Hill Heat

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 10:15 a.m., in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold an oversight budget hearing titled “Examining the President’s FY 2024 Budget Proposal for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Power Marketing Administrations”.

Hearing memo

Witnesses:

Panel I

• Camille Touton, Commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior
• John Hairston, Administrator and CEO, Bonneville Power Administration, Department of Energy
• Tracey LeBeau, Administrator and CEO, Western Area Power Administration
• Mike Wech, Administrator, Southwestern Power Administration, Department of Energy
• Virgil Hobbs, Administrator and CEO, Southeastern Power Administration

Panel II

• Martha Williams, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
• Jainey Bavishi, Deputy Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

$4.1 billion budget request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for NOAA is $6.8 billion, a $407 million increase from the FY 2023 enacted level.1 The request seeks to build a climate-ready nation and ensure NOAA’s climate products and services are accessible and useful to all Americans. NOAA’s core mission and activities include weather forecasting, climate prediction, and management of fisheries, coastal and ocean resources, as well as cross-cutting research to support and advance these operational areas. NOAA carries out this mission through six major line offices:

• National Ocean Service (NOS), responsible for mapping and charting coastal areas and providing other navigation support services.
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), responsible for stewardship of living marine resources through the conservation, management, and promotion of healthy ecosystems.
• Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), responsible for research in support of most NOAA missions including atmospheric, coastal, and oceanic sciences, climate and air quality research, ecosystem research, and fisheries and marine mammal research. National Weather Service (NWS), responsible for weather forecasts and warnings.
• National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), responsible for development and operation of satellites that monitor and transmit data for weather forecasting, climate prediction, space weather forecasting, and earth and ocean science research.
• Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), manages a variety of specialized ships and aircraft for collection of oceanographic, atmospheric, hydrographic, and fisheries data.

Bureau of Reclamation FY 2024 Budget: $1.4 billion

• The budget proposal includes a $49 million request for the Lower Colorado River Operations Program, including $16.8 million to build on the work of Reclamation, Colorado River basin partners and stakeholders to implement drought contingency plans. It also includes $2.7 million for the Upper Colorado River Operations Program to support Drought Response Operations and $200.3 million to find long-term, comprehensive water supply solutions for farmers, families, and communities in California. The budget includes $62.9 million for the WaterSMART Program to support Reclamation’s collaboration with non-federal partners in efforts to address emerging water demands and water shortage issues in the West.
• A request of $57.8 million advances the construction and continues the operations and maintenance of authorized rural water projects. The budget request also provides $35.5 million for the Native American Affairs Program, which provides technical support and assistance to tribal governments to develop and manage their water resources. 
• The budget includes $210.2 million for the Dam Safety Program to effectively manage risks to the downstream public, of which $182.6 million is for modification actions. Another focus area for infrastructure is $105.3 million requested for extraordinary maintenance activities across Reclamation.
• These funding amounts are included in the $1.3 billion budget request for Reclamation’s principal operating account (Water and Related Resources), which funds planning, construction, water conservation, efforts to address fish and wildlife habitat needs, and operation, maintenance and rehabilitation activities at Reclamation facilities.
• Additionally, funding of $33 million is requested to implement the California Bay-Delta Program and address California’s current water supply and ecological challenges, while $48.5 million is for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund to protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and associated habitats in California’s Central Valley and Trinity River Basins.
• The request also provides $66.8 million for Policy and Administration to develop, evaluate, and directly implement Reclamation-wide policy, rules and regulation as well as other administrative functions.

There are four PMAs: The Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration. Each PMA markets and delivers (via transmission lines) electricity generated at federal dams and reservoirs operated by Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).