By a slim margin, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8998), which sets forth the House’s proposed budget for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and other related agencies for the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), which is October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. All of California’s Republican Representatives voted in favor and all our Democrat Representatives voted against (with two Democrats not voting at all).
Some examples of funding cuts in the House budget bill include:
- $1.3 billion for the BLM, $116 million below the fiscal year 2024 enacted level and $208 million below the budget request;
- $3.1 billion for the NPS, $210 million below the fiscal year 2024 enacted level and $461 million below the budget request; and
- $3.6 billion for the USFS (non-fire), $132 million below the fiscal year 2024 enacted level and $350 million below the budget request.
Unfortunately, the bill not only calls for harmful budget cuts, but it has 92 equally harmful policy “riders” (i.e., add-on provisions) that negatively impact endangered species, the environment, and many more things. Some of the provisions directly related to federal public lands prohibit the funds being used for implementing any of the following:
- The BLM’s newly approved Public Lands Rule;
- The Biden administration’s updated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations. NEPA ensures accountability and transparency in governmental decision making;
- The USFS’ Land Management Plan Direction for Old Growth Forest Conditions Across the National Forest System or to propose any similar action;
- Proceeding with a “withdrawal” of any federal public lands from mining activities (i.e., prohibiting mining activities) unless authorized by Congress. The conservation community often uses withdrawals as a tool to provide temporary (20 year) protection for an area that is threatened by mining while other avenues of protection are being considered and developed; and
- Various measures seeking to protect the sage grouse.
While the Senate’s proposed budget does not contain similar budget cuts or any of the harmful policy riders, Congress will need to resolve these differences in order to pass a final budget.
Please help us to keep the pressure on Congress to reject these harmful budget cuts and riders in the final budget by using the template letter below to contact your Representative.
Important Note: If your Representative is a Republican, you should delete the sentence in the first paragraph that says thank you for voting against the bill.
