Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2013 and FY2014 Appropriations
Released: 2014-05-01T00:00:00

Introduction

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

This report focuses on FY2014 enacted appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. It first compares FY2014 enacted appropriations with FY2013 enacted appropriations. It next compares the FY2014 enacted appropriations with those requested by the President; recommended by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and proposed by the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Finally, the report compares FY2014 appropriations with FY2012 appropriations. Comparisons generally are at the agency level.

Appropriations are complex. For example, the budget requests for some agencies are large, numbering several hundred pages and containing numerous funding, programmatic, and legislative changes for congressional consideration. Further, appropriations laws provide funds for numerous accounts, activities, and subactivities, and the accompanying explanatory statements provide additional directives and other important information. This report does not provide account- and subaccount-level information, or information on budgetary reorganizations or legislative changes proposed or enacted. For information on FY2014 funding for individual accounts, programs, or activities administered by a particular agency, contact the key policy staff identified at the end of this report. Similarly, for information on FY2013 appropriations for accounts, programs, or activities of a particular agency, including the effects of sequestration and the across-the-board rescission, contact the key policy staff.

FY2014 Continuing Appropriations

As of the start of the fiscal year on October 1, 2013, none of the 12 regular appropriations bills for FY2014, including Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, had been enacted. Further, no interim continuing resolution had been enacted to provide appropriations for the projects and activities covered by the 12 appropriations bills. As a result, a funding gap and partial government shutdown began on October 1, 2013, and lasted 16 days until the enactment of a short-term continuing resolution (CR) on October 17, 2013 ( P.L. 113-46 ). The CR included appropriations for continuing projects and activities funded in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations law for FY2013, at the FY2013 post-sequestration, post-rescission levels. The law provided exceptions for Wildland Fire Management of the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, under specified terms and conditions. It provided continuing appropriations for FY2014 through January 15, 2014. P.L. 113-73 extended continuing appropriations for FY2014 through January 18, 2014.

During the funding gap, agencies generally were prohibited by the Antideficiency Act from spending funds in advance of or in excess of appropriations. Exceptions in the law allow some agency functions to continue, for instance, for "emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property." Under guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget, agencies in the Interior bill developed plans that generally summarized agency activities that would cease and agency activities that would continue during a lapse in appropriations for FY2014. These plans also typically identified the number of employees expected to be retained and the number expected to be furloughed. For instance, an overview plan for DOI issued in advance of the lapse in appropriations had estimated that of 72,562 employees in pay status, 58,765 employees would be furloughed in the event of a lapse in appropriations. The plan further summarized that:

All areas of the National Park and National Wildlife Refuge Systems would be closed and public access would be restricted. The Bureau of Land Management would terminate all nonemergency activities on the public lands. The scientific work of the U.S. Geological Survey would be halted or conducted in a custodial manner. Only those activities needed to respond to emergency situations would be conducted by the Office of Surface Mining. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement would continue to ensure the safety of drilling and production operations and issue drilling and other offshore permits, however renewable activities and five year plan work would be terminated. Most activities at Bureau of Indian Affairs agency, regional and headquarters offices would be suspended. Activities to continue required payments to beneficiaries would continue. The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians would maintain minimum operations necessary to issue checks to beneficiaries.

Additional details for each DOI agency were included in agency-specific plans. The cessation or curtailment of some activities and services during the funding gap, such as the closure of national park units, was controversial among some Members of Congress and segments of the public.

FY2014 Enacted Appropriations

Components of the FY2014 Appropriation

For FY2014, $30.12 billion was appropriated for the approximately 30 agencies and entities typically funded in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations law. Most of this funding was provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014. However, $628.5 million of the total was included in the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014.

For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the appropriation was $10.47 billion, or 34.8% of the total enacted. For EPA, funded by Title II of the bill, the appropriation was $8.20 billion, or 27.2% of the total. For about 20 agencies and other entities typically funded in Title III of the bill, the appropriation was $11.44 billion, or 38.0% of the total.

Appropriations enacted for agencies vary widely for a number of reasons, relating to the number, breadth, and complexity of agency responsibilities; alternative sources of funding (e.g., mandatory appropriations); and Administration and congressional priorities, among other factors. Thus while the FY2014 appropriations covered approximately 30 agencies, funding for a small subset accounted for most of the total. For example, the appropriations for three agencies—EPA, Forest Service, and Indian Health Service—were about three-fifths (60.1%) of the total enacted. Further, more than three-quarters (77.0%) of the total appropriation was for these three agencies and two others—National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

For DOI agencies, the FY2014 appropriations ranged from $69.0 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to $2.56 billion for the National Park Service. The individual appropriations for 5 of the 10 agencies exceeded $1 billion. Nearly half (48.6%) of the $10.47 billion for DOI agencies was for two agencies—the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

For Related Agencies in Title III, the appropriations showed even more variation. They ranged from $1.0 million for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to $5.48 billion for the Forest Service. In addition to the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service received more than $4 billion. By contrast, fourteen agencies received less than $80 million each, including eight with appropriations of less than $10 million each.

Figure 1 , below, identifies the share of the FY2014 appropriation for each of the three titles of the Interior bill. It also depicts the portion of funding enacted for particular agencies. Table 1 contains the amounts enacted for FY2014 for each agency within the Interior bill.

FY2014 Appropriations Compared with FY2013 Appropriations

The FY2014 appropriation of $30.12 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was an increase of $431.5 million (1.5%) over the total FY2013 appropriation of $29.69 billion. This FY2013 level included full-year appropriations in P.L. 113-6 , reimbursement for transfers to DOI and FS Wildland Fire Management in P.L. 112-175 , and supplemental appropriations for disaster relief in P.L. 113-2 . It also reflected reductions under the President's sequester order of March 1, 2013, and an across-the-board rescission of 0.2% under P.L. 113-6 . However, the FY2014 appropriation was an increase of $1.80 billion (6.4 %) over the FY2013 appropriation of $28.32 billion, which excluded the supplemental appropriations for disaster relief in P.L. 113-2 .

Relative to total FY2013 appropriations, the FY2014 appropriation reflected both increases and decreases for different agencies. For instance, the total appropriation decreased by $217.8 million (2.0%) for all DOI agencies, decreased by $278.4 million (3.3%) for EPA, and increased by $926.8 million (8.8%) for all Related Agencies in Title III.

The overall decrease in appropriations for FY2014 for DOI agencies can be attributed primarily to reductions for the National Park Service and DOI Departmental Offices. The reduction for the NPS was $213.4 million (7.7%) and for Departmental Offices was $315.9 million (33.7%). In both cases, the FY2013 appropriation included relatively large supplemental appropriations for disaster relief, as shown in Table 1 . Despite the decrease for DOI agencies collectively, most DOI agencies received increased appropriations for FY2014. The Bureau of Indian Affairs received the largest dollar increase ($142.2 million, 6.0%).

The overall decrease in appropriations for EPA reflected various increases and decreases for agency accounts, programs, and activities. The biggest dollar decrease was for the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account, in large part because the FY2013 appropriation included supplemental appropriations for disaster relief. STAG grants include Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants, among other state and tribal grants. Clean Water State Revolving Funds support municipal wastewater infrastructure projects, such as constructing or upgrading sewage treatment plants needed to comply with the Clean Water Act. Drinking Water State Revolving Funds support drinking water infrastructure projects to facilitate compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and to meet the act's health goals. The largest dollar increase in FY2014 appropriations for EPA accounts was for the Environmental Programs and Management account.

The FY2014 appropriation was an increase for nearly all agencies in Title III. However, most of the overall increase was due to augmented appropriations for the Forest Service (of $554.9 million, 11.3%) and the Indian Health Service (of $303.7 million, 7.4%). The increase for the Forest Service was primarily for suppressing wildland fires. The additional funding for the Indian Health Service was for clinical services and contract support costs, among other programs.

Table 1 identifies the FY2013 and FY2014 appropriations for each agency and title within the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Data column one presents the FY2013 full-year appropriations ( P.L. 113-6 ) and reimbursements for fire transfers ( P.L. 112-175 ). Data column two shows the FY2013 supplemental appropriations for disaster relief ( P.L. 113-2 ). Data column three provides FY2013 total appropriations. Data column four lists the FY2014 appropriations. Data column five contains the percent change from the FY2013 appropriation without disaster relief to the FY2014 appropriation. Data column six contains the percent change from the FY2013 total to the FY2014 appropriation.

FY2014 Enacted Appropriations Compared with the President's FY2014 Request

The President's FY2014 request contained $29.91 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. For the 10 major DOI agencies in Title I of the bill, the request was $10.81 billion, or 36.1% of the total requested. For EPA, funded by Title II of the bill, the request was $8.15 billion, or 27.3% of the total. For about 20 agencies and other entities typically funded in Title III of the bill, the President requested $10.95 billion, or 36.6% of the total.

Like enacted appropriations, the levels of requested appropriations differ considerably across agencies based on their functions, alternative funding sources, and Administration initiatives, among other factors. Thus while the President's request covered approximately 30 agencies, funding for a handful accounted for most of the total. For example, the appropriations sought for three agencies—EPA, Forest Service, and Indian Health Service—were more than half (58.3%) of the total requested. Further, about three-quarters (75.6%) of the request was for these three agencies and two others—National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

For DOI agencies, the requests ranged from $71.5 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to $2.64 billion for the National Park Service. The individual requests for 5 of the 10 agencies exceeded $1 billion. Nearly half (48.1%) of the $10.81 billion requested for DOI agencies was for two agencies—the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

For Related Agencies in Title III, the requested funding levels showed even more variation. The President did not seek funding for National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs, which had been funded in previous years, and sought amounts ranging from $2.4 million for the Commission of Fine Arts to $4.84 billion for the Forest Service. In addition to the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service would have received more than $4 billion under the President's proposal. Fourteen agencies would have received less than $80 million each, including six proposed at less than $10 million each.

The FY2014 appropriation of $30.12 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was $206.3 million (0.7%) more than the $29.91 billion requested by the Administration for FY2014. Nevertheless, DOI agencies collectively received less than sought by the President—$336.5 million less (3.1%)—and the appropriation for most DOI agencies was lower than requested. The largest differences were for the U.S. Geological Survey, with $134.9 million (11.6%) less than requested, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, with $124.6 million (8.0%) less.

By contrast, EPA (Title II) and Related Agencies (Title III) received higher FY2014 appropriations than sought by the President. The EPA appropriation was $47.0 million higher (0.6%). The appropriation for Title III agencies was $494.8 million (4.5%) above the request, with higher appropriations for the Forest Service ($638.2 million higher, 13.2%) being the biggest factor. This was in large part because the Forest Service appropriation included $600.0 million in additional funds for suppressing wildland fires (provided in P.L. 113-46 ). Despite the overall higher appropriation for Title III agencies relative to the President's request, most agencies in Title III received level or lower funding relative to the President's request.

FY2014 Appropriations Compared with House and Senate Interior Drafts

No bill providing regular appropriations for FY2014 for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was introduced in the House or Senate before the start of the fiscal year on October 1, 2013. On July 31, 2013, the House Appropriations Committee began, but did not conclude, a markup of a draft FY2014 appropriations bill. The markup focused on the draft bill text and accompanying draft committee report approved on July 23, 2013, by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. In addition, on August 1, 2013, the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies released a draft bill for FY2014 with an accompanying explanatory statement.

The House and Senate Interior drafts contained widely differing total appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. The House Interior draft contained $21.71 billion in new appropriations and additional budget authority offset by $2.63 billion in rescissions of unobligated Department of Energy (DOE) funds and $1.57 billion in funding transferred from DOE for Wildland Fire Management of DOI and the Forest Service. Including the DOI budget authority provided through these offsets, the House Interior draft contained $24.34 billion.

The Senate Interior draft contained $30.84 billion, including $675.0 million in emergency appropriations for Wildland Fire Management of DOI and the Forest Service. The Senate Interior total was $6.50 billion (26.7%) higher than the House Interior total of $24.34 billion. The Senate Interior draft recommended higher levels than the House Interior draft for every agency within the bill except for DOI Departmental Offices. The higher House Interior total for DOI Departmental Offices stemmed from the inclusion of $410.0 million for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program, which compensates counties and local governments for non-taxable lands within their jurisdictions. The largest dollar difference between the House and Senate Interior drafts was in the recommendations for EPA; the Senate Interior level of $8.48 billion was $2.96 billion (53.6%) more than the House Interior level of $5.52 billion.

The FY2014 appropriation of $30.12 billion was $5.78 billion (23.7%) more than the House Interior draft total of $24.34 billion. With one exception, the FY2014 appropriation contained higher funding for agencies throughout the bill than was recommended in the House Interior draft. The largest dollar difference was for EPA, for which the appropriation was $2.68 billion (48.6%) higher than recommended in the House Interior draft. In particular, the appropriation for the STAG account was $2.04 billion higher than the level in the House Interior draft. Other agencies with FY2014 appropriations exceeding $100.0 million more than the level in the House Interior draft, and the increases, were: Fish and Wildlife Service ($368.7 million, 34.8%), Indian Health Service ($305.0 million, 7.4%), National Park Service ($268.3 million, 11.7%), Bureau of Indian Affairs ($184.5 million, 7.9%), Smithsonian Institution ($144.7 million, 21.9%), and Forest Service ($141.4 million, 2.6%). Only DOI Departmental Offices would have received higher funding ($308.6 million higher, 33.1%) in the House Interior draft than was appropriated. This was largely because the House Interior draft included appropriations for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program.

The FY2014 appropriation of $30.12 billion was $717.0 million (2.3%) less than the $30.84 billion recommended in the Senate Interior draft. With one exception, the FY2014 appropriation provided funding lower than or equal to the recommendations in the Senate Interior draft. The largest dollar difference was for EPA, for which the appropriation was $281.4 million (3.3%) less than the level in the Senate Interior draft. Only the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement received higher FY2014 appropriations ($7.1 million higher, 5.0%) than contained in the Senate Interior draft.

Table 2 identifies FY2014 appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Data column one presents the President's request for FY2014 appropriations. Data column two provides the recommendation of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Data column three contains the recommendation of the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Data column four shows the enacted appropriations.

For agencies within the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, the three bar graphs below compare FY2014 enacted appropriations with FY2013 total appropriations; FY2014 requested appropriations; FY2014 appropriations recommended by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and FY2014 appropriations recommended by the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Figure 2 pertains to DOI agencies in Title I of the bill; Figure 3 pertains to EPA, in Title II; and Figure 4 depicts appropriations for Related Agencies in Title III.

The DOI totals at the top of the figure are different than the sum of the appropriations levels in the bars in the figure. This is because the totals at the top of the figure reflect a state royalty administrative cost reduction that is not shown in the bars in the figure. Further, the House Interior Subcommittee total reflects other components of the Subcommittee's recommendation that are not reflected in the bars in the graph, such as a $1.32 billion rescission of unobligated DOE funds, which offsets new appropriations for DOI.

The Senate Interior Subcommittee total (at the top of the figure) includes a $75.0 million Wildfire Suppression Emergency Appropriation in Title V of the Senate Interior draft. This funding also is included in the Department-Wide Programs total used in the figure.

The House Interior Subcommittee total at the top of the figure is different than the sum of the appropriations levels in the bars in the figure. This is because the total reflects other components of the Subcommittee's recommendation that are not reflected in the bars in the graph, such as a $1.32 billion rescission of unobligated Department of Energy funds, which offsets new appropriations for Title III agencies.

The Senate Interior Subcommittee total (at the top of the figure) includes a $600.0 million Wildfire Suppression Emergency Appropriation in Title V of the Senate Interior draft. This funding also is included in the Forest Service total used in the figure.

FY2014 Appropriations Compared with FY2012 Appropriations

The FY2014 appropriation of $30.12 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was an increase of $891.4 million (3.0%) over the FY2012 appropriation of $29.23 billion. Collectively, DOI agencies (Title I) and Related Agencies (Title III) received increased appropriations over FY2012, while EPA appropriations declined. DOI appropriations increased overall from $10.30 billion to $10.47 billion, or $174.7 million (1.7%). This increase can be attributed mainly to the manner of funding Willdland Fire Management. In FY2012, rescissions of unobligated balances and emergency suppressions funds were used as offsets to new appropriations, resulting in a lower appropriation for Wildland Fire Management for FY2012. It is worth noting that for FY2014, several DOI agencies received lower or level funds relative to FY2012.

The EPA appropriation of $8.20 billion for FY2014 was $249.4 million (3.0%) lower than the FY2012 level of $8.45 billion. The agency's accounts received varying decreases, with the largest dollar decline (-$125.0 million) for the Hazardous Substance Superfund account. This account supports the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites administered under EPA's Superfund program.

The FY2014 appropriation of $11.44 billion for Title III agencies was an increase of $965.1 million (9.2%) over the FY2012 level of $10.48 billion. This overall increase was primarily the result of additional FY2014 appropriations for the Forest Service for Wildand Fire Management. The use of emergency suppression funds in FY2012 as an offset for new appropriations, and additional funds for fire suppression for FY2014, contributed to an increase of $885.4 million (19.3%) for the Forest Service over FY2012.

Table 3 contains total appropriations for FY2012 through FY2014 for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and the appropriation for each title of the bill. Specifically, data column one provides the FY2012 appropriation. Data column two presents the FY2013 full-year appropriations (in P.L. 113-6 ) and reimbursements for fire transfers (in P.L. 112-175 ); data column three shows the FY2013 supplemental appropriation for disaster relief; and data column four provides the FY2013 total appropriation. Data column five shows the President's request for FY2014 appropriations. Data column six provides the recommendation of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, while data column seven contains the recommendation of the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Data column eight presents the FY2014 appropriations.

Figure 5 below depicts total appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies from FY2012-FY2014. Specifically, it illustrates the FY2012 total appropriation; FY2013 full-year appropriations (in P.L. 113-6 ) and reimbursements for fire transfers (in P.L. 112-175 ); FY2013 total appropriations; FY2014 appropriations requested by the President; FY2014 recommendations of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; FY2014 recommendations of the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and FY2014 enacted appropriations.