During the gala, we’ll have a live cello performance, share the inside scoop from our campaigns, and you’ll have a chance to participate in a live auction, where you can bid on movement art, signed copies of books from movement leaders, campaign merch, and other goodies.
We’ll be joined from an all-star lineup of speakers:
Bill McKibben, legendary environmentalist, author, activist, and founder of Third Act
Amy Gray, Associate Director of Climate Finance at Stand.earth
Roishetta Ozane, Founder and Director of the Vessel Project of Louisiana
Alec Connon, Stop the Money Pipeline’s Coalition Director
John Mark Rosendaal, activist and cellist performing two cello pieces for the evening
Donate. All pre-event contributions will be added to our fundraising goal of $10k.
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
H.R. 1010 (Rep. Leger Fernandez), “Bridging Agency Data Gaps and Ensuring Safety for Native Communities Act” or the “BADGES for Native Communities Act”
H.R. 7954 (Rep. Hurd), “Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act”
H.R. 8483 (Rep. Issa), “Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025”
H.R. 8658 (Rep. Kennedy of UT), “Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act”
The FY 2027 President’s Budget requests $114.1 billion in budgetary
resources for the Department of Transportation (DOT), including $26.8 billion
in discretionary budget authority and $87.3 billion in mandatory budget
authority.
The budget requests $16.3 billion (-23 percent) for public transit and $2.8 billion (-82 percent) for passenger rail in FY 2027.
The budget does not request to continue any advance appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which results in substantial cuts to key public transit and passenger rail investments, including:
Capital Investment Grants (-$1.6 billion)
Low or No Emission Competitive Grants (-$1.05 billion)
State of Good Repair grants (-$950 million)
All Station Accessibility Program (-$350 million)
Ferry Competitive Grants (-$250 million)
Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants (-$7.2 billion)
On Tuesday, May 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
H.R. 184 (Rep. McClintock), “Action Versus No Action Act”, to require that only two alternatives be considered with respect to certain proposed collaborative forest management activities
H.R. 2785 (Rep. Leger Fernandez), “New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act”
H.R. 7695 (Rep. Hageman), To provide that the final rule titled “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation” and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.
H.R. 8686 (Rep. Gosar), To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
H.R. 8688 (Rep. Hurd), “Forest Health and Wildlife Risk Reduction Act”
H.R. 8735 (Rep. Panetta), “American Sovereignty and Monterey Historic Military Site Study Act”
The budget calls for $15.9 billion for the Department of the Interior, 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.”
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 FY 2027 President’s Budget requests $114.1 billion in budgetary
resources for the Department of Transportation (DOT), including $26.8 billion
in discretionary budget authority and $87.3 billion in mandatory budget
authority.
The budget requests $16.3 billion (-23 percent) for public transit and $2.8 billion (-82 percent) for passenger rail in FY 2027.
The budget does not request to continue any advance appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which results in substantial cuts to key public transit and passenger rail investments, including:
Capital Investment Grants (-$1.6 billion)
Low or No Emission Competitive Grants (-$1.05 billion)
State of Good Repair grants (-$950 million)
All Station Accessibility Program (-$350 million)
Ferry Competitive Grants (-$250 million)
Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grants (-$7.2 billion)
Lieutenant General William H. “Butch” Graham, Jr., Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
*Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), United States Army
On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold an oversight hearing titled “The Profit Engine Driving Environmental Nonprofits.”
On Thursday, May 21, NOAA will issue its first prediction for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, highlighting how a forecasted strong El Niño could impact tropical development this year. However, this is just one force at play — with climate change’s role in fueling stronger storms likely not to be mentioned in their official forecast.
Ahead of your coverage of NOAA’s outlook announcement, join Covering Climate Now and Climate Central for a special webinar aimed to paint a more complete picture of the factors, both natural and human-caused, influencing this hurricane season.
In this press briefing, meteorologists and reporters from hurricane-prone areas will highlight how to examine climate change’s “fingerprint” on warm ocean waters, provide expert analysis of what 2025’s hurricanes can tell us about this season, and explore tips to effectively make the climate connection when reporting on this year’s forecast.
Panelists
Daniel Gilford, climate scientist, Climate Central
Subcommittee markup of the Energy and Water Development bill took place May 15; markup of the Legislative Branch bill was on April 30.
Subcommittee mark:
Slashes the Department of Energy’s Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation programs (formerly called Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) by $1.3 billion or 40 percent.
Revokes $2.8 billion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources from the Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and Fossil Energy and Carbon Management programs.
Cuts funding for Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) by $50 million or 14 percent
Cuts the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account by $282 million or 12 percent
Nuclear Regulatory Commission – The bill provides a total net appropriation of $136 million, a decrease of $16 million below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level
Eliminates funding for the Corps of Engineers’ Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, which is responsible for cleaning up sites with contamination resulting from the nation’s early atomic energy program
Cuts the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management by $863 million or 10 percent, slowing down clean-up efforts that address the nation’s environmental legacy from the Manhattan Project through the end of the Cold War
The bill provides a total of $9.8 billion for Army Corps of Engineers, a decrease of $660 million below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level
Army Corps of Engineers: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation – The bill provides $5 million, a decrease of $2 million below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level
Northwest Regional Commission – The bill provides zero funding, $1 million below the fiscal year 2026 enacted level
Riders allow firearms on Corps of Engineers’ public lands and prohibit implementation of “Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings
and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings.”
House Appropriations Committee
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee
