# ![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.489583333333333in" height="1.0520833333333333in"}

Staff Contact: Russ Vought (x68581) May 18, 2006

**Appropriations Policy Brief**

**H.R. 5386 --- Interior and Environment Appropriations Act for FY
2007**

**[Comparison to the RSC Budget]{.underline}:**

**Overview:** The RSC budget provided \$829 billion in discretionary
spending for FY 2007, compared to the \$873 billion allotted in the
House-reported resolution (H.Con.Res. 376). While the RSC budget did not
apportion this discretionary spending level by subcommittee---the 302(b)
allocation process---it did call for many program reductions within the
jurisdiction of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
Subcommittee.

**Capital Improvement and Maintenance Fund at the Forest Service:** The
Capital Improvement and Maintenance fund provides for improvement and
maintenance of national forest facilities, roads, and trails. The RSC
budget would reduce this fund to the President's FY 2006 requested level
(\$380.7 million). H.R. 5386 provides \$411 million for this program.

**Construction Funds at the Bureau of Land Management:** Construction
funds at BLM are primarily used for the construction of buildings,
recreation facilities, bridges, roads, and trails on federal land. The
RSC budget would reduce BLM Construction funds to the President's FY
2006 requested level (\$6.5 million). H.R. 5386 provides \$11.5 million
for BLM Construction.

[]{.mark}

**Low-Priority Multinational Species Conservation Programs:** The RSC
budget would eliminate several programs funded through the Multinational
Species Conservation Program that promote projects designed to
perpetuate the healthy populations of various species. These programs
include: the African Elephant Conservation Program, the Rhinoceros and
Tiger Conservation Program, the Asian Elephant Conservation, the Great
Ape Conservation Program, and the Marine Sea Turtle Conservation
Program. H.R. 5386 provides \$6.1 million for Multinational Species
Conservation Programs.

**National Heritage Area Grants:** Congress has established 27 National
Heritage Areas (NHAs) to commemorate, conserve, and promote areas that
include natural, scenic, historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
The sizeable number of existing NHAs, together with the number of
measures proposed in recent Congresses to study and designate new ones,
has intensified interest by the Administration and some Members of
Congress in enacting criteria and standards for designating NHAs and
limits on federal funding support. NHA designations often lead to
restrictive federal zoning and land-use planning. That is, residential
and commercial private property owners are often prevented from doing
what they want on their own property because of federal concerns that
the historic landscape would be disrupted. The National Park Service is
facing a multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog and thus will not
practically be able to take on any new maintenance requirements. The RSC
budget would eliminate the National Heritage Area Grants. H.R. 5386
provides \$13.9 million for this program.

**[Items of Note]{.underline}:**

**Capital Improvements to Fire Facilities**: Allows the Secretary of the
Interior to use wildland fire appropriations to enter into
non-competitive sole source leases of property with local governments,
at or below fair market value, to construct fire facilities, such as
fire guard stations and retardant stations.

[]{.mark}

**Wildland Fire Management Flexibility**: Allows the Secretary of the
Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer up to \$9 million
between the two departments for wildland fire management programs and
projects.

**Program Terminations:** According to the Committee, the bill
terminates four programs, saving \$54 million, including: Stateside Land
and Water Grants, the Forest Service Economic Action Program, the BLM
rural fire program, and the Asia Pacific Partnership.

[]{.mark}

[]{.mark}

**Donated Aircraft**: Allows the Fish and Wildlife Service to accept
donated aircraft as replacements for existing aircraft.

[]{.mark}

**Save America's Treasures**: Funds at \$15 million the Save America's
Treasures Program, which was begun by former First Lady Hillary Clinton
to help preserve nationally significant sites, structures, and
artifacts.

**Ellis Island Redevelopment:** Prohibits funds from being used to
implement an agreement for the redevelopment of Ellis Island, unless the
agreement is submitted to Congress, which has 30 days to review it.

[]{.mark}

**Biodiversity Convention**: Prevents funds from being used for
activities in direct response to the United Nations Biodiversity
Convention.

[]{.mark}

**Offshore Leasing Activities**: Prohibits funds from being used for
Outer Continental Shelf leasing activities with respect to oil in
certain areas of California, the North Atlantic, Washington and Oregon,
and the eastern Gulf of Mexico---but permits such leasing activities for
natural gas (Peterson Amendment adopted in Committee).

[]{.mark}

**Underground Lunchroom**: Prohibits funds from being spent to close the
underground lunchroom at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

**Smithsonian:** Prohibits the Smithsonian from compensating employees
in excess of the pay available to the President of the U.S. In addition,
the bill requires the Smithsonian to get prior approval from the
Appropriations Committee before initiating a design for any proposed
expansion, purchasing a new building, or reprogramming funds.

[**Earmarks:**]{.underline}

**Note**: According to the Committee, the bill includes \$188 million in
Member project funding for 246 projects.  This is an \$89 million or 32%
reduction compared to last year's enacted total of \$277 million in
Member project funding. 

Included in the bill **TEXT**:

-   \$2.5 million for the Youth Conservation Corps (USFW)

-   \$2.5 million for the Youth Conservation Corps (Forest Service)

-   \$2.5 million for the National Forest Foundation

-   \$2.3 million for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

-   "maintenance of the long-horned cattle on the Wichita Mountains
    Wildlife Refuge"

-   \$1.9 million for the Youth Conservation Corps (NPS) "for high
    priority projects"

-   \$66,000 for the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation

-   \$13 million for the Mid-Mapping Center in Rolla, MO (USGS)

-   "a grant to the Close Up Foundation" (Assistance to the Territories)

-   \$500,000 for Pine Bluff, AR for water and wastewater improvements

-   \$500,000 for Monticello, AR for water and wastewater improvements

Included in the Committee Report (not an exhaustive list):

-   \$500,000 for the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Monument plan

-   \$180,000 for technical assistance at the New Jersey Meadowlands
    (concert venue, sports arena complex)

-   \$500,000 for Georgia streambank restoration

-   \$550,000 for the Middle Rio Grande Bosque initiative

-   \$222,000 for the Mammoth Cave Science center

-   \$300,000 for the GW Parkway in VA

-   \$350,000 for the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area

-   \$800,000 for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

-   \$800,000 for the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National
    Heritage Corridor

-   \$2.4 million for Acadia National Park in ME

-   \$3.4 million for the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in NM

-   \$6.2 million for structural rehab at the White House in DC

-   \$2 million for stream bank erosion work at Moccasin Bend NAD in TN

-   \$2.5 million for the Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Commission in
    PA

-   \$1 million for the Great Lakes Science Center operations

-   \$700,000 for wolf monitoring in Idaho

-   \$150,000 for Northern Aplomado falcon recovery efforts

-   \$200,000 for landscape work at Gettysburg NMP

-   \$20 million for the Olympic National Park, WA

-   \$2.96 million to replace lighting system at Wind Cave National
    Part, SD

-   \$5 million to acquire land for a Flight 93 Memorial in PA

-   \$1 million for Florida Department of Citrus Abscission Chemical
    Studies

-   \$2 million for Environmental Systems Center of Excellence at
    Syracuse University for Indoor environmental quality and urban
    ecosystems sustainability research

-   \$1 million for Iowa State University project on mitigating
    emissions from egg farms

-   \$1 million for National Hispanic Health Farm Workers Initiative

-   \$1 million for the South Lake Tahoe wildfire protection as a grant
    to the South Lake Tahoe Public Utility District

-   \$1.9 million for Allegheny National Forest recreation sites, PA

-   \$1 million for construction at the Pacific Crest National Scenic
    trial

-   \$17 million Phoenix, AZ SW Health Center

-   \$6.7 million for the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native
    Culture and Arts Development

**[Funding Summaries]{.underline}:**

*In thousands*

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- ------------- ----------- ---------- ------------- --------- -------------
                                                                                                                **FY 2006**   **FY 2007**   **FY 2007** **Cmte     **Cmte Vs.**  **Cmte    **Cmte Vs.**
                                                                                                                                                        Vs.**                    Vs.**     

                                                                                                                **Enacted**   **Request**   **Cmte**    **FY       **Request**   **FY      **Request**
                                                                                                                                                        2006**                   2006**    

  **I. Department of Interior**                                                                                 ** **         ** **         ** **       ** **      ** **         ** **     ** **

  **Bureau of Land Management\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                                   ** **         ** **         ** **       ** **      ** **         ** **     ** **

  Management of Lands & Resources\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                      848,132       863,244       867,738     19,606     4,494         2.31%     0.52%

  Wildfire Management\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                      755,286       769,560       769,253     13,967     -307          1.85%     -0.04%

  Construction\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....            11,750        6,476         11,476      -274       5,000         -2.33%    77.21%

  Land Acquisition\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                8,621         8,767         3,067       -5,554     -5,700        -64.42%   -65.02%

  Oregon & California Grant Lands\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                  108,451       112,408       111,408     2,957      -1,000        2.73%     -0.89%

  **U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                                                                                         

  Resource Management\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                       994,037       995,594       1,016,669   22,632     21,075        2.28%     2.12%

  Construction\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....            42,216        19,722        39,756      -2,460     20,034        -5.83%    101.58%

  Land Acquisition\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                27,990        27,079        19,751      -8,239     -7,328        -29.44%   -27.06%

  Landowner Incentive Program\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                 236,676       24,400        15,000      -221,676   -9,400        -93.66%   -38.52%

  Private Stewardship Grants\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                          7,277         9,400         7,000       -277       -2,400        -3.81%    -25.53%

  Cooperative Endangered Species Fund\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                                       81,001        80,001        80,507      -494       506           -0.61%    0.63%

  National Wildlife Refuge Fund\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                             14,202        10,811        14,202      0          3,391         0.00%     31.37%

  North American Wetlands Conservation Fund\...\...\...\...\...                                                 39,412        41,646        36,646      -2,766     -5,000        -7.02%    -12.01%

  Neotropical Migratory Birds Conservation Fund\...\...\...\...                                                 3,941         0             4,000       59         4,000         1.50%      

  Multinational Species Conservation Fund\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                          6,404         8,217         6,057       -347       -2,160        -5.42%    -26.29%

  State Wildlife Grants\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                   67,492        74,666        50,000      -17,492    -24,666       -25.92%   -33.04%

  **National Park Service\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                                                                                                   

  Operations\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....          1,718,415     1,742,317     1,754,317   35,902     12,000        2.09%     0.69%

  U.S Park Police\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....              80,213        84,775        84,775      4,562      0             5.69%     0.00%

  National Recreation & Preservation\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                                    54,156        33,261        47,161      -6,995     13,900        -12.92%   41.79%

  Historic Preservation Fund\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                          72,172        71,858        58,658      -13,514    -13,200       -18.72%   -18.37%

  Construction\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....            313,858       229,269       229,934     -83,924    665           -26.74%   0.29%

  Land Acquisition and State Assistance\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                                     63,954        24,343        29,995      -33,959    5,652         -53.10%   23.22%

  **U.S. Geological Survey\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                       970,645       944,760       991,447     20,802     46,687        2.14%     4.94%

  **Minerals Management Service\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                                     174,294       163,554       164,399     -9,895     845           -5.68%    0.52%

  **Office of Surface Mining Reclamation\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                             294,157       298,145       298,145     3,988      0             1.36%     0.00%

  **Bureau of Indian Affairs\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                                                                                     

  Operations\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....          1,926,190     1,966,594     1,973,403   47,213     6,809         2.45%     0.35%

  Construction\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....            271,582       215,049       215,799     -55,783    750           -20.54%   0.35%

  Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                                           34,243        33,946        39,213      4,970      5,267         14.51%    15.52%

  Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                              6,255         6,262         6,262       7          0             0.11%     0.00%

  **Insular Affairs\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...**           81,473        79,223        82,923      1,450      3,700         1.78%     4.67%

  **Departmental Mgmt\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                       130,238       118,845       118,303     -11,935    -542          -9.16%    -0.46%

  **Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                     232,528       198,000       240,000     7,472      42,000        3.21%     21.21%

  **Office of the Solicitor\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                     54,624        56,755        56,755      2,131      0             3.90%     0.00%

  **Office of the Inspector General\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                  38,541        40,699        39,688      1,147      -1,011        2.98%     -2.48%

  **Special Trustee for American Indians\...\...\...\...\...\...\...**                                          222,780       244,485       184,042     -38,738    -60,443       -17.39%   -24.72%

  **National Resource Damage Assessment Fund\...\....**                                                         6,016         6,109         6,109       93         0             1.55%     0.00%

  ** **                                                                                                                                                                                     

  **II. EPA**                                                                                                                                                                               

  Science and Technology                                                                                        730,810       788,274       808,044     77,234     19,770        10.57%    2.51%

  Environmental Programs and Management\...\...\...\...\...\....                                                2,346,711     2,306,617     2,336,442   -10,269    29,825        -0.44%    1.29%

  Office of Inspector General\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                          36,904        35,100        35,100      -1,804     0             -4.89%    0.00%

  Buildings and Facilities\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                  39,626        39,816        39,816      190        0             0.48%     0.00%

  Hazardous Substance Superfund\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                               1,242,074     1,258,955     1,256,855   14,781     -2,100        1.19%     -0.17%

  Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program\...\...\...\...\....                                                 71,953        72,759        72,759      806        0             1.12%     0.00%

  Oil Spill Response\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....               15,629        16,506        16,506      877        0             5.61%     0.00%

  State and Tribal Assistance Grants\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                                3,213,709     2,797,448     3,010,348   -203,361   212,900       -6.33%    7.61%

                                                                                                                                                                                            

  **III. Related Agencies**                                                                                                                                                                 

  **Forest Service (USDA)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....**                                                                                                   

  Forest and Rangeland Research\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                               277,711       267,791       280,318     2,607      12,527        0.94%     4.68%

  State and Private Forestry\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                        278,966       244,410       228,608     -50,358    -15,802       -18.05%   -6.47%

  National Forest System\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                       1,415,646     1,398,066     1,445,659   30,013     47,593        2.12%     3.40%

  Wildland Fire Management\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                            1,746,091     1,768,195     1,810,566   64,475     42,371        3.69%     2.40%

  Capital Improvement and Maintenance\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                          431,334       382,601       411,025     -20,309    28,424        -4.71%    7.43%

  Land Acquisition\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                41,772        25,075        7,500       -34,272    -17,575       -82.05%   -70.09%

  Land Acquisition, Special Acts\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                            1,053         1,053         1,053       0          0             0.00%     0.00%

  Management for Subsistence Uses\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                  4,975         5,311         5,311       336        0             6.75%     0.00%

  **Other Agencies\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....**                                                                                           

  Indian Health Service\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                    2,692,099     2,822,500     2,830,136   138,037    7,636         5.13%     0.27%

  Navajo & Hopi Relocation\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                            8,474         5,940         5,940       -2,534     0             -29.90%   0.00%

  Inst of Amer Ind & Alas NatCulture & Arts\...\...\...\...\...\...                                             6,207         6,703         6,703       496        0             7.99%     0.00%

  Smithsonian\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...           615,097       644,394       609,094     -6,003     -35,300       -0.98%    -5.48%

  National Gallery of Art\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                      111,141       116,743       116,743     5,602      0             5.04%     0.00%

  Kennedy Center\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                30,347        38,709        38,709      8,362      0             27.55%    0.00%

  Woodrow Wilson Center\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                           9,065         9,438         9,438       373        0             4.11%     0.00%

  NEA\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...   124,406       124,412       124,412     6          0             0.00%     0.00%

  NEH\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...   140,949       140,955       140,955     6          0             0.00%     0.00%

  Commission of Fine Arts\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                         1,865         1,951         1,951       86         0             4.61%     0.00%

  National Capital Arts & Culture\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                               7,143         6,534         6,534       -609       0             -8.53%    0.00%

  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                           4,789         5,118         5,118       329        0             6.87%     0.00%

  National Capital Planning Commission\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                         8,123         8,265         7,623       -500       -642          -6.16%    -7.77%

  Holocaust Memorial\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...                    42,150        43,786        43,415      1,265      -371          3.00%     -0.85%

  Presidio Trust\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....           19,706        19,256        19,256      -450       0             -2.28%    0.00%

  WH Commission on the Nat. Moment of Remembrance                                                               247           200           200         -47        0             -19.03%   0.00%
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- ------------- ----------- ---------- ------------- --------- -------------