Division C — DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
Division Overview
1. Overview
Division C funds the Department of the Interior (including bureaus like Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Geological Survey, Indian Affairs, and others), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Forest Service, Indian Health Service, and related agencies such as the Smithsonian Institution and National Endowment for the Arts. Its overall purpose is to support management and protection of public lands and natural resources, wildlife conservation, national parks operations, environmental research and cleanup, tribal health and education services, wildfire suppression, and cultural/arts programs.
2. Total Spending
The division does not state a single grand total appropriation. Major accounts total approximately $28.5 billion across bureaus and agencies (e.g., $4.4 billion for EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grants alone), with many funds available multi-year or until expended. No prior-year comparison is provided in the text.
3. Key Funding Areas
- National Park Service—Operation of the National Park System: $2.877 billion — funds management, operation, protection, and maintenance of national parks, including $148 million for maintenance/repair and $158 million for cyclic maintenance.
- EPA—State and Tribal Assistance Grants: $4.410 billion — capitalization grants for clean water ($1.639 billion) and drinking water ($1.126 billion) revolving funds, plus brownfields, border infrastructure, and tribal programs.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs—Operation of Indian Programs: $1.933 billion — tribal operations, welfare assistance, housing, roads, and land acquisition.
- Bureau of Land Management—Management of Lands and Resources: $1.260 billion — land protection, resource management, wild horse/burro program ($144 million), and mining administration.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—Resource Management: $1.452 billion — conservation, studies, and endangered species activities (with $14 million cap on certain ESA implementations).
- U.S. Geological Survey—Surveys, Investigations, and Research: $1.420 billion — topography, geology, hydrology, and mineral/water resource studies.
- Forest Service—National Forest System: $1.858 billion — management, protection, fuels reduction ($177 million), and forest products ($39 million).
- Bureau of Indian Education—Operation of Indian Education Programs: $1.132 billion — operation of schools and education programs for Native Americans.
- Department of the Interior—Wildland Fire Management: $1.147 billion — preparedness, suppression ($384 million available until expended), and fuels management ($214 million).
- Indian Health Service—Indian Health Services: $4.790 billion (FY2027 availability) — healthcare delivery, purchased care ($997 million), and loan repayment.
4. Notable Provisions
- Community project funding (Congressionally Directed Spending) is incorporated throughout (e.g., $19 million for FWS stewardship, $3 million for BLM land priorities, $21 million for NPS construction), detailed in referenced explanatory statement tables.
- Caps and restrictions: $14 million limit on certain Endangered Species Act implementations (FWS); no new sage-grouse ESA listings; staffing maintenance mandates for BLM, FWS, NPS, USGS, and Forest Service to protect resources and consult tribes.
- Multi-year funds and offsets: Many accounts reduced by collected fees (e.g., BLM mining fees, BOEM/BSEE cost recovery); wildfire suppression reserve funds ($370 million DOI, $2.48 billion Forest Service) transferable with notifications.
- Tribal priorities: Contract support costs and tribal leases funded at "such sums as necessary"; IHS flexibility for accreditation emergencies ($58 million).
- Policy riders: American iron/steel requirements for water projects; no EPA regulation of livestock GHG emissions or lead in ammo; extensions for grazing permits, facility realignments, and botanical fees.
- Land/Water Conservation Fund allocations strictly detailed by project tables; National Parks Legacy Restoration Fund projects require committee-approved lists.
5. Who Benefits
- Federal land management agencies (BLM, FWS, NPS, USGS, Forest Service) for operations, maintenance, and resource protection.
- Native American tribes, schools, and health facilities via BIA ($1.933 billion programs), BIE ($1.133 billion education), and IHS ($5.8 billion facilities/health services).
- States, tribes, and local communities through EPA revolving funds ($4.4 billion water infrastructure), brownfields ($98 million), and geographic programs.
- National parks visitors, wildlife habitats, rural firefighters, and public via wildfire suppression ($3.9 billion total reserves) and recreation/preservation.
- Cultural institutions (Smithsonian, arts endowments) and underserved/urban/minority communities through grants and heritage programs.
6. Plain English Summary
Hey neighbor, this chunk of the big spending bill—about $28 billion total—pays for our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and public lands so rangers can keep trails open, fight wildfires, and protect animals. It funds clean water projects in states and tribes ($4.4 billion), helps Native American health clinics and schools ($7+ billion), and covers EPA cleanups plus Forest Service timber/forest health work. There are rules like no new sage-grouse endangered listings, community-specific projects lawmakers picked, and fees offsetting some costs, all to keep lands safe, waters clean, and tribes supported without big policy shifts.
Titles
Title Summary
Title I appropriates funds for the Department of the Interior's major bureaus and offices, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for public land management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for wildlife conservation; National Park Service (NPS) for park operations and historic preservation; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for scientific research; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) for offshore energy; Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) for mining regulation; Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) for tribal programs; and department-wide programs like wildland fire management.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| BLM Management of Lands and Resources | $1,260,166,000 | Protection, use, development of public lands; includes $48,560,000 maintenance, $144,000,000 wild horse/burro program |
| BLM Oregon and California Grant Lands | $115,521,000 | Management, protection, development of grant lands |
| FWS Resource Management | $1,451,515,000 | Wildlife resource management, studies, administration |
| NPS Operation of the National Park System | $2,877,195,000 | Management, operation, protection, maintenance of national parks |
| USGS Surveys, Investigations, and Research | $1,420,433,000 | Topography, geology, hydrology, biology, mineral/water resources research |
| BOEM Ocean Energy Management | $191,128,000 (net $133,128,000 after collections) | Offshore leases, environmental studies |
| BSEE Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement | $160,751,000 (net $131,751,000 after collections) + $36,000,000 inspection fees | Regulation, enforcement of offshore operations |
| OSMRE Regulation and Technology | $117,575,000 | Surface mining regulation, state/tribal grants |
| BIA Operation of Indian Programs | $1,933,200,000 | Tribal programs, welfare, housing, road maintenance |
| BIE Operation of Indian Education Programs | $1,131,617,000 | Indian school operations |
| Department-Wide Wildland Fire Management | $1,147,171,000 + $370,000,000 reserve fund | Fire preparedness, suppression, fuels management |
Notable Sections
- Restrictions: Limits FWS Endangered Species Act implementation to $14,000,000 (excluding certain regulations); prohibits DOI from listing greater sage-grouse under Endangered Species Act (Sec. 119); caps BLM/FWS/NPS staffing reductions with mandates to maintain levels for resource protection and tribal consultation.
- Community Directed Spending: Allocates specific amounts (e.g., $3,246,000 BLM land priorities, $19,115,000 FWS stewardship, $15,596,000 NPS historic preservation) for congressionally directed projects referenced in explanatory statement.
- New/Expanded Authorities: Extends multiyear contracts for wild horse/burro holding (Sec. 108, up to 10 years); authorizes NPS land conveyance for Long Bridge rail project (Sec. 116); creates DOI Experienced Services Program for older Americans grants (Sec. 111).
- Offsets/Fees: Multiple programs reduced by fee collections (e.g., BOEM/BSEE rentals, BLM mining fees); $36,000,000 BSEE inspection fees with 50% for permit reviews.
Plain English
This title provides billions to manage public lands, protect wildlife and parks, support tribal communities, regulate energy/mining, and fight wildfires, ensuring operations through 2027 with some fees offsetting costs.
Title Summary
Title II funds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fiscal year 2026, covering research, environmental management, oversight, facilities, hazardous waste cleanup, oil spill response, state and tribal grants for water infrastructure and pollution control, and water loan programs. Key areas include Science and Technology ($744,195,000), Environmental Programs and Management ($3,114,671,000 plus $9,000,000 for TSCA activities), Superfund ($282,749,000), Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program ($88,903,000), Inland Oil Spill Programs ($20,561,000), State and Tribal Assistance Grants ($4,409,609,000), and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation ($64,634,000 in subsidies plus $7,640,000 administrative expenses).
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Science and Technology | $744,195,000 | Research, development, personnel, equipment, aircraft; includes $27,253,000 for national priorities and congressionally directed projects. |
| Environmental Programs and Management | $3,114,671,000 | Personnel, travel, brownfields, coal residuals permits, Energy Star ($33,024,000 min.); plus $30,700,000 national priorities, $690,202,000 geographic programs, $20,000,000 Alaska Native contamination grants, $30,000,000 grants (10% min. for persistent poverty areas). |
| TSCA Service Fee Fund Activities | $9,000,000 | Chemical risk review under Toxic Substances Control Act; offset by fees to reach ~$0 general fund appropriation. |
| Office of Inspector General | $43,250,000 | Oversight per Inspector General Act. |
| Buildings and Facilities | $40,676,000 | Construction, repair, alteration of EPA facilities. |
| Hazardous Substance Superfund | $282,749,000 | CERCLA cleanup; includes transfers to OIG ($11,328,000) and Science/Technology ($17,607,000); aircraft provisions. |
| Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program | $88,903,000 | Cleanup ($64,583,000) and other Solid Waste Disposal Act provisions ($24,320,000); tribal assistance. |
| Inland Oil Spill Programs | $20,561,000 | Oil Pollution Act responsibilities; from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. |
| State and Tribal Assistance Grants | $4,409,609,000 | Clean Water SRF ($1,638,861,000), Drinking Water SRF ($1,126,101,000), border projects ($35,000,000), Alaska villages ($39,000,000), brownfields ($98,000,000), diesel grants ($90,000,000), airshed grants ($67,800,000), emerging contaminants ($28,500,000+), tribal/nonpoint source grants, and multi-media pollution control ($1,109,833,000). |
| Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account | $64,634,000 (+ fees; $7,640,000 admin) | Subsidies for up to $12,500,000,000 in loans/guarantees; $5,000,000 for state financing authorities. |
Notable Sections
- Alaska Native Lands Program: $20,000,000 in Environmental Programs for non-competitive grants to address contamination on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands, with up to $2,000,000 reserved for EPA administration.
- Persistent Poverty Counties: Requires 10% of certain grants (e.g., $30,000,000 grants, brownfields) for counties/territories with 20%+ poverty over 30 years.
- State Revolving Funds (SRFs): Mandates 10% of Clean Water SRF for green/energy efficiency; 10-14% for subsidies (forgiveness, low-interest); increased tribal/reservation flexibility; $13,300,000 admin for congressionally directed projects.
- Superfund Amendments: Allows aircraft hire/maintenance; temporary repurposing of prior funds.
- WIFIA Restrictions: Loans/guarantees require OMB/EPA certification per 2020 Federal Register criteria; $5,000,000 earmarked for specific state authorities.
- Administrative Provisions: Authorizes EPA fee collections (pesticides, solid waste), tribal cooperative agreements, Great Lakes transfers (up to $369,000,000), student/recent grad hiring ($2,000,000 cap), and up to 100 temporary hires through 2031.
Plain English
This title allocates billions to the EPA for cleaning up toxic sites, funding state water systems, supporting tribal environmental efforts, and researching pollution, helping communities access safer drinking water and reduced hazardous waste risks.
Title Summary
Title III funds the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service for operations, research, land management, wildfire suppression, and infrastructure; the Indian Health Service (IHS) for health services, facilities, and tribal contracts; and other agencies including the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Smithsonian Institution, arts endowments, and cultural preservation entities.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment | $780,000 | Administrative expenses, including support staff. |
| Forest Service Operations (including transfers) | $1,090,600,000 ($944,114,000 available through 9/30/2029) | General operations, facility maintenance, IT, and cybersecurity. |
| Forest and Rangeland Research | $308,697,000 (available through 9/30/2029; $32,197,000 for forest inventory) | Research, including Fire Science Research. |
| State, Private, and Tribal Forestry | $310,594,000 (available through 9/30/2029; $18,094,000 for CDS projects) | Technical/financial assistance, forest health, international programs. |
| National Forest System | $1,857,843,000 (available through 9/30/2029; includes $31M for restoration fund, $39M for products, $176.85M for fuels management) | Management, protection, fuels reduction, grazing credits. |
| Capital Improvement and Maintenance (including transfers) | $153,250,000 (available through 9/30/2029; $20.85M for CDS projects) | Construction, road/trail maintenance, facility acquisition. |
| Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts | $664,000 (from receipts) | Land acquisition in specified forests. |
| Range Betterment Fund | 50% of prior year grazing fees | Range rehabilitation (up to 6% for admin). |
| Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses | $1,099,000 (available through 9/30/2029) | Alaska subsistence management. |
| Wildland Fire Management (including transfers) | $2,426,111,000 (available until expended; $1,011M for suppression) | Fire presuppression, suppression, rehabilitation, reimbursements. |
| Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund (including transfers) | $2,480,000,000 (available until transferred) | Additional suppression funding, transferable to DOI/USDA. |
| IHS Indian Health Services | $66,993,000 (available until 9/30/2027) + $264,702,000 (EHR/Improvement Fund until 9/30/2027) + $4,789,731,000 (available 10/1/2026 through 9/30/2028; includes $996.755M Purchased/Referred Care) | Health services, Purchased/Referred Care ($54M Catastrophic Fund), loan repayments, specific initiatives. |
| IHS Indian Health Facilities | $5,826,000 (available until expended) + $292,622,000 (until expended) + $516,600,000 (available 10/1/2026 until expended; $17.039M CDS) | Facilities construction, sanitation, equipment. |
| National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences | $77,100,000 | Environmental health research under CERCLA/SARA. |
| Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (Toxic Substances and Environmental Public Health) | $79,800,000 | Health assessments/studies at toxic sites (CERCLA/SWDA). |
| Smithsonian Institution Salaries and Expenses | $928,500,000 (available until 9/30/2027; up to $27M until expended) | Operations, research, exhibits, education. |
| Smithsonian Facilities Capital | $152,000,000 (available until expended) | Repairs, alterations, construction. |
| National Endowment for the Arts Grants and Administration | $207,000,000 (available until expended) | Arts projects, education, outreach. |
| National Endowment for the Humanities Grants and Administration | $207,000,000 (available until expended; $192M grants, $15M matching) | Humanities activities, matching grants. |
Notable Sections
- Allocates $31M to Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund with modified statutory percentages (20% and 4% substituted for 10% and 2%).
- Provides $2.48B Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund as new budget authority, transferable only after notification and obligation conditions met.
- Includes Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) items: $18.094M (State/Private Forestry), $20.85M (Capital Improvement), $17.039M (IHS Sanitation).
- Restricts IHS funds becoming available 10/1/2026 from use for EHR system or certain facilities construction; requires 90-day consultation for new IT infrastructure.
- Authorizes flexible transfers for fire management (up to $50M to DOI) and administrative provisions allowing vehicle purchases, debt collection, youth programs, and foundation advances (e.g., $3M each to National Forest/National Fish and Wildlife Foundations with matching requirements).
- Caps ATSDR toxicological profiles at 40 for FY2026.
Plain English
This title allocates billions for national forest protection, wildfire fighting, Native American healthcare and facilities, environmental health studies, and cultural institutions like museums and arts programs, benefiting public lands access, tribal health, and national heritage.
Title Summary
Title IV establishes general provisions applicable to all appropriations in the Act, including restrictions on fund uses (e.g., no lobbying on pending legislation, limits on mining patents, prohibitions on certain leasing), extensions of prior authorities (e.g., grazing permits, contract support costs), reporting requirements (e.g., quarterly balances, project lists), and administrative guidelines for agencies like the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, EPA, Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Indian Health Service. It does not appropriate new funds but governs implementation across programs. Specific transfers from prior-year unobligated balances (e.g., from IIJA) are authorized for wildfire management and oversight.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Sec. 444(a): Transfer to DOI Wildland Fire Management (non-suppression) | $763,514,000 | From IIJA unobligated balances in EPA State/Tribal Grants ($125M), OSMRE Abandoned Mine Reclamation ($353.514M), and DOI Methane Reduction ($285M) |
| Sec. 444(b): Transfer to DOI Office of Inspector General | $65,000,000 | From IIJA unobligated balances previously transferred for DOI oversight |
| Sec. 444(c): Transfer to USFS Forest Service Operations | $146,486,000 | From IIJA OSMRE Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund unobligated balances |
Notable Sections
- Sec. 401: Prohibits funds for activities promoting/opposing unfinished legislation, except direct congressional communication (per 18 U.S.C. 1913).
- Sec. 404: Bars processing new mining/mill site patent applications (with pre-1994 exceptions); requires 2027 report and allows third-party mineral exams.
- Sec. 408: No preleasing/leasing for oil/gas in National Monuments (boundaries as of Jan. 20, 2001), unless proclamation allows.
- Sec. 416: Requires agency computer networks to block pornography sites (law enforcement exception).
- Sec. 417: Authorizes immediate transfer of excess wild horses/burros to govt agencies as work animals; bans slaughter/commercial use and healthy animal destruction.
- Sec. 425: Prohibits oil/gas nominations/leasing in Chaco Canyon withdrawal area until cultural study complete.
- Sec. 433-435: Blocks EPA from requiring Clean Air Act permits for livestock emissions, manure GHG reporting, or regulating lead in ammo/tackle.
- Sec. 438: Delays Lava Ridge Wind Project right-of-way until wildlife/cultural consultations complete (by Sep. 30, 2026) with local input.
- Sec. 428: Mandates detailed Land/Water Conservation Fund allocations per explanatory statement tables/project lists; restricts presidential reallocations.
Plain English
This title imposes rules to prevent misuse of appropriated funds, like banning lobbying or certain leasing, while extending land/tribal management tools and requiring transparency through reports.