WASHINGTON, DC -- Calling it a fiscally responsible step forward for job creation, conservation, and resource management, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, today announced that the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations agreement includes $30.058 billion in overall funding for the U.S. Department of the Interior; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Forest Service; Indian Health Service; cultural programs and institutions; and other related agencies, an increase of $1.786 billion above the FY 2013 post-sequester level.

“This is a responsible, bipartisan agreement that will help advance economic growth while protecting public health and the environment.  We are making sound investments in America’s scientific, natural, and cultural resources such as our public lands, museums, and national parks.  Given resources at hand, not everyone will be satisfied, but I am confident that we have made wise funding decisions that will maximize limited federal dollars,” said Chairman Reed.  “I am also proud that we were able to get bipartisan cooperation to remove policy riders that would have weakened our ability to fight pollution.  We must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and the environment, and this agreement is a positive step toward achieving both goals.”

Overall, the bill provides $10.4 billion for the Interior Department, an increase of $492 million above the FY13 post-sequestration level.  Included in this funding are expenses for the National Park Service ($2.5 billion), the Fish and Wildlife Service ($1.4 billion), and the Bureau of Land Management ($1.1 billion).  The Forest Service is funded at $5.4 billion.

The agreement also provides $8.2 billion for the EPA, an increase of $299 million over the FY 13 post-sequestration level.  Included in the funding for EPA is $1.4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $907 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which help create jobs and provide clean water to communities throughout the country by supporting water infrastructure modernization projects.  Reed also noted that within EPA’s funding, $86 million in funds above sequestration were provided to avert the continuation of furloughs experienced in FY13.

For Native Americans, the bill provides $6.9 billion to help improve the quality and accessibility of education, health care, and law enforcement programs.

It also makes available more than $3.9 billion for firefighting and hazardous fuels reduction activities on federal lands, including the President’s request to meet the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of the Interior ten-year average of fire suppression costs and $629 million provided in the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-46) for fire transfer reimbursements in fiscal year 2013.

To strengthen cultural programs and support the arts, the bill includes $805 million for Smithsonian Institution programs and facilities construction, an increase of $32 million above the post-sequestration level.  It also provides $146 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support arts and humanities programs, a total of $16 million above the post-sequester level.

The Interior and Environment section of the FY 2014 Appropriations agreement makes key national investments in several other priorities, including:

  • Support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.  Provides $306 million to the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service for the purchase and protection of lands through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.  For the land acquisition and state grant programs through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Senate prevailed over the House, which had included $0 in its subcommittee mark.
  • Increased funding for national wildlife refuges.  $472 million for the operations of national wildlife refuges, an increase of $20 million above the FY 2013 sequestered level.
  • Geographic Programs. EPA Geographic Programs are funded at $416 million, an increase of $28 million above the post-sequestration level and $5 million above the request. Within Geographic Programs, the Great Lake Restoration Agreement receives $300 million, an increase of $16 million above post-sequestration.
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture. $55 million to continue the federal funding commitment for construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  An additional $15 million has been included to expand staff for curatorial work and other programmatic and operational activities required for the museum’s opening in 2015.
  • Heritage Areas: The bill provides $18.289 million for this program and extends the authorization for two years through 2015.  The Blackstone area funds will be restored to the FY 2012 level of $650,000.
  • Beach Grants. The bill includes $9.5 million for the Beaches Protection grants program, a 2% increase above post-sequester.
  • Categorical Grants.  The bill includes $1.054 billion for categorical grants to states. This is a 2% increase above sequestration. Within this amount air quality grants receive $228 million, water pollution control grants receive $231 million and nonpoint source grants receive $159 million.
  • EPA Environmental Education.  The proposed elimination of the Environmental Education grants program was rejected and $8.7 million is included in the bill, which is an increase of $776,000 over sequestration.
  • National Estuary Program.  The bill provides $25 million for the National Estuary Program, restoring it to pre-sequestered levels.  Individual amounts for the 28 estuaries will be set by EPA, but the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program should be around its historic level of $600,000.
  • Southern New England Geographic Program.  $2 million for the Southern New England Estuaries Geographic Program, equal to the budget request.  This is the first year of funding for this program, which will provide grants to RI/MA stakeholders to work on watershed restoration projects.
  • Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  The agreement includes a total of $10.5 million for the Wilson Center.
  • Buy America.  The bill includes language applying a Buy America preference to iron and steel products used in projects that utilize the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
  • National Institutes of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS).  The bill includes $77 million for NIEHS Superfund Activities, which is $2.6 million above sequestration.
  • Brownfields Projects. Brownfields projects are funded at $90 million, an increase of $5 million above the request.
  • Forest Service - Urban Forestry.  The bill provides the Senate level of $28 million for this program, which maintains the pre-sequester level of funding for grants to states to run their forestry programs.