On 1 July 2021, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill on a 32-24 vote. This bill includes FY22 spending levels for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and part of the U.S. Forest Service. In this post, we’ll detail the House’s proposed spending and programmatic highlights for those science agencies.

 

United States Geological Survey (USGS)
Budget (rounded to the nearest million)	FY21	FY22 President’s Budget Request (PBR)	FY22 House Appropriations	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY21	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY22 PBR
Overall	$1,315.53	$1,642.44	$1,642.44	24.85%	0%
Ecosystems	$259.08	$358.22	$355.23	37.11%	-0.83%
Energy & Mineral Resources	$90.04	$139.97	$144.97	61.01%	3.57%
Natural Hazards	$175.48	$207.75	$207.75	18.39%	0%
Water Resources	$263.12	$288.39	$293.39	11.50%	1.73%
Core Science Systems	$252.69	$341.87	$328.19	29.88%	-4.00%
Science Support	$95.73	$121.42	$118.10	9.38%	-2.73%
Facilities	$179.38	$184.81	$194.81	8.60%	5.41%

 

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report:

• The Committee’s recommendation for the Ecosystems Mission Area includes an eight percent increase for the agency’s Environmental Health Program, which is directed to continue its research into the causes and mitigation of harmful algal blooms.
• A 98% increase in funding is recommended for the USGS’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers to ensure all nine centers remain open, operational and fully functional, which includes $19.5 million for Tribal climate adaptation science.
• The Mineral Resources Program is recommended to receive $91.24 million to allow the agency to work with federal and state partners to modernize the Nation’s understanding of the subsurface and improve the topographic, geological and geophysical mapping of the U.S.
• The Natural Hazards Mission Area’s recommended 18% increase includes $28.6 million for continued development and expansion of the ShakeAlert West Coast earthquake early warning system.
• The Committee recommends $112.65 million for the National Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, to expand the operation of federal priority streamgages.

 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Budget (rounded to the nearest million)	FY21	FY22 PBR	FY22 House Appropriations	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY21	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY22 PBR
Overall	$9,237.15	$11,233.28	$11,344.07	22.81%	0.99%
Science & Technology	$729.33	$829.97	$807.26	10.69%	-2.74%
Environmental Programs & Management	$2,761.55	$3,427.49	$3,364.21	21.82%	-1.85%

 

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report:

• A $125 million is recommended to support the EPA’s plans to revitalize its climate change program and support additional research in the four focus areas outlined in the agency’s budget request.
• The Committee recommends $141.97 million for the agency to establish a new Environmental Justice program area and directs the agency to develop a definition for disproportionately exposed communities that is to be incorporated into its ongoing environmental justice work.

 

U.S. Forest Service
Budget (rounded to the nearest million)	FY21	FY22 PBR	FY22 House Appropriations	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY21	Percent Change House FY22 vs FY22 PBR
Overall	$6,087.13	$7,086.00	$7,471.44	22.74%	5.44%
Forest & Rangeland Research	$300.00	$254.50	$306.13	2.04%	20.29%

 

Highlights from the Bill and Committee Report:

• A $43.28 million increase is recommended for the agency’s research and development activities with an expectation that the agency develop a research program that reflects the activities and programs most critical to forest health, particularly with respect to climate change adaptation, preventing the spread of disease and invasive species and watershed improvement.
• The Committee encourages the agency to work closely with university partners with capabilities in digital forestry technologies to test and adopt existing digital tools and develop new tools and algorithms for precision forest management and for public health improvement and mitigation.

 

Stay tuned for additional details of the House’s spending and programmatic highlights for the federal Earth and space science agencies as the bill advance in the coming weeks.