House Interior and Environment spending bill: Critical provisions and amendments

This week, the House is expected to take up the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 (H.R. 8998).

The following are some of the most important provisions in the bill, as well as three critical amendments that have been made in order:

Important Existing Provisions

Section 136. This provision would prohibit funding for three different Biden administration Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules. These rules undo important Trump administration ESA regulations that would have helped species protection and transparency, including treating threatened species differently from endangered species.

Section 154. This provision would prohibit funding for the Bureau of Land Management's rule limiting oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

Section 448. This provision would prohibit funding for the American Climate Corps.

Section 449. This provision would prohibit funding to implement numerous executive orders from President Joe Biden that reflect his whole-of-government approach to climate change.

Section 454. This provision would broadly prohibit funding for the consideration or use of the social cost of carbon.

Section 463. This provision would prohibit funding for a proposed rule that would reverse previously provided permitting predictability and transparency for the mining sector.

Section 469. This provision would prohibit funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve a waiver for California's rule that would ban the sale of new gas-powered small off-road engines, such as gas-powered lawnmowers and other landscaping equipment.

Section 472. This provision would prohibit funding for the EPA's new power plant rule (Clean Power Plan 2.0).

Section 474. This provision would prohibit funding for the EPA's rule that would severely limit the availability of gas-powered cars and effectively mandate the sale of electric vehicles.

Section 475. This provision would prohibit funding for the EPA's heavy-duty vehicle rule, another effort to get rid of gas and diesel-powered vehicles.

Section 476. This provision would prohibit funding for the EPA's Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 certification rule that would ignore the intent and language of the CWA and give states the ability to block projects for reasons that have nothing to do with discharges, point sources, or navigable waters.

Section 477. This provision would prohibit funding for the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases.

Section 478. This provision would prohibit funding for the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidance on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Section 479. This provision would prohibit funding for CEQ's NEPA regulations published in 2022.

Section 480. This provision would prohibit funding for CEQ's NEPA "Phase 2" regulations published in 2024.

Section 490. This provision would prohibit funding for imposing the methane fee (i.e. tax) that was created in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Section 493. This provision would prohibit funding for assessments under the Integrated Risk Information System, better known as IRIS.

Section 496. This provision would prohibit funding for the EPA's final rule making the particulate matter standards more stringent. This rule was premature and rushed, not taking the time to wait and consider the best available science.

Three Important Amendments Made in Order

Amendment 28, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN): This amendment would prohibit funding for the IRA provision that increases the cost of oil and gas drilling by increasing royalty rates.

Amendment 53, Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA): This amendment would prohibit funding for the EPA to approve a waiver for California's rule that would effectively help put an end to diesel locomotives.

Amendment 62, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO): This amendment would withhold funding for the IRA-created Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This $27 billion egregious program is not just a slush fund for the EPA, but also a slush fund for the nonprofits that have been provided billions of dollars by the EPA.

Bottom Line

There's rightfully been a focus recently on restoring representative government and Congress ensuring that it stops agency abuses. One way of achieving these objectives is through the power of the purse.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been a good track record of Congress effectively using the appropriations process to address agency abuses. Policymakers should make it a priority to change this. A good place to start is to ensure many of the listed provisions and amendments become law.

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