacy well
remediation to maintain program capacity and continue progress
toward cleanup of the next cluster of legacy wells in need of reme-
diation. The report, ‘‘National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: 2020
Legacy Wells Strategic Plan,’’ is appreciated, as is the Bureau’s
continued commitment to coordinate with State and local regu-
lators. A report shall be submitted to the Committee on these ef-
forts within 60 days of enactment of the Act.
Realty and Ownership Management.—The Committee rec-
ommends $87,385,000 for Realty and Ownership Management,
$5,361,000 above the enacted level and $1,496,000 below the budg-
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et request which includes $132,000 for fleet enhancement and
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$2,842,000 for restoring landscape connectivity. The Committee en-
courages the Bureau to adequately fund the realty and lands divi-
sion in district offices such as the BLM Southern Nevada District.
Resource Protection and Maintenance.—The Committee rec-
ommends $187,816,000 for Resource Protection and Maintenance,
$51,676,000 above the enacted level and $47,000 above the budget
request. The recommendation includes increases of $8,000,000 to
modernize assessment, inventory, and monitoring; $5,685,000 for
improving water resources; $11,000,000 for application of natural
resources data planning to support siting, and $243,000 for fleet
enhancement. The recommendation maintains $10,000,000 in re-
source management planning for sage grouse conservation activi-
ties and $28,565,000 for Resource Protection and Law Enforcement
as requested.
The Committee supports the focus of addressing hardrock mine
reclamation and the importance of synergy between the Bureau
and the Energy Community Revitalization Program. The rec-
ommendation includes increases of $19,503,000 as requested for re-
mediation of abandoned mine land sites and no less than
$4,500,000 for addressing water quality at abandoned mine land
sites.
Transportation and Facilities Maintenance.—The Committee rec-
ommends $79,345,000 for Transportation and Facilities Mainte-
nance, $310,000 above the enacted level and $2,990,000 above the
budget request. No funding is provided for fleet enhancement.
Funding for National Scenic and Historic Trails has been reduced
from this account and moved to a new subactivity in Recreation
Management.
Workforce and Organizational Support.—The Committee rec-
ommends $176,587,000 for Workforce and Organizational Support,
$10,712,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget re-
quest. The recommendation includes the increases requested in the
budget except only $74,000 is provided for fleet enhancement. The
Committee supports the Administration’s efforts on the diversity,
inclusion and compliance initiative, Justice 40, and the Foundation
for America’s Public Lands.
Bill language has been included providing $1,000,000, as re-
quested, for the Foundation for America’s Public Lands to assist
the Foundation in establishing an office and meeting initial admin-
istrative, project, and other expenses. The Committee directs that
project funding in fiscal year 2023 should be prioritized to assist
the Bureau with the challenge of wild free-roaming horses and bur-
ros. The Committee expects to be kept informed about how appro-
priated funds are allocated and obligated in fiscal year 2023.
National Conservation Lands (formerly National Landscape Con-
servation System).—The Committee recommends $70,000,000 for
National Conservation Lands, $20,726,000 above the enacted level
and $1,696,000 above the budget request which includes $1,058,000
to build capacity and support partnerships with Tribes, States and
local governments to advance natural and cultural resource con-
servation and protection, $13,000 for fleet enhancement, and
$9,255,000 to expand management and operational capacity.
The Committee urges Federal agencies seeking to withdraw Bu-
reau-managed lands to include the counties of jurisdiction as co-
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operating agencies pursuant to 40 C.F.R. § 1508.5 in the environ-
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15
mental analysis process and directs the Bureau not to approve such
mineral withdrawals without appropriate levels of local govern-
ment consultation.
Communication Site Management.—The Committee recommends
$2,000,000 for communications site management, equal to the
budget request. This amount is reduced by $2,000,000 in offsetting
collections.
Mining Law Administration.—The Committee recommends
$39,696,000 for mining law administration, equal to the budget re-
quest. This amount is offset by $71,000,000 in offsetting collections.
Additional Guidance.—
Aquifer Recharge.—The Committee encourages the Bureau to
work with the state of Idaho to provide appropriate access to fed-
eral lands for the purposes of recharge projects.
Cadastral Survey.—The Committee directs the Bureau to con-
tinue executing the survey requirements of the Hawaiian Home
Lands Recovery Act, Public Law 104–42 as soon as public health
conditions allow. The Bureau shall consult with Homestead Bene-
ficiary Associations, as defined under 43 C.F.R. § 47.1, when con-
ducting these surveys.
Diversity Statistics.—The Bureau is encouraged to consider the
feasibility of adding a diversity reporting requirement to commer-
cial filming projects on Bureau-managed lands.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.—The Committee appre-
ciates the long-standing partnership between the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation, a congressionally chartered institution,
and several bureaus within the Department, particularly the Bu-
reau of Land Management. The Committee directs the Bureau to
continue this partnership and agrees that, at the Bureau’s discre-
tion, funds made available under this appropriation may be used
for critical conservation activities, pursuant to 16 U.S.C.3701 et
seq., under the same term and conditions as outlined under this
heading in Title I of Division G of Public Law 115–31, the fiscal
year 2017 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Act.
Off-Highway Vehicle Pilot Program.—The Committee supports
equitable opportunities for recreation events on public land and is
concerned about reports that smaller groups may be disadvantaged
by the Bureau’s 50-hour cost recovery threshold for Special Recre-
ation Permits (SRP’s). The Committee shares the Bureau’s goal of
using independent event monitors to reduce a significant workload
and cost to Bureau field offices and the American taxpayer which
translates into reduced costs to SRP applicants. The Bureau is rec-
ognized for attempting an independent monitoring pilot (IMP) pro-
gram in 2016 and for pursuing other ways to reduce the monitoring
costs that are passed along to event sponsors. The Committee also
acknowledges the Bureau’s work with the Desert Advisory Council
to initiate an OHV subgroup to bring stakeholders together to focus
on OHV recreation. These efforts have not resolved stakeholder
concerns as the Committee continues to hear from groups eager to
work with the Bureau to re-establish an IMP program. Clear re-
quirements for an IMP and processes by which interested inde-
pendent individuals could be recruited and trained, including the
development of a training curriculum, to provide those services is
an essential step. These requirements and processes, along with
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continued collaboration with the Desert Advisory Council and up-
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front development of general guidance and procedures for Bureau
State and field offices to implement an IMP, can increase chances
of success and address any inequities to recreation opportunities
that exist. The Bureau is directed to re-double its efforts to work
with groups in the off-highway vehicle community to develop an
IMP program.
Plant Conservation Activities.—The Committee continues to sup-
port the Bureau’s Plant Conservation Program and the National
Seed Strategy and no less than $25,000,000 across the Bureau
should be directed towards this effort to enhance this activity. The
program is to be operated consistent with prior years. Funding pro-
vided in Public Law 117–58 to the Office of the Secretary in fiscal
year 2023 for a national revegetation effort, including the National
Seed Strategy, will supplement this funding. The Committee ex-
pects the Bureau to work to lead the interagency Native Plant Ma-
terials Development program, the Seeds of Success program, the
Plant Conservation Alliance, several regional native plant mate-
rials development programs, and related research and pro-
grammatic activity. The Committee also continues to support the
implementation of the national seed strategy to ensure there is a
variety of seeds to accomplish immediate and long-term restoration
goals.
Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA).—
The Committee reiterates that the funds from this account are to
be used for activities authorized under Public Law 105–263.
Water Quality.—The Committee encourages the Bureau to work
with Blaine County and interested community stakeholders to ad-
dress the increased sediment buildup in the Hulen Meadows Pond
by examining collaborative solutions to restoring the pond to ade-
quate health through dredging and other cost-effective measures.
Bill language is included for a new offsetting collection for on-
shore oil and gas inspection fees. A companion Title I General Pro-
vision, Onshore Oil and Gas Inspection Fee, is also included in the
bill.
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $117,283,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 128,696,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 125,049,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +7,766,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥3,647,000
The Committee recommends $125,049,000 for the Oregon and
California Grant Lands appropriation which includes $1,920,000 to
support partnerships with Tribes, States, and local governments to
advance natural and cultural resource conservation and protection,
$103,000 for fleet enhancement, $2,330,000 for conserving and re-
storing lands to combat climate change, and no less than
$11,000,000 for Species Conservation. Funding for National Wild
and Scenic Rivers is maintained at the enacted level and the rec-
ommendation supports the budget request for Western Oregon in-
formation and resource data systems, transportation and facilities
maintenance, construction and acquisition, and national monu-
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ment.
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Fire protection.—The Committee directs the Bureau to refrain
from any actions that would withdraw the Bureau from its fire pro-
tection agreement with the State of Oregon.
Timber targets.—The Bureau is directed to regularly report its
timber sale accomplishments for sales that have been sold and
awarded rather than merely offered for sale. The Bureau is ex-
pected to report these activities in a manner consistent with the
U.S. Forest Service and only count awarded volume.
RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of not
less than $10,000,000 to be derived from public lands receipts and
Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act lands grazing receipts, as re-
quested.
SERVICE CHARGES, DEPOSITS, AND FORFEITURES
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation esti-
mated to be $30,000,000 for Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeit-
ures. The appropriation is fully offset through collections.
MISCELLANEOUS TRUST FUNDS
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation esti-
mated to be $26,000,000.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
The Committee recommends inclusion of the Administrative Pro-
visions proposed in the budget request and notes that they are
long-standing items that facilitate efficient operations.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Originating in 1871, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) is the oldest federal conservation agency, and the only
agency in the federal government, whose primary responsibility is
management of biological resources for the American public. The
Service plays an important role in connecting Americans with na-
ture and in maintaining and protecting the Nation’s natural re-
sources for present and future generations. This requires strict en-
forcement of important and foundational environmental laws such
as the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA), Marine Mammal Protection Act, Lacey Act, and inter-
national treaties like the Convention on International Trade in En-
dangered Species (CITES).
The Service manages more than 830 million acres of lands and
waters which includes 567 National Wildlife Refuges located in
every State and many territories, seven National Monuments, and
waterfowl production areas in 212 counties. The Service also oper-
ates one historic National Fish Hatchery and 70 National Fish
Hatcheries that work with states and tribes to propagate fish to
bolster or re-establish self-sustaining populations in the wild and
mitigate impacts associated with Federal water projects.
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,451,545,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,745,122,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,649,753,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +198,208,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥95,369,000
The Committee recommends $1,649,753,000 for Resource Man-
agement, $198,208,000 above the enacted level and $95,369,000
below the budget request. The recommendation assumes the en-
acted level of funding for all programs, provides fixed costs as re-
quested, and specifies any program changes accepted from the
budget request. Program changes, instructions and details follow
below and in the table at the end of this report. Additional instruc-
tions are included in the front of this report.
Ecological Services.—The recommendation includes $354,832,000
for Ecological Services to protect landscapes, fish, wildlife, and
plants by administering the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and re-
lated activities, $77,423,000 above the enacted level and $1,330,000
below the budget request. The recommendation provides additional
resources to strengthen efforts to conserve our natural resources
for future generations and to ensure the protection of important
ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay, the Everglades, and the
California Bay-Delta. Program elements for this activity follow
below.
Listing.—The recommendation includes $25,946,000 for ESA list-
ings and related activities. Through the listing process, the best sci-
entific and commercial information on a species is analyzed so a de-
termination can be made on whether the survival of a species re-
quires the protections afforded by the ESA and the recommenda-
tion provides funding to increase capacity. Bill language is contin-
ued as requested to protect the rest of the Resource Management
account from listing-related judicial mandates. The Committee sup-
ports the Service’s efforts with local and regional stakeholders to
develop voluntary solutions to conserve targeted species.
Planning and Consultation.—The recommendation includes
$142,807,000 for timely evaluations and permitting of development
projects to ensure species are protected while allowing for develop-
ment that contributes to economic growth and job creation. This
recommendation provides $18,354,000 for increased support for en-
vironmental permitting for clean energy to stem the effects of cli-
mate change, $1,500,000 for pesticide consultations, $4,000,000 for
NEPA permitting and $109,322,000 for general program activities
such as building field capacity and focusing on technical assistance
to Federal agencies and project proponents and to work with
States, counties and private landowners to develop planning grants
and create Habitat Conservation Plans; to enhance the Integrated
Planning and Conservation (IPaC) system; and to ensure adequate
implementation of the ESA and the integration of monitoring data
into management decisions.
The Committee acknowledges that the Service has issued guid-
ance to field offices and will be updating the Habitat Conservation
Plan (HCP) Handbook on streamlining ESA section 7(a)(2) con-
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sultations on federal actions that authorize, fund, or carry out a
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covered activity that affects listed species in an approved HCP
which covers those species as permitted under section 10(a)(1)(B).
Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plans balance resource
use and conservation and foster collaboration with other stake-
holders. An example is the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation
Plan in Clark County, Nevada which covers 78 species, including
the threatened Mojave Desert Tortoise. The Committee is sup-
portive of the goal of this plan which is the long-term conservation
and recovery of those species and their habitat.
Conservation and Restoration.—The recommendation includes
$53,724,000 for Conservation and Restoration. The recommenda-
tion provides $3,390,000 for Coastal Barrier Resources Act;
$12,785,000 for environmental response and restoration; $7,220,000
for marine mammals with a particular focus on manatees;
$7,471,000 for the National Wetlands Inventory, and $19,108,000
for candidate conservation. The Committee directs the Department
to involve the Service in any decision made by the Bureau of Land
Management on energy leasing where leasing will impact species.
The Committee is concerned about Unusual Mortality Events
(UME) of threatened and endangered species, particularly among
the Florida manatees. The Committee encourages the Service to
study the causes and preventative measures of the recent UME
among the Florida manatees.
Recovery.—The recommendation includes $132,355,000 for ESA
recovery activities. The recommendation provides $6,750,000 for
State of the Birds to respond to the urgent needs of critically en-
dangered birds that, due to climate change, now face extinction;
$12,000,000 for Recovery Challenge grants; $2,000,000 for Prescott
Grants; $1,000,000 for wolf livestock; and $102,373,000 for general
program activities which includes funding at the enacted level for
the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, San
Juan Basin Recovery Implementation Plan, the Virgin River Re-
source Management and Recovery Program, the Florida grass-
hopper sparrow, Lahontan Cutthroat Trout recovery efforts, and
provides up to $2,000,000 to assist with addressing sylvatic plague
which threatens endangered black footed ferrets and supports col-
laboration with Native American Tribes and other partners.
The 2019 United Nations report outlined that nature is declining
and that up to one million plant and animal species are at risk of
extinction. The President’s Budget echoes that concern with its em-
phasis on protecting biodiversity and highlighting the importance
of restoring and maintaining healthy ecosystems and ecosystem
services to protect human and species health and well-being.
Foundational environmental laws are critical tools in ensuring bio-
diversity is maintained for future generations. The Committee
strongly supports that the basis for any listing decisions must be
the best available science and data. The Committee recognizes
states like Michigan and its Department of Natural Resources for
their demonstrated support for keeping the Kirtland’s warbler re-
covered and healthy as well as the efforts of Tennessee and Ken-
tucky regarding the Cumberland sandwort. For recovered and de-
listed species under State authority, the Service must abide by the
direction outlined in these foundational environmental laws as they
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work with the States to continue to conserve and protect the well-
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20
being of these species so that re-listings under the Endangered
Species Act aren’t necessary.
Recovery Challenge grants are to be used to develop and update
recovery plans and implement high priority recovery actions as pre-
scribed in recovery plans to recover federally listed species. Actions
should include, but are not limited to, genetically sound breeding,
rearing, and reintroduction programs. Longstanding partnerships,
including for the northern aplomado falcon and California condor,
are to be funded at no less than their current levels, and partner
contributions should be no less than their current amounts and
provide at least a 50:50 partner match, which may include in-kind
services. The remaining funds should be dedicated to new partner-
ships and should require at least a 50:50 partner match, which
may include in-kind services. Unless an affected State is a partner
on the project, no funds may be awarded to a project until the
project partners have consulted with such State. The Service is ex-
pected to continue to work with the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation to administer a portion of the program in full consulta-
tion with the Service and subject to Service approval of all grants
and cooperative agreements. This approach allows Service funds to
be leveraged and expands recovery actions. The Service is also ex-
pected to administer a portion of the program itself in support of
partnerships to develop and implement recovery outlines, update
recovery plans, and implement recovery actions benefiting species
for which the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is not engaged
in conservation efforts. None of the funds may be used for indirect
costs. The Service is to provide a report to the Committee 120 days
after enactment of this Act which shall include the allocation of
funds between the Service and the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation and an evaluation of this collaboration; a breakdown of
funding by project which contains appropriated and matching funds
and the estimated projection completion year; and the amount of
highly ranked but unfunded project proposals.
Recovery activities are essential for critically endangered species
at the brink of extinction because of climate change. The Com-
mittee directs the Service to incorporate climate change adaptation
actions and activities into new and revised recovery plans and re-
covery implementation strategies, such as with the mosquito vector
of avian pox and malaria in the revised Hawaiian Forest Birds re-
covery plan. The Service is directed to brief the Committee within
90 days of enactment of this Act on how it is prioritizing recovery
actions that improve a species’ resiliency, redundancy, and rep-
resentation so that a species can withstand the impacts of climate
change and show direct evidence that these actions are incor-
porated into new and revised recovery plans.
The Committee directs the Service to continue to provide the re-
quired reports on the recovery of threatened and endangered spe-
cies and any additional information on expenditures as required by
Section 18 of the ESA.
The Committee supports the Service’s conduct of five-year status
reviews for 35 southeastern species of endangered or threatened
fish, wildlife, and plants as mandated by the Endangered Species
Act and directs the Service to provide updates on these five-year
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status reviews.
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Habitat Conservation.—The recommendation for this activity in-
cludes $84,373,000 for voluntary, non-regulatory habitat conserva-
tion partnerships with public and private landowners, of which
$69,897,000 is to implement the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act
and $14,476,000 is for the Coastal Program. This recommendation
is $13,042,000 above the enacted level and $1,000,000 above the re-
quest. The recommendation includes $59,587,000 for general pro-
gram activities in Partners for Fish and Wildlife to provide tech-
nical and financial assistance to landowners interested in restoring
and enhancing wildlife habitat on their land. The recommendation
provides $3,250,000 for nutria eradication and notes that addi-
tional funding for nutria eradication is provided in the National
Wildlife Refuge System. As of 2018, the Service has stated that all
the known nutria populations have been removed from over a quar-
ter million acres of the Delmarva Peninsula and efforts continue to
verify eradication and remove any residual animals. Despite this
success, nutria is a problem in other parts of the country and the
funding provided allows the Service to work with partners to
achieve control and eradication of all nutria populations and to
help partners restore land damaged by nutria. The Service is di-
rected to prioritize lands adjacent to refuges, specifically along the
West Coast and the Gulf Coast. The Service is also encouraged to
focus Coastal Program funding on projects that address the threat
of invasive species and climate change.
The Committee recognizes that the Service cannot accomplish its
mission without non-regulatory and voluntary collaborative con-
servation efforts with private landowners. The Committee encour-
ages the Service to continue to pursue collaborative species con-
servation that leverages in-kind land access and expertise from pri-
vate landowners. Existing partnerships demonstrate the vital role
of private working ranches and forests in conserving at-risk and
listed species and allow the Service to leverage collaboration with
private landowners, State agencies, and other stakeholders on re-
search and practices that achieve important wildlife conservation
outcomes.
National Wildlife Refuge System.—The recommendation includes
$573,597,000 for the National Wildlife Refuge System, $54,836,000
above the enacted level and $24,288,000 below the budget request.
Program elements for this activity follow below.
Wildlife and Habitat Management.—The recommendation in-
cludes $281,749,000 which includes $17,925,000 for Invasive Spe-
cies Strike Teams for teams to focus on high priority invasive spe-
cies problems, such as exotic invasive plants and to eradicate or
control nutria, before they develop more of a stronghold in the envi-
ronment. The recommendation also provides $29,924,000 for Inven-
tory and Monitoring which includes no less than $8,000,000 for
monarch butterflies, and no less than $1,000,000 for chronic wast-
ing disease; and $2,500,000 for Marine National Monuments which
provides a total of $1,000,000 for the Northeast Canyons and
Seamounts Marine National Monument of which no less than
$700,000 is for education and research. The recommendation pro-
vides $225,315,000 for general program activities to assist the
Service in delivering conservation on a landscape scale and sup-
porting the Administration’s efforts on America the Beautiful, wild-
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life disease prevention, and pollinator conservation.
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The Committee understands the use of native plant materials in-
creases resilience, reduces invasive species, and creates a more ef-
fective deterrent to fire. The Service has also informed the Com-
mittee that it favors management that restores or mimics natural
ecosystem processes using native seed sources and native plants in
ecological restoration. Within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the
Service is directed to brief the Committee on the use of native
plants in refuge restoration and the guidelines it has in place to
maintain existing levels of biological integrity, diversity, and envi-
ronmental health. The Committee also supports the continued col-
laboration of Service staff with National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, and other partners to mon-
itor coral disease in refuge and monument waters. This rec-
ommendation maintains the enacted level of funding to support ref-
uge biologists, management activities, and coral disease studies.
Since fiscal year 2017, the Service has been responsive to Con-
gressional direction to institute signage on any national wildlife
refuge where trapping occurs. In fiscal year 2020, the Service was
to update the information posted on the website and physical prem-
ises of any refuge to note if body-gripping traps were on the prem-
ises. To further protect the public, the Committee encourages the
Service to conduct a review of this signage and ensure the signage
is in good, readable condition, and to replace any damaged or
unreadable signs within 30 days of identification. The Service is to
continue the reporting requirement to provide trapping information
to the Committee on an annual basis. The Service is directed to
brief the Committee on the evaluation they were directed to under-
take of trapping practices on Service lands that was to be done in
collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife
Services on their findings including information regarding alter-
native non-lethal methods and equipment that may be used to re-
move invasive species or native pest species that behave like
invasive species within 30 days of enactment of this Act.
Regional refuges, such as the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and
Wildlife Refuge, effectively work with local communities and land-
owners to achieve collaborative conservation. The Committee en-
courages the Service to continue these efforts and to provide the
highest level of funding available to these refuges to build upon
this exemplary work. The Committee also recognizes that refuge
sites, while not physically connected, often contain important eco-
logical and cultural value when connected as part of a regional
wildlife footprint. Numerous refuges serve the various migratory
flyways through an integrated migratory and ecological footprint
across the Refuge System.
The Committee encourages the Service to update commitments
and funding contributions established in its 2016 agreement with
neighboring landowners for the conservation and management of
fish, wildlife, and their habitats at Palmyra Atoll. The Committee
supports continuing this successful public/private conservation
partnership, particularly the management of invasive species, cli-
mate change threats, ongoing native forest restoration efforts, the
provision of critical wildlife habitat, and the benefit of the public.
Visitor Services.—The recommendation includes $87,527,000. The
recommendation provides $11,000,000 for Urban Wildlife Conserva-
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tion, an increase of $5,000,000 above the enacted level, and
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$74,527,000 for general program activities that will enhance rec-
reational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, and watching
wildlife which includes $3,000,000 to help the Service mobilize the
next generation of conservation and climate resilience workers and
maximize training opportunities with the goal of improving Amer-
ica’s land, waters, and infrastructure. With a national wildlife ref-
uge located within a one-hour drive of nearly every major metro-
politan area, this increase for urban refuges enables the Service to
improve access and engage new audiences in outdoor recreation
and conservation. The Service is encouraged to work with partners
to support year-round environmental education for youth and
adults of all ages living in urban settings.
Refuge Maintenance.—The recommendation includes
$154,365,000 which includes $500,000 for fleet enhancement,
$26,850,000 for annual maintenance and $68,235,000 for mainte-
nance support. The Committee recognizes the Service’s effort to
prioritize maintenance and restoration of units within the refuge
system that were damaged by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene. For
trails projects, the Committee understands funding from this ac-
count is supplemented with funding from the Federal Lands Trans-
portation Program, which comes from the Highway Trust Fund,
and from the Great American Outdoors Act. The Service is directed
to include a current and projected deferred maintenance backlog in
its annual budget request.
Conservation and Enforcement.—The recommendation includes
$185,247,000 for Conservation and Enforcement, $20,526,000 above
the enacted level and $16,125,000 below the budget request. Pro-
gram elements for this activity follow below.
Migratory Bird Management.—The recommendation includes
$57,849,000 for Migratory Bird Management, including $33,793,000
for Conservation and Monitoring which includes $3,200,000 for
clean energy and $733,000 for urban bird treaties. The Committee
encourages the Service to continue its efforts to work with land-
owners to reduce black vulture predation on livestock and to man-
age double crested cormorants. The recommendation provides
$6,125,000 for Permits to improve permitting for the future,
$591,000 for the Federal Duck Stamp Program and $17,340,000 for
North American Waterfowl Management Plan/Joint Ventures (JV).
The JV program is essential for addressing the conservation needs
of migratory birds by leveraging matching contributions from part-
ners.
Where certain bird species such as Canadian geese and cor-
morants overwhelm ecosystems near urban centers, the Service is
encouraged to continue to support control activities of individuals,
corporations, municipalities, states, tribes, and other Federal agen-
cies such as public health control orders or special double-crested
cormorant permits to assure public health as well as regional or
environmental health.
Law Enforcement.—The recommendation includes $98,283,000
for Law Enforcement which includes $83,558,000 for general pro-
gram activities a portion of which will be directed toward wildlife
law enforcement capacity and port inspection capacity. As in prior
years, this increase may be used as necessary to supplement in-
spections. The Committee notes the important role the Service
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plays in protecting wildlife and plant resources through enforce-
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24
ment of Federal laws, such as the Lacey Act, combating illegal
wildlife trafficking, and understanding the nexus with trafficking
and close contact with wildlife that can transmit pathogens and im-
pact human health. The Service is to brief the Committee within
180 days of enactment of this Act on the roles of Law Enforcement
and International Affairs in how they combat global trafficking; as-
sist with building capacity to improve law enforcement in other
countries; detect and deter illegal import and export of wildlife; and
are improving information sharing and enhancing capabilities for
stopping high-risk illegal shipments of wildlife into the United
States.
International Affairs.—The recommendation provides
$29,115,000 for International Affairs. This funding level provides
$1,000,000 for the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize, and
$8,700,000 for replacing the Service’s out-of-date permit processing
infrastructure with a modernized Service-wide electronic permit
application and processing system, as requested. The primary focus
for the Service in fiscal year 2023 must be to complete the
epermitting system as outlined in the President’s Budget request.
For the fiscal year 2024 budget request, the Committee encourages
the Service’s Chief Information Officer to consider how the
epermitting system, once developed, can be expanded consistent
with direction in the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience
Act of 2018 and Executive Order 14058, to include permits in other
bureaus within the Department of the Interior.
The Committee acknowledges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice’s International Affairs (IA) Program works worldwide to con-
serve fish, wildlife, plants, and the habitats they depend on at a
landscape level, and to maintain these ecological processes beyond
our borders for future generations. Through these aims, IA leads
U.S. and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the
world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats, focusing on species of
global concern. Funding also supports strong oversight of inter-
national conservation grants from the agency including safeguards
that have been instituted to protect these funds from being used
in violation of U.S. law. As long-term success for conserving wildlife
and wild places relies on building the capacity in countries for
managing their own protected areas and species, Indigenous Peo-
ples and communities should be included. Within the amount pro-
vided, the Committee encourages the Service to support projects
that foster partnerships with universities or other institutions that
are educating the current and next generations of conservationists.
Within 45 days of enactment of this Act the Service is to brief the
Committee on how it plans to achieve this.
The Committee recognizes the Service’s work with Honduras, El
Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico to conserve priority species and
ecosystems, including partnering with the U.S. Agency for Inter-
national Development (USAID) to support community forestry con-
cessions and tropical forest conservation in the Maya Biosphere Re-
serve, and urges the continuation of these international partner-
ships in fiscal year 2023 as well as the timely disbursement of
funding. The Committee directs the Service to provide no less than
the enacted level for these grants to promote research, training,
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and development of best practices for international conservation,
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and to submit a report within 60 days of the enactment of this Act
on these efforts.
The Committee reiterates its concern about the Service’s current
policy of evaluating applications for importing trophies for ele-
phants and lions on a case-by-case basis and whether its analysis
adequately determines whether a country has proper safeguards in
place to protect species vulnerable to poaching. In fiscal year 2020,
the Service was directed to reevaluate its current policy and ana-
lyze how targeted investments and technical assistance to the ex-
porting countries’ conservation programs would impact the survival
of elephants and lions, improve local communities, and sustain spe-
cies populations. The Service has yet to comply with the directive
to brief the Committee within 60 days of enactment. Therefore, the
Committee includes bill language that prohibits the issuance of any
permit for the import of a sport-hunted trophy of an elephant or
lion taken in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, or Zambia. The limitation de-
scribed does not apply in the case of the administration of a tax
or tariff. The Secretary is directed to review the memo issued
March 1, 2018 establishing the current policy that enhancement
findings for such imports will be made on a case-by-case basis and
to analyze and report to the Committee, within 60 days of enact-
ment of this Act, on the best path forward to determine whether
the country where the animal is to be permitted adequately pro-
vides for the conservation and monitoring for that species, specifi-
cally whether that country has a fully funded and implemented
management plan for that species that is based on the best avail-
able science and addresses existing threats to the species, provides
significant conservation benefits, and coordinates with adjacent
countries to protect transboundary populations, and ensures the
take does not contribute to the decline of the species.
The Committee directs the Service to provide a briefing within
120 days of enactment of this Act on the scope of work and the esti-
mated cost to assess the prevalence of elephant hide products in
the United States and the risk to African elephant populations as-
sociated with hide harvesting.
Fish and Aquatic Conservation.—The recommendation includes
$235,178,000 for Fish and Aquatic Conservation, $14,352,000 above
the enacted level and $25,236,000 below the budget request. The
Service is expected to continue to work with partners and the pub-
lic to manage fish and other aquatic resources for the benefit of the
American people. Program elements for this activity follow below.
National Fish Hatchery System Operations.—The recommenda-
tion provides $73,472,000 for National Fish Hatchery Systems Op-
erations, which includes $1,200,000 for the Aquatic Animal Drug
Approval Partnership; $4,700,000 for the Pacific Salmon Treaty;
and maintains the enacted level for the Great Lakes Consent De-
cree, the national wild fish health survey program, mass marking
salmonids in the Pacific Northwest, and Klamath Restoration.
Klamath Restoration funding is supplemented by funding provided
in Public Law 117–58 as outlined in the Service’s spend plan con-
tained in the fiscal year 2023 budget justification. The rec-
ommendation also provides $60,367,000 to sustain activities such
as expanding capabilities to ensure the health of aquatic species,
advancing aquatic conservation, and supporting the recovery of fed-
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erally listed threatened or endangered aquatic species and restor-
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ing at-risk species. The Committee supports the budget request’s
reallocation of $5,000,000 for Warm Springs Fish Health Center to
all Fish Health and Technology Centers. This funding will be
housed in general program activities.
The recommended funding level provides the resources required
to sustain current hatchery operations. The Service may not termi-
nate operations or close any facility of the National Fish Hatchery
System. No production programs may be reduced or terminated
without advance, informal consultation with affected States and
Tribes. The Service is expected to continue funding mitigation
hatchery programs via reimbursable agreements with Federal part-
ners. Future agreements should include reimbursement for produc-
tion, facilities, and administrative costs. The Service is expected to
ensure that its costs are fully reimbursed before proposing to re-
duce or redirect base funding.
The Committee encourages the Service to carry out sampling of
re-introduced lake sturgeon and monitor the survival of juvenile
lake sturgeon after they are stocked to determine whether the
stocking rates should be increased to meet the target stock level.
Maintenance and Equipment.—The recommendation provides
$32,635,000, which includes $300,000 for fleet enhancement,
$20,137,000 for deferred maintenance, and $10,589,000 for annual
maintenance. The Service should continue to allocate this funding
to facilities with the most severe health and safety deficiencies
across the System as a whole, rather than by region. All other
funds should continue to be allocated as in prior years and should
include mitigation hatcheries as needed to supplement reimburs-
able funds. The Service is directed to include a current and pro-
jected deferred maintenance backlog in its annual budget request.
Aquatic Habitat and Species Conservation.—The recommendation
includes $129,071,000 for Aquatic Habitat and Species Conserva-
tion. A discussion of the program components follows below.
Habitat Assessment and Restoration.—The recommendation in-
cludes $47,320,000, of which: $200,000 is for the Truckee River Op-
erating Agreement; $7,164,000 for the National Fish Habitat Ac-
tion Plan; and maintains the enacted level for the Chehalis Fish-
eries Restoration Program. The recommendation provides
$13,500,000 to implement the Delaware River Basin Conservation
Act; $2,750,000 for Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement; and
$18,598,000 for the National Fish Passage Program; all programs
which are supplemented by funding provided in Public Law 117–
58 as outlined in the Service’s spend plan contained in the fiscal
year 2023 budget justification. The Committee encourages the
Service to continue to work with partners to address their concerns
about securing the non-Federal matching dollars required for eligi-
bility to receive funding through the Delaware Watershed Con-
servation Fund. The Service should explore solutions and convene
partners to develop approaches for addressing this concern and
identify other sources of funds that can be used as a match. Con-
tinued collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Founda-
tion to acquire technical assistance is also encouraged. The Service
is encouraged to continue its collaborative work with partners
through the National Fish Passage Program on the Warren Glen
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Dam removal project. The Service is directed to continue to work
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with Tribal partners on fish passage technologies and fish restora-
tion activities.
Population Assessment and Cooperative Management.—The rec-
ommendation provides $37,031,000, which provides $1,000,000 to
implement the Great Lakes Consent Decree and $3,000,000 for the
Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act. The Great Lakes
Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act is supplemented with funding
from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The recommendation
does not accept the proposed reductions and maintains no less than
the enacted funding level for the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey
program, the Pacific Salmon treaty, and the Connecticut River At-
lantic Salmon Commission, and funds them at the enacted level,
and provides $18,064,000 for general program activities. The Com-
mittee remains supportive of the annual Memorandum of Agree-
ment with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to provide funding
for sea lamprey treatment, assessment, and program administra-
tion. The Service is encouraged to continue to work with the State
of Maryland, NOAA, and other partners on eradication of invasive
northern snakehead and to finalize their plan for eradication in the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Service is to brief the Committee
on this effort within 120 days of the enactment of the Act. The
Service is directed to use $1,000,000 from within available funds
for this effort.
The Committee is concerned about the status of American shad
in the Potomac River and other systems. The Service is directed to
use up to $750,000 from within available funds to increase capacity
to conserve species such as American shad.
Aquatic Invasive Species.—The recommendation includes
$44,720,000, of which $4,400,000 is for National Invasive Species
Act (NISA) activities, as requested, which includes $2,834,000 for
State and Interstate plans and $1,566,000 is for NISA coordination;
and $5,588,000 is to implement subsection 5(d)(2) of the Lake
Tahoe Restoration Act which is supplemented by funding provided
in Public Law 117–58 as outlined in the Service’s spend plan con-
tained in the fiscal year 2023 budget justification. The Committee
continues funding to aid the Service in working to prevent Invasive
carp from entering the Great Lakes, and to control and eradicate
them from the Mississippi River, its six sub-basins, the Upper Mis-
sissippi River, Missouri River, Arkansas-Red White River, Lower
Mississippi River, Tennessee Cumberland River, and Ohio River,
and Kentucky Lake, and Lake Barkley. This recommendation in-
cludes $26,000,000 for Invasive carp, of which $4,000,000 is for con-
tract fishing; $1,011,000 is for Sea Lamprey administration costs;
$500,000 is for hydrilla, eel and milfoil invasive grasses; $2,776,000
is for prevention; and $3,500,000 is to prevent the spread of quagga
and zebra mussels in the West of which $1,250,000 is for NISA
state and Interstate plan. The Service is encouraged to pursue
technologies to aid in the elimination, mitigation, or control of
aquatic nuisance species and invasive species that do not result in
the addition of chemical agents to the ecosystem that can lead to
harmful by-products such as algal blooms. In fiscal year 2023, no
less than $6,000,000 of the funding provided in Public Law 117–
58 to the Office of the Secretary for invasive species should be di-
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rected toward the National Early Detection and Rapid Response
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Framework and the Rapid Response Fund to supplement Service
funding.
The $4,000,000 provided for contract fishing will create jobs
while advancing efforts to combat invasive carp by expanding and
perfecting the combined use of contract fishing, including on the
Chicago Aera Waterways System, and deterrents to extirpate
invasive carp, including grass carp, where already established, pur-
suant to individual State laws and regulations and as called for in
management plans. Contract fishing has proven to be an extremely
effective management tool. The Service shall continue to work with
its State partners to gather data to analyze the impacts of contract
fishing to control abundance and movement of invasive carp, in-
cluding grass carp, and to make every effort to make public an-
nouncements for contract fishing. The Service is to make sure ade-
quate resources are provided to support the efforts of the Invasive
Carp Regional Coordinating Committee and is encouraged to main-
tain a Service employee as the Mississippi Interstate Cooperative
Resource Association (MICRA) Coordinator and to assist the
MICRA Chair and MICRA Executive Committee with various
tasks.
The Committee recognizes the importance of understanding the
current economic situation as it relates to the removal and uses of
Invasive carp. In fiscal year 2022, the Committee directed the De-
partment of Interior to hold a one-day forum modeled on the March
25, 2021 Department of the Interior oil and gas forum to review
how Invasive carp that are removed through contract fishing or by
other means are being utilized. The Service is directed to brief the
Committee within 120 days of enactment of this Act on current and
potential uses, including human consumption and as a potential
source for bait, and to maintain a link on their website to this
forum.
Cooperative Landscape Conservation.—The Committee rec-
ommendation merges this activity into Science Support and creates
a new subactivity, Science Partnerships.
Science Support.—The recommendation provides $49,620,000 for
the Science Support program.
Landscape-scale conservation efforts are critical to restoring
functioning ecosystems that provide multiple economic and societal
benefits to local communities. The Committee concurs with the
Service’s determination that the best approach to address the com-
plexity of challenges that result from conservation on a landscape
level is to move away from Landscape Conservation Cooperatives
as the primary vehicle to work with Federal, State, Tribal and
other organizations to develop shared conservation priorities and
instead to support a range of partnerships that implement locally
led conservation and accomplish similar goals and objectives. The
Committee also recognizes the Service’s Science program is instru-
mental in facilitating landscape conservation through comprehen-
sive investments that address complicated, multi-jurisdictional con-
servation challenges from a science-based landscape perspective.
To better reflect the direction of this program and to strengthen
the foundation of supporting partners’ collaborative landscape con-
servation efforts, the Service is directed to combine Cooperative
Landscape Conservation and Science Applications into one sub-
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activity under Science Support titled Science Partnerships. The rec-
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29
ommendation provides $40,648,000 for Science Partnerships to
fund collaborative conservation and science at a landscape-scale to
meet the needs of partners. The recommendation provides
$8,972,000 for the Service Science subactivityto continue funding
Service climate and science needs.
The Service should continue to co-lead and implement the North
American Bat Monitoring Program with other Federal, State, and
non-governmental partners. The Service is also expected to partner
with Cooperative Research Units whenever possible. This funding
level maintains the enacted level for ecosystem restoration of the
Gulf Coast as well as includes $3,500,000 for research related to
white-nose syndrome in bats. The recommendation also provides
$15,000,000 for the Chesapeake WILD grant program for a new
call for proposals to achieve Chesapeake WILD Program goals of
restoring water quality and habitats in the Chesapeake Bay. The
Service is reminded of the directive in fiscal year 2022 to brief the
Committee on the framework, staffing, criteria for grants, and
monitoring established for this new grant program. Acknowledging
the findings of the report from the Intergovernmental Science-Pol-
icy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services that 1,000,000
species are threatened with extinction, the recommendation pro-
vides an additional $2,000,000 above the enacted level for research
on Monarch butterflies. The Committee acknowledges that mon-
archs and pollinators also benefit from other Service investments
in landscape conservation and for other species that share similar
habitat needs.
General Operations.—The recommendation includes $166,906,000
for General Operations programs, $11,257,000 above the enacted
level and $21,515,000 below the budget request. This funding level
provides $31,833,000 for Central Office Operations which includes
the requested funding increases for the Diversity Office and the
Native American Coordination Office; $51,457,000 for Management
and Administration; $46,224,000 for Servicewide Bill Paying;
$7,032,000 for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation;
$27,060,000 for the National Conservation Training Center; and
$3,300,000 for Aviation Management.
Everglades.—The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Ref-
uge and Conservation Area was created to protect one of the last
remaining grassland and longleaf pine savanna landscapes in east-
ern North America while securing water resources for seven million
people in south Florida. The Committee continues its support for
collaborative efforts to protect, restore, and conserve habitats for
one of the greatest ecological treasures of the United States. The
recommendation provides no less than the enacted level, across
multiple programs for Everglades restoration.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $12,847,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 46,418,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 32,904,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +20,057,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥13,514,000
The Committee recommends $32,904,000 for Construction,
$20,057,000 above the enacted level and $13,514,000 below the re-
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quest. The recommendation includes $1,350,000 for fleet enhance-
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30
ment and $1,650,000 for field communication modernization. For
line-item construction, the Service is expected to follow the project
priority list in the table below.
When a construction project is completed or terminated and ap-
propriated funds remain, the Service may use those balances to re-
spond to unforeseen reconstruction, replacement, or repair of facili-
ties or equipment damaged or destroyed by storms, floods, fires,
and similar unanticipated natural events.
Bill language has been included which authorizes funding to be
used for modernization of field communication capabilities.
Committee
State Refuge, Hatchery, or Other Unit Budget Request Recommendation
NJ E. B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge ............................................. $5,326,000 $5,326,000
SC Blears Bluff National Fish Hatchery .................................................. 1,404,000 1,404,000
ND Badhill Dam National Fish Hatchery ................................................. 3,625,000 3,625,000
AK Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge ................................................ 3,341,000 3,341,000
* Branch of Dam Safety ........................................................................ 200,000 200,000
MN Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge ........................................ 1,000,000 1,000,000
AK Office of Law Enforcement ................................................................. 550,000 550,000
WA Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge ................................................... 5,960,000 5,960,000
* Information Resources & Technology Management ........................... 250,000 250,000
* Information Resources & Technology Management DIFCOM Field
Communications Modernization ..................................................... 5,412,000 1,650,000
* Nationwide Zero Emission Charging Stations ................................... 10,867,000 1,350,000
COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
(CESCF; Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act), administered by
the Service’s Ecological Services program, provides grant funding to
States and Territories for species and habitat conservation actions
on non-Federal lands, including habitat acquisition, conservation
planning, habitat restoration, status surveys, captive propagation
and reintroduction, research, and education.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $24,064,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 23,702,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 24,564,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +500,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +862,000
The Committee recommends $24,564,000 for the Cooperative En-
dangered Species Conservation Fund, $500,000 above the enacted
level and $862,000 above the budget request. Land acquisition
funding of $32,800,000 is provided in the Great American Outdoors
Act. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the ac-
count level is provided at the end of this report.
The Committee acknowledges and urges the continuation of the
Service’s work with stakeholders to seek consensus reforms to the
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition program, in-
cluding the consideration of adopting best practices from other
Land and Water Conservation Fund programs for working with
land trusts and private landowners. Because of its role in facili-
tating locally led economic development and the conservation of
threatened and endangered species and their habitats, the Com-
mittee recognizes the strong bipartisan support for the program in
general and its potential contribution to the administration’s Amer-
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ica the Beautiful initiative.
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31
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FUND
The National Wildlife Refuge Fund shares refuge revenues and
makes payments in lieu of taxes to counties in which Service lands
are located.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $13,228,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 0
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 13,228,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +13,228,000
The Committee recommends $13,228,000 for the National Wild-
life Refuge Fund, equal to the enacted level and $13,228,000 above
the budget request.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION FUND
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989
(NAWCA) provided for matching grants to support projects that
protect, enhance, and restore habitat for wetland-dependent birds
and other wildlife in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Addi-
tional program funding comes from fines, penalties, and forfeitures
collected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918; from Fed-
eral fuel excise taxes on small gasoline engines, as directed by
amendments to the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of
1950, to benefit coastal ecosystem projects; and from interest ac-
crued on the fund established under the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act of 1937. As the only Federal grant program dedi-
cated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds,
this program has helped NAWCA partners conserve 33 million
acres of wetlands. Appropriations are authorized through fiscal
year 2025.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $48,500,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 46,500,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 50,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +1,500,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +3,500,000
The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for the North American
Wetlands Conservation Fund, $1,500,000 above the enacted level
and $3,500,000 above the budget request.
NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program pro-
vides matching grants to partners throughout the Western Hemi-
sphere to promote the conservation of Neotropical migratory birds
in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean,
with not less than 75 percent of the amounts available to be ex-
pended on projects in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 7,910,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 5,100,000
Comparison:
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Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +100,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥2,810,000
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The Committee recommends $5,100,000 for neotropical migratory
bird conservation, $100,000 above the enacted level and $2,810,000
below the budget request.
MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
The Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides critical
technical and financial assistance to local communities, wildlife au-
thorities, and non-governmental organizations in range countries
for on-the-ground conservation work to protect African and Asian
elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, great apes, and marine turtles,
freshwater turtles and tortoises, and their habitats. Funding is pro-
vided through grants or cooperative agreements to establish pro-
tected areas; monitor wildlife populations; combat wildlife traf-
ficking; reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products; pro-
vide vital infrastructure, training, and equipment to manage pro-
tected areas and wildlife populations; and support intact, resilient
ecosystems that buffer both humans and wildlife from the spillover
and spread of zoonotic disease.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $20,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 19,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 25,500,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +5,500,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +6,500,000
The Committee recommends $25,500,000 for the Multinational
Species Conservation Fund (MSCF) to protect these priority spe-
cies, $5,500,000 above the enacted level and $6,500,000 above the
budget request. The Committee acknowledges the critical role of
MSCF grants in reducing disease transmission by supporting
project partners in Africa, Eurasia, and Latin America as they
work toward maintaining healthy wildlife populations and con-
nected habitats, reducing unsustainable commercial bushmeat
trade, and carrying out research and monitoring to better under-
stand and mitigate the spread of emerging diseases. A detailed
table of funding recommendations below the account level is pro-
vided at the end of this report.
STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE GRANTS
The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program provides grants to
States and federally recognized Tribes, the District of Columbia,
Commonwealths, and Territories to conserve fish and wildlife and
their habitats, with a special focus on at-risk species that are not
hunted or fished.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $72,612,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 82,362,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 74,362,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +1,750,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥8,000,000
The Committee recommends $74,362,000 for State and Tribal
Wildlife Grants, $1,750,000 above the enacted level and $8,000,000
below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommenda-
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tions below the account level is provided at the end of this report.
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
The Administrative Provisions include long-standing items that
facilitate efficient operations. The recommendation does not include
language requested for recovery of damages but does include an in-
crease in the ceiling for law enforcement rewards.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The mission of the National Park Service (Service) is to preserve
unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the
national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration
of this and future generations. Established in 1916, the National
Park Service has stewardship responsibilities for the protection and
preservation of the heritage resources of the national park system.
The system, consisting of 423 separate and distinct units, is recog-
nized globally as a leader in park management and resource pres-
ervation. The national park system represents much of the finest
the Nation has to offer in terms of natural beauty and wildlife, his-
torical and archeological relics, and cultural heritage. Through its
varied sites, the National Park Service attempts to explain Amer-
ica’s history, interpret its culture, preserve examples of its natural
ecosystems, and provide recreational and educational opportunities
for U.S. citizens and visitors from all over the world. In addition,
the National Park Service provides support to Tribal, local, and
State governments to preserve culturally significant, ecologically
important, and public recreational lands.
OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $2,767,028,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 3,089,856,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 3,089,856,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 322,828,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $3,089,856,000 for Operation of the
National Park System (ONPS), $322,828,000 above the enacted
level and equal to the budget request. The amounts recommended
by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity
are shown in the table at the end of this report. The recommenda-
tion provides fixed costs and funding for new and critical respon-
sibilities, as requested.
Additional funding guidance is provided below.
Resource Stewardship.—The Committee recommends
$530,931,000 for resource stewardship. The recommendation pro-
vides $5,300,000 for the Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers pro-
gram, $6,500,000 for Quagga and Zebra Mussel Programs, and
$18,856,000 for the National Trails System.
The recommendation provides $9,143,000 for the National Net-
works for activities, including grants. Within this amount, the Afri-
can American Civil Rights Network is funded at the requested level
of $5,384,000 and the National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom is funded at $2,505,000.
Everglades Restoration.—The Committee recommends
$11,661,000 for the Everglades Restoration Program. The Com-
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mittee notes the substantial progress made toward restoration of
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34
the Everglades ecosystem and continues to support this multi-year
effort to preserve one of the great ecological treasures of the United
States. As restoration efforts continue, it is encouraged that the
northern headwaters of the Everglades be given special consider-
ation.
Additionally, given potential impacts to the Comprehensive Ever-
glades Restoration Plan, the Committee encourages the Service to
consult with the U.S. Air Force as the Department of Defense con-
siders plans to expand non-military aviation operations at the
Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Visitor Services.—The Committee recommends $301,913,000 for
Visitor Services. The National Capital Area Performing Arts Pro-
gram is funded at no less than the enacted level.
Every Kid Outdoors Program.—The John D. Dingell, Jr. Con-
servation, Management and Recreation Act reauthorized the Every
Kid Outdoors program through 2026. This program provides U.S.
fourth graders and family members with free access to over 2,000
federal lands and waters. Within the funds provided for Visitor
Services, the Service should aim to use no less than $25,000,000 to
support the work of this program. This funding will support activi-
ties such as distributing information and resources to make it easy
for teachers and families to identify nearby public lands and
waters, providing transportation support to schools with the great-
est financial need, and providing educational materials. Further-
more, the Service is encouraged to launch targeted programs for
underserved communities and children with disabilities.
Global Positioning System Modernization.—The recommendation
provides $1,500,000 for the sustainment of recently acquired Global
Positioning System (GPS) data collection devices used by the Serv-
ice for facilities planning, lands administration, visitor safety, and
infrastructure protection. The Committee is aware that the NPS re-
quires ongoing sustainment of the Service’s field data collection de-
vices to include cyclic hardware and software refresh to comply
with the Department’s Information Technology security require-
ments. The funds provided will allow the Service to maintain com-
pliance on field data collection devices. Within appropriate procure-
ment requirements, the NPS is encouraged to procure additional
devices from U.S. manufacturers.
National Park Foundation.—The recommendation includes
$5,000,000 for the National Park Foundation, equal to the enacted
level.
Additional Guidance.—The following additional direction and
guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this
account:
Amache National Historic Site.—The recommendation includes
the requested funding for the newly authorized Amache National
Historic Site, which was one of ten incarceration sites established
by the War Relocation Authority during World War II to detain
Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their commu-
nities on the West Coast.
America’s First Frontier.—The Committee urges the Service to
advance interpretive efforts at existing Service sites and in collabo-
ration with other Federal, State, and local agencies, including other
bureaus within the Department of the Interior, to detail the start
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of westward expansion through the Northwest Territory as Amer-
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icas First Frontier, the territories west of the Ohio River that
opened for settlement pursuant to the northwest Ordinance.
Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor.—The Committee
continues the fiscal year 2021 enacted directive regarding coopera-
tive agreements with the local coordinating entity for the Black-
stone Valley National Heritage Corridor.
Civil Rights Sites.—The Committee emphasizes the importance
of the ongoing work to preserve and highlight the sites and stories
associated with securing civil rights for all Americans, especially
those in historically marginalized groups. The Committee further
recognizes the emergence of many sites significant to these histori-
cally marginalized groups and encourages the Service to properly
recognize, preserve, and maintain these sites.
Diversity Reporting Requirements for Special Use Permits.—The
Committee continues to recognize the Service’s role in facilitating
special use permits for film projects on its lands. The Committee
encourages the Service to explore opportunities to incorporate di-
versity and inclusion requirements as part of the special use permit
process.
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail.—The Com-
mittee encourages the Service to emphasize and increase collabora-
tions with local non-profit organizations to support research and re-
newal efforts of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic
Trail.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Mead National
Recreation Area.—The significant threat that quagga mussel infes-
tations pose to the health of the Colorado River ecosystem and its
tributaries, as well as non-federal waterways, is concerning. The
Service is directed to continue supporting quagga control projects
at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Mead National
Recreation Area at not less than the enacted level to support re-
search and product improvements for a mobile watercraft tracking
system that could be utilized by the NPS and State Wildlife Agen-
cies.
Great Falls Park.—The Committee notes the success of George
Washington Memorial Parkway collaboration with U.S. Park Police
officers in managing traffic at the entrance of Great Falls Park in
Virginia on busy weekends and holidays. Prior to the implementa-
tion of this traffic management, traffic would frequently block ac-
cess to nearby residences, preventing residents, their guests, deliv-
eries, and emergency services from reaching these homes in a time-
ly manner. The Committee encourages the George Washington Me-
morial Parkway and U.S. Park Police to continue collaborating on
these services.
Hoh Indian Tribe Evacuation Route.—The Committee recognizes
the importance of ensuring that the Hoh Indian Tribe has a func-
tional tsunami emergency evacuation route. The Service is directed
to work with the Hoh Indian Tribe to initiate necessary discus-
sions, planning, and compliance efforts within 120 days of the en-
actment of this act for an evacuation route that could allow for
small vehicular evacuation, including identifying any specific land
parcels that would require redesignation under the law and to pro-
vide to the Committee a date by when a comprehensive plan will
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be completed.
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Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Office.—The Com-
mittee is aware of the work the Natural Resource Stewardship and
Science Office does to leverage science capacity with programs such
as Research Learning Centers, Cooperative Ecosystem Studies
Units, Climate Science Centers, and other academic, nonprofit, and
private entities. The Service is encouraged to continue the work of
this important program.
Outreach.—The Committee recognizes that the Service has taken
steps to increase outreach, make parks more accessible, and in-
crease recruitment within minority schools and communities. The
Committee directs the Service to continue with these efforts and to
develop partnerships and programs with Hispanic Serving Institu-
tions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other Mi-
nority Serving Intuitions that contribute to the mission of the Na-
tional Park Service. The Service is directed to complete and submit
to the Committee on Appropriations the study required by House
Report 116–100 within 60 days of enactment of the Act.
Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers.—The Committee recognizes
the effectiveness of the Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers Program
in fulfilling its core mission to preserve resources, provide for vis-
itor enjoyment and protection, operate and maintain facilities, and
manage and administer the national parks. Upon authorization
and once funding becomes available, the Service is expected to
study the eligibility and sustainability of including the Kissimmee
for possible inclusion in the Wild & Scenic Rivers System.
Plastic Waste Reduction.—The Committee awaits the plan di-
rected by House Report 117–83.
Resource Stewardship.—The recommendation includes funding
for the Natural Resources Conservation Initiative, which will help
the Service respond to the urgent landscape-scale needs of critically
endangered forest birds with habitats in national parks. These spe-
cies face increased threats and imminent extinction from non-na-
tive mosquitoes that carry avian malaria and other pathogens that
have been exacerbated by climate change.
Visitation.—As the Service develops funding estimates for sites
within the National Park System, the Committee encourages the
Service to consider how annual visitation trends may impact oper-
ations at each park, among other factors.
World War II Interpretation.—The Committee recognizes the im-
portance of the interpretive story at the World War II Memorial as
a national focal point for a message of perseverance and hope at
a defining moment in American history. The Service is encouraged
to include innovative storytelling at the memorial, which incor-
porates video and collections with related WWII sites.
NATIONAL RECREATION AND PRESERVATION
The National Recreation and Preservation account provides for
outdoor recreation planning, preservation of cultural and national
heritage resources, technical assistance to Federal, State and local
agencies, and administration of Historic Preservation Fund grants.
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Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $83,910,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 74,581,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 88,243,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +4,333,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +13,662,000
The Committee recommends $88,243,000 for National Recreation
and Preservation, $4,333,000 above the enacted level and
$13,662,000 above the budget request. The amounts recommended
by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity
are shown in the table at the end of this report. The recommenda-
tion provides fixed costs, as requested.
Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance.—The Committee rec-
ommends $13,000,000 for the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation As-
sistance program.
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails.—The Committee rec-
ommends $3,027,000 for Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails.
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Grants.—
The Committee recommends $3,407,000 for Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Grants.
Japanese Confinement Site Grants.—The Committee recommends
$4,655,000 for Japanese Confinement Site Grants.
American Indian and Native Hawaiian Art and Culture
Grants.—The Committee recommends $2,750,000 for American In-
dian and Native Hawaiian Art and Culture Grants.
9/11 Memorial Act Grants.—The Committee recommends
$4,000,000 for the competitive grant program, as authorized by the
9/11 Memorial Act (Public Law 115–413).
Heritage Partnership Programs.—The Committee recommends
$29,232,000 for Heritage Partnership Programs. The directive con-
tained in the explanatory statement that accompanied Public Law
116–6 with regards to funding distribution is continued. The Com-
mittees note that areas that have not completed their management
plan continue to be eligible for funding regardless of the status of
their management plan.
Additional Guidance.—The following additional direction and
guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this
account:
Crossroads of the West National Historic District.—The Cross-
roads of the West National Historic District is an important geo-
graphical and historical area in northern Utah representing the
center of the western U.S. and sites associated with the completion
of the first transcontinental railroad in the State. The Service is
encouraged to continue working with the Committee, the author-
izing committees of jurisdiction, and relevant stakeholders to help
preserve and interpret sites in the District for the educational and
inspirational benefit of the public and to enhance cultural and com-
patible economic redevelopment within the District.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
The Historic Preservation Fund supports the State historic pres-
ervation offices to perform a variety of functions. These include
State management and administration of existing grant obliga-
tions; review and advice on Federal projects and actions; deter-
minations and nominations to the National Register; Tax Act cer-
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tifications; and technical preservation services. The States also re-
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38
view properties to develop data for planning use. Funding in this
account also supports direct grants to qualifying organizations for
individual preservation projects and for activities in support of her-
itage tourism and local historic preservation.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $173,072,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 151,800,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 170,825,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ ¥2,247,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +19,025,000
The Committee recommends $170,825,000 for historic preserva-
tion, $2,247,000 below the enacted level and $19,025,000 above the
budget request.
Competitive Grants.—The Committee recommends $28,000,000,
an increase of $375,000 above the enacted level and $1,875,000
above the request. The recommendation provides $22,000,000, for
the African American Civil Rights Grants. Additionally, the Com-
mittee provides $4,750,000 for the History of Equal Rights grants
and $1,250,000 for grants to underserved communities.
Additional Guidance.—The following guidance is provided with
respect to funding provided within this account:
Hispanic Heritage Sites.—The Committee is concerned that
across the United States, many sites that are historically connected
to Hispanic contributions to American society and culture have not
been given proper recognition, which affects how Americans see
Hispanics in United States history. While the Service has taken
steps to improve Hispanic representation in heritage sites, the
Committee believes there is more work to be done and directs the
Service to complete and submit to the Committee on Appropria-
tions the study required by House Report 116–100 within 60 days
of enactment of the Act.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $225,984,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 279,340,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 279,340,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +53,356,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $279,340,000 for Construction,
$53,356,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget re-
quest. The recommendation provides fixed costs, as requested.
Line-Item Construction.—The following table details the line item
construction activity for specific projects requested or provided by
the administration.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CONSTRUCTION
Committee
State Project Budget Request Recommendation
DC National Mall and Memorial Parks, Repair Lincoln Reflecting Pool
to Prevent Water Loss .................................................................... $4,400,000 $4,400,000
VA Wolf Trap National Park, Replace Stage Lighting Components ........ 4,260,000 4,260,000
VA Colonial National Historical Park, Repair Jones Mill Pond Dam ....... 8,150,000 8,150,000
TN Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rehabilitate Laurel Falls
Trail ................................................................................................ 7,280,000 7,280,000
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GA Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Rehabilitate 501
Auburn Avenue ............................................................................... 4,940,000 4,940,000
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39
Committee
State Project Budget Request Recommendation
WA North Cascades National Park, Replace Obsolete Stehekin Waste-
water Treatment Plant ................................................................... 13,630,000 13,630,000
DC National Capital Parks—East, Modify United States Park Police
Aviation Building for Fire Protection and Suppression ................. 8,760,000 8,760,000
ND Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Stabilize River-
bank to Protect Archeological Resources and Infrastructure ....... 9,910,000 9,910,000
IN George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Repair Lincoln Me-
morial Bridge Approach ................................................................. 11,720,000 11,720,000
SD Mount Rushmore National Monument, Rehabilitate and Expand
Wastewater Treatment Plant ......................................................... 16,330,000 16,330,000
AK Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Replace Housing Lost to
Structural Fire ................................................................................ 4,040,000 4,040,000
DC President’s Park (White House), Upgrade Utilities Project G ............ 23,400,000 23,400,000
OR Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, Upgrade One Mile Water
Service ............................................................................................ 3,880,000 3,880,000
Total ............................................................................................... .............................. 120,700,000
Management Planning.—The recommendation provides the re-
quested funds to support Climate Vulnerability Assessments. The
Service is directed to initiate a vulnerability assessment of the
Kalach Lodge and cabins in Olympic National Park. The Com-
mittee recognizes Kalaloch Lodge and cabins as a priority given
their historic and recreational value.
Equipment Replacement Program.—The Committee supports the
Service’s efforts to accelerate deployment of electric vehicle charg-
ing stations at its park units, as well as transitioning to zero emis-
sion vehicles in the NPS fleet and encourages NPS to consider
emerging commercial solar powered, free-standing EV charging op-
tions to address EV charging needs in remote or sensitive areas
across the national park system that may lack existing access to
the grid, where EV charging infrastructure may be very difficult or
expensive to deploy.
CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $15,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 15,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 15,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $15,000,000 for the Centennial
Challenge matching grant program, equal to the enacted level and
the budget request.
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Originating in 1879, the United States Geological Survey (USGS
or Survey), is the Nation’s largest water, earth, and biological
science and civilian mapping agency and the primary Federal
source of science-based information on ecosystems, land use, energy
and mineral resources, natural hazards, water use and availability,
and updated maps and images of the Earth’s features available to
the public. As the sole science agency for the Department of the In-
terior, the Survey’s scientific information forms a basis for impor-
tant plans and decisions about resource management, emergency
management, and public health. The Survey works in partnership
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within Interior and across the government as well as with States,
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40
Tribes, local jurisdictions, universities, and the private sector. The
diversity of Survey scientific expertise enables the Survey to pro-
vide the best available science and scientific information to re-
source managers and planners, emergency response officials, and
the public.
SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,394,360,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,711,344,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,644,232,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +249,872,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥67,112,000
The Committee recommends $1,644,232,000 for Surveys, Inves-
tigations, and Research, $249,872,000 above the enacted level and
$67,112,000 below the budget request. The recommendation as-
sumes the enacted level of funding for all programs, provides fixed
costs as requested, and specifies any program changes accepted
from the budget request. Program changes, instructions and details
follow below and in the table at the end of this report. Additional
instructions are included in the front of this report.
The Survey provides critical scientific research and data to land
and water managers in priority ecosystems including the California
Bay Delta, the Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay and the Great
Lakes. This work is funded through multiple mission areas and ac-
counts, and the Committee expects this work to continue at no less
than the enacted level, unless otherwise directed.
Ecosystems.—The recommendation provides $358,872,000,
$80,975,000 above the enacted level and $16,820,000 below the
budget request. Program elements of this mission area follow
below.
Environmental Health.—The recommendation includes
$30,559,000, which includes an increase of $2,000,000 above the
enacted level in Toxic Substances Hydrology for harmful algal
bloom research. The Committee remains concerned about the prev-
alence and dangers of algal toxins and pathogens in the nation’s
natural bodies of water. The Survey is to continue its research on
understanding the prevalence of toxins in the nation’s natural bod-
ies of water by expanding its understanding of the drivers of algal
blooms and the associated health impacts and toxicity, especially
through drinking water, and examining the pathways through
which sediment and nutrients move through watersheds and into
bodies of water bodies, and how that process contributes to the for-
mation of harmful algal blooms. The Survey is encouraged to par-
ticipate in interagency efforts to expedite the development and de-
ployment of remote sensing tools to assist with early event warning
delivered through mobile devices and web portals. The Committee
also directs the Survey to maintain its monitoring and research ac-
tivities in the Tahoe basin on nearshore algal blooms and to sup-
port implementation of P.L. 106–506. Within 60 days of enactment
of this Act, the Survey is to provide a report to the Committee on
the Environmental Health research it plans to conduct in fiscal
year 2023 specifically outlining efforts on harmful algal blooms and
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFOA/PFAS). The rec-
ommendation also provides the $1,000,000 requested for mitigation
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of contaminant exposures and recycling of mining waste.
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41
Species Management Research Program.—For Species Manage-
ment Research, the recommendation provides $70,859,000. The rec-
ommendation also includes increases of $7,500,000 for applied
science in support of bureau conservation and adaptation to provide
science to inform efforts to address priorities in the Conserving and
Restoring America the Beautiful report, $5,000,000 for decision
support for clean energy, no funding for integrated sensor grants
and instead $500,000 to support and collaborate with the USA Na-
tional Phenology Network, and $2,000,000 for deepwater fisheries
research at the Great Lakes Science Center. Funding should also
be used as necessary to supplement the additional resources the
Committee has provided to the Bureau of Land Management to
work with the Survey to significantly progress research on revers-
ible immunocontraceptive fertility control for wild horses and bur-
ros. The Committee encourages the Survey to continue work re-
lated to the Oregon Private Forest Accord, as appropriate.
Land Management Research Program.—For the Land Manage-
ment Research Program, the recommendation provides $72,162,000
which includes $11,100,000 for understanding and quantifying eco-
system services. The Survey is directed to fund all priority geo-
graphic landscapes and ecosystems, such as the Everglades at no
less than the enacted level, and $8,500,000 is provided for the
Chesapeake Bay. The Committee urges the Survey to continue its
work on native plant research and identify opportunities for the
Department to increase the use of native plants in land restoration
projects as well as the native plant species that could be most suc-
cessful for restoration and promote improved ecosystem function.
Resources for applied science may be used to enhance base funding
for sage grouse research as the Survey’s recent report on plum-
meting population numbers outlines the need for enhanced con-
servation to ensure the viability of the species.
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program.—The
recommendation provides $46,780,000 which includes $5,190,000
for interacting multiple stressor effects on biological threats. The
Committee continues to be concerned about the economic, ecologic,
and health threats posed by invasive species. Therefore,
$11,000,000 is provided to continue critical research for Invasive
carp, including $3,000,000 for research to contain or eradicate
grass carp such as the Survey’s on-going work to develop species-
specific toxicants for grass carp. The Department is directed to up-
date the Committee on phytoplankton changes in the Great Lakes
since 1980.
The recommendation also provides $4,720,000 for research on
chronic wasting disease in wild populations of cervids. Funding for
research on Coral Disease, White Nose Syndrome, and Greater Ev-
erglades Invasive species is maintained at the enacted level.
Climate Adaptation Science Centers and Land Change Science.—
The Committee provides $110,362,000 for Climate Adaptation and
Land Change Science. National and Regional Climate Adaptation
Science Centers (CASCs) are provided $85,241,000 which ensures
all nine centers remain open, operational, and fully functional and
receive an increase in funding above the enacted level which will
accelerate their work. The Committee encourages the Survey to
fund these regional centers, including university consortia, and ap-
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prove staffing plans as expeditiously as possible. At a time when
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42
our natural and cultural resources, our communities, and our
health are being assaulted by climate change, CASCs provide ac-
tionable science and research that directly address many of the cli-
mate-related challenges unique to different regions of the country
and are invaluable to stakeholders and policy makers. The rec-
ommendation includes $10,000,000 for Tribal climate adaptation
science to build capacity. The recommendation also provides
$25,121,000 for land change science which includes $5,000,000 to
further the Federal lands greenhouse gas emissions inventory and
sequestration assessment as requested.
Cooperative Research Units (CRUs).—The Committee recognizes
the value of Cooperative Research Units and provides $28,150,000
to support these research institutions and maintain the educational
pipeline, including improving and increasing youth involvement in
science and resource management. The recommendation continues
the directive to fill critical vacancies, specifically vacancies needed
to build quantitative fisheries capacity in inland waters of the
Upper Mississippi Basin. The recommendation does not specify
funding for research into the causes of malignant melanomas af-
fecting brown bullhead. The Survey may use the increase to sup-
port existing CRU’s and establish a CRU at an institution of higher
education that does not have a CRU.
Great Lakes Science Center.—Funding for the Great Lakes
Science Center is provided at no less than $15,000,000. The Com-
mittee supports the Great Lakes Science Center’s collaboration
with the broader Great Lakes Partnership to implement priority
science needs for biological assessment tools and technologies.
These additional resources will ensure acquisition of information
necessary for fishery management decisions and to support the
Center’s large vessels.
Energy and Mineral Resources.—The Committee provides
$133,010,000 for Energy and Minerals, $37,787,000 above the en-
acted level and $14,000,000 below the budget request. Program ele-
ments of this mission area follow below.
The Committee recommends $83,552,000 for the Mineral Re-
sources Program which includes $10,848,000 to support the Earth
Mapping Resources Initiative, Earth MRI which is supplemented
by funding provided in Public Law 117–58 and outlined in the
spend plan included in the Survey’s fiscal year 2023 budget jus-
tification; $16,274,000 for mine waste research and assessments
and directs the Survey to provide a briefing within 120 days of en-
actment of this Act on the feasibility of conducting field experi-
ments on mineralization of slag and other industrial wastes; and
$6,670,000 for supply chain research to build upon analyses of min-
eral dependencies. This funding level allows the Survey to work
with Federal and State partners to modernize the Nation’s under-
standing of the subsurface and improve the topographic, geological,
and geophysical mapping of the United States. The Committee en-
courages the Survey to allocate funds for research and development
of sustainable nontraditional critical metal recovery and recycling
technologies. The Survey is directed to brief the Committee within
90 days of enactment of this Act on the funding requirement and
any benefits associated with a new cooperative USGS Mineral Re-
sources Program with state geological surveys to map and charac-
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terize industrial minerals such as onshore and offshore sand and
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43
gravel, crushed stone, and ingredients of cement, which are needed
close to construction of roads, bridges, and buildings to minimize
cost and transportation impacts.
The recommendation includes $49,458,000 for the Energy Re-
sources Program and includes program increases of $2,000,000 for
geothermal energy, $9,000,000 for the inventory of greenhouse gas
emissions and sinks on Federal lands, $5,000,000 for scenario anal-
ysis tools for greenhouse gas reduction on Federal lands, and
$1,000,000 for research on geologic carbon sequestration.
Natural Hazards.—The Committee recommends $213,377,000 for
Natural Hazards Programs, $27,379,000 above the enacted level
and $6,450,000 below the budget request. Program elements of this
mission area follow below.
The recommendation strongly supports the Earthquake Hazards
program and provides $97,820,000 which includes $28,600,000 for
continued development and expansion of the ShakeAlert West
Coast earthquake early warning (EEW) system and for capital
costs associated with the buildout of the ShakeAlert EEW. The
Survey is encouraged to continue its collaboration with California,
Oregon, and Washington to advance this program. The Committee
directs USGS to report within 60 days of enactment on how fund-
ing for EEW is being spent and the timeline for completing build
out of the system. The recommendation includes $3,100,000 for in-
duced seismicity, $3,500,000 for modernization and hardening of
infrastructure in support of earthquake analysis and $5,200,000 for
subduction zone science. Funding for the Advanced National Seis-
mic System, Regional Seismic Network Support, and the Seismic
Network, which includes the Central and Eastern U.S. Seismic
Network, at no less than the enacted level. Funding for the oper-
ation and maintenance of the 43 adopted Earthscope USArray sta-
tions is maintained at $3,000,000. The Committee maintains the
$500,000 provided in fiscal year 2022 for the Survey to update the
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands hazard maps and models. The
Committee further directs the U.S. Geological Survey to explore the
possibility of aligning future updates of the seismic hazard models
for the territories with the maps for all 50 States and to report its
findings within 180 days of the enactment of this Act.
The Committee remains concerned about the lack of knowledge
and offshore real-time instrumentation available for the Cascadia
subduction zone. Scientific understanding of earthquakes and the
ocean environment will benefit from the wealth of offshore data col-
lected. The Survey is to continue its development of an early earth-
quake warning system and its expansion into locations that will
benefit from early detection and characterization of earthquakes
and tsunamis, to include the Caribbean Basin. The Survey is en-
couraged to specifically study the recent seismic activity off the
southwestern coast of Puerto Rico.
The recommendation provides $34,000,000, for the Volcano Haz-
ards Program which includes the budget request for the National
Volcano Early Warning System and its operation and maintenance
and for volcano hazard assessments.
The Committee provides $14,932,000 for the Landslide Hazards
Program including the requested increase for actionable landslide
hazard data and science. This funding level will prevent human
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and economic loss through the development of methods and models
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44
for landslide hazard assessment, monitoring, and tools for landslide
early warning and situational awareness. The Committee remains
concerned about the growing frequency of extreme weather storms
and the resulting hazards and supports the Survey’s efforts to im-
prove extreme event modeling and the transmission of that infor-
mation to emergency managers and at-risk communities. The rec-
ommendation includes $1,000,000 for the Survey to establish the
cooperative landslide hazards and assessment competitive grant
program to states authorized under Public Law 116–323.
The recommendation provides $7,280,000 for the Global Seis-
mographic Network (GSN). Adequate resources are provided to con-
tinue the multiyear effort to replace failing and obsolete equip-
ment, install new Department of Energy funded sensors, and main-
tain the network at a high level of quality and reliability.
The USGS Geomagnetism program is part of the U.S. National
Space Weather Program (NSWP), an interagency collaboration that
includes programs in the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration (NOAA), Department of Defense, National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, and National Science Foundation. The
program provides data to the NSWP agencies, oil drilling services
companies, geophysical surveying companies, and electrical trans-
mission utilities. The Committee provides $5,760,000, the budget
request, to ensure that all magnetic observatories remain open and
operating and to avoid any disruption to this work as well as to ex-
pand the number of observatories to improve coverage. Funding is
also provided to support the Magnetotelluric Survey of the contig-
uous United States.
The Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources program sup-
ports the hazards programs across the Survey and the rec-
ommendation provides $53,585,000 which includes funding for the
Administration’s priorities for coastal blue carbon at $5,000,000
and $17,174,000 for modeling and forecasting coastal hazards. The
Committee encourages the Survey to collaborate on blue carbon re-
search with Federal agencies such as NOAA as well as non-Federal
stakeholders to capitalize on shared resources and skill sets that
can expand the Nation’s knowledge of coastal blue carbon.
The Survey is directed to provide a briefing to the Committee
within 120 days of enactment of this Act on the funding require-
ment and any benefits associated with creating a new Sinkhole
Hazards Program to conduct sinkhole research, hazard mitigation,
hazard assessments, including developing maps that depict zones
that are at a greater risk of sinkhole formation.
Water Resources.—The recommendation provides $302,241,000,
$16,347,000 above the enacted level and $500,000 below the budget
request. Program elements of this mission area follow below.
The Water Availability and Use Science Program is funded at
$70,433,000 which maintains funding for the U.S.-Mexico Trans-
boundary Aquifer Assessment at the enacted level. The Committee
requests a briefing within 90 days of enactment of this Act on the
Survey’s research that examines the hydrologic impact of extraction
of water for bottling on water tables, on concentrations of contami-
nants, on saltwater intrusion into the groundwater, and the phased
study on the impacts of water extraction from springs and ground-
water. The recommendation provides increases of $2,000,000 for
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the Survey’s work on Integrated Water Availability Assessments
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45
and $1,000,000 for the Survey’s work on saline lakes. The Com-
mittee encourages the Survey to determine best strategies to com-
pile a national springs inventory and to consider how collaboration
with State and local agencies, universities, and non-profit institu-
tions can advance the development of a map of inventories springs.
The recommendation also provides the enacted level for integrated
water prediction, integrated water availability, and the Mississippi
Alluvial Plain Aquifer Assessment. The recommendation provides
$5,000,000 for the Survey’s work with the OpenET consortium and
the OpenET software system. No funding is provided for the Hy-
drologic science talent pipeline.
The Cooperative Matching Funds program is designed to bring
State, Tribal, and local partners together to respond to emerging
water issues through shared efforts and funding. The recommenda-
tion provides no less than $66,529,000.
Streamgages are crucial to early warning and flood damage re-
duction efforts across the United States. The Committee rec-
ommends $114,035,000 for the Groundwater and Streamflow Infor-
mation Program which includes $28,215,000 for Federal Priority
streamgages that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal in-
formation; $30,000,000 for the Next Generation Water Observing
System; $214,000, the budget request, for Klamath Basin water
availability activities; and $500,000 for the Ohio River Super
Gages. No funding is provided for the Hydrologic science talent
pipeline.
The Committee supports efforts by the USGS through the Next
Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) to enhance moni-
toring of streamflow, temperature, and salinity to help address
saltwater intrusion in cities. The USGS is encouraged to leverage
these efforts in collaboration with the research being conducted by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and South-
east Climate Adaptation Science Center.
The Committee recommends $100,773,000 for the National
Water Quality program. Recognizing the increasing threats many
communities face from harmful algal blooms (HABs), both in fresh-
water and coastal ecosystems, $7,490,000 is included for research
on health effects associated with HABs, as well as efforts to mon-
itor, characterize, and predict HABs for early action, prevent, con-
trol, and provide rapid response alerts to water resource agencies,
health departments, and the public. As part of this research, the
Committee supports the Survey’s examination of the pathways
through which sediment and nutrients move through watersheds
and into bodies of water and how that relates to the formation of
harmful algal blooms and its effect on vegetation growth within
marine ecosystems and its disruption to food chains, which may
negatively impact biodiversity. The Survey is encouraged to de-
velop best management practices to help both rural and urban com-
munities reduce excess nutrients in their watersheds. The Survey
is also urged to coordinate with the Environmental Protection
Agency to monitor the nations water systems and publish available
data on the amount of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFOA/
PFAS) detected in our water systems as well as examine its own
water sources. The recommendation includes $2,650,000 to con-
tinue the development of nationally consistent PFAS sampling pro-
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tocols and support implementation of the broad-scale PFAS sam-
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pling plan to assess PFAS occurrence at a national scale and help
estimate human exposure to PFAS. The Survey is directed to brief
the Committee on its HABs and PFAS research within 120 days of
enactment of this Act.
The Water Resources Research Act was designed to provide more
effective coordination of the Nation’s water research by establishing
Water Resources Research Institutes at universities in each State,
territory, and the District of Columbia. These institutes provide
vital support to stakeholders, States, and Federal agencies for long-
term water planning, policy development, and resource manage-
ment. The recommendation provides $17,000,000. Research on
aquatic invasive species in the Upper Mississippi River region to
address a critical need for multi-state research is maintained at no
less than the enacted level. The Committee encourages the continu-
ation of the development of multi-state research teams to coordi-
nate needed research for aquatic invasive species in the basin and
requests a briefing on the aquatic invasive species hydrologic re-
search proposals that are approved as well as the continuation of
research on PFAS. The fiscal year 2023 funding increase over the
enacted level should be directed toward annual base grants (104b).
Core Science Systems.—The Committee recommends
$330,922,000 for Core Science Systems, $67,120,000 above the en-
acted level and $17,876,000 below the budget request. Program ele-
ments of this mission area follow below.
National Land Imaging.—The Committee recommends
$120,745,000 for National Land Imaging, which provides
$92,274,000 for Satellite Operations and program increases of
$1,500,000 for biologic carbon sequestration, and an increase of
$500,000 for the Remote Sensing State Grants Program for a total
of $1,715,000, as well as $3,454,000 for tools supporting conserva-
tion planning, monitoring, and projection. The National Civil Appli-
cations Center is funded at no less than the enacted level of
$4,847,000. The Committee acknowledges the importance of the Re-
mote Sensing State Grants Program in providing technology, exper-
tise and actionable data and analysis from satellites to address
critical issues while also engaging students to pursue careers in
technology.
Science, Synthesis, Analysis and Research.—The recommendation
provides $61,000,000 which maintains the enacted level for the Na-
tional Geologic and Geophysical Data Preservation Program to pre-
serve critical data which is supplemented by funding provided in
Public Law 117–58 and outlined in the spend plan included in the
Survey’s fiscal year 2023 budget justification, $25,020,000 to de-
velop the American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas to inform
the America the Beautiful initiative and $10,000,000 for supercom-
puting associated with high-risk accelerated climate research. The
Committee understands any funding awarded outside the Federal
sector will undergo a competitive review process.
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program.—The rec-
ommendation includes $45,121,000 for the National Geologic Map-
ping Program to advance mapping to support the USGS Earth Map
and Earth MRI initiatives, enhance drinking water protection, haz-
ards resilience, infrastructure design, natural resource manage-
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ment, and a wide range of fundamental research applications.
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National Geospatial Program.—The recommendation includes
$104,056,000 for the National Geospatial Program, which includes
$1,500,000 for the 3D National Topography Model as requested,
$43,905,000 for 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) comprised of
$1,250,000 for Tribal lands and $7,000,000 for Federal lands in
Western States as much of the remaining areas to be mapped to
complete the national map represent states with sparse population
density, high federal land ownership, and/or other mitigating fac-
tors. The Committee encourages USGS to consider acquiring Qual-
ity Level 2 or Quality Level 1 elevation data from private sector
mapping firms for western states such as Nevada. These states are
leading our nation in future energy development and natural re-
sources conservation, particularly water; high quality elevation
data is critical to growing our nation’s economy, furthering our en-
ergy independence, responsibly managing our water resources, as
well as avoiding and managing wildfires. The recommendation also
includes $10,000,000 for the Federal climate data portal,
$7,722,000 for Alaska mapping and map modernization, $730,000
for geospatial and geologic research and collection on tribal lands,
$1,900,000 for the United States Board on Geographic Names, and
$1,500,000 for the National Digital Trails project.
The Committee supports the continued collaboration with part-
ners to leverage the resources provided for 3DEP to achieve the
goal of national coverage by 2026. The National Hydrography Data-
base (NHD) represents the Nation’s drainage networks and pro-
vides information integral to a myriad of mission-critical activities
which rely on hydrography data. The USGS is partnering with the
Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps, and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to develop an authoritative 3D Hydrography
program. The Committee encourages the Survey to prioritize efforts
in the Great Lakes and other regions which have a statewide strat-
egy, have complete 3DEP data, conform to Survey specifications,
and have identified community and partner engagement and inter-
ests. The Committee is aware of topoBuilder, a public web applica-
tion released by the National Geospatial Program that enables
users to request customized USGS-style topographic maps that uti-
lize the best available data from the The National Map and pro-
vides an additional $250,000 above the enacted level for this effort.
The Committee understands State and Federal agencies can use
high accuracy lidar from the 3DEP program to identify the loca-
tion, size, and shape of sinkholes quickly and remotely, and encour-
ages the Survey to consider the short-term and long-term mecha-
nisms that cause sinkholes, including extreme storm events, pro-
longed droughts causing shifts in water management practices, aq-
uifer depletion, and other major changes in water use, and to de-
velop maps depicting the zones that are at a greater risk of forming
sinkholes. The Committee understands any funding awarded out-
side the Federal sector will undergo a competitive review process.
Science Support.—The Committee recommends $117,731,000,
$17,995,000 above the enacted level and $11,466,000 below the
budget request. Administration and Management increases above
the enacted level include $1,000,000 for fleet enhancement,
$2,000,000 for diversity and scientific integrity, $225,000 for the
Justice40 Initiative and $160,000 for HR support, as requested.
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The Information Services Program includes increases of $8,000,000
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48
for cloud and high-performance computing and $2,492,000 for inte-
gration of cybersecurity architecture as requested.
Facilities.—The recommendation includes $188,079,000,
$3,269,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
The recommendation includes $113,239,000 for Rental Payments
and Operations and Maintenance, and $74,840,000 for projects out-
lined in the budget request. The Committee understands that the
funding provided for Phase I of the modernization of the National
Wildlife Health Center will not be obligated until fiscal year 2024
and that additional funding for Phase II is not requested, nor re-
quired by the Survey in fiscal year 2023. The Survey is directed to
brief the Committee on a quarterly basis on the status of infra-
structure projects including the modernization of the National
Wildlife Health Center and the new Federally owned building for
mineral and energy science on the Colorado School of Mines cam-
pus for which additional funding was provided in Public Law 117–
58.
BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT
OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $206,748,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 237,407,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 228,765,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +22,017,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥8,642,000
The Committee recommends $228,765,000 for the Ocean Energy
Management appropriation. This amount is $22,017,000 above the
enacted level and $8,642,000 below the budget request. The overall
funding level is partially offset through the collection of rental re-
ceipts and other cost recovery fees totaling $37,000,000, resulting
in a final appropriation of $191,765,000. Details of the rec-
ommendation are explained through the narrative below and in the
table at the back of this report.
Renewable Energy.—The Committee recommends $51,675,000 for
Renewable Energy, $14,857,000 above the enacted level and equal
to the budget request. The Committee supports the Administra-
tion’s commitment to developing offshore renewable energy includ-
ing but not limited to wind energy.
Offshore Wind Development.—The Committee commends the Bu-
reau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for its promotion of
offshore wind and the multiple actions it has taken so far in Fiscal
Year 2022 to advance the leasing program for offshore renewable
energy. The Committee finds that offshore wind energy develop-
ment creates jobs, stimulates investment, and grows manufac-
turing, all while reducing emissions and strengthening America’s
energy security and climate resilience. The Committee is encour-
aged by the robust stakeholder engagement, consultation, and co-
operation in the BOEM offshore wind leasing and permitting proc-
ess and encourages the Department to continue expeditiously iden-
tifying new Wind Energy Areas, holding lease auctions within ex-
isting and future Wind Energy Areas, and permitting offshore wind
projects within these areas. The Committee continues to urge
BOEM to maintain its engagement with States, Tribes, local com-
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munities, and other stakeholders in this process to ensure that its
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49
decisions consider multiple perspectives, including coastal and fish-
ing communities near projects in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of
the Olympic Peninsula.
Social Science Research.—The Bureau shall continue to use so-
cial science research to inform stakeholder involvement in its off-
shore wind planning, leasing, and permitting processes to ensure
that stakeholders are engaged to the greatest and most meaningful
practicable extent.
Offshore Wind Domestic Manufacturing.—No later than 90 days
after enactment of this Act, the Department shall brief the Com-
mittee on the steps being taken to ensure a robust domestic supply
chain for offshore wind and steps that can be taken to continue to
grow the manufacturing and other industries which support this
work domestically.
Conventional Energy.—The Committee recommends $60,487,000
for Renewable Energy, equal to the enacted level and $3,142,000
below the budget request.
Geologic Carbon Sequestration.—The Committee recommends not
less than $2,000,000 for geologic carbon sequestration on the Outer
Continental Shelf as authorized by the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (Public Law 117–58; 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(1)(E)). The
Committee expects the Bureau to build and support necessary ex-
pertise using funds within Environmental Programs and Conven-
tional Energy. The Committee recognizes the agency’s mandate to
promulgate regulations by November 15, 2022, and encourages the
agency to complete the necessary technical, safety, and environ-
mental work expeditiously to begin implementation in fiscal year
2024 and ensure long-term secure storage while reducing the risk
of environmental impacts.
Environmental Assessment.—The Committee recommends
$84,373,000 for Environmental Assessment, $4,610,000 above the
enacted level and $2,000,000 below the budget request. The Com-
mittee recognizes the important role BOEM plays in advancing re-
search in marine acoustics and understanding the impacts of an-
thropogenic noises. Within the increase provided for Environmental
Assessment, $1,000,000 is to support extramural research at public
higher education institutions to advance the larger goals of the
Center for Marine Acoustics.
Marine Minerals.—The Committee recommends $12,383,000 for
Marine Minerals, $602,000 above the enacted level and $3,000,000
below the budget request. The Committee recognizes the sand in-
ventory is a key component of coastal mitigation efforts and an in-
creasingly important resource for states.
Gulf of Mexico Critical Minerals.—The Committee encourages
the Bureau to further examine the potential for critical mineral ac-
cumulations in the Gulf of Mexico and to further consider imple-
menting new technologies in ocean exploration and sampling proc-
ess.
General Provision.—Within the General Provisions section of this
title, the Committee has included a provision which restricts fund-
ing for the Bureau’s offshore oil and gas activities to only those
planning areas contained in the current 2017—2022 Outer Conti-
nental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing program, published in November
2016. The restriction applies to the enabling steps prior to leasing
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or to the consideration of areas for leasing as part of a leasing pro-
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50
gram, including the issuance of permits for geological and geo-
physical exploration.
Offshore Decommissioning.—Within 45 days of enactment of this
act, the Department is directed to provide a joint briefing to the
Committee, with BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environ-
mental Enforcement (BSEE), on an update on the Department’s ef-
forts to update assurance policies and other steps that can be taken
to ensure that the American taxpayer will not incur the cost for fu-
ture offshore decommissioning needs in cases of companies’ bank-
ruptcies.
BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT
OFFSHORE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $205,848,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 246,086,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 219,086,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +13,238,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥27,000,000
OFFSHORE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT
The Committee recommends $219,086,000 for the Offshore Safety
and Environmental Enforcement appropriation. This amount is
$13,238,000 above the enacted level and $27,000,000 below the
budget request. The overall funding level is partially offset through
the collection of rental receipts, other cost recovery fees, and in-
spection fees totaling $63,000,000, resulting in a final appropria-
tion of $156,086,000.
Geologic Carbon Sequestration.—The Committee notes there is
strong interest in advancing carbon storage projects that perma-
nently sequester carbon dioxide in geologic formations instead of
releasing this pollutant into the air. The recommendation includes
$2,000,000 to develop expertise and capacity for activities related
to installation, operations, inspections, emergency response plans,
and decommissioning, among other roles in support of direction
provided in this report under the Bureau of Ocean Energy Manage-
ment.
Renewable Energy.—The funding provides an increase for the
continued development of an offshore renewable energy program as
requested.
Offshore Decommissioning.—The Committee provides $5,000,000
to continue work to plug and abandon orphan infrastructure,
$2,000,000 above the enacted level and $25,000,000 below the
budget request. The Committee appreciates the Department’s work
to examine oil and gas assurance policies to ensure that adequate
funds are being set aside for future decommissioning needs. The
Committee expects that once current decommissioning needs are
provided for, the line item for decommissioning activities will be
discontinued. While the Committee is grateful for the Bureau’s
work on these environmental hazards, the Committee maintains its
strong disagreement that the ultimate responsibility for these ac-
tivities should fall to the American taxpayer.
Decommissioning in Excess of Bonding.—Within 45 days of en-
actment of this Act, the Department is directed to brief the Com-
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mittee on a plan and steps needed for the Department to set a per-
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51
barrel fee on oil and gas offshore activities to be set aside in a sep-
arate account for decommissioning activities in cases where there
is no remaining liable party similar to the surface mining control
and reclamation act standard for reclamation.
Rigs to Reefs.—The Committee strongly supports the Rigs to
Reefs program in cooperation with the States and NOAA, both for
its conservation value and for its potential to reduce taxpayer de-
commissioning costs. The Bureau is encouraged to utilize the pro-
gram to the maximum extent possible. The Committee notes ongo-
ing studies by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and the National Science Foundation that may be useful in in-
forming future program delivery.
Blow Out Prevention Technology.—The Committee continues to
encourage BSEE to review and consider new and emerging tech-
nology, including alternatives procedures or equipment as appro-
priate given the best available science and while ensuring that
risks are properly identified and mitigated. BSEE is urged to im-
plement a performance standard for Blow Out Prevention Tech-
nology designed to sever and seal a well under all conditions to sig-
nificantly decrease the potential for loss of well control and result-
ing oil spills.
OIL SPILL RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $15,099,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 15,099,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 15,099,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $15,099,000 for the Oil Spill Re-
search appropriation, equal to the enacted level and equal to the
budget request.
THE OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $118,117,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 122,076,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 122,076,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +3,959,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $122,076,000 for the Regulation and
Technology appropriation. This amount is $3,959,000 above the en-
acted level and equal to the budget request.
ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $149,980,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 149,142,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 169,142,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +19,162,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +20,000,000
The Committee recommends $169,142,000 for the Abandoned
Mine Reclamation Fund appropriation, $19,162,000 above the en-
acted level and $20,000,000 above the budget request. Of the funds
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provided, $34,142,000 are derived from the Abandoned Mine Rec-
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52
lamation Fund and $135,000,000 are derived from the general
treasury.
GAO Study of OSMRE AMLER Program.—The Government Ac-
countability Office is directed to conduct a study regarding admin-
istration of the AMLER program, including: a review of each State
and Tribe’s process for soliciting grant applications and selecting
projects for funding; the status of unspent funds and processes for
reallocating funds; the number of applications and the number of
different applicants for State and Tribal grants, as well as the
number of different applicants receiving project funds and the fre-
quency of applicants receiving multiple rounds of grant funding;
and conclusions and recommendations.
OSMRE AML Economic Revitalization Program Projects.—The
Committee is alarmed by reports from Interstate organizations that
the AMLER program has become impeded by administrative proc-
esses and priorities. States report that OSMRE is failing to process
and keep partners informed of the status of project applications in
a timely manner, and that one such project has been in the
OSMRE vetting process for over 1,000 days without explanation.
States also report having insufficient information regarding the
standards OSMRE uses to vet projects, and as a result applications
are frequently rejected or must be substantially re-worked without
the explanation needed to avoid the same issues in the future. This
lack of clarity in the AMLER program creates an untenable situa-
tion for project partners, whose cooperation is essential to the pro-
gram working as intended.
In light of these concerns, OSMRE is directed to submit to the
Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act a report detail-
ing a plan for developing and maintaining a publicly available on-
line tracking system for project vetting. The report should include
a timeline and resource estimate for implementation. Further, the
Committee directs OSMRE to make a reasonable effort to respond
to eligibility requests from States and Tribes within 60 days of re-
ceipt, and to improve its published guidelines for when various
processes and application components must be used.
In addition to the delays and insufficient communication, States
report that the agency tends to substitute its own opinions on the
economic development prospects of projects developed and
prioritized by the States. The Committee notes the plain language
of this Act, which says that the funds shall be used for economic
and community development in conjunction with the priorities in
section 403(a) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
of 1977. To this end, OSMRE should be focusing on ensuring that
the funds are used for this purpose, rather than evaluating the
merits of such use.
From its beginning as a pilot program in fiscal year 2016, the
States and Tribes have succeeded in implementing the Committee’s
vision of a collaborative partnership between the State and Tribal
AML programs and their respective State and local economic and
community development programs to return legacy coal sites to
productive reuse. Each State and Tribal AML program, in consulta-
tion with State and Tribal economic and community development
authorities, is expected to continue to develop and maintain a list
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of eligible AML projects that include economic and community de-
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velopment, and to select qualifying AML projects that have the po-
tential to create long-term economic benefits.
Remediation Projects.—OSMRE is encouraged to consider the use
of on-site soil sorting in remediation projects, which can provide
more lower-cost options to clean abandoned mine sites and, if nec-
essary, to work with the authorizing committees of jurisdiction on
legislation.
Passive Treatment Systems.—The Committee supports the Office
of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s funding request
for the establishment of Passive Treatment Systems for Fiscal Year
2023. The Committee is now, in part, aware of the level of funding
required to begin the incorporation of Passive Treatment Systems
which provide vital damage protection to United States watersheds
from previous mining activity.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of the Assistant Sec-
retary—Indian Affairs (together, ‘‘Indian Affairs’’) programs serve
574 federally recognized Indian Tribes, a service population of ap-
proximately two million American Indians and Alaska Natives in
Tribal and Native communities. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
provides direct services and funding for compacts and contracts for
Tribes to provide Federal programs for a wide range of activities
necessary for community development. Programs address Tribal
government, natural resource management, trust services, law en-
forcement, economic development, and social service needs.
In preparation for the fiscal year 2023 appropriation bill, the
Subcommittee received written testimony from approximately 70
witnesses on a variety of topics pertaining to American Indian and
Alaska Native (AI/AN) programs and held two hearings, one for na-
tional Tribal organizations and one for regional Tribal organiza-
tions. The Federal government has a legal and moral obligation to
provide quality services to AI/AN. On a nonpartisan basis, the
Committee continues to protect and, where possible, strengthen the
budgets for Indian Country programs in this bill to address long-
standing and underfunded needs.
OPERATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,820,334,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 2,082,036,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 2,149,387,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +329,053,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +67,351,000
The Committee recommends $2,149,387,000 for Operation of In-
dian Programs, $329,053,000 above the enacted level and
$67,351,000 above the budget request. All subactivities and pro-
gram elements presented in the budget estimate submitted to Con-
gress are continued at enacted levels and adjusted for internal
transfers as originally submitted unless specifically addressed
below. The recommendation fully funds fixed costs, as requested.
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None of the requested baseline capacity funds are provided. Simi-
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54
larly, none of the requested program changes are agreed to unless
specifically addressed below. Recommended program changes, in-
structions, and details follow below and in the table at the end of
this report. Additional instructions are included in the front of this
report.
Tribal Priority Allocations.—Tribal Priority Allocations (TPA)
programs fund basic Tribal services, such as social services, job
placement and training, child welfare, natural resources manage-
ment, and Tribal courts. TPA programs give Tribes the opportunity
to further Indian self-determination by establishing their own pri-
orities and reallocating Federal funds among programs in this
budget category. The recommendation includes $870,195,000 for
BIA TPA programs.
Tiwahe.—In December 2021, Indian Affairs provided the report,
Tiwahe: Final Report to Congress, in response to Congressional re-
quests stemming back to fiscal year 2019. The report documents
significant achievements, including a reduction in attempted and
completed suicides, recidivism, and removal of children from the
community. At the same time, the report notes earlier parent/child
reunifications, language revitalization, and improvements to hous-
ing and homelessness among other improvements. For fiscal year
2023, the Committee provides additional funds to expand Tiwahe
to other sites across various programs as noted below. The Com-
mittee expects BIA to continue funding existing Tiwahe programs
for the same activities at the same amount, including funding to
support women and children’s shelters.
Staffing.—The Committee is encouraged by the request for fund-
ing additional FTEs and urges BIA to prioritize filling these posi-
tions expeditiously to work towards fulfilling treaty and trust re-
sponsibilities to Tribes.
Tribal Government.—The recommendation includes $374,443,000
for Tribal Government programs, $19,019,000 above the enacted
level and $19,545,000 below the budget request. The recommenda-
tion includes $28,010,000 for Aid to Tribal Government, $198,000
above the enacted level and $973,000 above the budget request;
$83,698,000 for Consolidated Tribal Government Program,
$1,123,000 below the enacted level and $1,231,000 above the budg-
et request; $204,151,000 for Self-Governance Compacts,
$16,338,000 above the enacted level and $3,753,000 above the
budget request; and $480,000 for New Tribes, as requested and
equal to the enacted level.
The Committee includes $7,002,000 for Small and Needy Tribes,
$2,000 above the enacted level and $16,000,000 below the budget
request. The Committee remains concerned that the requested pro-
gram increase is not based on supporting data. For instance, In-
dian Affairs has not consulted with Indian country on what the
new minimum should be, does not know the types of funding that
would be considered, and does not know the universe of Tribes that
will be eligible once new criteria is developed. The Committee di-
rects Indian Affairs to consult with Indian country to determine
program parameters and develop criteria to determine eligibility
for these funds; then provide the results to the Committee within
90 days of completing Tribal consultation.
The recommendation includes $40,690,000 for Road Mainte-
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nance, $3,290,000 above the enacted level and $7,500,000 below the
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budget request. Funding for school bus roads is continued at the
fiscal year 2022 enacted level to improve the condition of unpaved
roads and bridges used by school buses transporting students. The
Committee remains concerned about unobligated Native American
Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act (NATIVE Act) (Pub-
lic Law 114–221) funding and does not provide additional funds for
this purpose. The Committee includes $10,412,000 for Tribal Gov-
ernment Program Oversight, $314,000 above the enacted level and
$2,002,000 below the budget request.
Human Services.—The recommendation includes $177,980,000
for Human Services programs, $13,670,000 above the enacted level
and $24,185,000 below the budget request.
Social Services (TPA).—The Committee provides $62,244,000 for
Social Services (TPA), $8,952,000 above the enacted level and
$17,890,000 below the budget request. This amount includes an ad-
ditional $4,000,000 to implement sections 3209 and 3210 of the In-
dian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, an addi-
tional $5,000,000 to expand the Tiwahe initiative to new sites, and
a $2,000,000 general program increase.
Welfare Assistance (TPA).—The recommendation includes
$78,488,000 for Welfare Assistance (TPA), $6,000 below the en-
acted level and $494,000 above the budget request.
Indian Child Welfare Act (TPA).—The recommendation includes
$19,545,000 for Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) (TPA), $2,232,000
above the enacted level and $6,783,000 below the budget request.
The amount includes an additional $500,000 for off-reservation pro-
grams authorized by section 202 of ICWA and includes an addi-
tional $3,000,000 to expand Tiwahe to new sites.
The recommendation also includes $14,217,000 for the Housing
Improvement Program, $2,481,000 above the enacted level and
$2,000 below the budget request. This amount includes a general
program increase. The Committee also includes $215,000 for
Human Services Tribal Design (TPA), $75,000 below the enacted
level and $3,000 below the budget request; and $3,271,000 for
Human Services Program Oversight, $86,000 above the enacted
level and $1,000 below the budget request.
Trust—Natural Resources Management.—The recommendation
includes $407,360,000 for Trust-Natural Resources Management
programs, $104,433,000 above the enacted level and $727,000
above the budget request.
The Committee is concerned about illegal dumping and other en-
vironmentally harmful activity that occurs on allotted trust land,
specifically in the Pacific Region. The Committee encourages the
Agency to use available resources to assist Tribes in enforcing envi-
ronmental codes and ordinances, as well as support Tribal con-
sortia protecting against illegal dumping.
There has been recent momentum in achieving Everglades res-
toration with the funding provided for Endangered Species,
Invasive Species and Natural Resources (TPA). The Committee
continues funding for Everglades restoration funding at no less
than the fiscal year 2022 enacted level across all programs and
strongly encourages BIA to continue prioritizing funding for Ever-
glades restoration activities.
Natural Resources (TPA).—The recommendation includes
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$22,874,000 for Natural Resources (TPA), $8,624,000 above the en-
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56
acted level and $329,000 below the budget request. The increase in-
cludes a $3,500,000 general program adjustment and an additional
$5,000,000 for BIA’s Indian Youth Service Corps program under
Section 9003 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Manage-
ment, and Recreation Act of 2019. The recommendation continues
$2,000,000 for land acquisition for landless and recently recognized
Tribes to foster sustainable Tribal communities, economic develop-
ment, and conservation practices.
The Committee is concerned about reports of unpermitted busi-
nesses creating environmental and public health hazards in the Pa-
cific Region. The Committee directs Indian Affairs to require Pa-
cific Region staff submit a list of all outstanding business permit
applications and/or businesses operating without an approved per-
mit on Tribal land to the Committee within 30 days of enactment
of this Act and develop a plan to increase compliance with permit-
ting laws.
Irrigation Operations and Maintenance.—The recommendation
includes $17,769,000 for Irrigation Operations and Maintenance,
$3,600,000 above the enacted level and $3,000,000 below the budg-
et request. This increase includes $3,500,000 to replace the Na-
tional Irrigation Information Management system, as requested.
Rights Protection Implementation.—The recommendation in-
cludes $55,200,000 for Rights Protection Implementation,
$9,513,000 above the enacted level and $10,500,000 above the
budget request. The recommendation continues $1,500,000 for Co-
lumbia River in-lieu sites law enforcement, $1,700,000 for Colum-
bia River in-lieu sites operations and maintenance, and $1,300,000
to generally implement the Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty
Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act (Public Law 116–99). In ad-
dition, the recommendation includes an $8,000,000 general pro-
gram increase to be distributed proportionately.
Tribal Management/Development Program.—The recommenda-
tion includes $19,544,000 for Tribal Management/Development Pro-
gram, $5,085,000 above the enacted level and $1,850,000 above the
budget request. The recommendation provides an additional
$1,000,000 for Tribal assumption of responsibility for the National
Bison Range as required under the Montana Water Rights Settle-
ment Act (Public Law 116–260) and a $4,000,000 general program
increase to be divided proportionately among remaining projects.
The Committee continues to expect Indian Affairs to examine
historical funding provided for buffalo preservation and manage-
ment compared to other Native food activities, such as the preser-
vation and management of fish. In fiscal year 2020, the Committee
directed Indian Affairs to conduct this comparison and develop a
plan to ensure parity among Native food activities. The Committee
has not received this report and directs Indian Affairs to provide
this information within 90 days of enactment of this Act.
Endangered Species.—The recommendation includes $6,243,000
for Endangered Species, as requested, and $1,024,000 above the en-
acted level. Additional funds will allow Tribes to better comply
with the Endangered Species Act and to protect and enhance condi-
tions for listed species.
Tribal Climate Resilience.—The Committee provides $59,859,000
for Tribal Climate Resilience, $27,888,000 above the enacted level
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and $1,132,000 below the budget request. The increase includes an
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additional $7,000,000 for the existing Pathways Internship Pro-
gram, an additional $5,000,000 for Tribal climate adaptation
grants, and an additional $15,868,000 for Tribal relocation grants,
for which all Tribes shall be eligible. As requested in fiscal year
2022, the Committee continues to expect Indian Affairs to compile
a list of Tribes requiring full or partial relocation due to climate
change or other environmental hazards with the estimated costs to
conduct the relocation and to submit the information to the Com-
mittee.
The Committee recognizes the urgency and severity of the situa-
tion Tribes are facing across the lower 48 states and in Alaska and
urges BIA to continue considering the needs of coastal Tribes in the
continental United States as equally imperative as those in Alaska.
The Committee underscores the importance of the report re-
quested in fiscal year 2022 on the estimated costs of Tribes requir-
ing relocation, partial relocation, and protect-in-place support due
at least in part to climate change or tsunami hazards along with
the estimated costs to conduct relocation. The Committee continues
this direction and expects the report to be delivered to the Com-
mittee in a timely manner so the Committee can move forward to
address identified costs and issues.
The Committee understands the many challenges posed by risks
related to flooding, erosion, sea level rise, and tsunami threats im-
pacting human health and safety, infrastructure integrity, and
quality of life. Many communities still do not have adequate infor-
mation to make specific decision on full or partial relocation and
require significant support to better define risk to make a commu-
nity-driven decision in the face of these imminent threats. The
Committee recognizes the importance of existing reports, such as
the informational report on Unmet Infrastructure Needs of Tribal
Communities and Alaska Native Villages in Process of Relocating
to Higher Ground as a Result of Climate Change and the need to
identify similar issues for Tribes in the lower 48 states. Accord-
ingly, the Committee directs BIA to use up to $750,000 of the in-
crease provided for adaptation grants to report to the Committee
within one year of enactment of this Act information on the esti-
mated unmet need of coastal Tribes in the lower 48 states that are
facing relocation due to climate impacts.
Integrated Resource Information Program.—The recommendation
includes $6,077,000 for Integrated Resource Information Program,
$3,079,000 above the enacted level and $3,000,000 below the budg-
et request.
Agriculture and Range Program.—The recommendation provides
$41,452,000 for the Agriculture and Range Program, $3,625,000
above the enacted level and $2,486,000 below the budget request.
This includes $12,591,000 for Invasive Species and $28,861,000 for
Agriculture Program (TPA), both of which include a general pro-
gram increase.
Forestry.—The recommendation includes $68,418,000 for For-
estry, $8,141,000 above the enacted level and $4,901,000 above the
budget request. Within this amount, the Committee recommends
$35,940,000 for Forestry Program (TPA), which includes a general
program increase, and $32,478,000 for Forestry Projects, which in-
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cludes additional funds for Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar).
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Water Resources.—The recommendation provides $21,926,000 for
Water Resources, $6,124,000 above the enacted level and
$3,500,000 above the budget request. This amount includes
$10,284,000 for Water Resources Program (TPA), which includes
$1,000,000 for water filtration systems and $3,000,000 for a gen-
eral program adjustment; and $11,642,000 for Water Management,
Planning and Pre-Development, which includes an additional
$500,000 for the Water Resources Technician Training program as
requested and $1,500,000 for a general program increase.
Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.—The recommendation includes
$26,687,000 for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, $6,181,000 above the en-
acted level and $4,988,000 above the budget request. Within
amounts provided, $11,719,000 is for Wildlife and Parks Program
(TPA), which includes a $3,000,000 general program increase, and
$14,968,000 is for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Projects, which in-
cludes an additional $3,000,000 for fish hatcheries operations and
maintenance.
Energy and Minerals (formerly Minerals and Mining).—The rec-
ommendation includes $53,012,000 for Energy and Minerals,
$21,198,000 above the enacted level and $14,195,000 below the
budget request. This program was formerly called Mineral and
Mining but the name has been changed to Energy and Minerals,
as requested, to encompass the full array of existing activities. This
amount includes an additional $21,000,000 for Energy and Mineral
Projects, as requested.
Resource Management Program Oversight.—The recommendation
includes $8,299,000 for Resource Management Program Oversight,
$351,000 above the enacted level and $870,000 below the budget
request. In prior years, Congress provided $1,600,000 for Tribal
cultural resource investigations in the Chaco Canyon region of the
Southwest. The investigations are or will be completed soon with
previously appropriated funds and funding is no longer needed for
this purpose. Therefore, these previously appropriated funds are
repurposed as a general program adjustment.
Trust—Real Estate Services.—The Committee includes
$159,316,000 for Trust-Real Estate Services, $9,126,000 above the
enacted level and $13,711,000 below the budget request. Within
amounts provided, the recommendation includes $10,336,000 for
Trust Services (TPA), of which $500,000 is to implement the Gila
River Indian Community Federal Rights-of-Way, Easements and
Boundary Clarification Act (Public Law 115–350).
The recommendation also includes $1,303,000 for Navajo-Hopi
Settlement Program; $14,180,000 for Probate (TPA); $16,425,000
for Land Titles and Records Offices; $41,217,000 for Real Estate
Services; $7,074,000 for Land Records Improvement; $32,654,000
for Environmental Quality; $1,509,000 for Alaska Native Programs;
$17,524,000 for Rights Protection; and $17,094,000 for Trust—Real
Estate Services Oversight. Funding for Environmental Quality
Projects includes an additional $2,750,000 to remediate open
dumps and to prepare for other environmental quality challenges.
Within amounts provided for Rights Protection, the Committee rec-
ommends $4,274,000 for Rights Protection (TPA), $11,268,000 for
Water Rights Negotiations/Litigation, $1,800,000 for Litigation
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Support/Attorney Fees, and $182,000 for Other Indian Rights Pro-
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tection. Funding for Trust-Real Estate Services Oversight includes
the requested increase.
Public Safety and Justice.—The recommendation includes
$718,439,000 for Public Safety and Justice, $172,159,000 above the
enacted level and $156,377,000 above the budget request.
Police Officer Recruitment and Retention.—The Committee is con-
cerned about the inequity created by the loss of Federal Employees
Retirement System (FERS) benefits for police officers when Tribes
exercise their self-determination right to operate Federal law en-
forcement programs under Public Law 93–638 contracts and com-
pacts. The loss of these benefits is a major impediment to officer
recruitment and retention, as Tribes often bear the hardship of re-
cruiting, hiring, and training officers only to lose them shortly
thereafter to other departments offering better pay and benefits.
Any policy denying Federal benefits to employees carrying out a
Federal trust responsibility is incompatible with the Federal policy
of self-determination. Congress recognized this incompatibility and
barrier to recruitment and retention in 2020 when it extended the
Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program to employees
of Tribally Controlled Schools. The BIA is therefore directed to ana-
lyze the extent of the problem and the systems, processes, and au-
thorizations necessary to extend FERS benefits to police officers
employed under a Public Law 93–638 contract or compact; develop
an associated plan, timeline, and budget; and report back to the
Committee with a proposal not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act.
The Committee includes $391,039,000 for Criminal Investiga-
tions and Police Services, $93,363,000 above the enacted level and
$108,663,000 above the budget request. The increase includes an
additional $6,000,000 for law enforcement body-worn cameras and
an $80,000,000 general program increase. The Committee con-
tinues funding for opioid addiction assistance, for Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) unsolved cases, to expedite
background checks for the MMIW initiative and to allow law en-
forcement officers to implement and enforce the Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act at fiscal year 2022 enacted
levels.
In fiscal year 2022, Congress provided $62,000,000 to Tribes af-
fected by the McGirt v Oklahoma decision to ensure parity of per-
centage of total need funded with other Tribes in Indian country,
except those noted in the following paragraph. The recommenda-
tion maintains this amount to implement public safety changes re-
sulting from the McGirt Supreme Court decision, which created an
immediate and severe shortage of police and investigative per-
sonnel in the expanded Tribal criminal jurisdiction areas. BIA is
directed to consult with impacted Tribes regarding the allocation of
funds and to submit a subsequent reprogramming request to allo-
cate portions of the funding to Detention/Corrections and Tribal
Courts as necessary. Instead of Tribal or State specific funding rec-
ommendations, the Committee includes an increase for all Tribes
across all public safety and justice lines. Tribes impacted by the
McGirt decision will receive their portion of this substantial fund-
ing increase.
There are over 30 Tribes for which BIA is responsible for pro-
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viding public safety and justice services, but which are not receiv-
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ing either services or funding from BIA to provide the services on
their own. The recommendation includes $3,000,000 for public safe-
ty and justice services for these Tribes. The Committee expects BIA
to consult with these Tribes regarding the allocation of funds and
to submit a subsequent reprogramming request to allocate portions
of the funding to other public safety and justice functions as nec-
essary. Within 30 days of enactment of this Act, the Committee di-
rects Indian Affairs to provide a report of all Tribes that meet this
requirement and the amount of additional funding required to pro-
vide them parity in funding with other Tribes.
The Committee recommends $134,778,000 for Detention/Correc-
tions, $21,409,000 above the enacted level and $7,750,000 above
the budget request. This amount includes a $19,000,000 general
program increase. It also continues funding for Indian country de-
tention facilities and background checks for facilities on Indian
lands at fiscal year 2022 enacted levels. The Committee continues
direction from fiscal year 2022 for the Department of Interior Office
of Inspector General (OIG) to follow-up on closed OIG recommenda-
tions to determine whether changes made in response to prior rec-
ommendations are being implemented correctly.
The recommendation includes $3,751,000 for Inspections/Internal
Affairs, as requested, and $85,000 above the enacted level; and
$25,094,000 for Law Enforcement Special Initiatives, $196,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request. In fiscal
year 2022, Congress provided an additional $5,000,000 to establish
a Tribal Public Safety MMIW unit. Therefore, the increase re-
quested for this purpose in fiscal year 2023 is not needed as it was
previously provided. The Committee continues funding at fiscal
year 2022 enacted levels for the Tribal Public Safety MMIW unit,
equipment to collect and preserve evidence, Tiwahe recidivism pro-
grams and the Victims Witness assistance program increase.
The Committee provides $5,163,000 for the Indian Police Acad-
emy, as requested, and $107,000 above the enacted level; and
$42,836,000 for Tribal Justice Support, $12,027,000 above the en-
acted level and $8,000,000 above the budget request. The Com-
mittee continues $3,000,000 to implement the Violence Against
Women Act in Indian Country and provides an additional
$12,000,000 for Public Law 280 courts.
The recommendation provides $7,391,000 for Law Enforcement
Program Management, as requested and $299,000 above the en-
acted level. The Committee provides $24,579,000 for Facilities Op-
erations and Maintenance, $5,666,000 above the enacted level and
$2,500,000 above the budget request. This amount includes a gen-
eral program increase. For Tribal Courts (TPA), the recommenda-
tion includes $82,144,000, $38,975,000 above the enacted level and
$29,465,000 above the budget request. This funding level includes
an additional $4,000,000 for Tribal court operations and mainte-
nance, and a $35,000,000 general program adjustment. The rec-
ommendation includes $1,664,000 for Fire Protection (TPA),
$32,000 above the enacted level and $1,000 below the budget re-
quest.
Community and Economic Development.—The recommendation
includes $43,641,000 for Community and Economic Development,
$14,288,000 above the enacted level and $28,707,000 below the
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budget request.
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Within amounts provided, the Committee provides $18,564,000
for Job Placement and Training (TPA), which includes a $5,000,000
general program increase and continues the Tiwahe initiative at
the enacted level. The recommendation for Economic Development
(TPA) is $10,769,000, which includes an additional $2,500,000 for
business incubators and an additional $3,000,000 for broadband
grants as requested.
The recommendation includes $14,308,000 for Community Devel-
opment Oversight. This includes an additional $750,000 for Central
Oversight as requested and an additional $4,000,000 for Native
language grants to provide native language instruction and immer-
sion programs to Native students not enrolled at BIE schools, in-
cluding those Tribes and organizations in states without Bureau-
funded schools. This funding level also continues funding for the
HEARTH Act at the fiscal year 2022 enacted level.
The Committee supports the goals of the NATIVE Act yet con-
tinues to be concerned about program execution. Given implemen-
tation challenges, no funding increase is provided. Further in the
past, Congress provided funding to Indian Affairs to implement the
NATIVE Act and understands that Indian Affairs has used funds
to provide grants to Native Hawaiian organizations (NHOs). The
Committee supports funding for NHOs but their funding is pro-
vided through the Office of the Secretary. For fiscal year 2023,
funding for the NATIVE Act is reduced by $1,176,000, which is the
fiscal year 2022 amount provided to NHOs. That amount is added
to the Office of the Secretary for NATIVE Act purposes. Going for-
ward, the Committee expects Indian Affairs to use funds provided
under this account only for Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.
Executive Direction and Administrative Services.—The rec-
ommendation includes $268,208,000 for Executive Direction and
Administrative Services, $2,392,000 below the enacted level and
$3,605,000 below the budget request. Within Assistant Secretary
Support, the Committee includes $19,884,000, which includes
$225,000 for a Justice40 Coordinator and $250,000 to enable DOI
to participate in the White House Council on Native Americans.
This amount also continues funding for PROGRESS Act implemen-
tation, the Native boarding school initiative, and the Diversity, Eq-
uity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initiative for BIA and the Office
of the Special Trustee for American Indians at the fiscal year 2022
enacted level within Assistant Secretary Support. Within 30 days
of enactment of this Act, the Committee expects Indian Affairs to
provide details on how the Native boarding school funds will be al-
located as well as report on future needs for this initiative.
For Executive Direction (Central), the recommendation provides
$22,788,000, which includes $500,000 to create a Program Integra-
tion Office, as requested, and $350,000 for data collection, as re-
quested. For Administrative Services, the Committee includes
$55,888,000, which includes an additional $2,000,000 for Adminis-
trative Services (Central) as requested. For Information Resources
Technology, the Committee provides $52,837,000, which includes
an additional $500,000 for requested activities. For Human Capital
Management, the recommendation provides $25,187,000, which in-
cludes an additional $160,000 for human resources recruitment and
hiring tools. The recommendation includes $3,204,000 for Safety
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and Risk Management, $19,379,000 for Facilities Management,
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$23,577,000 for Intra-Governmental Payments, and $45,464,000 for
Rentals.
INDIAN LAND CONSOLIDATION
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $7,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 80,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 50,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +43,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥30,000,000
The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for Indian Land Con-
solidation, $43,000,000 above the enacted level and $30,000,000
below the budget request. The Committee remains concerned In-
dian Affairs did not include administrative expense estimates in
the budget request and continues to expect Indian Affairs to do so
in future budget justifications. Further, the Committee expects In-
dian Affairs to provide metrics, including the number of
fractionated interests purchased and acreage consolidated, each fis-
cal year.
CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $240,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 0
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 328,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +88,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +328,000,000
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation esti-
mated to be $328,000,000 for contract support costs incurred by the
Agency as required by law. The bill includes language making
available for two years such sums as are necessary to meet the
Federal government’s full legal obligation and prohibiting the
transfer of funds to any other account for any other purpose.
PAYMENTS FOR TRIBAL LEASES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $36,593,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 30,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 0
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ ¥6,593,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +30,000,000
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation esti-
mated to be $30,000,000 for Payments for Tribal leases incurred by
the Agency as required by law. The bill includes language making
available for two years such sums as are necessary to meet the
Federal government’s full legal obligation and prohibiting the
transfer of funds to any other account for any other purpose.
CONSTRUCTION
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $146,769,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 205,732,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 181,009,000
Comparison:
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Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +34,240,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥24,723,000
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The Committee recommends $181,009,000 for BIA Construction,
$34,240,000 above the enacted level and $24,723,000 below the
budget request. Fixed costs are included, as requested. All sub-
activities and program elements presented in the budget estimate
submitted to Congress are continued at enacted levels unless other-
wise indicated. Recommended program changes, instructions, and
details follow below and in the table at the end of this report. Addi-
tional instructions are included in the front of this report.
Public Safety and Justice Construction.—The Committee pro-
vides $60,061,000 for Public Safety and Justice Construction,
$12,250,000 above the enacted level and $10,250,000 below the
budget request. The recommendation includes an additional
$7,500,000 for facility replacement/new construction, an additional
$2,000,000 for employee housing, and an additional $2,750,000 for
facilities improvement and repair, which consists of $750,000 for
deferred maintenance, and $2,000,000 for site assessments.
Green Infrastructure.—Within amounts for Public Safety and
Justice Construction, the Committee directs Indian Affairs in plan-
ning, design, and operations of buildings to reduce costs, minimize
environmental impacts, use renewable energy and incorporate
green infrastructure and the most current energy efficiency codes
and standards to the maximum extent practicable. The Committee
directs Indian Affairs to submit a report to the Committee within
90 days of enactment of this Act describing how Indian Affairs will
incorporate these activities.
Eligible Facilities.—The Committee continues to direct Indian Af-
fairs to consider all public safety and justice facilities as eligible for
funding under this program and to include such facilities in the
master plan the Committee has repeatedly directed Indian Affairs
to maintain. Further, as with school construction, Tribes voice con-
cern over the process and data used to determine the size of new
construction facilities. Tribes argue that current data and expected
increases on Tribal citizenship, expected growth and crime rates
should be examined so a facility is not constructed that is too small
upon occupation. BIA is encouraged to work with Tribes to evalu-
ate existing methodologies to determine if updates are needed.
Resources Management Construction.—The Committee rec-
ommends $82,754,000 for Resources Management Construction,
$8,694,000 above the enacted level and $2,800,000 below the budg-
et request. The recommendation includes an additional $3,500,000
general program increase for Irrigation Project Construction, an
additional $5,000,000 for dam maintenance and continues
$10,000,000 for WIIN Act projects.
Other Program Construction.—The recommendation includes
$38,194,000 for Other Program Construction, $13,296,000 above
the enacted level and $11,673,000 below the budget request. Within
this amount, the Committee includes $5,000,000 for field commu-
nication modernization in Telecommunications Improvement and
Repair. The recommendation also includes an additional $2,000,000
for fleet management infrastructure and an additional $1,650,000
for facilities/quarters improvement and repairs in Facilities/Quar-
ters Improvement and Repair. The recommendation also includes
an additional $4,560,000 for water safety and sanitation projects to
address issues across Indian country cited by the Environmental
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Protection Agency as requiring immediate action and an additional
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$12,000 for a total of $3,370,000 for operation and maintenance
costs required by the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System
Act of 2000 (Public Law 105–382).
INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIM SETTLEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS
PAYMENTS TO INDIANS
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 825,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 825,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ ¥175,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $825,000 for Indian Land and
Water Claim Settlements and Miscellaneous Payments to Indians,
as requested, and $175,000 below the enacted level. A detailed
table of funding recommendations below the account level is pro-
vided at the end of this report. Bill language provides that funds
may be used to implement settlements pursuant to Public Laws
99–264 and 116–260, and other land and water rights settlements.
INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $11,833,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 13,884,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 13,884,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +2,051,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $13,884,000 for the Indian Guaran-
teed Loan Program Account, equal to the budget request and
$2,051,000 above the enacted level. This amount includes an addi-
tional $991,000 to expand technical assistance to loan applicants as
requested. While the amount of loans leveraged has not increased
to past rates, the amount that may be leveraged is improving. The
Committee appreciates improvements made to date to stabilize the
program and leverage more private financing demands in Indian
Country.
BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION
OPERATION OF INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) manages a school system
with 169 elementary and secondary schools and 14 dormitories pro-
viding educational services to 47,000 individual students, with an
Average Daily Membership of 41,000 students in 23 States. The
BIE also operates two post-secondary schools and provides oper-
ating grants for 29 Tribally controlled colleges and universities and
two Tribal technical colleges.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,017,601,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,155,634,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,202,676,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +185,075,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +47,042,000
The Committee provides $1,202,676,000 for Operation of Indian
Education Programs, $185,075,000 above the enacted level and
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$47,042,000 above the budget request. All subactivities and pro-
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gram elements presented in the budget request submitted to Con-
gress are continued at enacted levels and adjusted for internal
transfers and fixed costs, as requested. No funds are provided for
baseline capacity as those funds are no longer needed since passage
of the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill. None of the requested
program changes are agreed to unless specifically addressed below.
Recommended program changes, instructions, and details follow
below and in the table at the end of this report. Additional instruc-
tions are included in the front of this report.
The pandemic forced BIE-funded schools to begin distance learn-
ing with little guidance from BIE. The General Accounting Office
(GAO) determined comprehensive distance learning guidance will
help schools better navigate the current pandemic as well as future
emergencies requiring school closures. GAO also recommended BIE
develop and implement written policies and procedures for col-
lecting timely information on BIE-operated schools’ technology
needs. The Committee expects BIE to implement GAO’s rec-
ommendations in a timely manner and to keep the Committee in-
formed on implementation progress.
Grade Expansion.—The Committee is aware of Tribal interest in
expanding grade levels at existing BIE funded schools. Because of
this interest, BIE is directed to examine the feasibility of expand-
ing grade levels at all existing BIE schools. This may include sur-
veying Tribes to determine interest in expanding schools. If expan-
sion is feasible, BIE is to develop a plan using the average of the
last five years appropriated funding increases for BIE elementary
and secondary programs to phase in additional grades. Any pro-
posed plan expansion shall ensure existing schools and grades are
not negatively impacted, including ensuring continued funding in-
creases at no less than prior year increases. The plan should also
identify all additional costs, including potential increased facilities
construction, operations, maintenance, and related costs (i.e., pay-
ments for Tribal leases) required to implement this plan and sub-
mit it to the Committee within one year of enactment of this Act.
Tribal Priority Allocations.—The recommendation includes
$68,368,000 for BIE Tribal Priority Allocation (TPA) programs.
TPA programs give Tribes the opportunity to further Indian self-
determination by establishing their own priorities and reallocating
Federal funds among budget accounts.
Elementary and Secondary Programs (forward funded).—The
Committee recommends $736,088,000 for Elementary and Sec-
ondary Programs (forward funded), $97,223,000 above the enacted
level and $18,154,000 above the budget request. Within this
amount, the recommendation includes $505,636,000 for Indian Stu-
dent Equalization Program (ISEP) Formula Funds, $64,852,000
above the enacted level and $5,000,000 above the budget request;
$7,039,000 for ISEP Adjustments, as requested, and $1,195,000
above the enacted level; $23,025,000 for Education Program En-
hancements, $6,512,000 above the enacted level and $1,500,000
above the request; $5,007,000 for Tribal Education Departments, as
requested, and $4,000 above the enacted level; $71,007,000 for Stu-
dent Transportation, $11,391,000 above the enacted level and
$10,000,000 above the budget request; and $99,107,000 to fully
fund Tribal Grant Support Costs, $9,657,000 above the enacted
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level and $1,654,000 above the budget request. Within Education
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Program Enhancements, the Committee provides $2,153,000 as re-
quested for teacher recruitment and retention and an additional
$4,000,000 for Native language immersion grants. Native language
immersion grants to BIE-funded schools are provided on an annual
basis. BIE is encouraged to examine the feasibility of providing
multi-year grants to decrease the burden on participating schools.
Further, BIE is encouraged to engage in discussions with schools
on how to improve the program and increase participation.
The Committee recognizes that disparities between BIE teacher
and administrative salaries and public elementary and secondary
teacher and administrative salaries lead to difficulty recruiting and
retaining BIE workforce. At the same time, the Committee under-
stands that BIE annual budget requests include fixed costs in-
creases for teachers and administrators based on Department of
Defense Education Activity pay scales, which exceed most State
pay scales. The Committee encourages BIE to examine this situa-
tion and report to the Committee on potential solutions and associ-
ated costs to address this situation if resolution is required without
negatively impacting other BIE funded schools.
Early Childhood and Family Development.—The Committee rec-
ommends $25,267,000 for Early Childhood and Family Develop-
ment, as requested, and $3,612,000 above the enacted level. The
general increase will allow BIE to expand FACE to one new site
while providing additional support for existing sites. The Com-
mittee directs BIE to submit a report within 90 days of enactment
of this Act on how the increased funds are used.
Post-Secondary Programs (forward funded).—The Committee rec-
ommends $134,200,000 for Post-Secondary Programs (forward
funded), $20,917,000 above the enacted level and $3,709,000 above
the budget request. Within funds provided, $30,325,000 is for Has-
kell and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), as re-
quested, and $1,703,000 above the enacted level; $89,510,000 is for
Tribal Colleges and Universities, $13,000,000 above the enacted
level and $3,000,000 above the budget request; and $14,365,000 is
for Tribal Technical Colleges, $6,214,000 above the enacted level
and $709,000 above the budget request. Within the increase pro-
vided for Tribal colleges and universities, the Committee includes
$3,000,000 for endowment grants authorized under the Tribally
Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act (Public Law
95–471, as amended).
In the explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 117–103,
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, the Committee directed
BIE to collect fixed cost information from Tribal colleges and uni-
versities and include it in future budget requests. BIE is again di-
rected to include this information in future budget requests begin-
ning with the fiscal year 2024 budget request.
Elementary and Secondary Programs.—The Committee rec-
ommends $193,552,000 for Elementary and Secondary Programs,
$39,190,000 above the enacted level and $19,995,000 above the
budget request. Within these amounts, $91,888,000 is for Facilities
Operations, $21,699,000 above the enacted level and $15,000,000
above the budget request; $79,544,000 is for Facilities Mainte-
nance, $17,123,000 above the enacted level and $10,000,000 above
the budget request; and $555,000 is for Juvenile Detention Center
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Education, as requested, and $1,000 above the enacted level.
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Johnson O’Malley (TPA).—The Committee recommends
$21,565,000 for Johnson O’Malley (JOM) (TPA), $367,000 above the
enacted level and $5,005,000 below the budget request. The rec-
ommendation discontinues the capacity building funds provided in
previous years and instead, directs these funds to a general pro-
gram increase.
The Committee continues to expect BIE to report on training and
capacity building activities provided to contractors in prior fiscal
years within 90 days of enactment of this Act. Further, since GAO
found that BIE does not have systematic processes in place to con-
duct oversight of JOM programs, the Committee continues to ex-
pect Indian Affairs to develop recommended processes and
timelines to ensure the JOM program operates effectively and effi-
ciently and to submit a report to the Committee within 120 days
from enactment of this Act on the progress being made towards
meeting GAO’s recommendations.
Post-Secondary Programs.—The Committee recommends
$58,745,000 for Post-Secondary Programs, $7,542,000 above the en-
acted level and $4,034,000 above the budget request. Within the
funds provided, $1,220,000 is for Tribal Colleges and University
Supplements (TPA), equal to the budget request and the enacted
level; $45,583,000 is for Scholarships and Adult Education (TPA),
$5,042,000 above the enacted level and $534,000 above the budget
request; $4,992,000 is for Special Higher Education Scholarships,
equal to the enacted level and $1,500,000 above the budget request;
and $6,950,000 is for Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund,
$2,500,000 above the enacted level and $2,000,000 above the budg-
et request.
Education Management.—The recommendation includes
$80,091,000 for Education Management, $20,203,000 above the en-
acted level and $1,150,000 above the budget request. This includes
$41,690,000 for Education Program Management activities, which
includes $74,000 for labor-related payments, $1,181,000 for intra-
governmental payments, $225,000 for a Justice 40 coordinator, and
$160,000 for a human resources Pathways program coordinator;
and $38,401,000 for Education Information Technology.
In fiscal year 2020, the Committee approved establishing BIE as
a bureau separate from BIA. BIE was directed to submit a quar-
terly report to the Committee on activities that occur to separate
BIE from BIA, including details on how additional funds are being
used to strengthen and improve BIE’s capacity. BIE has not sub-
mitted these reports. The Committee continues to direct BIE to
provide this information in a timely manner.
The Committee continues to direct BIE to report on its steps to
implement GAO’s report documenting deficiencies in BIE’s provi-
sion of special education for children with disabilities. GAO also
recommended BIE develop requirements for making up missed spe-
cial education and related services and monitor schools in fulfilling
these requirements. The Committee expects GAO to implement
this recommendation by the end of 2022 as BIE indicated to GAO
that it would.
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EDUCATION CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $264,330,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 420,102,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 375,102,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +110,772,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥45,000,000
The Committee recommends $375,102,000 for Education Con-
struction, $110,772,000 above the enacted level and $45,000,000
below the budget request. All subactivities and program elements
presented in the budget estimate submitted to Congress are contin-
ued at enacted levels and adjusted for fixed costs and internal
transfers unless otherwise reflected below. None of the requested
program changes are agreed to unless specifically addressed below.
Recommended program changes, instructions, and details follow
below and in the table at the end of this report. Additional instruc-
tions are included in the front of this report.
Within amounts provided, the Committee includes $200,504,000
for Replacement School Construction, $85,000,000 above the en-
acted level and $55,000,000 below the budget request; $23,935,000
for Replacement Facility Construction, as requested, and equal to
the enacted level; $4,000,000 for Replacement/New Employee Hous-
ing, as requested, and $3,000,000 above the enacted level;
$13,595,000 for Employee Housing Repair, $6,000 above the en-
acted level and equal to the budget request; $108,068,000 for Fa-
cilities Improvement and Repair, $12,766,000 above the enacted
level and as requested; and $25,000,000 for Tribal Colleges Facili-
ties, Improvement and Repair, $10,000,000 above the enacted level
and the budget request.
As with BIA construction projects, Tribes allege that criterion
used by BIE to determine new facility size is inaccurate. Specifi-
cally, with a new school facility, Tribes often anticipate more stu-
dents will attend the BIE-funded school than determined by BIE.
The Committee is aware of instances where, in fact, a Tribe’s high-
er anticipated student count came true. Without accurate data, a
new school may be built that is overcrowded upon opening. Tribes
express confusion about how to challenge BIE’s student count with-
out requiring Congressional assistance. The Committee encourages
BIE to work with Tribes to examine the criterion for new school
construction and ensure it includes additional students who may
attend once the facility is no longer dilapidated or condemned.
The Committee continues to direct BIE to provide an assessment
of the need for replacement/new employee housing and to provide
a spend plan to the Committee within 30 days of enactment of this
Act. Further, BIE has issues with teacher recruitment and reten-
tion yet may be constructing teacher housing without infrastruc-
ture necessary to access the internet. BIE should examine the fea-
sibility of including internet infrastructure to replacement/new em-
ployee housing.
The Committee directs BIE to complete annual health and safety
inspections of all BIE system facilities and to publish quarterly up-
dates on the status of such inspections. Indian Affairs is expected
to develop a deficiency tracking system that can be updated as defi-
ciencies are addressed and to develop a plan to build schools’ capac-
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in BIE facilities. In 2021, the Government Accountability Office
(GAO) identified 10 priority recommendations to be addressed by
the Department. Included in these recommendations was the plan
requested by the Committee but still not provided. The Committee
expects BIE to promptly develop this plan to address key chal-
lenges BIE schools face in addressing safety hazards and to update
the Committee on the status of this activity within 30 days of en-
actment of this Act.
Green Infrastructure.—The Committee directs BIE to include
green infrastructure in the replacement school construction pro-
gram and in the replacement facility program. This includes plan-
ning, design, and operations of buildings to reduce costs, minimize
environmental impacts, use renewable energy, and incorporate
green infrastructure and the most current energy efficiency codes
and standards to the maximum extent practicable. The Committee
continues to direct Indian Affairs to submit a report to the Com-
mittee within 90 days of enactment of this Act explaining how it
proposes to incorporate green infrastructure and renewable energy
in these projects.
Education Construction Site Assessment and Capital Investment
Program.—The Committee recognizes the efforts of Indian Affairs
and the BIE to develop and communicate to Tribes a comprehen-
sive, system-wide approach to school repair and replacement, as
the Committee has directed the agencies to do since the fiscal year
2015 appropriation, which should include a clearly identified list of
prioritized projects to be accomplished with annual discretionary
and mandatory appropriations. The agencies are encouraged to con-
tinue working with Tribes to develop and refine the program and
are directed to provide feedback to Tribes throughout the process,
consistent with direction contained in House Report 116–448 on
Tribal consultation.The program must provide for data entry train-
ing for all on-site facilities managers and must not disincentivize
any Tribe from making improvements with its own funds.
Tribally controlled schools expressed concern about not having
necessary staff and technical expertise to input data in the facility
inventory. Inaccurate data in the facility database prevents a cred-
ible capital investment plan. Indian Affairs is encouraged to work
with Tribally controlled schools to identify gaps and provide rec-
ommendations on how to address those gaps. The Committee also
expects Indian Affairs to maintain valid, accurate data in the facil-
ity inventory.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
The bill continues language limiting expansion of grades and
schools in the BIE system which allow for the expansion of addi-
tional grades to schools that meet certain criteria. The intent of the
language is to prevent already limited funds from being spread fur-
ther to additional schools and grades. The intent is not to limit
Tribal flexibility at existing schools. Nothing in the bill is intended
to prohibit a Tribe from converting a Tribally-controlled school al-
ready in the BIE system to a charter school in accordance with
State and Federal law.
The bill continues language providing the Secretary with author-
ity to approve satellite locations of existing BIE schools if a Tribe
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vide comparable levels of education as are being offered at such ex-
isting BIE schools, and would not significantly increase costs to the
Federal government. The intent is provided for this authority to be
exercised only in extraordinary circumstances to provide Tribes
with additional flexibility regarding where students are educated
without compromising how they are educated, and to significantly
reduce the hardship and expense of transporting students over long
distances, all without unduly increasing costs that would otherwise
unfairly come at the expense of other schools in the BIE system.
OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL TRUSTEE FOR AMERICAN INDIANS
FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Congress has designated the Secretary of the Interior as the
trustee delegate with responsibility for approximately 55 million
surface acres of land, 57 million acres of subsurface mineral inter-
ests, and management of approximately $5.5 billion held in trust
by the Federal government on behalf of American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and federally recognized Indian Tribes. The Office of the
Special Trustee’s (OST) trust management of these assets includes
conserving, maintaining, accounting, investing, disbursing, and re-
porting to individual Indians and federally recognized Tribes and
Tribal organizations on asset transactions generated from sales,
leasing and other commercial activities on these lands.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $109,572,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 0
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 111,286,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +1,714,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +111,286,000
The Committee recommends $111,286,000 for Federal trust pro-
grams, $1,714,000 above the enacted level. No budget request was
submitted for OST. Once again, the Committee rejects the creation
of a new Bureau and proposed budget structure as the Committee
awaits the report requested from the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) and for the Department to consult with Tribes on the
future of OST duties and responsibilities as previously directed.
Without the requested information and Tribal consultation, the
Committee is unable to evaluate the proposal and make an in-
formed decision. Any future proposal should evaluate and provide
options on how to ensure OST employees can be transitioned to In-
dian Affairs or elsewhere within the Department. A detailed table
of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at
the end of this report.
The recommendation provides $1,520,000 for Executive Direction
and $109,766,000 for Program Operations and Support. This
amount fully funds fixed costs estimated to be $1,714,000. The
Committee does not approve any internal transfers, other than for
historical accounting purposes, which is estimated to be
$17,867,000. As OST is scheduled to terminate, the Committee
does not approve any new FTEs and does not include funding for
these positions. Funding for OST participation in the Department’s
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility initiative was pro-
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71
vided in fiscal year 2022 as part of the Operation of Indian Pro-
grams. The Committee continues those funds in that account and
no additional funds are provided for OST for this purpose in fiscal
year 2023.
The recommendation continues funding to modernize the records
management system via the Electronic Records Management Pro-
gram. This will enable OST to digitize and upload paper records
into the cloud for storage for increased operational efficiencies and
compliance with Federal laws. The Committee continues to direct
OST to provide an estimate of the total amount needed to digitize
all trust records located in the Kansas repository within 90 days
of enactment of this Act.
DEPARTMENTAL OFFICES
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $123,367,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 146,530,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 147,706,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +24,339,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +1,176,000
The Committee recommends $147,706,000 for the Office of the
Secretary, Departmental Operations appropriation. This amount is
$24,339,000 above the enacted level and $1,176,000 above the
budget request.
Botanical Science Expertise.—The Committee is concerned by the
need to incorporate the perspective and knowledge of botanists in
land management and restoration decision making. Input from this
scientific discipline is necessary to the effective development of ap-
proaches that incorporate meaningful consideration of how best to
create thriving habitats, ameliorate the impact of invasive species,
and preserve lands for multiple use missions. Accordingly, the
Committee encourages the Secretary to establish a chief botanist in
each of the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bu-
reau of Land Management and U.S. Geological Survey.
Connecting Youth to Public Lands.—The Department is encour-
aged to examine the challenges involved in connecting youth in
marginalized communities to outdoor experiences on public lands
and to identify programs, offices, and initiatives related to this
work and the corresponding resources. The Department should con-
sider consulting with the United States Forest Service, the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, and the United States Army Corps
and engaging public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders, as well as
considering how federal efforts could better coordinate with state-
based efforts to promote more equitable access to outdoor recre-
ation.
Office of Native Hawaiian Relations.—The recommendation in-
cludes $1,176,000 for implementation of the NATIVE Act, equal to
the enacted level, and previously provided through the Bureau of
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Indian Affairs.
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The Committee directs the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations
(NHR) to develop a consultation policy in consultation with the Na-
tive Hawaii Community, similar to the one described in the Stand-
ard Operating Procedure for Consultation, for use by all federal
agencies in order to promote the responsible execution of policy
across the federal government. Additionally, within 180 days after
of enactment of this Act the NHR is directed to provide an update
to the Committee on the actions taken to develop the consultation
policy and to seek to encourage regular and meaningful consulta-
tion by federal agencies with the Native Hawaiian Community.
The Committee notes that as part of its annual budget request
the Department includes information describing the activities
taken in the preceding fiscal year to implement the Regional Bio-
security Plan for Micronesia and Hawaii. As part of this in future
fiscal years, the Department should include an update of Depart-
ment activities previously accomplished as well as next steps and
planned activities of the for further implementation of the plan, in-
cluding estimates of additional funding to be used or needed for
such next steps and planned activities.
Lake Powell Recreation Advisory Committee.—The Committee
notes that the amount of water at Lake Powell has rapidly declined
over the last several years due to severe drought conditions. Given
the ongoing challenges posed by the changing lake levels and condi-
tions, to facilitate better engagement and discussions among groups
with mutual interests in maintaining lake access, the Committee
directs the Secretary to establish, not later than 90 days after en-
actment of this Act, a voluntary Lake Powell Recreation Advisory
Committee to provide regular and continuing input and rec-
ommendations to the Secretary on matters involving public access
to, recreation uses of, and overall management of the Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area. The Advisory Committee should be com-
prised of various stakeholders, including Native American Tribal
government and DOI bureau representatives, as well as recreation
groups, environmentalists, and local government officials. Not later
than 180 days after enactment of this Act, the Committee directs
the Secretary to provide a status update on efforts to establish the
Committee, set future meetings, appoint members, and select lead-
ership. As part of this effort, the Committee directs the Park Serv-
ice to provide a report not later than 60 days after enactment of
this Act outlining infrastructure improvements necessary to main-
tain public access across Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
and Rainbow Bridge National Monument as conditions change. The
report should included estimated costs for each location, as well as
funding commitments in fiscal year 2022 and 2023, to ensure con-
tinued lake access despite these changing conditions.
Plum Island.—The Committee recognizes the natural, cultural,
and historical resources of Plum Island.
Wild Horse and Burro Task Force.—In fiscal year 2022 the Sec-
retary was directed to establish a task force to bring experts from
all relevant Bureaus together to address the challenge of wild
horses and burros as outlined in the report accompanying Public
Law 117–103. The Committee expects these monthly meetings to
continue and report language in the Bureau of Land Management
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specifies areas for the task force to be engaged in. The Bureau of
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73
Land Management is to report to the Committee on a quarterly
basis on the status of this program and the work of the task force.
INSULAR AFFAIRS
ASSISTANCE TO TERRITORIES
The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on August 4,
1995, through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also abolished the
former Office of Territorial and International Affairs. OIA has ad-
ministrative responsibility for coordinating Federal policy in the
territories of American Samoa (AS), Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI),
and oversight of Federal programs and funds in the freely associ-
ated states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Re-
public of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.
The permanent and trust fund payments to the territories and the
compact nations provide substantial financial resources to these
governments. During fiscal year 2004, financial arrangements for
the Compacts of Free Association with the FSM and the RMI were
implemented. These also included mandatory payments for certain
activities previously provided in discretionary appropriations as
well as Compact impact payments of $30,000,000 per year split
among Guam, CNMI, AS, and Hawaii.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $113,477,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 117,257,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 121,257,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +7,780,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +4,000,000
The Committee recommends $121,257,000 for Assistance to Ter-
ritories, $7,780,000 above the enacted level and $4,000,000 above
the budget request. Recommended program changes, instructions,
and details follow below and in the table at the end of this report.
Energizing Insular Communities.—The recommendation includes
$15,500,000 for Energizing Insular Communities (EIC), $4,500,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Com-
mittee applauds the Office of Insular Affair’s work to improve the
sustainability, reliability, and affordability of energy in Insular
communities and therefore provides a significant increase as re-
quested to bolster these efforts.
American Samoa Operations Grants.—The Committee rec-
ommends $28,120,000 for American Samoa Operations, $1,000,000
above the enacted level and $3,500,000 above the budget request.
COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $8,463,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 8,463,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 8,463,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $8,463,000 for Compact of Free As-
sociation, equal to the enacted level and the budget request. Rec-
ommended program changes, instructions, and details follow below
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and in the table at the end of this report.
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Compact of Free Association—Federal Services.—The Committee
recommends $7,813,000 for Federal Services, equal to the enacted
level and the budget request. The recommendation includes
$5,000,000 as the fourth and final payment towards the
$20,000,000 requested by the Republic of the Marshall Islands in
September 2009, as authorized in section 111(d) of the Compact of
Free Association Act of 1986 (P.L. 99–239; 99 Stat. 1799; 48 USC
1911) and section 108(b) of the Compact of Free Association
Amendments Act of 2003 (P.L. 108–188; 117 Stat. 2755; 48 USC
1921g).
Postal Service Funding.—The Committee recognizes the impor-
tance of the service the U.S. Postal Service provides to the Freely
Associated States. The Office of Insular Affairs provides funds to
the Postal Service as reimbursement for these services. The Com-
mittee recognizes that costs incurred by the Postal Service have
risen in recent years and would welcome the opportunity to discuss
this issue with the administration.
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $94,998,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 102,050,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 103,190,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +8,192,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +1,140,000
The Committee recommends $103,190,000 for Salaries and Ex-
penses, $8,192,000 above the enacted level and $1,140,000 above
the budget request. The recommendation fully funds fixed costs
and includes $3,400,000 for a one-time office move of the Denver
regional office and $200,000 for the Office to participate in the De-
partment-wide Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initia-
tive. As the internal transfer to implement Phase Two of the FOIA
Office was reflected in fiscal year 2022, it is not included in the fis-
cal year 2023 recommendation.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $62,132,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 76,870,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 76,870,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +14,738,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $76,870,000 for salaries and ex-
penses of the Office of Inspector General (OIG), $14,738,000 above
the enacted level and equal to the budget request. The rec-
ommendation provides $2,188,000 in fixed costs as well as the re-
quested program increases. The Committee understands resources
will be allocated to fulfill the Office of the Inspector General’s mis-
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sion.
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DEPARTMENT-WIDE PROGRAMS
WILDLAND FIRE
The Department’s Wildland Fire Management account supports
fire activities for the Bureau of Land Management, the National
Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,026,097,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,199,630,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,202,130,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +176,033,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +2,500,000
The Committee recommends $1,202,130,000 for Wildland Fire
Management at the Department of the Interior. The bill permits
the transfer of $50,000,000 in base discretionary fire suppression
funds between the Department of the Interior and the Department
of Agriculture. The detailed allocation of funding by activity is in-
cluded in the table at the end of this report.
The Committee remains concerned with the trend of high-inten-
sity fires year-round. The Committee supports the Department’s ef-
forts to develop a professional year-round workforce to combat
these fires and therefore provides additional funds again for fiscal
year 2023 to continue this transition.
Wildland Fire Preparedness.—The Committee recommends
$477,159,000 for Wildland Fire Preparedness, an increase of
$106,616,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget re-
quest.
Wildland Fire Suppression.—The Committee recommends
$383,657,000, for Wildland Fire Suppression, equal to the enacted
level and the budget request. The recommended amount is the fis-
cal year 2015 10-year average cost for wildland fire suppression.
Fuels Management.—The Committee recommends $304,344,000
for the Fuels Management program, $77,344,000 above the enacted
level and equal to the budget request.
Burned Area Rehabilitation.—The Committee recommends
$22,470,000 for the Burned Area Rehabilitation program, equal to
the enacted level and $2,000,000 above the budget request.
Fire Facilities.—The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for
Fire Facilities, $8,427,000 below the enacted level and equal to the
budget request. The Committee recognizes the importance of fund-
ing for fire facilities and that there is a large unmet need for fund-
ing for fire facilities. The Committee notes that the decrease below
enacted provided is due to the rate of obligation for this funding
and the current status of unobligated balances for Fire Facilities.
The Committee looks forward to continuing to work with the De-
partment to ensure Fire Facility needs are met moving forward.
Joint Fire Science.—The Committee provides $4,500,000 for the
Joint Fire Science Program, $500,000 above the enacted level and
$500,000 above the budget request. The Committee urges the pro-
gram to ensure that a broad network of academic researchers is
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considered for funding and that the program addresses the range
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of research needs to enhance wildland fire resiliency and to address
barriers to wildfire management. The committee encourages the
Joint Fire Science Program to enhance its attention to under-
standing how invasive species affect fuels, fire behavior, and fire
regimes and exploring how indigenous practices may be beneficial
to wildfire prevention, response, and resilience.
Community Engagement.—The Committee directs the Depart-
ment to conduct an analysis of the resources and educational initia-
tives needed to communicate to impacted communities on best
practices to prevent and respond to wildfires and provide rec-
ommendations to the Committee. The Committee expects the De-
partment to prioritize support of federal, state, and local efforts to
increase awareness of and preparedness for the threat of wildfires
and suppression efforts.
Remote Automated Weather Station Network.—The Committee
notes the potential for the Remote Automated Weather Station
(RAWS) network as a tool for fire surveillance. Due to the increas-
ing incidence of destructive wildfires throughout the western
United States, to potentially improve wildland fire detection on
Federal lands, the Committee directs the Department to assess fire
prone areas that are not adequately observed by fire surveillance
cameras and to consider acquiring additional camera systems and
RAWs networks and deploying them, where possible and appro-
priate, on existing radio communications towers. The Committee
provides no less than the Fiscal Year 2022 enacted level for this
work.
Study on Health Effects.—The Committee directs the Department
of Interior, in consultation with the Department of Health and
Human Services and U.S. Forest Service, to conduct a comprehen-
sive study on long-term health effects that wildland firefighters ex-
perience. The Committee encourages the Department to include in
the report effects from firefighter exposure to fires, smoke, and
toxic fumes when in service and include the race/ethnicity, age,
gender, and time of service of wildland firefighters. The Committee
further directs the Department to include in its report rec-
ommendations to Congress on what legislative actions are needed
to support wildland firefighters in preventing health issues from
this toxic exposure, similar to veterans that are exposed to burn
pits.
WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS RESERVE FUND
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $330,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 340,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 340,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +10,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The bill includes $340,000,000 for the Wildfire Suppression Oper-
ations Reserve Fund, which is $10,000,000 above the enacted level
and equal to the budget request. Section 1(g) of H. Res. 1151 of the
117th Congress as engrossed in the House of Representatives on
June 8, 2022 included a budget cap adjustment for wildfire sup-
pression costs and this additional funding is included for fiscal year
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2023. Of the additional $2,550,000,000 available for fire suppres-
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77
sion operations, $340,000,000 is provided to the Department of the
Interior and the remaining $2,210,000,000 is available through a
transfer from the Department of Agriculture (Forest Service). The
Committee provides these additional funds and authorities to en-
sure that sufficient funds are available to protect American homes,
lands, and wildlife from catastrophic fires without requiring a
transfer of funds from the very activities that advance forest health
and prevent wildland fires. The Committee expects the Department
to use suppression funds judiciously and continue to work closely
with the Office of Management and Budget and the Forest Service
to accurately account for expenditures and recover costs.
CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $10,036,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 10,064,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 10,064,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +28,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $10,064,000 for the Central Haz-
ardous Materials Fund appropriation. This amount is $28,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
ENERGY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 65,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 45,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +40,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥20,000,000
The Committee recommends $45,000,000 for the Energy Commu-
nity Revitalization Program, an increase of $40,000,000 above the
enacted level and $20,000,000 below the budget request. The fund-
ing provided allows entities to inventory, assess, decommission, re-
claim, respond to hazardous substance releases, and remediate
abandoned hard rock mines, orphaned oil and gas wells, and or-
phaned infrastructure, including but not limited to, facilities, pipe-
lines, structures, or equipment used in energy production oper-
ations as authorized by law. This recommendation includes
$23,000,000 for State grants; $6,000,000 for Tribal grants;
$12,000,000 for the Federal program; and $4,000,000 for program
management. Public Law 117–58 provided $4,700,000,000 for or-
phan oil and gas well cleanup which complements the priority focus
for this funding in fiscal year 2023 to address abandoned hardrock
and non-coal mine sites, including sand and gravel pits and aban-
doned uranium mines on Federal, State, Indian, and other non-
Federal lands. Within 30 days of enactment of this Act, the Depart-
ment will update the Committee on the establishment of State and
Tribal grant programs, how funds appropriated to date have been
directed at economic revitalization of energy communities and tar-
geted to restore natural resources and create new recreational op-
portunities, timeframes for Notices of Federal Opportunity, train-
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ing, benchmarks, and guidance for oversight and monitoring.
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NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. 7,933,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 8,059,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 8,059,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +126,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $8,059,000 for the Natural Resource
Damage Assessment Fund appropriation. This amount is $126,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request. Details of
the recommendation by activity are contained in the table at the
back of this report.
WORKING CAPITAL FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $91,436,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 118,746,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 118,746,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +27,310,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $118,746,000 for the Working Cap-
ital Fund appropriation. This amount is $27,310,000 above the en-
acted level and equal to the budget request. The recommendation
adopts the proposed increases for cybersecurity, Financial Business
Management System activities, data management, and information
technology improvements within the Department of Interior.
OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE
NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $169,640,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 174,977,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 174,977,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +5,337,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $174,977,000 for the Office of Nat-
ural Resources Revenue. This amount is $5,337,000 above the en-
acted level and equal to the budget request.
Distribution of GOMESA Revenues.—The Committee continues
its annual direction to the Office to distribute revenues from Gulf
of Mexico operations in a manner consistent with current law, in-
cluding the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (P.L. 109–
432), as amended.
Geothermal Revenues.—The Committee supports the current dis-
tribution of funds from geothermal revenue sharing, including 25
percent of revenues collected from geothermal leasing returning to
the county in which the leased lands or geothermal resources are
located.
GENERAL PROVISIONS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Section 101 continues a provision providing for emergency trans-
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fer authority (intra-bureau) with the approval of the Secretary.
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Section 102 continues a provision providing for emergency trans-
fer authority (Department-wide) with the approval of the Secretary.
Section 103 continues a provision providing for the use of appro-
priations for certain services.
Section 104 continues a provision permitting the transfer of
funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian
Education, and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indi-
ans and includes a notification requirement.
Section 105 continues a provision permitting the redistribution of
Tribal priority allocation and Tribal base funds to alleviate funding
inequities.
Section 106 continues a provision authorizing the acquisition of
lands for the purpose of operating and maintaining facilities that
support visitors to Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands, NJ and
NY.
Section 107 continues a provision allowing Outer Continental
Shelf inspection fees to be collected by the Secretary of the Interior.
Section 108 continues a provision allowing the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) to enter into long-term cooperative agreements
for long-term care and maintenance of excess wild horses and bur-
ros on private land.
Section 109 continues a provision dealing with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s responsibilities for mass marking of salmonid
stocks.
Section 110 continues a provision allowing the Bureau of Indian
Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education to perform reimbursable
work more efficiently and effectively.
Section 111 continues bill language establishing a Department of
the Interior Experienced Services Program.
Section 112 requires funds to be available for obligation and ex-
penditure not later than 60 days after the date of enactment.
Section 113 continues authorization for the Secretary to transfer
funds in conformity with the reprogramming requirements between
the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education
in order to separate the accounts.
Section 114 provides funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes
(PILT) program.
Section 115 directs the public disclosure of waivers from safety
regulations for operators within the Outer Continental Shelf.
Section 116 allows the National Park Service to convey lands for
purposes of transportation and recreation for a specific project.
Section 117 authorizes Tribally controlled schools access to inter-
agency motor vehicles in same manner as if performing activities
under the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act.
Section 118 extends the authorization for the Delaware Water
Gap National Recreation Area.
Section 119 addresses National Heritage Areas.
Section 120 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
study to evaluate resources associated with the 1965 Voting Rights
March from Selma to Montgomery.
Section 121 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish
appraiser rates of pay.
Section 122 authorizes a new onshore oil and gas inspection fee.
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Section 123 establishes a new offshore decommissioning account.
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Section 124 authorizes the National Park Service to use up to
seven percent of State assistance funds as grants to States for indi-
rect costs.
Section 125 enacts the Advancing Equality for Wabanaki Nations
Act.
Section 126 provides that the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama
and Coushatta Indian Tribes of Texas Restoration Act does not pre-
clude or limit the applicability of the Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act.
Section 127 amends the Indian Reorganization Act to clarify ap-
plication to any federally recognized Indian Tribe.
Section 128 removes the land acquisition funding ceiling for the
Lowell National Historic Park.
Section 129 limits the use of funds for certain Outer Continental
Shelf activities to lease sales that are contained in the currently
approved 2017–2022 plan.
Section 130 prohibits the Department of Justice or the Depart-
ment of Interior from preventing Tribal laws authorizing mari-
juana use, distribution, possession, or cultivation.
Section 131 extends the Visitor Experience Improvement author-
ity.
Section 132 requires the National Park Service to conduct an en-
vironmental impact statement prior to approving an operations
permit at Big Cypress National Preserve.
TITLE II—ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created by Re-
organization Plan No. 3 of 1970, which consolidated nine programs
from five different agencies and departments. Major EPA programs
include air and water quality, drinking water, hazardous waste, re-
search, pesticides, radiation, toxic substances, enforcement and
compliance assurance, pollution prevention, Inland oil spill, Super-
fund, Brownfields, and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank
program. In addition, EPA provides Federal assistance for waste-
water treatment, sewer overflow control, drinking water facilities,
other water infrastructure projects, and diesel emission reduction
projects. The Agency is responsible for conducting research and de-
velopment, establishing environmental standards using health
science, risk assessment, and cost-benefit, monitoring pollution con-
ditions, seeking compliance through enforcement actions, managing
audits and investigations, and providing technical assistance and
grant support to States and Tribes, which in many cases are dele-
gated authority for much of program implementation. Under exist-
ing statutory authority, the Agency contributes to specific home-
land security efforts and participates in international environ-
mental activities.
Among the statutes for which the EPA has sole or significant
oversight responsibilities are:
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended.
Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended.
Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act), as
amended.
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Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended.
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Ocean Dumping Act (Marine Protection, Research, and Sanc-
tuaries Act of 1972), as amended.
Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
Safe Drinking Water Act (Public Health Service Act (Title XIV)),
as amended.
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conserva-
tion and Recovery Act.
Clean Air Act, as amended.
Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002.
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Li-
ability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended.
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization
Act of 2002 (amending CERCLA).
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990.
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2003.
Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020.
Save Our Seas 2.0 Act.
For fiscal year 2023, the Committee recommends $11,493,123,000
for the Environmental Protection Agency, $1,933,638,000 above the
enacted level, and $386,718,000 below the request. Comparisons to
the budget request and enacted levels are shown by account in the
table at the end of this report.
EPA Front Matter Guidance.—The Agency is directed to follow
all guidance in House Report 117–83 under the headings titled ‘‘Re-
programming,’’ ‘‘Congressional Budget Justification,’’ ‘‘Operating
Plan,’’ and ‘‘Workforce and Staffing Plans.’’
Environmental Justice.—The Committee appreciates the Admin-
istration’s commitment to addressing environmental justice and is
extremely pleased to see this commitment reflected in the Agency’s
budget request. The Committee continues its commitment to Envi-
ronmental Justice through the funding structure established in fis-
cal year 2022 and supports the Administration’s current suite of
environmental justice programs.
The Committee directs the Agency to work with its state and
local co-regulators to identify and prioritize environmental compli-
ance reviews and enforcement strategies in the most overburdened
communities where pollution monitoring, reports from community
members, or other data suggest the likelihood of compliance issues
and where EJScreen or evidence of historical redlining and other
discriminatory practices indicate potential impacts on vulnerable
populations. Additionally, the Committee directs the Agency, in
consultation with the Council on Environmental Quality, to develop
a framework for accounting for cumulative impacts from environ-
mental contaminants in the issuance of permits under the federal
environmental laws implemented by the EPA. The Committee ex-
pects that all environmental justice initiatives are supported
through appropriate staffing levels. Finally, the Committee directs
the EPA to provide a briefing to the Committee on the implementa-
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tion and results of these activities.
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The Committee supports the Administration’s proposal to consoli-
date the Agency’s environmental justice and external civil rights
compliance activities into one National Program Manager and looks
forward to reviewing a formal proposal.
Regulatory Standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
(PFAS) and Contaminants of Emerging Concern.—The Committee
continues to urge the Agency to act expeditiously in setting drink-
ing water standards for PFAS and in designating PFAS as a haz-
ardous substance under CERCLA. The President’s request level
has been provided across accounts and program offices to support
these efforts including for efforts outlined in the Agency’s PFAS
roadmap. The Committee appreciates the Agency’s focus on PFAS
particularly as outlined in the fiscal year 2022 PFAS spend plan,
however, the spend plan fails to make connections to key goals and
deadlines highlighted in the PFAS roadmap. The Agency is di-
rected to submit a PFAS spend plan for fiscal year 2023 that speci-
fies how the Agency plans to allocate fiscal year 2023 funds in con-
nection to the items identified in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Science and Technology (S&T) account funds all EPA re-
search (including Superfund research activities paid with funds
transferred into this account from the Hazardous Substance Super-
fund account). This account includes programs carried out through
grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements, cooperative research
and development agreements, and interagency agreements, with
other Federal agencies, States, universities, nonprofit organiza-
tions, and private business, as well as in-house research. It also
funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, supplies and op-
erating expenses, including rent, utilities, and security, for all
Agency research. Research addresses a wide range of environ-
mental and health concerns across all environmental media and
encompasses both long-term basic and near-term applied research
to provide the scientific knowledge and technologies necessary for
preventing, regulating, and abating pollution, and to anticipate
emerging environmental issues.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $750,174,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 863,155,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 872,743,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +122,569,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +9,588,000
The Committee recommends $872,743,000 for Science and Tech-
nology, $122,569,000 above the enacted level and $9,588,000 above
the budget request. The Committee recommends that $31,391,000
be transferred to this account from the Hazardous Substance
Superfund account for ongoing research activities.
A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account
level is provided at the end of this report, and the Committee pro-
vides the following additional detail by program area:
Clean Air and Climate.—The Committee recommends
$181,598,000, $47,284,000 above the enacted level and equal to the
request. The Committee recognizes the important role that Clean
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Air Allowance Trading Programs play in improving air quality and
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reducing pollution and directs that $7,000,000 be used for this ef-
fort.
The Committee notes that in fiscal year 2023, the Agency plans
to use the official version of its latest Motor Vehicle Emissions Sim-
ulator (MOVES) model, known as MOVES3, to estimate impacts of
the Agency’s emission control programs. The Committee notes it
has yet to receive the report directed in House Report 117–83
which required EPA to outline the updates that were incorporated
in MOVES3 regarding emissions effects of ethanol-blended fuels in
light-duty vehicles in comparison to the MOVES2014 modeling tool.
In compiling this report, the Agency should ensure that it incor-
porates the best available data and science to ensure that the
MOVES3 model does not irrationally penalize higher blends of eth-
anol and instead characterizes the air pollution effects of blending
ethanol in gasoline.
The Committee reiterates its strong support for the work per-
formed at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory.
The Laboratory remains critical in conducting vehicle and engine
emission tests particularly on new and emerging vehicle and en-
gine technologies. The Committee encourages continued robust
funding for these efforts.
The Committee supports the Agency’s effort to prioritize new fed-
eral research that will help farmers, ranchers, and rural commu-
nities manage PFAS impacts in agricultural settings and commu-
nities and provides $5,000,000 to continue that work. The Agency
is directed to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to in-
vest in agronomic research to better understand PFAS uptake into
plants and animals to help reduce PFAS exposure in our food sup-
ply and promote farm viability. This research should include the
investigation of PFAS uptake from residual treated soils and soil-
to-groundwater modeling, as well as the investigation of PFAS tol-
erant crops that can grow safely on contaminated land.
Research: National Priorities.—The bill provides $10,000,000,
$1,430,000 below the enacted level and $10,000,000 above the re-
quest. This shall be used for extramural research grants, inde-
pendent of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program,
to fund high-priority water quality and availability research by not-
for-profit organizations who often partner with the Agency. Be-
cause these grants are independent of the STAR grant program,
the Agency should strive to award grants in as large an amount
as is possible to achieve the most scientifically significant research.
Funds shall be awarded competitively with priority given to part-
ners proposing research of national scope and who provide a 25
percent match. The Agency is directed to allocate funds to grantees
within 180 days of enactment of this Act.
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources.—The Com-
mittee recommends $119,286,000, $6,712,000 above the enacted
level and equal to the request. The Committee directs that up to
$5,000,000 be used for grants under section 2007 of America’s
Water Infrastructure Act (Public Law 115–270).
Additional Guidance.—The Committee includes the following ad-
ditional guidance with respect to funding provided under this ac-
count:
Air Quality Monitoring.—The Committee is disappointed by the
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recent closure of nearly a quarter of its Clean Air Status and
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Trends Network (CASTNET) sites without prior notice to the Com-
mittee or impacted community members. Despite consistent in-
creases in funding for Science and Technology programs, the Agen-
cy continues to de-prioritize this critical asset. Within 30 days of
enactment of this Act, the Agency is directed to provide a briefing
to the Committee on its current and future plan for this program
along with detailed funding requirements to keep the program and
sites active at its fiscal year 2021 level.
Chemical Reviews.—To ensure that unreasonable risks from
chemicals are addressed in a timely manner, the Committee en-
courages the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention to
avoid duplicative efforts as it administers the Existing Chemicals
program under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act. Addi-
tionally, to ensure that the United States can maintain domestic
production of chemicals to support critical supply chains, the Com-
mittee encourages EPA to continue investments in the new chemi-
cals program to accelerate the advancement of new and innovative
chemistries. As part of this effort, EPA is encouraged to develop
improved outreach and guidance so that submitters understand in-
formation needs, processes, and requirements prior to and during
submission of pre-manufacturing notices. In addition, the Agency
shall enhance existing applicant engagement procedures to ensure
timely communication and resolution of any issues, technical and
procedural, that may arise during the 90-day review period.
Harmful Algal Blooms.—The Committee recognizes the increas-
ing threats many communities face from harmful algal blooms
(HABs), both in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. The Committee
encourages the Agency to conduct and support research that pro-
motes scientific progress towards preventing and controlling HABs,
including research to: (1) develop methods to monitor, characterize,
and predict HABs for early action; (2) identify and evaluate exist-
ing excess nutrient prevention and treatment technologies; (3) iden-
tify emerging nutrient treatment technologies capable of being
scaled up and to evolve those technologies; and (4) develop best
management practices to help both rural and urban communities
reduce excess nutrients in their watersheds. The Committee pro-
vides $6,000,000 to investigate adverse health effects from expo-
sure to HABs and cyanobacteria toxins and to develop methods to
monitor, predict, and characterize blooms to allow for early action.
Additionally, the Agency is encouraged to research the health
issues related to aerosolized exposure to water contaminated with
HABs.
Maintaining IRIS Program Integrity.—The Committee directs
the Agency to continue the IRIS program within the Office of Re-
search and Development. Additionally, to ensure a neutral, system-
atic, and independent evaluation of the science underlying its deci-
sions, the Agency is directed to use the Office of Research and De-
velopment to develop the hazard identification and dose-response
portions of all Agency risk assessments.
Mosquito Control.—The Committee is concerned that mosquito
control activities are negatively impacted by the lack of availability
of mosquito control products due in part to the inadequacy of spray
drift models used by the Agency for public health related pesticide
applications. Specifically, the Agency employs spray drift models
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which were developed specifically for agricultural and forestry pes-
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ticide applications and designed to measure deposition and drift ap-
plications. The Committee is aware that adult mosquito applica-
tions try to avoid deposition and maximize drift through the target
area. The Committee encourages the EPA to recognize the need to
develop a model specifically for adult mosquito control, and to in-
crease resources in support of this effort.
National Native Environmental Science Training and Research
Program.—The Committee recognizes that the successful manage-
ment of our nation’s natural resources requires a sufficient pool of
well-trained professionals, and our Tribal communities aspire to fill
these environmental professional positions with members of their
own communities. The Committee supports the establishment of a
National Native Environmental Science Training and Research
Center to provide education and research opportunities for Native
American and Alaska Natives in collaboration with the Agency and
Tribal communities.
Renewable Fuel Standard.—The Committee is aware of a strong
interest from stakeholders to generate Renewable Fuels Standard
credits from renewable electricity. The Committee understands
that the Agency is planning to propose revisions to the existing reg-
ulations related to eRINs as part of a future rulemaking action.
The Committee urges the Agency to undertake this rulemaking in
a timely manner, including processing all pending pathway peti-
tions, to provide transparency and clarity for all stakeholders and
directs the Agency to brief the Committee on its progress within
180 days of enactment of this Act.
The Committee notes that the process for renewable fuel path-
ways continues to suffer from significant delays and inefficiencies,
creating uncertainty for biofuel producers. The Committee directs
the Agency to provide a report, within 60 days of enactment of this
Act, outlining recommendations on how to streamline and expedite
the pathway petition and approval process and implement these
changes.
The Agency is encouraged to work expeditiously to review renew-
able identification number credits for renewable fuels used to pro-
vide electricity for electric vehicle charging and on feedstock for co-
digestion facilities.
STAR Grants.—The Committee provides funds to continue the
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program and directs that not
less than $30,000,000 be allocated for this program, a $1,400,000
increase above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level of $28,600,000.
The Committee remains interested in the feasibility of reestab-
lishing the Graduate Fellowship program and of implementing a
mechanism to allow for submission of unsolicited, principal investi-
gator-initiated proposals to STAR to capture innovative research
ideas that may exist outside of the Agency and that advance its
mission. The Committee looks forward to receiving the briefing di-
rected in the explanatory statement accompanying P.L. 116–260.
Testing Alternatives.—In an effort to reduce animal testing
across EPA, the Committee directs the Agency to provide a brief-
ing, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, detailing the timeline
for reducing and replacing experiments on vertebrate animals, as
well as any actions EPA has taken to date that change goals set
in 2019–2020. Additionally, pursuant to Section 4(h)(2)(C) of the
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Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, the
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Committee directs EPA to publish information regarding New Ap-
proach Methods, including submissions that are currently being
evaluated and those that have been rejected, and, as EPA finalizes
its report on regulatory flexibility regarding animal testing within
the agency and for accommodating the use of NAMs, EPA should
incorporate specific goals that reflect the current regulatory land-
scape and outline the necessary steps to reduce animal testing and
to assess progress.
Value of Water.—The Committee is aware of the lack of a gen-
erally accepted method of quantifying the value of fresh water,
even as the world’s water systems face multiple crises of climate
change, depletion due to overuse, pollution, and other challenges.
The importance and significance of carefully monitoring, protecting,
and properly valuing our national freshwater reserves will only
grow in future years due to these challenges. The committee en-
courages the Agency, Department of the Interior, and Forest Serv-
ice to engage key stakeholders to quantify the value of clean water
and include that value as part of analyses undertaken under the
National Environmental Policy Act and other natural resource
management decisions.
Vehicle Emissions Lifecycle Analysis.—The Committee encour-
ages the Agency to build upon its efforts to develop standardized
modeling to evaluate the full lifecycle of all vehicle technologies
and transportation fuels by integrating full lifecycle analysis ac-
counting into new vehicle standards aimed at reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. The Agency is also encouraged to coordinate with
other federal agencies that are conducting similar lifecycle models
for vehicles to best understand the full impact of standards seeking
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Water Security Test Bed.—The Committee directs the Agency to
include up to $1,750,000 for advancing full scale applied research
and testing capabilities to address threats to drinking water and
drinking water infrastructure, including weatherization equipment,
SCADA control systems, and water tanks for full year operating ca-
pabilities at Water Security Test Bed facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND MANAGEMENT
The Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) account
encompasses a broad range of abatement, prevention, enforcement,
and compliance activities, and personnel compensation, benefits,
travel, and expenses for all programs of the Agency except Science
and Technology, Hazardous Substance Superfund, Leaking Under-
ground Storage Tank Trust Fund, Inland Oil Spill Programs, and
the Office of Inspector General.
Abatement, prevention, and compliance activities include setting
environmental standards, issuing permits, monitoring emissions
and ambient conditions and providing technical and legal assist-
ance toward enforcement, compliance, and oversight. For many en-
vironmental programs, States and Tribes are directly responsible
for actual operation of the various environmental programs, and
the Agency’s activities include providing support and assistance
and conducting oversight.
In addition to program costs, this account funds administrative
costs associated with the Agency’s operating programs, including
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support for executive direction, policy oversight, grants and re-
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sources management, general office and building services for pro-
gram operations, and direct implementation of Agency environ-
mental programs for headquarters, the ten EPA regional offices,
and all non-research field operations.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $2,964,025,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 3,796,280,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 3,792,315,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +828,290,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥3,965,000
The Committee recommends $3,792,315,000 for Environmental
Programs and Management, $828,290,000 above the enacted level
and $3,965,000 below the request.
A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account
level is provided at the end of this report, and the Committee pro-
vides the following additional detail by program area:
Clean Air and Climate.—The Committee recommends
$451,605,000, $161,277,000 above the enacted level and
$72,368,000 below the request. The recommendation includes
$125,216,000 for the Climate Protection program project.
The Committee recognizes the important role that Clean Air Al-
lowance Trading Programs play in improving air quality and reduc-
ing pollution and directs that no less than $7,000,000 be used for
this effort. Despite continued progress under the Clean Air Act to
improve air quality and curb the effects of acid rain, forests and
watersheds throughout the Northeast are still experiencing long-
term impacts from acid rain, smog, and mercury. To improve long-
term monitoring of acid rain impacts on the Northwoods Region,
the Committee provides increased funding for the Agency to part-
ner with research institutions, scientists, and stakeholders in the
region to study ongoing restoration work and projects, improve its
critical loads approach for damage documentation, and survey acid
rain and climate impacts on lake and river ecosystems. The Com-
mittee directs the Agency to report on the status of these efforts
within 180 days of enactment of this Act.
Of the amount provided, $1,500,000 is to develop and dem-
onstrate nano-catalyst and nano-sensor technologies that have the
potential to monitor, detect, and degrade emerging pollutants.
Compliance.—The Committee recommends $144,770,000 for com-
pliance activities, $41,270,000 above the enacted level and equal to
the request.
To proactively assist with environmental compliance issues, the
Committee expects the Agency to actively engage with metal recy-
cling businesses in environmental justice communities and include
businesses as stakeholders. As part of this effort, and to help sup-
port the evolutionary growth of the metal recycling industry given
overarching environmental and economic benefits, the Committee
directs the Agency to recognize and engage with metal recycling
businesses that are actively investing in and constructing state-of-
the-art recycling plants that meet environmental standards.
The Committee is aware of concerns about the potential health
risks associated with prolonged exposure to ethylene oxide. The
Committee has provided the Agency additional resources for moni-
toring and compliance activities and urges the Agency to engage
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with communities concerned about ethylene oxide exposure. The
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Committee encourages the Agency to incorporate validated moni-
toring data provided to the Agency into its rulemaking.
Enforcement.—The Committee recommends $586,243,000 for en-
forcement activities to include continued funding for environmental
justice within the enforcement program area. Outside of environ-
mental justice, $291,305,000 is recommended for all other enforce-
ment activities, $49,530,000 above the enacted level and equal to
the request.
Environmental Justice.—The Committee recommends
$294,938,000 for environmental justice activities, $200,779,000
above the enacted level and equal to the request. Additional re-
sources for Environmental Justice are also provided within the
Hazardous Substance Superfund account.
The Committee is aware there are front-line communities that
are overly-burdened by corporate pollution and environmental deg-
radation, leading to a disproportionate negative impact on the
health of community members. The Committee directs the Agency
to issue guidance on external civil rights compliance obligations ap-
plicable to recipients of EPA federal financial assistance under
EPA regulations promulgated pursuant to section 602 of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.): 1) issue guidance to
clarify the obligations of recipients of EPA financial assistance to
have in place procedural civil rights programs and safeguards, in-
cluding clarifying recipients’ obligation to collect and maintain data
to ensure compliance; and 2) issue guidance to clarify the agency’s
interpretations of legal requirements and expectations to stake-
holders, including with respect to permitting and, particularly, con-
sideration of cumulative impacts from the siting of multiple facili-
ties and other factors.
Environmental Protection: National Priorities.—The bill provides
$27,700,000, $2,000,000 above the enacted level and $27,700,000
above the request. The Committee directs that funds be used for
a competitive grant program for qualified non-profit organizations,
to provide technical assistance for improved water quality or safe
drinking water, adequate wastewater to small systems or indi-
vidual private well owners. The Agency shall provide $23,700,000
for Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assist-
ance Act, for activities specified under Section 1442(e) of the Safe
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C.300j–1(e)(8)). The Agency is also di-
rected to provide $3,000,000 for grants to qualified not-for-profit or-
ganizations for technical assistance for individual private well own-
ers, with priority given to organizations that currently provide
technical and educational assistance to individual private well own-
ers. The Agency is directed to provide on a national and multi-
State regional basis, $1,000,000 for grants to qualified organiza-
tions, for the sole purpose of providing on-site training and tech-
nical assistance for wastewater systems. The Agency shall require
each grantee to provide a minimum 10 percent match, including in-
kind contributions. The Agency is directed to allocate funds to
grantees within 180 days of enactment of this Act.
Geographic Programs.—The bill provides $679,938,000,
$92,746,000 above the enacted level and $101,303,000 above the re-
quest. The Committee believes that protecting these important
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water bodies is a national priority and provides funding for pro-
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89
grams that support their restoration and protection. From within
the amount provided, the Committee directs the following:
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.—The Committee recommends
$368,000,000 for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI),
$20,000,000 above the enacted level and $27,889,000 above the re-
quest. The Committee directs the Agency and other federal part-
ners to continue to work in coordination with the Great Lakes
States, Tribes, local authorities, and nonfederal stakeholders to
prioritize action-oriented projects across the five focus areas in lieu
of additional studies, monitoring, and evaluations. Such projects in-
clude, but are not limited to, remediating and delisting Areas of
Concern, reducing nutrient runoff, preventing, and controlling
invasive species, improving water quality, and increasing coastal
resiliency through restoration and protection of streambanks, nat-
ural coastlines, and shorelines. As the Agency distributes funds
across the five focus areas, Tribal related activities should be main-
tained at not less than $15,000,000.
The Committee remains concerned by the rise in harmful algal
blooms (HABs) due to an increase in extreme weather events and
climate variability throughout the Great Lakes, and believes that
investing GLRI funding in innovative projects including wetland
and other natural infrastructure project designs, technologies,
algae remediation through harvesting or cultivation, or through
other approaches, both nutrient and HAB reduction benefits can be
achieved at landscape scales. The Agency is directed to brief the
Committee on its current and historical allocation of funds among
the five focus areas, with a focus on Area 3 (nutrients) and Area
4 (habitat) in fiscal year 2022. Additionally, the Committee urges
the Agency to focus on HAB reduction efforts in Great Lakes re-
gions where nutrient loading contributes the most to HABs. The
Committee strongly supports projects that have cross-cutting bene-
fits across focus areas and directs the Agency to use GLRI funding
to support efforts that yield benefits to more than one focus area
by combining resources from multiple focus areas and to develop a
more flexible and responsive allocation process which ensures that
States and local communities have the capacity and tools to re-
spond to the growing threat that HABs and other environmental
challenges pose to the Great Lakes.
The Committee encourages Agency funds to be made available to
expand breakwaters and advance local shoreline mitigation meas-
ures that protect water quality and provide much needed protection
for Great Lakes shorelines threatened by rising lake levels.
The Committee also recognizes that environment-based mitiga-
tion measures such as the creation of wetlands, conservation ease-
ments, and natural flood plains to slow the flow rate of rivers,
creeks, and streams, are innovative tools to mitigate the severity
of future floods in the Great Lakes Bay region. The Committee
urges the Agency to work in coordination with the U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, as well as state, local, and tribal governments,
and business and non-profit stakeholders, on developing conserva-
tion and environment-based flood mitigation measures to reduce
the impact of floods on communities within the Great Lakes Bay
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region, including the Tittabawassee River Watershed.
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Chesapeake Bay.—The Committee recommends $92,000,000 for
the Chesapeake Bay program, $4,000,000 above the enacted level
and $1,432,000 above the request. From within the amount pro-
vided, $20,500,000 is for nutrient and sediment removal grants and
$25,500,000 is for small watershed grants to control polluted runoff
from urban, suburban and agricultural lands, and $22,708,000 is
for state-based implementation in the most effective basins.
Puget Sound.—The Committee recommends $54,000,000 for
Puget Sound, $19,750,000 above the enacted level and $18,984,000
above the request. Funds shall be allocated in the same manner as
directed in House Report 112–331.
South Florida.—The Committee recommends $8,500,000 for the
South Florida program, $1,000,000 above the enacted level and
$1,298,000 above the request. Within the funds provided,
$1,000,000 shall be for the expansion of the water quality and eco-
system health monitoring and prediction network which will use
cutting-edge technologies for long-term monitoring of Florida
waters, including Molecular, Algal, Ocean Floor, and Seagrasses.
Lake Champlain.—The Committee recommends $25,000,000 for
the Lake Champlain program, $5,000,000 above the enacted level
and $5,000,000 above the request. To restore and protect Lake
Champlain and its surrounding watershed, funds should be allo-
cated through the Lake Champlain Basin Program Process to sup-
port implementation of section 120 of the Clean Water Act, and by
partnering with states, local organizations, and other stakeholders
working to address challenges in the area, including phosphorous
pollution, toxic substances, biodiversity, aquatic invasive species,
and to make the lake and surrounding communities and eco-
systems more resilient to climate change.
Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Invasive Species Program.—
The Committee expects the Agency to continue to use funds from
the appropriate Geographic Programs to address invasive species
in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain at not less than the en-
acted levels.
Indoor Air and Radiation.—The Committee recommends
$42,138,000, $15,881,000 above the enacted level and equal to the
request. The Agency is directed to continue to operate the Radon
program as in fiscal year 2022. Additionally, the Committee notes
the need to ensure access to the U.S. primary radon reference and
calibration program by states and industry as the national bench-
mark for radon measurement devices and encourages the Agency
to support efforts by states and the Centers for Disease Control to
collect and disseminate available radon test data.
Pesticide Licensing.—The Committee recommends $138,495,000,
$28,299,000 above the enacted level and $20,334,000 above the re-
quest. The Committee is aware of proposals to establish a Vector
Expedited Review Voucher (VERV) program within the Office of
Pesticides, modeled after a similar expedited review program at the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to incentivize the development
of disease vector control agents to control insecticide resistant mos-
quitos or other disease vectors. The Committee has not received the
briefing requested in House Report 117–83 on the merits of estab-
lishing a VERV pilot program and is directed to provide this brief-
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ing within 30 days of enactment of this Act.
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).—The Com-
mittee recommends $130,007,000, $9,932,000 above the enacted
level and equal to the request.
Of the funds provided under this program area, $9,000,000 is for
implementation of a federal permit program for coal combustion re-
siduals in non-participating states, as authorized under section
4005(d)(2)(B) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C.
6945(d)(2)(B)), or to provide technical assistance to states estab-
lishing their own permitting program under section 4005(d) of the
Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6945(d)). As soon as prac-
ticable, the Committee encourages the Agency to adopt final regu-
lations for the implementation of a federal permit program in non-
participating States.
The Committee notes the potential need for dependable bio-based
and United States-grown plastic alternatives. Within 180 days of
enactment of this Act, the Committee directs the Agency to provide
a briefing on efforts to explore alternatives, such as United States-
based hemp, and how such alternatives may be used as a cost-effi-
cient alternative in government-produced or funded materials.
Further, given potential concerns related to electric reliability,
the Committee encourages the Agency to provide a status update
within 60 days of enactment of this Act on Agency actions to co-
ordinate with state regulators and Regional Transmission Organi-
zations to consider extensions under 85 Fed. Reg. 53516.
Ensure Clean Water: National Estuary Program/Coastal Water-
ways.—The Committee recommends $50,990,000, $15,990,000
above the enacted level and $18,806,000 above the request. From
within the amount provided, the Committee provides $800,000 per
estuary for National Estuary Program (NEP) grants funded under
Section 320 of the CWA, an increase of $50,000 per estuary above
the enacted level. An additional $4,000,000 is provided for competi-
tive grants. The Committee encourages the Agency to work in con-
sultation with the NEP directors to identify worthy projects and ac-
tivities.
Additionally, the Committee directs the Agency to leverage exist-
ing Agency programs, expertise, and funding provided through
Public Law 117–58, to support Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force
states in implementing the Gulf Hypoxia Plan.
Ensure Safe Water.—The Committee recommends $127,365,000,
$17,878,000 above the enacted level and $7,720,000 below the re-
quest.
Within available funds, the Committee provides no less than
$5,000,000 for the Agency’s continued work within the Under-
ground Injection Control program related to Class VI wells for geo-
logic sequestration to help develop expertise and capacity at the
Agency. These funds should be used by the Agency to expeditiously
review and process Class VI primacy applications from States and
Tribes and to directly implement the regulation as quickly as pos-
sible, where States have not yet obtained primacy by working di-
rectly with permit applicants, and to support regulator education
and training programs in conjunction with states, or an association
of states.
Additionally, the Committee directs the Agency to provide an an-
nual report to the Committee on the status of Class VI injection
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well primacy applications within the Underground Injection Con-
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trol Program. The report shall include the status and progress of
current primacy applications, including a projected timeline for a
final decision. The first report must be submitted to Congress no
later than 12 months following the enactment of this Act.
Further, the Committee recognizes that there are some state
backlogs and delays in issuing permits in accordance with section
1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (U.S.C. J00h–4) for
the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program. The Committee
directs the Agency to provide a briefing within 90 days of enact-
ment of this Act to discuss actions to evaluate, pursuant to Part
C of the Safe Drinking Water Act, applicable measures that such
states should take to receive, process, make determinations on, and
issue UIC Program permits in a timely manner. The briefing
should also cover EPA actions to consult with such states and in-
dustry stakeholders to develop and implement a strategy to reduce
or eliminate such backlogs.
Ensure Clean Water.—The Committee recommends $243,309,000,
$26,959,000 above the enacted level and $8,678,000 below the re-
quest. The Committee supports the WaterSENSE, Urban Waters,
and Trash Free Waters programs at the proposed levels. The Com-
mittee urges the Agency to develop Effluent Limit Guidelines
(ELGs) and biosolids regulations with respect to PFAS chemicals.
The Committee supports the Agency’s ongoing activities related
to integrated planning, which will be increasingly necessary as
States and communities work to meet their specific clean water ob-
ligations and long-term infrastructure needs, and better manage
costs over time for their public ratepayers. The Committee provides
up to $2,000,000 for integrated planning activities consistent with
Section 402(s) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1342(s).
Section 50218 of Public Law 117–58 directed the Agency to es-
tablish a Water Reuse Interagency Working group to develop and
coordinate actions, tools, and resources to advance water reuse
across the country. Given widescale deployment of private water
reuse infrastructure at industrial facilities can be expensive for
public utilities and local governments, the Committee directs the
Agency, in coordination with the Water Reuse Interagency Working
Group, to undertake a study on the public benefit of a potential
federal investment tax credit to support private investment in
water reuse and recycling systems. The Committee expects the
Agency to report to the Committee within 180 days of enactment
of this Act on planned actions to carry out this study.
The Agency is directed to continue and expand its work coordi-
nating with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies to monitor
and reduce transboundary hazardous contaminants in U.S.-British
Columbia transboundary watersheds, including the Kootenai wa-
tershed. These efforts should be funded at no less than the enacted
level.
Additional Guidance.—The Committee includes the following ad-
ditional guidance with respect to funding provided under this ac-
count:
Administrator Priorities.—The Agency is directed to submit a re-
port within 90 days of enactment of this Act that identifies how
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any fiscal year 2020, 2021, and 2022 funding was used, by account,
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program area, and program project. Each activity funded should in-
clude a justification for the effort and any anticipated results.
Aviation Emissions.—The Committee recognizes that many com-
munities living near airports or under airflight pathways are dis-
proportionately affected by aviation emissions, which have been
shown to contribute to poor air quality and environmental health
hazards. These same communities also face increased air pollution
and emissions from a greater presence of ground transportation
and industry and manufacturing facilities in proximity to airports.
The Committee encourages the Agency to incorporate communities
impacted by aviation emissions as environmental justice commu-
nities.
Biointermediates.—The Committee appreciates the work of the
Agency to finalize the rule permitting the production, transfer, and
use of biointermediates.
Chemical Recycling Technologies.—The Committee is concerned
about the growth of chemical recycling technologies, specifically py-
rolysis and gasification units, for the treatment of plastic waste.
These chemical recycling technologies do not result in the recovery
of plastic materials to advance a circular economy and the facilities
contribute to climate change and impose disproportionate health
burdens on the communities where they are located. The Com-
mittee encourages the Agency to consider the emissions, dispropor-
tionate impacts, and lack of circularity in its ongoing rulemaking
on the regulatory treatment of gasification and pyrolysis units and
encourages the Agency to maintain regulating these technologies as
municipal waste combustion units defined under the Clean Air Act
Section 129.
Chlorpyrifos.—The Committee notes the recent United States
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision directing the Agen-
cy to reevaluate existing and future registrations of chlorpyrifos in
light of the risks that residual residues on food can pose. The Com-
mittee accepts the findings from numerous studies establishing the
link between the use of chlorpyrifos and brain damage in children.
The Agency is expected to meet its obligations to protect human
health and the environment.
Community Air Quality Monitoring.—The Committee continues
to encourage the Agency to prioritize air quality monitoring sys-
tems that yield frequently repeated measurements of pollutants
and identify hotspots or areas of persistent elevated levels of pol-
lutants localized to and caused by the characteristics of a specific
geographic location. The Agency is encouraged to use this informa-
tion to provide regularly updated data to overburdened and
marginalized communities and for public awareness and other ac-
tivities.
Community Water System Survey.—The Committee encourages
the Agency to conduct a new Community Water System Survey
consistent with its commitment to the Government Accountability
Office’s recommendation.
Great Lakes Algal Blooms.—The Committee recognizes that ef-
forts to control runoff, manage Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and
better manage nutrient flows into the Great Lakes in general, and
Lake Erie in particular, require a shared interagency agenda. The
Agency is directed to brief the Committee on its efforts to collabo-
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rate with federal partners, including the Natural Resources Con-
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servation Service, in this region, and to include as part of the brief-
ing how funds made available to the Agency are being used to build
new habitat and natural infrastructure to decrease nutrient out-
flows and reduce HABs.
Green Chemistry and Cosmetics.—The Committee encourages the
Office of Green Chemistry to work in consultation with the Food
and Drug Administration to design and create cosmetic chemicals
that have no inherent toxicity to replace chemicals in cosmetic
products marketed to women of color and professional salon work-
ers that are linked to negative impacts on their health.
Methane Emissions.—The Committee directs the Agency to pro-
vide a briefing to the Committee, not later than 180 days after en-
actment of this Act, to discuss ongoing Agency actions to refine
greenhouse gas and air pollutant measurements. The briefing
should outline actions the Agency is considering to update the
greenhouse gas reporting rule, waste lifecycle inventory tools, and
the national greenhouse gas inventory to reflect recent peer-re-
viewed data, including from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion, on landfill methane emissions and collection efficiency.
Mississippi River National Program Office.—The Committee en-
courages the Agency to consider establishing a Mississippi River
National Program Office as a new geographic program office. The
Office may lead efforts to develop actionable goals and an action
plan to identify and prioritize projects and activities designed to
protect and restore the ecological health and resilience of the Mis-
sissippi River. Activities could include restoration, natural infra-
structure, non-structural measures, or continuous living cover crops
to improve water quality, restore habitat and natural systems,
eliminate harmful aquatic invasive species, and build local resil-
ience to natural disasters.
Nonrefillable Cylinders.—The Committee supports the Agency’s
goals in implementing the American Innovation and Manufacturing
Act (AIM) Act but believes the rulemaking related to the use of
nonrefillable cylinders did not consider all stakeholder concerns.
The Committee directs the EPA to study alternatives to refillable
cylinders, such as non-refillable cylinders equipped with designs to
make them distinguishable from non-refillable cylinders in use as
of April 25, 2022, to facilitate detection of illegal imports and
equipped with unique safety valve technologies that prevent fugi-
tive emissions and leakage/venting. As part of this study, the Agen-
cy shall consider the occupational safety and health impacts on
workers of the use of heavier refillable cylinders. Within 180 days
of enactment of this Act, the Agency is directed to brief the Com-
mittee on its findings.
Outreach to Farm Workers.—The Committee directs the Agency
to extend its Spanish-language outreach program consistent with
direction in House Report 117–83.
Refined Fuel Products.—The Committee encourages the Agency
to provide a briefing within 90 days of enactment of this Act to dis-
cuss the impact that recent events, including the COVID–19 pan-
demic and ongoing war in Ukraine, have had on demand for re-
fined fuel products and how EPA’s proposed renewable fuel vol-
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umes reflect such demand.
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Regional and Municipal Government Water Treatment Facili-
ties.—The Committee is aware that there are regional and munic-
ipal government water treatment and pollution control facilities
that provide drinking water and sanitary wastewater management
not only to their immediate communities but in some cases, to mul-
tiple states or to a significant region of the country. These regional
assets receive sewage sludge and biosolids from cities and towns so
that other municipalities do not have to build their own costly
water treatment facilities or incinerators. The Committee encour-
ages the Agency to develop a pilot program that expands on this
concept of non-profit regional municipal facilities that provide
wastewater and drinking water facilities on a regional basis.
Sale of E15.—The Committee encourages the Agency to explore
whether there is a long term or permanent solution to allow the
sale of E15 year-round.
Small Refinery Relief.—The Committee recognizes that the Re-
newable Fuels Standard (RFS) under Clean Air Act Section 21
l(o)(9) provides that EPA may exempt small refineries from compli-
ance with the RFS in certain circumstances and that a small refin-
ery ‘‘may at any time petition the Administrator for an extension
of the exemption . . . for the reason of disproportionate economic
hardship.’’
Water and Sewer Services Study.—The Committee encourages
the Agency to conduct a study on water and sewer services. The
study should consider water affordability nationwide, including
rates for water and sewer services, increases in such rates during
the ten-year period preceding such study, and water service dis-
connections due to unpaid water service charges; and the effective-
ness of funding under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act
and under section 601 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
for promoting affordable, equitable, transparent, and reliable water
and sewer service.
Water Discrimination and Civil Rights Study.—The Committee
recognizes that access to clean drinking water is a basic human
right. The Committee encourages the Agency to conduct a study on
discriminatory practices of water and sewer service providers and
violations by such service providers that receive Federal assistance
of civil rights under title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 about
equal access to water and sewer services.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides audit, evaluation,
and investigation products and advisory services to improve the
performance and integrity of EPA programs and operations. The
Inspector General (IG) will continue to perform the function of IG
for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. This ac-
count funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, and ex-
penses (excluding rent, utilities, and security costs) for the OIG. In
addition to the funds provided under this heading, this account re-
ceives funds from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account.
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Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $44,030,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 55,865,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 55,865,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +11,835,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $55,865,000 for the Office of Inspec-
tor General, $11,835,000 above the enacted level and equal to the
request. In addition, the Committee recommends $12,111,000 as a
transfer to this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund
account.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
The Buildings and Facilities account provides for the design and
construction of EPA-owned facilities as well as for the repair, ex-
tension, alteration, and improvement of facilities used by the Agen-
cy. The funds are used to correct unsafe conditions, protect health
and safety of employees and Agency visitors, and prevent deteriora-
tion of structures and equipment.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $34,752,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 80,570,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 80,570,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +45,818,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $80,570,000 for Buildings and Fa-
cilities, $45,818,000 above the enacted level and equal to the re-
quest.
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE SUPERFUND
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) program was
established in 1980 by the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to
clean up hazardous materials, spills, and dangerous, uncontrolled,
and/or abandoned hazardous waste sites. The Superfund Amend-
ments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) expanded the program sub-
stantially in 1986, authorizing approximately $8,500,000,000 in
revenues over five years. In 1990, the Omnibus Budget Reconcili-
ation Act extended the program’s authorization through 1994 for
$5,100,000,000 with taxing authority through calendar year 1995.
The Superfund chemicals tax which previously expired in 1995,
was reinstated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ef-
fective July 1, 2022.
The Superfund program is operated by EPA subject to annual ap-
propriations from a dedicated trust fund and from general reve-
nues. Enforcement activities are used to identify and induce parties
responsible for hazardous waste problems to undertake cleanup ac-
tions and pay for EPA oversight of those actions. These enforce-
ment actions are an essential element to the success of the pro-
gram. In addition, responsible parties have been required to cover
the cost of fund-financed removal and remedial actions undertaken
at spills and waste sites by Federal and State agencies. At sites
where no viable responsible party can be identified, EPA may use
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monies from the Trust Fund to remediate contaminated sites.
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Funds are transferred from this account to the Office of Inspector
General and Science and Technology accounts for Superfund re-
lated activities.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,232,850,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,154,168,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,313,638,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +80,788,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +159,470,000
The Committee recommends $1,313,638,000 for the Hazardous
Substance Superfund program, $80,788,000 above the enacted level
and $159,470,000 above the request. The Committee recommends
that $12,111,000 be transferred to the Office of Inspector General,
and $31,391,000 be transferred to the Science and Technology ac-
count.
Environmental Justice.—The Committee recommends $5,876,000,
$35,000 above the enacted level and equal to the request. Funding
is provided in the structure consistent with fiscal year 2022.
Superfund Cleanup.—The Committee recommends $868,599,000,
$51,826,000 above the enacted level and $169,835,000 above the re-
quest. The Committee provides $2,500,000 within the Superfund:
Remedial program, to support regulatory work needed to designate
PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under section 102 of
CERCLA.
Additional Guidance.—The Committee includes the following ad-
ditional guidance with respect to funding provided under this ac-
count:
Equity in Cleanup.—The Committee is concerned that cleanup at
sites near communities that are largely minority or low-income
occur at a slower pace than at other sites. The Committee encour-
ages the Agency to review its superfund site portfolio to identify
progress made to sites near minority or low-income communities
and brief the committee within 90 days of the enactment of this
Act on the status of cleanup at these sites.
New and Emerging Technologies.—Consistent with prior year
guidance to collaborate with the private sector to use the best
available technologies to increase the rate of cleanups of Superfund
sites around the country, the Committee directs the Agency to pro-
vide a report, within 60 days of enactment of this Act, outlining
progress made toward incorporating in situ remediation tech-
nologies to restore Superfund sites and return them to productive
use, as well as related water quality remediation projects.
Superfund Excise Tax.—The Committee includes bill language to
ensure that the Agency may expend the excise taxes collected in ac-
cordance with section 613 of Public Law 117–58 within the Super-
fund account.
LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK TRUST FUND PROGRAM
Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), author-
ized the establishment of a response program for cleanup of re-
leases from leaking underground storage tanks. Owners and opera-
tors of facilities with underground tanks must demonstrate finan-
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cial responsibility and bear initial responsibility for cleanup. The
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98
Federal trust fund is funded through the imposition of a motor fuel
tax of one-tenth of a cent per gallon.
In addition to State resources, the Leaking Underground Storage
Tank (LUST) Trust Fund provides funding to clean up sites, en-
forces necessary corrective actions, and recovers costs expended
from the Fund for cleanup activities. The underground storage
tank response program is designed to operate primarily through co-
operative agreements with States. Funds are also used for grants
to non-State entities, including Indian Tribes, under Section 8001
of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The Energy Policy
Act of 2005 expanded the authorized activities of the Fund to in-
clude the underground storage tank program. In 2006, Congress
amended section 9508 of the Internal Revenue Code to authorize
expenditures from the trust fund for prevention and inspection ac-
tivities.
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $92,293,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 93,814,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 93,814,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +1,521,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $93,814,000 for the Leaking Under-
ground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund Program, $1,521,000
above the enacted level and equal to the request.
Regular inspections of Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) are a
key part of an overall strategy to prevent and minimize impacts of
releases of fuels or other hazardous substances from USTs. The
Committee provides $26,669,000 to support state inspection pro-
grams.
INLAND OIL SPILL PROGRAMS
This appropriation, authorized by the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act, as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, provides
funds to prepare for and prevent releases of oil and other petro-
leum products in navigable waterways. In addition, EPA is reim-
bursed for incident specific response costs through the Oil Spill Li-
ability Trust Fund managed by the United States Coast Guard.
EPA is responsible for directing all cleanup and removal activi-
ties posing a threat to public health and the environment; con-
ducting site inspections; providing a means to achieve cleanup ac-
tivities by private parties; reviewing containment plans at facili-
ties; reviewing area contingency plans; pursuing cost recovery of
fund-financed cleanups; and conducting research of oil cleanup
techniques. Funds for this appropriation are provided through the
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund which is composed of fees and collec-
tions made through provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the
Comprehensive Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act, the
Deepwater Port Act of 1974, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
Amendments of 1978, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
as amended.
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Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $20,262,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 26,502,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 26,502,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +6,240,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $26,502,000 for the Inland Oil Spill
program, $6,240,000 above the enacted level and equal to the re-
quest.
STATE AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
The State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account provides
grant funds for programs operated primarily by State, Tribal, local,
and other governmental partners. The account includes two broad
types of funds: (1) Infrastructure Assistance, which is used pri-
marily by state, local, and tribal partners for projects that directly
improve air quality, water quality, or clean up contaminated sites;
supporting environmental protection; and (2) Categorical Grants,
which assist State and Tribal governments and other environ-
mental partners with the operation of environmental programs.
In the STAG account, the agency provides funding for infrastruc-
ture projects through two State Revolving Funds (Clean Water and
Drinking Water), geographic specific projects in Alaska Native Vil-
lages and on the United States-Mexico Border, Brownfields revital-
ization projects, diesel emission reduction grants, and other tar-
geted infrastructure projects. Additionally, the Water Infrastruc-
ture Improvements for the Nation Act (Public Law 114–322) (WIIN
Act) and America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (Public Law
115–270) (AWIA) authorized a number of clean water and drinking
water grant programs designed to address specific water-related
health and environmental concerns in communities.
The State Revolving Funds (SRFs) provide Federal financial as-
sistance to protect the Nation’s water resources. The Clean Water
SRF helps eliminate municipal discharge of untreated or inad-
equately treated pollutants and thereby helps maintain or restore
the country’s water to a swimmable and/or fishable quality. The
Clean Water SRF provides resources for municipal, inter-munic-
ipal, State, and Interstate agencies and Tribal governments to
plan, design, and construct wastewater facilities and other projects,
including non-point source, estuary, stormwater, and sewer over-
flow projects. The Safe Drinking Water SRF finances improvements
to community water systems so that they can achieve compliance
with the mandates of the Safe Drinking Water Act and continue to
protect public health.
Many Federal environmental statutes include provisions allowing
delegation of day-to-day management of environmental programs to
approved State and Tribal environmental programs. The Federal
statutes were designed to recognize States and Tribes as partners
and co-regulators, allowing States and Tribes to assist with the
execution and implementation of environmental safeguards. For
delegated environmental programs, State and Tribal governments
issue and enforce permits, carry out inspections and monitoring,
and collect data. To assist States and Tribes in this task, the stat-
utes also authorized the agency to provide funding to States and
Tribes. These grants, which cover every major aspect of environ-
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mental protection, include those programs authorized by sections
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319 and 106 of the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Con-
trol Act, as amended, for non-point source pollution and water
quality permits programs), sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air
Act (for State and Local air quality management programs), section
128 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) (for State and Tribal response
programs), section 1443(a) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (for pub-
lic water system supervision), and section 3011 of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (for the implementation of State
hazardous waste programs).
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $4,351,573,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 5,729,143,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 5,177,332,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +825,759,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥551,811,000
The Committee recommends $5,177,332,000 for the State and
Tribal Assistance Grants account, $825,759,000 above the enacted
level and $551,811,000 below the budget request. The Committee
provides the following additional detail by program area:
Community Project Funding Grants.—From within funds pro-
vided for capitalization grants for the Drinking Water State Re-
volving Fund and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the Com-
mittee recommends $553,401,264 from the Clean Water SRF and
$381,263,499 from the Drinking Water SRF special project grants
be for special project grant for the construction of drinking water,
wastewater, and storm water infrastructure and for water quality
protection. Each project shall provide not less than 20 percent
matching funds from non-federal sources, unless approved for a
waiver. Applicable federal requirements that would apply to a
Clean Water State Revolving Fund or Drinking Water State Re-
volving Fund project grant recipient shall apply to a grantee receiv-
ing a special project grant under this section. The Committee notes
that the following funding sources are to be treated as non-federal
funds and can be used to meet the non-federal matching fund re-
quirement: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Community Development Block Grant program; U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Rural Development Program; and Appalachian Re-
gional Commission grants. Funding made available to jurisdictions
through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–
2) are considered federal funds and may not be applied towards the
non-federal cost share requirement. A detailed list of projects is lo-
cated in the table titled ‘‘Incorporation of Community Project Fund-
ing Items’’ located at the end of this report.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).—The Committee
recommends $1,751,646,000 for the Clean Water SRF, requires at
least 10 percent of funds to be used for green infrastructure or en-
ergy efficiency projects, reserves $2,000,000 for technical assistance
and training grants, and requires that 10 percent of grant funds be
used for additional subsidization. The Committee urges the Agency
to use funding for the Clean Water SRF to protect freshwater
sources and to assist water utilities in protecting communities from
PFAS. Additionally, to the extent there are sufficient eligible
project applications, up to 20 percent of the funds made available
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through the CWSRF to each state may be used for projects that
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seek to mitigate known sources of pollution, including failing septic
systems, and improve water quality.
The Committee notes that wastewater treatment facilities are
some of the largest industrial users of electricity in the nation and
provides Green Project Reserve (GPR) funds as part of the CWSRF
to encourage states to improve energy and water efficiency at treat-
ment facilities. The Committee reminds the Agency of prior direc-
tives to develop a uniform reporting framework which states may
use to report their GPR spending, and directs the Agency to de-
velop and make available to states tools and metrics that allow
states to quantify estimated energy and water savings benefits of
these investments. The Agency is also reminded of the prior re-
quirement to provide entities that provide technical assistance to
wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities clear guidance
on metrics for how to utilize GPR set asides. Finally, the Agency
is directed to increase its cooperation on GPR technical assistance
with the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Pro-
gram.
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.—The Committee rec-
ommends $1,126,096,000 for the Drinking Water SRF, allows funds
to be used to finance green infrastructure or energy efficiency
projects, and requires that 14 percent be used for additional sub-
sidization.
Brownfields Program.—The Committee recommends
$130,982,000, $38,995,000 above the enacted level and equal to the
request for brownfields grants and directs that at least 10 percent
of such grants be provided to areas in which at least 20 percent of
the population has lived under the poverty level over the past 30
years as determined by censuses and the most recent Small Area
Income and Poverty Estimates as described in the bill.
Diesel Emissions Reductions Grants (DERA).—The Committee
recommends $150,000,000, $58,000,000 above the enacted level and
equal to the request for DERA grants. The Committee notes that
the DERA program was recently reauthorized through 2024. The
Committee strongly supports the use of DERA funding in transpor-
tation electrification projects.
Targeted Airshed Grants.—The Committee recommends
$100,000,000, $38,073,000 above the enacted level and $41,000,000
above the request. These grants shall be distributed on a competi-
tive basis to nonattainment areas that the Agency determines are
ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to annual ozone
or particulate matter 2.5 standards, as well as the top five areas
based on the 24-hour particulate matter 2.5 standard where the de-
sign values exceed the 35 mg/m3 standard. To determine these
areas, the Agency shall use the most recent design values cal-
culated from validated air quality data. The Committee notes that
these funds are available for emission reduction activities deemed
necessary for compliance with national ambient air quality stand-
ards and included in a State Implementation Plan submitted to
EPA.
New Grant Programs.—The Committee funds 10 of the 21 new
grant programs proposed in the request for a total of $65,000,000.
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Funding is listed by account in the table at the end of this report.
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The Committee recognizes the importance of addressing the
unique environmental and public health consequences of
stormwater and stormwater runoff in the different regions of the
country. To address both the near- and long-term issues, the bill
provides $5,000,000 for this new grant program and to support the
creation of between three and five centers of excellence for new and
emerging stormwater control infrastructure technologies, as au-
thorized in section 50217(b) of Public Law 107–58.
The bill provides $5,000,000 for the Enhanced Aquifer Use and
Recharge program. Given this is a new grant program for fiscal
year 2023, the Committee directs the Agency, within 90 days of en-
actment of this Act, to provide a five-year, scalable budgetary re-
search plan to assist local governments, universities, Tribes, and
water related institutions, primarily located only rural commu-
nities, in advancing planning for sole source aquifers for research,
monitoring, outreach, and implementation of Enhanced Aquifer Re-
charge (EAR). The Committee encourages the Agency, in producing
such plan, to prioritize EAR research on the most promising sys-
tems that have focused on the use surface water diversion during
high flow periods, and directly address conversion of storm-flow
during times of excess supply, to base-flow and ground water-based
drinking supplies, for times of high demand.
Categorical Grants.—For categorical grants to States and other
environmental partners for the implementation of delegated pro-
grams, the bill provides $1,321,004,000, an increase of
$221,620,000 above the enacted level and equal to the request.
Funding levels for each grant program within the Categorical
Grants program are specified in the table at the end of this report.
Categorical Grant: Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste
Grants.—The Committee recommends $118,247,000, an increase of
$15,747,000 above the enacted level and equal to the request. The
bill includes a provision to spend categorical grant funds for the
purpose of providing grants to assist States in the development and
implementation of state programs for the control of coal combustion
residuals under section 2301 of the Water and Waste Act of 2016
(Public Law 114–322), and the Agency is directed to allocate
$2,000,000 from the Hazardous Waste Financial Assistance cat-
egorical grants program project for this purpose. The Committee
notes that funds awarded under the authority provided by this Act
are not subject to section 3011 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act
(Public Law 89–272).
Additionally, of the funding provided, $10,000,000 is to support
post-consumer materials management or recycling facilities, con-
sistent with section 302(a) of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (Public
Law 116–224)and the Agency is encouraged to ensure investments
made by the materials recovery facilities (MRF) are material neu-
tral.
Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319).—The Committee
recommends $190,000,000. The Committee notes that anthropo-
genic sources of nutrients, including non-point sources, are a pri-
mary factor in the occurrence and prevalence of Harmful Algal
Blooms (HABs), and that reducing non-point pollution should sig-
nificantly reduce both the frequency and severity of HABs. There-
fore, the Committee directs the Agency to work with recipients to
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support technical and financial assistance, training, technology,
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and the implementation of demonstration and monitoring projects
to mitigate HABs.
Categorical Grant: State and Local Air Quality Management.—
The Committee recommends $322,198,000, an increase of
$90,807,000 above the enacted level and equal to the request. The
Committee is providing substantial increases of resources to accel-
erate the deployment of air monitoring equipment, especially in
overburdened communities, and to enhance ongoing efforts at the
state level to address emissions of carbon pollution.
Additional Guidance.—The Committee includes the following ad-
ditional guidance with respect to funding provided under this ac-
count:
Bonded Indebtedness.—The Committee acknowledges that envi-
ronmental remediation mandates can become burdensome for low-
income communities. The Agency is encouraged to work with these
communities to find ways to reduce the bonded indebtedness re-
lated to environmental remediation mandates, especially in urban
and rural areas that are in the bottom quartile of median income.
Circuit Rider.—The Committee believes that dedicating full-time
circuit rider-type positions in each state under both drinking water
and wastewater authorizations presents a significant opportunity
to make progress on the most important water policy issues and
improve compliance in rural and small communities. The Agency
should ensure that assistance is used in a manner that is most
beneficial to small and rural communities. The Agency is urged to
adopt the circuit rider model and allocate funding for full-time cir-
cuit rider positions in each state to support technical assistance
programs in small and rural communities in each state.
Clean School Bus Program.—The Committee notes that Public
Law 117–58 provided $5,000,000,000 for this newly authorized pro-
gram, of which EPA recently made available $500,000,000. An ad-
ditional $1,500,000,000 will be made available during the remain-
der of fiscal year 2022 and for fiscal year 2023. The Committee is
encouraged by this progress but has concerns about the program’s
implementation. Therefore, the Committee directs the Agency to
provide a briefing within 30 days of enactment of this Act that in-
cludes an overview and future plan for the program.
The Committee directs the Agency to conduct outreach to inform,
encourage, and support potential award recipients in historically
disadvantaged, underserved, and rural communities regarding the
availability of resources for the replacement of existing school
buses with zero-emission school buses. The Agency shall collabo-
rate with the Department of Energy and Department of Transpor-
tation to ensure funding resources for the transition to zero-emis-
sion school buses, as well as the necessary charging infrastructure,
vehicle-to-grid opportunities, and workforce training programs, are
deployed in parallel to optimize program outcomes.
Climate Smart Ports Program.—The Committee recognizes the
importance of investing in zero emissions technology for ports to
address climate change and environmental justice concerns. The
Committee encourages the Agency to explore options to develop a
program dedicated to reducing port emissions.
Lead Service Lines.—The Committee recognizes that there is a
mismatch in the current funding allocation dedicated to lead serv-
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ice line replacement in the State Revolving Funds with a State’s
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actual lead service line replacement needs. Therefore, the Com-
mittee encourages the expeditious completion of the 2022 Drinking
Water Infrastructure Needs Survey Assessment, in particular, the
portion that requires an assessment of the costs of replacing all
lead service lines, in time for the allocation of fiscal year 2023
funds.
Further, the Committee supports the Agency’s work to identify
whether a service line has lead and the need to develop a con-
sistent standard among water systems to inventory and map loca-
tions of lead service lines. Within 45 days of enactment of this Act,
the Committee directs the Agency to provide a briefing on both
issues. The Agency should identify the most promising technologies
used to identify lead service lines and discuss ways to develop vol-
untary guidelines to harmonize standards for creating lead service
line maps. The briefing should include an outreach strategy for
both issues.
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAM
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $69,526,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 80,344,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 80,344,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +10,818,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $80,344,000 for the Water Infra-
structure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program,
$10,818,000 above the enacted level and equal to the request.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The bill authorizes the Administrator to assist Tribes with their
environmental program implementation and to enter into coopera-
tive agreements.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to collect and obligate cer-
tain pesticide fees in accordance with the Pesticide Registration
Improvement Extension Act of 2018.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to assess certain fees
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to transfer funds appro-
priated for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to other federal
agencies in support of restoration activities.
The bill authorizes the use of certain accounts for construction,
alteration, repair, rehabilitation, and restoration of facilities, up to
$350,000 per project.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to collect and obligate cer-
tain hazardous waste electronic manifest fees in accordance with
the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to collect and obligate cer-
tain chemical review fees in accordance with the Toxic Substances
Control Act.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to make certain Clean
Water Act grants to tribes.
The bill authorizes the Administrator to provide grants to imple-
ment the Southeastern New England Watershed Restoration Pro-
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gram.
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The bill directs the availability of $4,000,000 of funds for the Na-
tional Estuary program as competitive grants.
The bill clarifies that the Agency may use aircraft in its super-
vision of Superfund site cleanups financed through Special Ac-
counts.
The bill authorizes the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention and the Office of Water for fiscal years 2023 through
2027 to use up to $2,000,000 to hire students and recent graduates
as contractors on a temporary or intermittent basis.
TITLE III—RELATED AGENCIES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND
ENVIRONMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,429,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,429,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +429,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $1,429,000 for the Office of the
Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, $429,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
FOREST SERVICE
The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of National
Forests, Grasslands, and a Tallgrass Prairie, including lands in 44
States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and cooperates with
States, other Federal agencies, Tribes and private landowners to
sustain the Nation’s forests and grasslands. The National Forest
System (NFS) includes 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands,
23 national recreation areas, a national Tallgrass prairie, 13 na-
tional monuments, and seven land utilization projects. The Forest
Service administers a wide variety of programs and activities that
sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of forests and grass-
lands to include forest and rangeland research, State and private
forestry assistance, cooperative forest health management, inter-
national operations, NFS management, and wildland fire manage-
ment.
Carbon Accounting.—The Committee recognizes our National
Forests as an essential asset in reducing carbon emissions and in
the fight against climate change. Healthy forests provide an impor-
tant carbon sink and the Committee recognizes the Forest Service’s
efforts to factor carbon accounting into its land management deci-
sions. The Committee directs the Forest Service to submit a yearly
estimate of carbon accounting on Forest Service lands broken down
by region in its annual budget materials. The Committee expects
the increases given to numerous programs throughout the Forest
Service to combat wildfires, invasive species and diseases, rehabili-
tate burned areas, among others, will help contribute to an in-
creased amount of carbon stored in our National Forests.
Conservation Finance.—The Committee applauds the Forest
Service’s innovative application of conservation finance models to
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reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, improve watershed health,
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and improve recreation infrastructure on National Forest System
lands. The Committee encourages the Service to continue conserva-
tion finance efforts to leverage non-Federal investments in out-
come-focused projects and promote collaboration with public and
private sector partners to accelerate the pace and scale of forest
management activities to support implementation of Public Law
116–152, Public Law 117–58, and the Service’s Confronting The
Wildfire Crisis: A Strategy for Protecting Communities and Im-
proving Resilience in America’s Forests.
Firefighting Technologies.—The Committee encourages the For-
est Service to work with states through shared stewardship agree-
ments to support technologies and cutting-edge scientific tools, in-
cluding Scenario Investment Planning, to target wildland fire risk
and meet the growing threat that wildland fire poses.
Forest Collaboratives.—The Committee recognizes the proven
success of forest collaboratives which have helped the Forest Serv-
ice achieve increased harvest levels while also improving ecosystem
health. Within the funds provided in the NFS appropriation, the
recommendation provides increased funding to be used to make
grants, using any authorities available to the Forest Service under
the ‘‘State and Private Forestry’’ appropriation, for the purpose of
supporting established forest collaboratives to expedite project de-
velopment and approval of forest treatments developed by those
collaboratives on federal forests that have failed to meet harvest
targets in at least three of the past five years.
Resource Advisory Committees.—While the Committee recognizes
the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to improve the timeliness of
Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) appointee nominations, nearly
sixty percent of RACs currently lack a quorum and consequently
lack the ability to distribute millions of dollars in Title II Secure
Rural Schools funds for projects and investments in local commu-
nities. The Committee directs the Secretary of Agriculture to con-
tinue accelerating processing and approving of these nominations
as soon as possible and to report to the Committee within 90 days
of enactment of this Act on the status of these nominations.
Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Trees.—The Committee directs the
Forest Service to consult with the Department of the Interior and
other relevant federal agencies to consider the feasibility of estab-
lishing a pilot program to combat salt cedar and Russian olive trees
in the West. Within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the Com-
mittee directs the Forest Service to provide a report detailing the
parameters of a potential pilot program, including how the program
would be scientifically based and take a watershed approach; per-
formance metrics to track species removed annually; costs to sup-
port the program over seven fiscal years; the uniform policies and
procedures to transparently carry out supporting grants; and plans
to collaborate with local stakeholders and identify high-priority
areas. As part of this report, the Forest Service should consider
how a pilot program could build on and enhance existing Forest
Service efforts for controlling salt cedar and Russian olive trees.
Sawmill Capacity.—The Committee directs the Forest Service to
provide a report within 180 days of enactment of this Act detailing
the status of research about mill capacity in the western United
States. As part of this report, the Committee encourages the Forest
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Service to consider how such capacity relates to new sawmill capac-
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ity and related infrastructure improvements required to meet the
needs of forest management activities to restore forest health and
reduce the risk, severity, and frequency of catastrophic wildfire.
Additionally, the Committee encourages the Forest Service to in-
clude information on the number of sawmill closures over the past
20 years, and how such closures may have impacted the Forest
Service’s response to the wildfire crisis.
Use of Sediment.—The Forest Service is directed to report to the
Committee within 180 days of enactment of this Act on the feasi-
bility of using uncontaminated sediment removed from impound-
ments for beneficial uses on Forest Service lands.
FOREST SERVICE OPERATIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,069,086,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,112,652,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,112,652,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +43,566,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $1,112,652,000 for Forest Service
Operations, $43,566,000 above the enacted level and equal to the
budget request.
Facilities Maintenance and Leases.—The Committee recommends
$169,900,000 for Facilities Maintenance and Leases, $9,000,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Com-
mittee directs the Forest Service to adequately plan and budget for
staffing, operations, and maintenance costs of new facilities as they
come online, including, but not limited to, new visitor centers re-
sulting from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects.
Wildland Fire Readiness and Response.—The Committee notes
that the Forest Service relies heavily on the Remote Automated
Weather Station (RAWS) network primarily for weather informa-
tion and it is increasingly using fire surveillance cameras. Due to
the increasing incidence of destructive wildfires throughout the
western United States, to potentially improve wildland fire detec-
tion on Federal lands, the Committee directs the Service to con-
tinue assessing fire prone areas that are not adequately observed
by fire surveillance cameras and, and provides not less than
$2,000,000, to consider acquiring additional camera systems and
RAWs networks and deploying them, where possible and appro-
priate, on existing radio communications towers.
Smokejumper Base.—The Committee recognizes that the North
Cascades Smokejumper Base in Winthrop, Washington, needs facil-
ity upgrades, improvements, and renovations to meet Federal Avia-
tion Administration compliance standards and requirements. The
Committee understands the Forest Service has completed a Pre-
liminary Project Analysis recommending maintaining the base and
notes the site’s historical significance and value to the local com-
munity. The Committee urges the Forest Service to devote the nec-
essary resources to ensure the base can maintain operational excel-
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lence.
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FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $296,616,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 317,773,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 360,370,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +63,754,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +42,597,000
The Committee recommends $360,370,000 for Forest and Range-
land Research, $63,754,000 above the enacted level and
$42,597,000 above the budget request.
Forest Inventory and Analysis.—The recommendation includes
$37,700,000 for Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), $15,503,000
above the enacted level and the budget request. The recommenda-
tion also includes a significant increase for Forest and Rangeland
Research Salaries and Expenses above the requested level to facili-
tate the implementation of this essential work.
The Committee is aware that full implementation of options C
and D described within the most recent FIA Strategic Plan, includ-
ing increasing data collection to a 5-year remeasurement cycle, will
require additional resources. However, the Committee expects the
increases provided will allow the Service to expand the capacity in
the areas described in the Strategic Plan and for specific activities
such as standardizing FIA field protocols and analysis nationally to
ensure credible and consistent data and analysis; expanding invest-
ments in and integration of remote sensing and satellite tech-
nologies and programs with field data; improving online tools that
support real-world applications of the data; and assessing land-
scape-scale or regional-scale net carbon stocking. The Committee
further encourages the service to begin accelerating data collection
on the base grid to a 5-year remeasurement cycle nationwide across
all forest types, including all privately owned forests.
Within the increase provided for Forest Inventory and Analysis,
the Committee provides an increase above enacted for the Timber
Products Output survey to ensure a sustainable timber supply for
climate-friendly building materials. The Committee recognizes that
reductions in federal timber harvests since the 1980s have nega-
tively impacted rural economies and resulted in a loss of economi-
cally viable uses for private and state timber that is not within an
economic hauling distance, exacerbating the impact of the federal
timber harvest reductions. Timber resources are under-utilized and
being lost to catastrophic wildfires and accelerated mortality due to
climate change. In addition, the Committee notes escalating trade
tensions have significantly reduced U.S. wood product exports from
the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region, as an example. The Com-
mittee directs Forest Service Research and Development to work
with academic partners to leverage FIA program data and informa-
tion to conduct economic analyses focused on ensuring a sustain-
able timber supply for the growing demand for climate-friendly
building materials, with the goal of helping revitalize depressed
rural communities with economic activity. The Service should iden-
tify, within specific regional geographies, investments relative to
forestry industry infrastructure that can sustainably supply grow-
ing demand while increasing rural jobs and improving forest
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health. The Service is also encouraged to identify underserved ge-
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ographies, including tribal timberlands, that could support and
benefit from investments in processing capacity.
Research and Development.—The recommendation includes
$76,000,000 for research and development activities, $26,000,000
above the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
Joint Fire Science.—The Forest Service is directed to provide
$4,500,000 to the Joint Fire Science program for fiscal year 2023,
$500,000 above the enacted level and $500,000 above the budget
request. The Committee urges the program to ensure that a broad
network of academic researchers is considered for funding and that
the program addresses the range of research needs to enhance
wildland fire resiliency and to address barriers to wildfire manage-
ment. The Committee encourages the Joint Fire Science Program
to enhance its attention to understanding how invasive species af-
fect fuels, fire behavior, and fire regimes and exploring how indige-
nous practices may be beneficial to wildfire prevention, response,
and resilience. The Committee urges the Joint Fire Science Pro-
gram to conduct additional research on 3D fire and fuels modelling,
proactive wildfire resiliency, including resilient landscapes and fire-
adapted communities, two of the topics from the 2014 National Co-
hesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.
The Committee notes the interest of Members of Congress,
States, and stakeholders in funding specific research laboratories,
programs, and projects, including those noted below. This report
emphasizes some of the research activities of importance to the
Committee and expects the Forest Service to develop a research
program that reflects these priorities as well as the other activities
and programs most critical to forest health, particularly with re-
spect to climate change adaption, preventing the spread of disease
and invasive species, and watershed improvement.
Fire and Smoke Modeling.—The Committee provides not less
than the fiscal year 2022 enacted level to support the requirements
of Section 114 of Public Law 116–9, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Con-
servation, Management, and Recreation Act, which requires the
Forest Service to strengthen the link between research and wildfire
suppression operations and upgrading decision support systems
and new analytical tools to help fire suppression, specifically to
support the Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment
(FASMEE).
Fire Plan Research and Development.—The Committee supports
continued research that significantly contributes to the under-
standing of wildfire regimes, and the development of new fire-
fighting technologies and decision support tools.
Forest Products Laboratory.—The Committee provides not less
than the fiscal year 2022 enacted level for the Forest Products Lab-
oratory to continue research to advance wood markets, including
research on wood-based nanotechnology; advanced wood products
that incorporate carbon fiber; and wood use in building construc-
tion including research on the life cycle impacts of wood as a build-
ing material.
Carbon Uptake in Trees Research.—The Committee supports re-
search optimizing and improving understanding of carbon uptake
in trees in a manner consistent with advancing traditional food and
fiber mission objectives and provides not less than enacted for this
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work. The Service’s forest monitoring system should include carbon
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and add remote monitoring, modeling the technical, economic, and
social impacts on land use from afforestation and forest manage-
ment changes, demonstration projects for best practices to improve
disposal of wood products after use and design and demonstration
of landfills for woody biomass disposal, and carbon sequestration.
Climate Hubs.—The Committee provides not less than
$7,360,000 to support the work of Department of Agriculture Cli-
mate Hubs.
Cellulose Nanomaterials.—The Committee directs the US Forest
Service to support research on Forest-based cellulose nanomate-
rials, including material forms, manufacturing processes, and tech-
nology transfer. The recommendation includes not less than
$2,000,000 to further this research.
Forest Carbon Sequestration.—The Committee recognizes that ef-
forts to improve carbon monitoring require investments across the
Service including in FIA, Forest and Rangeland Research Salaries
and Expenses, and FS Operations IT. For Fiscal Year 2023 the
Committee has again included substantial investments in these
budget line items to allow for increased resources for the Forest
Service to carry out research projects, in collaboration with univer-
sities and non-governmental organizations with expertise in this
field, to study the quantity and distribution of forest biomass and
carbon at multiple spatial scales. The Committee urges the Service
to prioritize social science research to understand barriers to adopt-
ing forest carbon management practices, especially in rural and un-
derserved communities.
Northeastern States Research Cooperative.—The Committee ap-
plauds the Forest Service partnership with the Northeastern States
Research Cooperative and provides not less than $5,000,000 for
continuation of this work to sustain the health of the northern for-
est ecosystem.
National Agroforestry Center.—The Committee provides not less
than $2,000,000 to support the work of the National Agroforestry
Center which advances the health, diversity, and productivity of
working lands, waters, and communities through agroforestry.
Pollinator Populations.—The Service is directed to conduct re-
search on native pollinator populations on National Forest System
land and threats to their populations with the goal of identifying
management activities which would support these populations. The
Service is further directed to conduct research on the benefits and
costs that increasing the number of permits for managed honeybees
would incur on National Forest System land and whether such an
increase would be appropriate under the Service’s multiple use
mandate.
STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $315,198,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 306,963,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 332,626,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +17,428,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +25,663,000
The Committee recommends $332,626,000 for State and Private
Forestry. The recommendation is $17,428,000 above the enacted
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level and $25,663,000 above the budget request.
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Community Project Funding.—A detailed list of projects can be
found at the back of this report. The State and Private appropria-
tion provides direction for funding of these projects and is in ref-
erence to the table at the back of this report.
Forest Health Management.—The Committee recommends
$52,232,000 for Forest Health Management, $4,232,000 above the
enacted level and $7,000,000 below the budget request. The Com-
mittee strongly encourages the Service to address high priority
invasive species, pests, and diseases, including the Emerald Ash
Borer and bark beetle infestations.
Lake Tahoe Basin.—The Committee urges the Forest Service to
support the implementation of Public Law 106–506, as amended, at
no less than the fiscal year 2022 enacted levels.
Cooperative Fire Assistance.—The Committee recommends
$78,000,000 for State Fire Assistance, $3,000,000 above the enacted
level and $4,567,000 above the budget request. The Committee rec-
ommends $21,000,000 for Volunteer Fire Assistance, $1,000,000
above the enacted level and $2,000,000 above the budget request.
Lake Tahoe Basin State Fire Assistance.—The Committee recog-
nizes the Service’s efforts to create fire-resilient communities
through a combination of active fuel reduction treatments and col-
laboration with municipal water and fire agencies to improve crit-
ical infrastructure and expand wildfire response capabilities in the
Lake Tahoe Basin, including the lake’s under-resourced commu-
nities, and urges the Forest Service to support the implementation
of Public Law 106–506, as amended. To support these implementa-
tion efforts, within funding available, the Committee provides up to
$10,000,000 for projects to improve critical infrastructure and ex-
pand wildfire response capabilities in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Forest Stewardship Program.—The Committee recommends
$15,652,000 for the Forest Stewardship Program, $3,652,000 above
the enacted level and $2,250,000 below the budget request.
Great Lakes Forests.—The recommendation includes $1,000,000
for the Forest Service to work with partners to educate natural re-
source professionals and private woodland owners on effective land
stewardship practices of lower Great Lakes native forests such as
woodlot management and agroforestry.
Community Forest and Open Space Conservation.—The Com-
mittee recommends $7,000,000 for Community Forest and Open
Space Conservation, $1,500,000 above the enacted level and
$3,000,000 above the budget request.
Urban and Community Forestry.—The Committee recommends
$42,000,000 for Urban and Community Forestry, $6,000,000 above
the enacted level and $10,090,000 above the budget request.
Environmental Justice.—The Committee continues to direct the
Service to consider minority and underserved communities which
also have relatively little tree cover as a top priority when consid-
ering which projects to fund, utilizing best available science and
analytical tools. The Service is urged to ensure that such projects
are being undertaken in partnership with affected communities.
Urban Reforestation.—The Committee recognizes that there is a
critical need to restore and to improve urban forests due to cata-
strophic losses from Emerald Ash Borer while building resiliency
through tree diversity and the protection of existing trees. Nearly
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eighty-one percent of Americans live in urban areas where trees
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are critical to human health and to reducing the impact of climate
change. Of the funds provided within Urban and Community For-
estry, the Committee directs not less than $4,000,000 to be used for
management and reforestation, to include tree planting and tree
removals, in urban communities most severely impacted by the
Emerald Ash Borer and other pests and diseases. This funding is
to be in addition to funds otherwise provided to regions for the
Urban and Community Forestry program. The Committee encour-
ages the Forest Service to prioritize regional, multi-organizational
collaborations with conservation corps in urban communities most
severely impacted by invasive species like the Emerald Ash Borer.
The Committee directs the Forest Service to report to the Com-
mittee on major invasive species and on the status and successes
of remediation and replanting efforts.
International Programs and Trade Compliance.—The Committee
recommends $22,000,000 for International Programs and Trade
Compliance, $5,000,000 above the enacted level and $6,605,000
above the budget request.
Assessment of International Forest Products.—The Committee di-
rects the Forest Service to provide a report within one year of en-
actment of this Act analyzing the feasibility of increasing the pace
of timber harvesting and processing within the allowable sale
quantity to displace wood products imports. The report should com-
pare and analyze the relative carbon storage or emissions levels,
rule of law, and environmental standards under which forest prod-
ucts are harvested domestically versus in foreign nations, like
China and Russia. If necessary, the Service shall prepare this re-
port in consultation with other agencies to determine the national
security, supply chain, and business implications of the U.S. de-
pending on foreign sources of timber or timber processing.
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,866,545,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 2,175,915,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,997,650,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +131,105,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... ¥178,265,000
The Committee recommends $1,997,650,000 for the National For-
est System, $131,105,000 above the enacted level and $178,265,000
below the budget request.
Urban Connections.—The Committee continues to strongly sup-
port the Forest Service Urban Connections Program as a model for
building strong relationships with diverse youth, interested citi-
zens, urban leaders, interagency partners, and non-governmental
organizations. The Committee provides not less than $2,000,000 for
the Urban Connections Program to begin the expansion of the pro-
gram to all Forest Service regions, with the goal of building strong
relationships with diverse youth, interested citizens, urban leaders,
interagency partners, and non-government organizations. The serv-
ice is to use the strategy developed as directed in House Report
117–83, to guide the use of this additional funding, with the re-
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quirement of matching support from the private sector.
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Land Management.—The Committee recommends $21,544,000
for Land Management, Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring,
$4,544,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
The Committee expects this increase above enacted to assist the
Forest Service in reducing the number of forest management plans
requiring revision or completion. The Committee looks forward to
reviewing the report required in the Explanatory Statement accom-
panying Public Law 117–103, the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2022 on outstanding plans due for revision and the Service’s
timeline for this work.
Lake Tahoe Basin.—The Committee directs the Forest Service to
support the implementation and oversight of Public Law 106–506,
as amended, at no less than the enacted level.
Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness.—The Committee rec-
ommends $55,915,000 for Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness,
$17,915,000 above the enacted level and $53,746,000 below the
budget request. Within the funds provided, not less than
$3,000,000 is included to support infrastructure and trails develop-
ment and to build the capacity of local user groups and partnership
organizations, to be divided equally between National Recreation
Areas administered by the Forest Service and established after
1997. Within the funds provided, $2,000,000 is included for the Of-
fice of Recreation, Heritage and Volunteer Resources-Travel, Tour-
ism and Interpretation Program to continue implementation of the
Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NA-
TIVE) Act (Public Law 114–221) and to engage with Tribes, Tribal
organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations to promote sus-
tainable native tourism activities and to identify areas where tech-
nical assistance, training and cultural tourism development sup-
port is needed.
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.—The Com-
mittee recognizes the important role that the Land Between the
Lakes National Recreation Area plays in protecting natural re-
sources and wildlife, promoting environmental conservation edu-
cation, and preserving over 170,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and
open lands on the peninsula between Kentucky and Barkley Lakes
in Kentucky and Tennessee. The Committee has provided signifi-
cant increases above enacted for Recreation, Heritage and Wilder-
ness, Vegetation and Watershed Management, Trails, and National
Forest System Salaries and Expenses. The Committee expects
these increases, among others, will yield improvements in the ad-
ministration of recreation areas and to perform new work and
maintenance in recreation areas, such as Land Between the Lakes
National Recreation Area.
Rural Airstrips.—Within the funds provided, the Committee di-
rects not less than the enacted level to support rural airstrips.
Grazing Management.—The Committee recommends $7,800,000
for Grazing Management, $2,000,000 above the enacted level and
$17,747,000 below the budget request.
Hazardous Fuels Management.—The Committee has provided
funding and direction for the hazardous fuels management pro-
gram for Fiscal Year 2023 within the Wildland Fire Management
appropriation instead of the National Forest System appropriation
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as requested.
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Vegetation and Watershed Management.—The Committee rec-
ommends $52,235,000 for Vegetation and Watershed Management,
$22,235,000 above the enacted level and $46,235,000 below the
budget request. Within the funds provided, the Committee encour-
ages the Forest Service to support activities that increase regional
seedling supply across subprograms, including establishment and
expansion of federal nurseries and seed extractories and research
and development of seed progenies that are more resilient to cli-
mate impacts, as well as complimentary restoration and revegeta-
tion efforts.
Lake Tahoe Basin.—The Environmental Protection Agency has
identified Lake Tahoe as a priority watershed. The Committee di-
rects the Forest Service to support the implementation of P.L. 106–
506 at not less than enacted levels.
Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management.—The Committee
recommends $29,027,000 for Vegetation and Watershed Manage-
ment, $7,027,000 above the enacted level and equal to the budget
request. The Committee expects the increase provided will provide
additional capacity for work to improve watershed and landscape
conditions to protect wildlife and fisheries habitats, including pro-
tecting threatened and endangered species. The Committee recog-
nizes the critical importance of funding for Threatened and Endan-
gered Species work and would welcome the opportunity to discuss
with the Service how to prioritize this funding in future budget re-
quests.
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund.—The Com-
mittee provides $60,000,000 for the Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration Fund, $32,000,000 above the enacted level and
$20,000,000 below the budget request.
Wet Forest Resiliency.—Within 90 days of enactment of this Act,
the Service is directed to brief the Committee on additional steps
that could be taken to support wet forest landscapes and the forest
collaboratives that work on those landscapes, and any impediments
to increasing such support.
Minerals and Geology Management.—The Committee rec-
ommends $20,491,000 for Minerals and Geology Management,
$6,491,000 above the enacted level and $24,491,000 below the
budget request. The increase provided includes funding towards
the Department’s orphaned oil and gas well remediation initiative.
Landownership Management.—The Committee recommends
$12,000,000 for Landownership Management, $4,500,000 above the
enacted level and $16,934,000 below the budget request.
Salaries and Expenses.—The Committee recommends
$1,681,133,000 for Salaries and Expenses, $221,781,000 above the
enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee ex-
pects this increase above enacted will enable the Forest Service to
fill vacancies for positions that support the range of Congressional
priorities described under the National Forest System appropria-
tion.
Agency Timber Target.—The Service is directed to provide infor-
mation to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act
detailing the resources necessary to increase the Agency’s timber
target to four billion board feet, annually. The Committee expects
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that additional resources provided through Public Law 117–58 to
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support forest restoration activities will enhance rather than re-
duce timber sale outputs.
Communications Sites.—Federal agencies are charged with en-
suring that federal lands are made available to support the commu-
nications networks this nation relies on while also protecting the
natural beauty, habitats, and environment of these lands. Through
the Forest Planning process and site-specific project analysis, the
Forest Service provides multiple locations to expand the national
broadband network to make progress toward national broadband
investment objectives. The Committee calls upon the Forest Service
to continue to work with the National Telecommunications and In-
formation Administration to simplify and standardize permitting
regulations and requirements to ensure both timely action and re-
sponsible stewardship. The bill includes language to permit the
Forest Service to collect funds to cover the costs of administering
the communications site program.
Cattle in the Gila National Forest.—Prior to taking action on
feral livestock on the Gila National Forest, the Forest Service is di-
rected to consult and collaborate with local stakeholders on poten-
tial solutions and to consider possible consequences of such actions
or inaction, including increased wolf activity and the feral live-
stock’s impacts on native vegetation, erosion, fish and wildlife habi-
tat degradation, and water quality and quantity. The Committee
notes that such consultation and collaboration must be documented
in writing to notice all parties involved.
Cleveland National Forest Public Access.—Within 60 days of en-
actment of this Act, the Committee directs the Forest Service to
provide a briefing on public access restrictions, including trail clo-
sures, in Cleveland National Forest. The briefing should cover the
reasons for the access restrictions, ongoing projects to restore areas
so that they are suitable for public access, and the expected
timelines to reopen any closed trails or roads in the forest.
Northwest Forest Plan.—The Committee urges the Forest Service
to consider prioritizing forests where there are no matrix manage-
ment areas designated for ongoing, active management and timber
production when revising individual forest plans under the North-
west Forest Plan. The Forest Service, in updating these plans, is
encouraged to use the best available science to evaluate how new
matrix designations and revised restrictions on harvestable timber
would improve forest health, promote habitat complexity in second-
growth forests for threatened and endangered wildlife, and increase
timber production to support rural economies.
Pat Harrison Waterway District.—Within 180 days of enactment
of this Act, the Committee directs the Forest Service to provide an
update on discussions and work with the Pat Harrison Waterway
District to support a broad range of economic development and rec-
reational activities, including through potential Special Use Plan-
ning Permits.
Old Growth Forests.—Executive Order 14072 outlines the impor-
tance of mature and old-growth forests on Federal lands for the
health, prosperity, and resilience of communities and the role they
play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Committee sup-
ports the Forest Service’s collaboration with the Bureau of Land
Management to define, identify, and complete an inventory of old-
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growth and mature forests on Federal lands by leveraging the use
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of Forest Service FIA program data; coordinate conservation and
wildfire risk reduction; and develop policies, with public comment,
to institutionalize climate-smart management and conservation
strategies that address threats to these Federal lands.
Reforestation Backlog.—The Committee notes the reforestation
needs across the country, specifically those needs related to the
2020 wildfire season. The Committee directs the Forest Service,
within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to provide a briefing on
reforestation needs across the National Forest System and state
and private forest lands, with an emphasis on the challenges of
meeting these goals including availability of seedlings and nursery
capacity.
Shared Stewardship Strategy.—The Committee notes the bene-
fits of the Forest Service working with States through Shared
Stewardship to identify priorities for landscape-scale treatments
that increase the scope and scale of critical forest treatments, in-
cluding wildfire mitigation and restoration, to support communities
and improve ecosystem function. The Committee directs the Forest
Service to continue its efforts to engage States under the Shared
Stewardship Strategy and supports the use of National Forest Sys-
tem funding to implement projects jointly developed by States and
the Forest Service under this framework.
Wild Horse and Burros.—The Committee emphasizes the impor-
tance of screening adopters and purchasers to ensure the welfare
and safe outcomes for the horses and burros adopted and sold by
the agency. The Committee is encouraged by the Service’s contin-
ued collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management on this
issue and with its development of a database to track these ani-
mals on and off the range in fiscal year 2021.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $144,049,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 140,371,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 146,182,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +2,133,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +5,811,000
The Committee recommends $146,182,000 for Capital Improve-
ment and Maintenance, $2,133,000 above the enacted level and
$5,811,000 above the budget request.
Road Washouts.—The Committee urges the Forest Service to
prioritize road washouts that have limited emergency access for
rural communities, access for tribes to exercise treaty rights, access
for stewardship and other projects, utility access, and for pre-exist-
ing investments in aquatic restoration priorities alongside water
quality considerations. Additionally, the Committee recognizes the
importance of funding to address the core tenants of the program
related to water quality, which is distinct from wildfire related
work.
Facilities Maintenance and Construction.—The Committee rec-
ommends $54,037,000 for Facilities Maintenance and Construction,
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equal to the enacted level and the budget request.
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Road Maintenance and Construction.—The Committee rec-
ommends $68,895,000 for Road Maintenance and Construction,
$1,750,000 below the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
Uwharrie National Forest.—The Committee strongly urges the
Forest Service to finish the ongoing planning, survey and design,
resource surveys, National Environmental Policy Act process, and
any further requirements necessary for 5.3 miles of road in the
Uwharrie National Forest that provide a lifeline for the residents
who depend on these roads. After the necessary analyses have been
completed, the Committee directs the Service to consider paving
the roads in the Uwharrie National Forest, working with the State
and surrounding communities to identify priority projects.
Trail Maintenance and Construction.—The Committee rec-
ommends $24,250,000 for Trail Maintenance and Construction,
$5,750,000 above the enacted level and $6,811,000 above the budg-
et request.
National Scenic and Historic Trails.—The Committee directs the
Forest Service to continue to provide specific trail operation, main-
tenance, and construction funding and accomplishment data for the
national scenic and historic trails in future budget justifications.
The Committee recommends no less than $12,000,000 for national
scenic and historic trails funding.
Public Access.—The Committee recommends not less than
$2,500,000 for the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Capital Improve-
ment and Maintenance account.
Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation.—The Committee rec-
ommends $15,000,000 for Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation,
$10,000,000 above the enacted level and $15,000,000 above the
budget request.
Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements.—The Committee di-
rects the Forest Service to provide a report not later than 90 days
after enactment of this Act on wastewater treatment facilities that
are scheduled for replacement, including the Bolar Mountain
Wastewater Treatment Facility within the George Washington and
Jefferson National Forests, and how higher construction costs have
impacted project estimates.
ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $664,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 664,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 664,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $664,000 for Acquisition of Lands
for National Forests Special Acts, equal to the enacted level and
the budget request.
ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $150,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 150,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 150,000
Comparison:
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Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
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The Committee recommends $150,000 for Acquisition of Lands to
Complete Land Exchanges under the Act of December 4, 1967 (16
U.S.C. 484a), equal to the enacted level and the budget request.
RANGE BETTERMENT FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,719,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,719,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,719,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $1,719,000 for the Range Better-
ment Fund, to be derived from grazing receipts from national for-
ests (Public Law 94–579) and to be used for range rehabilitation,
protection, and improvements including seeding, reseeding, fence
construction, weed control, water development, and fish and wild-
life habitat enhancement in 16 western States.
GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR FOREST AND RANGELAND
RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $45,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 45,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 45,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $45,000 for Gifts, Donations and Be-
quests for Forest and Rangeland Research, equal to the enacted
level and the budget request.
MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $1,099,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 1,099,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 1,099,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ 0
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $1,099,000 for the Management of
National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses in Alaska, equal to the
enacted level and equal to the request.
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $2,005,106,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 2,678,659,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 2,678,659,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +673,553,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The Committee recommends $2,678,659,000 for Wildland Fire
Management, $673,553,000 above the enacted level and equal to
the budget request.
Wildland Fire Preparedness.—The Committee recommends
$192,000,000 for Wildland Fire Preparedness, $20,000,000 above
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the enacted level and equal to the budget request.
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Wildland Fire Suppression Operations.—The Committee rec-
ommends $1,011,000,000 for Wildland Fire Suppression Oper-
ations, the enacted level and the budget request. The recommended
amount is the fiscal year 2015 10-year average cost for wildland
fire suppression.
Full-time Federal Wildland Firefighters.—The fire season in the
West is no longer restricted to one season, but is nearly year-round.
The Committee supports the Department’s efforts to develop a pro-
fessional year-round workforce to combat these fires and therefore
provides additional funds again for fiscal year 2023 to continue this
transition.
Wildland Firefighter Pay.—New wildland firefighters are often
classified as ‘‘forestry technicians.’’ It is the sense of the committee
that federal firefighters should be provided with a competitive sal-
ary. The Committee is encouraged by the Service’s work to develop
a new ‘‘Wildland Firefighter’’ occupational series and urges the
Service to additionally ensure that the pay class of firefighters pro-
vides a competitive salary.
Hazardous Fuels.—The Committee recommends $321,388,000 for
Hazardous Fuels, $321,388,000 above enacted in Wildland Fire
Management, $134,000,000 above the enacted level within National
Forest System from which the line item was moved and equal to
the budget request.
Wood Innovation Grant Program.—The wood innovation grant
program expands wood products and wood energy markets that
support forest management and deliver economic and environ-
mental benefits to communities. The Committee directs the Forest
Service to support the Wood Innovation Grant Program at not less
than $30,000,000, $10,000,000 above enacted and $20,000,000
above the budget request.
Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Program.—The
Committee directs the Forest Service to support the Community
Wood Energy Systems and Innovative Wood Products Facilities
grant program at not less than $18,000,000, $6,000,000 above en-
acted and $5,500,000 above the budget request.
Prescribed Fire Management.—To improve the management of
our national wildlands and reduce the occurrence of costly
wildfires, the Committee directs the Forest Service to continue con-
ducting collaborative research to develop remote sensing capabili-
ties that include acoustic technologies for wildfire monitoring.
Within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the Committee directs
the Forest Service to provide a briefing on ongoing efforts to utilize
funding provided in fiscal year 2022 to investigate and develop this
technology prior to its application in the field and any future fund-
ing needs associated with this research.
Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes.—The Committee di-
rects the Forest Service to continue supporting the Southwest Eco-
logical Restoration Institutes at not less than $8,000,000 and to
consider, if beneficial given the Service’s research and collaboration
needs, adding an Interior West institute in the State of Nevada,
consistent with Public Law 108–317.
Vegetation Management Reporting.—Given the increasing inten-
sity of wildfires in our nation’s forests and the effect that
unmanaged vegetation can have on increasing the intensity of
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burned, the Committee directs the Forest Service to provide a re-
port within 90 days of enactment of this Act on planned vegetation
management actions to address the threat of wildfires, including
how funding provided through Public Law 117–58 will support this
work and accomplish the goals of the recently announced 10 year
wildfire strategy.
Burned Area Rehabilitation.—Burned area recovery funding is
important to forest health and to preventing future wildfires from
devastating the same areas again. The Committee continues to
view this work as a priority and directs the Service to report to the
Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act on a strategy
to ensure burned area recovery work is being adequately
prioritized, including a plan to establish a new budget line in fiscal
year 2024 or other actions to prioritize this work, if appropriate.
Shared Stewardship.—The 2020 wildfire year in California was
the largest in California history. The Forest Service is a model for
shared stewardship principles working with States and local au-
thorities to target strategic acres for vegetation management. For-
est Service Stewardship contracts focus on removing vegetation or
other activities to promote healthy forests, reduce fire hazards, or
achieve other land management objectives. The Committee is con-
cerned about the increasing intensity of wildfires in our nation’s
forests. Vegetation management includes controlling unwanted
vegetation such as invasive weed species that, when left
unmanaged, have the effect of increasing intensity, rate of spread
and the number of annual acres of forests burned. The Committee
urges the Service to engage State and local partners on increasing
the annual amount of forest acres improved through vegetation
management.
Wildfire Management Technologies.—Recognizing that the Forest
Service is continually researching and implementing new tools,
technologies, and creative solutions for fighting wildfires, within
180 days of enactment of this Act, the Committee directs the Forest
Service to provide a report that assesses the feasibility of working
with the National Interagency Aviation Committee and the Inter-
national Airtanker Board to conduct an evaluation of innovative
new technologies, such as the Container Aerial Fire Fighting Sys-
tem, as appropriate and whether any new technologies which may
meet the Service’s standards of water and retardant delivery sys-
tems including retardant delivery standards for safety, airworthi-
ness, coverage level, consistent delivery, delivery time, precision de-
livery, and ground firefighter safety. As part of this report, the For-
est Service should consider whether updates are appropriate to its
procedures and deployment protocols to include innovative wildfire
technologies now available in the United States. The Committee
also notes that the Forest Service can utilize ground-based, long-
term fire retardants as a wildfire prevention tool when conducting
prescribed burns, and other mitigation and fuel reduction efforts.
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WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS RESERVE FUND
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $2,120,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 2,210,000,000
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 2,210,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +90,000,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... 0
The bill includes $2,210,000,000 for the Wildfire Suppression Op-
erations Reserve Fund, $90,000,000 above the enacted level and
equal to the budget request. Section 1(g) of H. Res. 1151 of the
117th Congress as engrossed in the House of Representatives on
June 8, 2022 included a budget cap adjustment for wildfire sup-
pression costs and this additional funding is included for fiscal year
2023. Of the additional $2,550,000,000 available for fire suppres-
sion operations, $2,210,000,000 is provided to the Forest Service
and the remaining $340,000,000 is available through a transfer
from the Department of the Interior. The Committee provides these
additional funds and authorities to ensure that sufficient funds are
available to protect American homes, lands, and wildlife from cata-
strophic fires without requiring a transfer of funds from the very
activities that advance forest health and prevent wildland fires.
The Committee expects the Forest Service to use suppression funds
judiciously and continue to work closely with the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget and the Department of the Interior to accurately
account for expenditures and recover costs.
COMMUNICATIONS SITE ADMINISTRATION
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
The bill includes language permitting amounts collected in fiscal
year 2023 for Communications Site Administration to be deposited
and subsequently transferred to the ‘‘National Forest System’’ ac-
count.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, FOREST SERVICE
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Committee has included administrative provisions that pro-
vide further direction on the use and transfer of appropriated funds
provided to the Forest Service.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
The provision of federal health services to Indians is based on a
treaty and trust relationship between Indian Tribes and the U.S.
Government first set forth in the 1830s by the United States Su-
preme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. Numerous trea-
ties, statutes, constitutional provisions, and international laws
have reconfirmed this relationship. Principle among these is the
Snyder Act of 1921, which provides the basic authority for most In-
dian health services provided by the Federal government to Amer-
ican Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). The Indian Health Serv-
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ice (IHS) provides direct health care services in 24 hospitals, 51
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health centers, 12 school health centers, and 25 health stations.
Tribes and Tribal groups, through contracts and compacts with
IHS, operate 22 hospitals, 319 health centers, 79 health stations,
146 Alaska village clinics, and 12 school health centers.
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES
Appropriation enacted, 2022 .............................................................. $4,660,658,000
Budget estimate, 2023 ....................................................................... 0
Recommended, 2023 ........................................................................... 5,734,044,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2022 ........................................................................ +1,073,386,000
Budget estimate, 2023 .................................................................... +5,734,044,000
The Committee recommends $5,734,044,000 for Indian Health
Services, $1,073,386,000 above the enacted level and
$5,734,044,000 above the budget request. The Committee does not
agree to any program changes unless discussed below. IHS is ex-
pected to continue all programs and activities at enacted levels ex-
cept as otherwise discussed below and summarized in the table at
the end of this report. The recommendation includes $109,082,000
for pay increases and inflation costs. All increases are general pro-
gram adjustments unless otherwise specified. The bill makes funds
available for two years unless otherwise specified.
For fiscal year 2023, the Administration proposed reclassifying
IHS accounts as mandatory and did not submit a discretionary
budget proposal. However, IHS did not provide implementation
language and at the time of writing this report, the authorizing
committees have not enacted the President’s proposal. Because the
authorizing committees have not acted, the Committee is providing
discretionary funds for IHS for fiscal year 2023 to ensure health
care for Native Americans is not negatively impacted.
As directed in fiscal year 2022, the Committee continues to ex-
pect IHS to submit a report detailing the challenges it, as well as
Tribes and UIOs, faced over the course of the pandemic and how
they were resolved and a report of its evaluation of pandemic re-
sponse to the Committee. Also as directed in fiscal year 2022, the
Committee continues to direct IHS to provide quarterly updates on
how the agency is addressing recommendations related to its high-
risk designation. The Committee also continues to expect IHS to
apprise the Committee of ongoing investigations into patient abuse
allegations and any legislative recommendations for Congress to
prevent abuse, harm, and misconduct from happening again. In ad-
dition, IHS is to monitor and ensure Tribally operated programs
conduct required background checks and to expeditiously imple-
ment all outstanding Government Accountability Office (GAO) rec-
ommendations.
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse.—Between 2019 and 2020, the In-
spector General, GAO, and a dedicated White House Task Force
made recommendations on how to prevent and address future in-
stances of sexual abuse at IHS. IHS claims insufficient resources
prevent the agency from implementing all recommendations. De-
spite proposing mandatory funding with a two billion dollar plus
increase above the fiscal year 2022 discretionary appropriation,
IHS did not include funding to fully implement all recommenda-
tions to prevent child sexual abuse. Further the Committee is still
waiting for responses to questions from a Member briefing on this
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issue. The Committee directs IHS to immediately respond to all
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outstanding Committee requests and expects IHS to use resources
provided in this Act to implement the recommendations.
Staffing for New Facilities.—The recommendation includes
$94,083,000 for staffing newly-opened health facilities. This
amount represents the full amount required based on updated esti-
mates provided to the Committee. Funds for Staffing for New Fa-
cilities are limited to facilities funded through the Health Care Fa-
cilities Construction Priority System or the Joint Venture Con-
struction Program that opened in fiscal year 2022 or will open in
fiscal year 2023. Funds may not be allocated to a facility until such
facility has achieved beneficial occupancy status. The Committee
understands that amounts required for staffing new facilities con-
tinue to evolve, due in part to when facilities achieve beneficial oc-
cupancy. IHS is expected to update the Committee as beneficial oc-
cupancy dates change.
Third Party Collections.—The Committee continues to direct IHS
to consult with direct service Tribes about eligible uses of third
party collections and report to the Committee on whether more
weight should be afforded Tribal views on the use of third party
funds and the reason for any outcomes within 180 days of enact-
ment of this Act.
Hospitals and Health Clinics.—The recommendation includes
$2,766,028,000 for Hospitals and Health Clinics, $366,859,000
above the enacted level and $2,766,028,000 above the budget re-
quest. Within the increase, an additional $20,000,000 is provided
to expand the Community Health Aide Program to the lower 48
states with direction for IHS to report within 90 days of enactment
of this Act on how funds will be distributed, an additional
$10,000,000 is for Tribal Epidemiology Centers, and an additional
$47,000,000 is for the Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and STDs initiative.
The Committee recommends $27,000,000 for assessments and con-
tinues to urge IHS to evaluate whether it would be more appro-
priate to account for these costs in Direct Operations for future
years. The recommendation also includes an additional $4,000,000
to improve maternal health with continued direction to report to
the Committee within 180 days of enactment of this Act on use of
funds, updates on staff hiring, status of related standards, and the
amount of training provided with these funds.
Alzheimer’s Disease.—The recommendation maintains $5,500,000
to continue Alzheimer’s and related dementia activities at IHS.
These funds will further efforts on Alzheimer’s awareness cam-
paigns tailored for the AI/AN perspective to increase recognition of
early signs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias; quarterly, com-
petency-based training curriculum, either in-person or virtually, for
primary care practitioners to ensure a core competency on assess-
ing, diagnosing, and managing individuals with Alzheimer’s and
other dementias; pilot programs to increase early detection and ac-
curate diagnosis, including evidence based caregiver services within
Indian Country, inclusive of urban Indian organizations (UIO); and
an annual report to the Committee with data elements including
the prevalence of Alzheimer’s incidence in the preceding year, and
access to services within 90 days of the end of each fiscal year. The
Committee continues direction to develop a plan, in consultation
with Indian Tribes and urban confer with UIOs, to assist those
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with Alzheimer’s, the additional services required, and the costs as-
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