Hill Heat

You’ve probably heard how bad the so-called “Fix Our Forests Act” (FOFA) is — the 10,000-acre logging projects that can proceed with zero environmental review, for starters. But buried in the bill is another provision that would functionally eliminate Endangered Species Act, Wilderness, Roadless Area, NFMA, and NEPA protections for any logging project on Forest Service or BLM lands.

Join us — Wilderness Watch and John Muir Project — on Thursday, May 14th at 11 am PT / 2 pm ET to learn what’s in this provision, how it works, and what you can do to stop it.

FOFA has already passed the House and cleared the Senate Agriculture Committee. Large chunks have also been stuffed into the recently House-passed Farm Bill.

RSVP

On Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider:

• H.R. 741 (Rep. Stanton), “Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2025”
• H.R. 3924 (Rep. Neguse), “Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act”
• H.R. 5694 (Rep. Begich), “Alaska’s Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition Act” or the “ARTIST Act”
• H.R. 7250 (Rep. Downing), To reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000.
• H.R. 7487 (Rep. Boebert), “Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act”, amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize hydropower development across all Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) facilities and gives oversight to USBR instead of FERC, cosponsored by Adam Gray (D-Calif.)
• H.R. 7831 (Rep. Kennedy of UT), “License to Drill Act”

Any proposed amendments should be emailed to Sophia Varnasidis ([email protected]) no later than 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

If you need further information, please call Madeline Kelley, Director of Member Services, or Sophia Varnasidis, Director of Legislative Operations, Committee on Natural Resources at (202) 225-2761.

Subcommittee hearing.

Witness:

• Edward Forst, Administrator, General Services Administration

The House Appropriations markup was April 22.

The House bill provides $9.74 billion for the General Services Administration’s Federal Buildings Fund, which is $49 million above the FY26 enacted level.

• $983 million for repairs and alterations.
• $166 million for construction.
• $193 million for the Asset Proceeds and Space Management Fund.

Administrative Provisions

• Provides that funds made available for activities of the Federal Buildings Fund may be transferred between appropriations with advance approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House and the Senate.
• Requires funds proposed for developing courthouse construction requests to meet appropriate standards and the priorities of the Judicial Conference.
• Provides that no funds may be used to increase the amount of occupiable square feet, provide cleaning services, security enhancements, or any other service usually provided, to any agency which does not pay the assessed rent.
• Permits GSA to pay small claims (up to $250,000) made against the Federal Government.
• Requires the Administrator to ensure that the delineated area of procurement for all lease agreements is identical to the delineated area included in the prospectus unless prior notice is given to the committees of jurisdiction.
• Requires a spending plan for certain accounts and programs.

Full committee markup.

• Subcommittee mark
• Summary

The House proposes funding NSF at $7 billion, a 20% cut. The House proposes a budget of roughly $6 billion for the NASA Science Mission Directorate — an 18% cut. The House is recommending a total NOAA budget of $5.85 billion — a roughly 5% cut, including $4.07 billion for NOAA’s Operations, Research, and Facilities account, an 11% cut. Under the House proposal, NIST would receive around $1 billion, a $160 million cut from its 2026 budget.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Scientific and Technical Research and Services – $725 million is provided for NIST research and measurement science programs outside of community projects, $119 million below fiscal year 2026 and $4 million below the fiscal year 2027 request.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – $5.9 billion is provided, resulting in an increase of $214 million to procurement, acquisition, and construction programs, and a reduction of $214 million to operations, research, and facilities programs, outside of community projects.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – $24.4 billion is provided, equal to the fiscal year 2026 enacted level and $5.6 billion above the fiscal year 2027 request. The bill includes significant cuts to NASA’s science, aeronautics, and education initiatives.

• Science – $6 billion, $1.3 billion below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level and $2.1 billion above the fiscal year 2027 request.
• STEM Engagement programs – $84 million, $59 million below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level. The bill terminates two of NASA’s four STEM initiatives.

National Science Foundation (NSF) – $7 billion, a decrease of $1.8 billion below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level and $3 billion above the fiscal year 2027 request, for efforts to support basic scientific research, cutting-edge technology development, and STEM education.

Subcommittee hearing.

Witness:

• Lee Zeldin, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency

• Budget in brief

• Budget details

For the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency), the President seeks $4.2 billion in base discretionary budget authority for FY 2027—a reduction of $4.6 billion (a 52.4 percent reduction) from the FY 2026 enacted level of $8.8 billion. EPA’s budget request would support a workforce of 12,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers.

EPA requests $1.7 million in new funding to administer the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024. This program will issue “Good Samaritan” permits and investigative sampling permits to remediators of legacy hardrock mines, who will be exempt from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Clean Water Act.

EPA seeks the reconsideration of greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). In FY 2027, EPA intends to address New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) actions under the Clean Air Act for sources of air pollutants in multiple categories including those in the power plant, oil, and natural gas sectors.

EPA plans to identify Brownfields and Superfund sites for qualifying AI projects and develop guidance for more efficient environmental reviews for certain reuse.

EPA seeks to reduce regulations on the auto industry and encourage domestic manufacturing. In FY 2027, EPA will reconsider and reevaluate three major on-road vehicle regulations.

The FY 2027 budget request proposes reductions in the following program areas:

Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds. EPA proposes a reduction of $2.5 billion. The reduction would return primary responsibility for funding local water infrastructure projects to states. The budget would provide $305 million to allow states to adjust to alternative funding sources.

Categorical Grants. EPA proposes a reduction of $1.1 billion. The proposed budget includes an approximately 91 percent decrease from FY 2026 enacted levels. This includes elimination of most categorical grants while maintaining funding for the Tribes and Underground Injection Control grants.

Office of Research and Development. EPA proposes a reduction of $235 million. The proposed budget would provide $281 million for statutorily required research in support of EPA’s core mission areas.

Federal Support for Air Quality Management. EPA proposes a reduction of $112.7 million. This program supports the development of state implementation plans and administers air grants.

Civil Enforcement. EPA proposes a reduction of $94.1 million. The proposed budget would provide $137 million for the Civil Enforcement Program which ensures compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Criminal Enforcement. EPA proposes a reduction of $54.6 million. The proposed budget would provide $33.9 million for the Criminal Enforcement Program which enforces environmental laws investigating criminal conduct.

Research: Air and Energy. EPA proposes a reduction of $63.2 million. The proposed budget would include $32.0 million for this research program that provides assessments of air quality impacts.

Targeted Airshed Grants. EPA proposes a reduction of $31.6 million. The proposed budget would provide $36.2 million for the Targeted Airshed program.

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Fund (WIFIA). EPA proposes a reduction of $64 million. The WIFIA program provides low-cost loans for large water and wastewater projects.

The subcommittee hearing is entitled, “Wires, Rates, and States: Permitting Transmission for Affordable, Reliable Power.” The hearing will review the planning, siting, and permitting of electric infrastructure, and the critical role of state regulatory oversight necessary to provide affordable, reliable delivery of electric power.

Hearing memo

Witnesses:

• Tony Clark, Executive Director, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
• Mark Christie, former Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Director, Center on Energy and Law, William & Mary Law School
• Randy S. Howard, General Manager, Northern California Power Agency
• Clay Rikard, Senior Vice President, System Planning, Southern Company
• Rob Gramlich, President, Grid Strategies
• Michael Skelly, CEO and Co-founder, GridUnited

U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow nationally at a significant rate through the end of the decade, and beyond. Recent estimates have projected annual growth rates ranging between 3.7 percent to 15 percent by 2030.2 In April, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) noted that, after 15 years of nearly flat electricity consumption, demand has increased by 2.1 percent per year, on average, over the last five years. Electricity demand growth is projected to continue to grow steadily through 2050, with data center energy use a major factor.

Just in the next two years, EIA projects peak summer demand for power to continue to grow significantly overall, at 2.3 percent this year and 3.7 percent in 2027; and for the commercial sector, in which data centers are classified, at 2.6 percent and 5.8 percent respectively. The industrial sector is also projected to grow by upwards of 5.1 percent in 2027. By the end of the decade, data center-driven increases in electricity demand could consume as much as 17 percent of all electricity in the United States.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) 2026 Long-Term Reliability Assessment finds that most of North America is at risk of energy shortfalls over the next five years, and the risk is growing. Key drivers include a confluence of interrelated issues, including a generation resource base that is becoming more variable and weather-dependent, unprecedented growth in electricity demand, and a pace of resource additions that is not keeping up with demand projections. The report finds, for example, that over the next 10 years more than 104 gigawatts (GW) of generation is projected to retire while peak power demand may grow by over 224 GW in the same time period. The report finds that projections for generation resource and transmission growth lag behind what is needed to support new data centers and other large loads that drive escalating demand forecasts.8 NERC’s president recently called the reliability challenges facing the United States a “five alarm fire.”

Meanwhile, electricity prices increased by an estimated 29 percent from 2019 to 2025, including 5.3 percent increase over 2025. Analysis shows that transmission and distribution costs have risen steadily while fuel and generation costs have generally declined. In 2025, over 7,000 circuit miles of transmission lines entered into service in RTO/ISO regions.

In 2005, Congress provided FERC limited “backstop” siting authority, under which FERC could override a state and issue permits for the limited number of transmission projects that may qualify by meeting certain conditions and being located within a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designated by the Department of Energy. No permit has been issued under this authority. At the same time, Congress also provided authorization for three or more contiguous states to enter an interstate compact, subject to approval by Congress, to establish a regional transmission siting agency to carry out the transmission siting and permitting responsibilities of states. States have not taken action under this authority.

Full committee markup of H.R. 7037, the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies (DOMINANCE) Act, and other legislation.

Legislation:

• H.R. 8649, To amend the Arms Export Control Act to authorize the use of foreign military financing for direct commercial contracts, and for other purposes;
• H.R. 8665, To require the implementation of a strategy to encourage foreign partners to participate in the foreign military sales and direct commercial sales processes on a multinational basis, and for other purposes;
• H.R. 8661, To authorize the Secretary of State to provide certain direct loans and loan guarantees for the procurement of defense articles, defense services, and design and construction services, and for other purposes;
• H.R. 7037, To promote United States and allied energy and mineral security, and for other purpose;
• Kim Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 7037
• H.Res. 64, Affirming the Alliance Between the United States and the Republic of Korea;
• H.R. 3563, To improve defense cooperation between the United States and Taiwan, and for other purpose;
• H.R. 8019, To authorize International Military Education and Training Assistance for Greece;
• H.R. 8562, To designate a building of the Chancery of the United States in Pristina, Kosovo, as the “Eliot L. Engel Building”;
• H.R.__, To reduce recurring reporting requirements imposed by law on the Department of State;
• H.Res. 1179, Condemning attacks on civilians in Sudan and calling for an end to external support to the warring parties and for efforts to promote a negotiated settlement of the war;
• H.R. 4332, To establish a comprehensive United States Government initiative to build the capacity of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa, and for other purposes.

On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold an oversight hearing titled “Examining the President’s FY 2027 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior.”

Witness:

• Doug Burgum, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior

Department of the Interior FY2027 Proposed Budget

• summary
• detailed budget
• detailed NPS budget

The budget calls for $15.9 billion for the department, a $2.3 billion decrease from the fiscal 2026 enacted level.

The budget agains calls for the unification of the Interior and Agriculture departments’ wildland firefighting activities under a single agency within the Interior Department.

The budget also calls for consolidating the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act permitting within one agency in the Interior Department.

The fiscal year 2027 budget in detail:

• Renewable Energy: cuts $45 million from the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and eliminates renewable energy funding which includes onshore and offshore wind energy.
• Bureau of Land Management: cuts $480 million and slashes funding for Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Management by $139 million, which includes funding for sage grouse and threatened and endangered species.
• US Fish and Wildlife (FWS): cuts $526 million, decreasing the National Wildlife Refuge System by 20 percent, eliminates grant programs managed by States, Tribes, and other nations, and moves NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service into FWS ($125 million transfer).
• National Park Service: cuts $1.06 billion
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): cuts $526 million, a 37 percent reduction that eliminates ecosystems, and dramatically cuts funding for core science and natural hazards.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs: cuts $378 million, including the elimination of the Indian Guaranteed Loan program and the Indian Land Consolidation program, and a 34 percent reduction in funds that support self-governance and directly fund tribal operations.
• Bureau of Indian Education: cuts $436 million, a 32 percent reduction; some eliminations include funding for Tribal Colleges and Universities, Replacement School Construction, and Early Child and Family Development.
• Wildland Fire: Transfers all U.S. Forest Service Wildland Fire Management functions to DOI.

Details of National Park Service: cuts $1.06 billion

• Operation of the National Park System: cuts $760 million or 26 percent. The skinny budget suggests they may change the funding formula to defund or drastically cut support for smaller or less visited park units.
• National Recreation and Preservation: cuts $86 million or 93 percent
• Historic Preservation Fund: cuts $170 million, or a 94 percent cut, and eliminates everything except funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Construction: cuts $40 million, or a 45 percent cut.

The budget also calls for a $10 billion mandatory fund to establish the Presidential Capital Stewardship Program within the National Park Service. The fund’s purpose would be “to coordinate, plan, and execute targeted, priority construction and beautification [sic] projects in and around Washington, D.C.”

On Wednesday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, will hold a hearing examining the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) proposed budget for fiscal year 2027.

Witnesses:

• Ho K. Nieh, Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• David A. Wright, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Bradley R. Crowell, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Matthew J. Marzano, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Douglas W. Weaver, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The NRC’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request is $892,349K, including 2,606 full-time equivalents (FTE). In comparison to the FY 2026 Enacted Budget, the FY 2027 budget request decreases by 8.1 percent or $79,146K. FTE decrease by 7.0 percent or 196 FTE from the FY 2026 Enacted Budget to the FY 2027 budget request. As shown in Figure 1, the FY 2027 budget request reflects a decrease of 4.8 percent in total obligation authority and 18.2 percent in total FTE when compared to the FY 2018 Enacted Budget.

The Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG’s) component of the FY 2027 budget request is $14,245K, including 63 FTE, of which $12,900K is for auditing and investigation activities for NRC programs and $1,345K is for the auditing and investigation activities of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). This is a decrease of $4,550K or 24.2 percent when compared to the FY 2026 Enacted Budget.

The purpose of the hearing is to examine the President’s Budget Request for the United States Forest Service for Fiscal Year 2027.

Witness

• Tom Schultz, Chief, United States Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Proposed budget cuts USFS budget by 75%.

State, Private, & Tribal Forestry, which provides technical and financial assistance to nonfederal landowners, would be cut entirely.

National Forest System, which oversees the management of federal grasslands and forests, would be cut by 24% compared to last year’s funding. Budget seeks to eliminate the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, while quadrupling the Forest Products line item—which funds the federal timber sale program, among other activities—from $39 million to $175 million.

Capital Improvement & Maintenance, which supports USFS infrastructure, would be cut by 28% compared to last year’s funding.

Land Acquisition, which funds the acquisition and improvement of National Forest System lands, would be increased from $2.5 million to $7 million.

Wildland Fire Management Account and Reserve Fund, which funds the personnel, equipment, and immediate post-fire risk mitigation necessary for wildfire suppression on federal lands, would be moved entirely to DOI.