[House Report 114-632] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 114th Congress } { Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session } { 114-632 ====================================================================== DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2017 _______ June 21, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Calvert, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following R E P O R T together with DISSENTING VIEWS [To accompany H.R. 5538] The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017. The bill provides regular annual appropriations for the Department of the Interior (except the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project), the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other related agencies, including the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. CONTENTS Page number Bill Report Title I--Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management.......................... 2 9 United States Fish and Wildlife Service............ 8 13 National Park Service............................. 15 23 United States Geological Survey.................... 20 35 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.................. 22 38 Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.... 24 38 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.................................... 26 39 Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education...................................... 29 41 Office of the Secretary........................... 38 48 Insular Affairs................................... 40 49 Office of the Solicitor........................... 43 50 Office of Inspector General....................... 43 51 Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. 44 51 Department-wide Programs: Wildland Fire Management, Interior Department...... 46 52 FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, Interior Department..................................... 49 53 Central Hazardous Materials Fund................... 50 53 Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration. 50 53 Working Capital Fund............................... 50 54 General Provisions, Department of the Interior..... 52 54 Title II--Environmental Protection Agency: Science and Technology............................. 68 57 Environmental Programs and Management.............. 69 59 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund.... 70 66 Office of Inspector General........................ 71 67 Buildings and Facilities........................... 71 66 Hazardous Substance Superfund...................... 71 68 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program 72 69 Inland Oil Spill Programs.......................... 73 70 State and Tribal Assistance Grants................. 73 70 Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account........................................ 80 73 Administrative Provisions.......................... 81 74 Title III--Related Agencies: Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture..... 84 74 Wildland Fire Management, Forest Service........... 89 85 FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, Forest Service........................................ 93 86 Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services............................. 101 87 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 109 90 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry... 110 91 Other Related Agencies: Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality.......................... 111 91 Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board..... 112 92 Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation........ 113 93 Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development................... 114 94 Smithsonian Institution............................ 114 94 National Gallery of Art............................ 116 97 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts..... 117 98 Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars... 118 99 National Endowment for the Arts.................... 118 99 National Endowment for the Humanities.............. 119 101 Commission of Fine Arts............................ 120 101 National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs......... 121 102 Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.......... 121 102 National Capital Planning Commission............... 121 103 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum............ 122 103 Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission........... n/a 104 Title IV--General Provisions:.............................. 122 105 INTRODUCTION The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017 totals $32,095,000,000. This amount reflects a $63,859,000 reduction from the amount appropriated in fiscal year 2016 and a $1,019,444,000 reduction from the budget request. The amounts in the accompanying bill are reflected by title in the table below. BUDGET AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN BILL BY TITLE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Committee bill Activity Budget estimates, Committee bill, compared with fiscal year 2017 fiscal year 2017 budget estimates ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title I, Department of the Interior: New budget authority............................... $12,180,509,000 $12,049,905,000 -$130,604,000 Title II, Environmental Protection Agency: New budget authority............................... $8,267,199,000 $7,976,018,000 -$291,181,000 Title III, Related Agencies: New budget authority............................... $12,666,736,000 $12,069,077,000 -$597,659,000 -------------------------------------------------------- Title IV, General Provisions: New budget authority............................... $0 $0 $0 Grand total, New budget authority.............. $33,114,444,000 $32,095,000,000 -$1,019,444,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Committee Oversight Members of Congress have provided considerable input in fashioning this bill. In total, 382 Members submitted nearly 5,300 programmatic requests relating to multiple agencies and programs. The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee takes seriously its oversight responsibility and conducted 14 budget hearings and briefings this year (including four hearings involving American Indians and Alaska Natives) to carefully review the programs and budgets under its jurisdiction. The Subcommittee held the following oversight hearings: U.S. Forest Service FY17 budget oversight hearing--February 24, 2016 Indian Health Service FY17 budget oversight hearing-- February 25, 2016 Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation FY17 budget oversight hearing--February 25, 2016 Department of the Interior FY17 budget oversight hearing-- March 2, 2016 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement FY17 budget oversight hearing--March 3, 2016 Bureau of Land Management FY17 budget oversight hearing-- March 3, 2016 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FY17 budget oversight hearing--March 15, 2016 National Park Service FY17 budget oversight hearing--March 16, 2016 Bureau of Indian Affairs/Bureau of Indian Education FY17 budget oversight hearing--March 16, 2016 American Indian/Alaska Native Public Witnesses--March 17, 2016 (morning) American Indian/Alaska Native Public Witnesses--March 17, 2016 (afternoon) American Indian/Alaska Native Public Witnesses--March 18, 2016 (morning) American Indian/Alaska Native Public Witnesses--March 18, 2016 (afternoon) Environmental Protection Agency FY17 budget oversight hearing--March 22, 2016 Smithsonian Institution FY17 budget oversight hearing-- March 23, 2016 In total, 97 individuals representing the Executive Branch, Congress, State, tribal, and local governments, and the general public testified before the Subcommittee. In addition to those who testified in person, another 112 organizations or coalitions provided written testimony for the hearing record which is publicly available online. COST OF WILDLAND FIRE In seven of the last ten years, wildland fire suppression costs have exceeded estimated budgets despite being fully funded at the ten-year suppression average for such costs. Fire seasons have grown longer and more destructive, putting people, communities, and ecosystems at greater risk. Fire borrowing has now become routine rather than extraordinary. Borrowing from non-fire accounts to pay suppression costs results in the Forest Service and Department of the Interior having fewer resources available for forest management activities, including hazardous fuels management and other proven efforts, to improve overall forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildland fires. The Committee continues to believe the most catastrophic wildland fires should be addressed in a fashion similar to other major natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes and funded through the disaster cap adjustment established by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25). This common sense reform would allow for a more responsible and stable way to budget for wildland fire costs. The Committee notes that the budget request included a provision almost identical to legislation that has been developed in the House (H.R. 167) and the Senate (S. 235). The budget request proposes to allow wildland fire suppression costs above 70 percent of the 10-year average for fire suppression to be paid from within the discretionary budget cap adjustment established for natural disasters, recognizing that wildland fires are a natural disaster akin to hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. As the issue of the disaster cap adjustment falls outside of the Committee's jurisdiction, the Committee's recommendation does not include the request for suppression funding through the disaster cap adjustment. As Congress continues to debate the best approach for fire budgeting, the Committee has provided robust wildland fire funding in its fiscal year 2017 bill. The bill includes a total of $3,852,708,000 in wildland fire funding for the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service. Fire suppression accounts (including FLAME) are fully funded at the ten-year average level. Hazardous fuels reduction program funding, a critical component of an effective overall fire strategy, is funded at $575,000,000, which is $30,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 level. PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES (PILT) The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides compensation to local governments for the loss of tax revenue resulting from the presence of Federal land in their county or State. In 2016, 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will receive PILT payments. The Committee includes bill language providing full PILT funding for fiscal year 2017. LEAD IN DRINKING WATER More communities are discovering elevated levels of lead in drinking water. It is estimated that nearly 1,500 water systems serving more than three million Americans have exceeded EPA's lead in drinking water standard at least once in the past three years. The events in Flint, Michigan have called greater attention to aging infrastructure, the need for prudent management and oversight of water systems, exposed gaps in the understanding of contaminants in water systems, and the potential for exposure to residents. Targeted investments and prioritization of resources will help EPA, States and communities respond to Flint and other affected communities in a manner that addresses the entire water system. The bill provides $2.1 billion for water infrastructure programs including the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. This includes an increase of $207 million over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level for the Drinking Water SRF and $50 million for the WIFIA program. To the extent possible, States should give greater weight to funding projects on State Intended Use Plans that would remove lead pipes from existing infrastructure. Based on current Administration estimates, the Committee believes that direct loan subsidization through $50 million in the WIFIA program may be leveraged to fund anywhere from $3 billion to $5 billion worth of water infrastructure projects nationwide. In addition, for fiscal year 2017 the Committee has provided additional authority to allow States to provide debt relief in areas with elevated levels of lead in drinking water. It is important for States and communities to approach projects in a comprehensive, strategic manner. The replacement of aging infrastructure will not only help mitigate nationwide issues related to contaminants such as lead and arsenic, but will also help address Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, and allow systems to improve water delivery for residents. As such, the bill allocates $6.5 million to fully fund activities related to integrated planning, which will be increasingly necessary as States and communities evaluate drinking water and wastewater systems for lead contamination issues. Recognizing the value of State drinking water programs, the Committee funds Public Water System Supervision grants as requested at $109.7 million, a $7.7 million increase for improved State oversight and operations. Finally, more information is necessary in order to understand the prevalence of lead pipes in the water infrastructure of cities around the country. To better understand the extent of the need, the Committee urges the Government Accountability Office to expeditiously assess the number of existing lead service lines by State. RECREATION FEE AUTHORITY Enacted in 2004, the Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) authorized five agencies to collect and expend recreation fees on land they manage: the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (USFS). These fees, which leverage other funding sources and complement appropriated funds, fund projects that directly benefit the visitor experience. The authority for FLREA is scheduled to sunset at the end of the current fiscal year. This expiration would impact the Department of the Interior's estimated annual collection of $258 million, of which the National Park Service collects nearly $230 million. In 2015, the recreation fee program collected nearly $337 million from the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior combined. An extension of recreation fee authority is necessary for land managers to plan for upcoming seasons including selling annual passes, hiring seasonal employees, planning projects, organizing volunteers, and accepting reservations. The Committee has included within Title IV General Provisions a one-year extension of the current recreation fee authority as requested. COST OF LITIGATION The Committee remains concerned that many of the legitimate goals of the Forest Service, the Department of the Interior, and other agencies under the Committee's jurisdiction--as well as the work of this Committee--are undermined by litigation filed in an effort to shift land management decisions from the agencies to the courts, regardless of merit. Litigation is a huge unbudgeted cost for land management agencies. The Committee is concerned that, as budgets shrink, agencies are forced to settle lawsuits quickly because they don't have funds available to complete court-imposed work. In addition, the courts are not concerned whether agencies have funding necessary to meet court mandates. As a result, the courts are playing an increasing role in determining how and where agencies use their funding. Given ongoing concerns, the Department of the Interior, EPA, and the Forest Service are directed to provide to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, and to make publicly available no later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, detailed Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) fee information as specified in House Report 112-151. STATE WILDLIFE DATA The Committee is concerned that the Department of the Interior, its bureaus, and the Forest Service are not maximizing the opportunity to save funds and leverage States' on-the-ground wildlife expertise. State wildlife agencies often have the best available science on species and retain primary jurisdiction over most wildlife on Federal, State, and private lands. The Federal government should recognize and fully utilize State resources, including scientific information about species population numbers, conservation status, and habitat availability, among other data. The Committee directs Federal agencies to cooperatively engage with State wildlife agencies and to use State fish and wildlife data and analyses as a primary source to inform Federal land use, land planning, and related natural resource decisions. The agencies should not duplicate analysis of raw data previously prepared by the States. Federal agencies should also provide their data to State wildlife managers to ensure that the most complete data is available to be incorporated into all decision support systems. PAPER REDUCTION The Committee urges each agency funded by this Act to work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reduce printing and reproduction costs and directs each agency to report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act on what steps have been taken to achieve this goal. The report should specifically identify how much money each agency expects to save by implementing these measures. EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS The Committee strongly supports the educational and outreach programs of the agencies funded through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill and encourages them to ensure that their efforts reach the widest possible audience, including but not limited to, Hispanic- Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities, as appropriate. LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND The Committee recognizes that investments in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) support public land conservation and ensure access to the outdoors for all Americans, and recommends $322 million for LWCF programs. While the program is the principal source of funding for National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service land acquisitions, the LWCF Act affords Congress the discretion to appropriate funds to a variety of recreation and conservation programs, including, but not limited to, land acquisition. The Committee believes it can fulfill the goals of the LWCF Act in a fiscally responsible manner by prioritizing State and local programs, consistent with chapter 2003 of title 54 of the United States Code, that do not add to the Federal estate and exacerbate deferred maintenance backlogs. Accordingly, the Committee recommends $186 million (58 percent of LWCF funding) for State and local recreation, conservation, battlefield protection and forest legacy programs. While the Committee remains committed to decreasing the rising deferred maintenance backlogs at Federal land management agencies, it recognizes the value of strategic land acquisitions, and recommends an amount appropriate given the constraints of the budget and other priorities within the bill. The recommendation includes $136 million for Federal land acquisition programs, of which not less than $24 million is directed to recreational access projects and inholdings. Funding for recreational access projects may only be used to open or improve access to existing public lands for hunting, fishing, and related recreational activities. Funds may not to be used to initiate any new land acquisition project unless the project was included in the budget justification and approved by the Congress. The Committee directs each agency to develop and include its prioritization criteria and project selection process in future budget requests. The Committee does not have sufficient information to recommend specific Federal acquisition projects at this time. Each land management agency is directed to submit an updated project list to the Committee, accounting for any changes in cost estimates, willing sellers, or other new information arising since the list of requested projects originated at the start of the fiscal year 2017 budget process. The list should include authorized appropriation levels for each unit, if applicable, total appropriations and acreage acquired to date for each unit, status of any unobligated balances, evidence of local, State, and congressional support, and, if the project would impact a unit boundary, by what amount and under what authority. If the agency considers a project, or any parcel of a project to be an ``inholding'', the agency should provide the percentage of the parcel's border that abuts existing Federal land. Lastly, the Committee requests that each agency include in future budget justifications a status report on any prior year LWCF spending. The report should include a table of projects funded in the two prior fiscal years, comparing actual cost and acreage acquired to date, with cost and acreage estimates that were provided to the Congress in budget justifications. WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION The World War I Centennial Commission serves as the lead organizer for the Nation's commemorative events regarding America's participation in the war. The Commission has selected a final design for a World War I Memorial which will be built at no Federal expense on the site of Pershing Park near the White House. The Committee is willing to consider limited discretionary appropriations in the future to support the Commission's efforts provided that the Commission submits a detailed budget proposal and justification. OPERATING PLANS AND REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES Consistent with other appropriations Acts, the Committee has included within Title IV General Provisions (Sec. 403) bill language establishing the procedures governing reprogramming actions for programs, projects, and activities funded in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Incorporated into the section is requested language relating to assessments. The section also includes a requirement that each agency submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 60 days following enactment of this Act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming for the current fiscal year. In addition to the Committee recommendations and directives contained herein, the Committee directs each department and agency funded in this bill to submit an operating plan at the program, project, and activity level pursuant to Section 403 of this bill. TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,072,675,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,075,545,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 1,081,922,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +9,247,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +6,377,000 The Committee recommends $1,081,922,000 for Management of Lands and Resources, $9,247,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,377,000 above the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Soil, Water, and Air Management.--The Committee recommends $43,609,000 for soil, water, and air management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,769,000 below the budget request. The Colorado River Basin Salinity Program is funded at $1,500,000. Rangeland Management.--The Committee recommends $79,000,000 for rangeland management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $16,168,000 above the budget request. The Committee directs the agency to focus on reducing the grazing permit backlog and carrying out a systematic program of range monitoring, land health assessments, development and implementation of allotment management plans, and adaptive management. The Committee rejects the Bureau's proposal to impose new grazing fees. Forestry Management.--The Committee recommends $10,076,000 for forestry management, $96,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Riparian Management.--The Committee recommends $21,321,000 for riparian management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,599,000 below the budget request. Cultural Resources Management.--The Committee recommends $16,131,000 for cultural resources management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,197,000 below the budget request. Wild Horse and Burro Management.--The Committee recommends $80,555,000 to implement Public Law 92-195 (16 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) requiring the protection, management, and control of free-roaming horses and burros on public lands, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $447,000 above the budget request. The Committee directs the Bureau to continue to study and test the feasibility of implementing a scientifically sound and humane sterilization program in partnership with universities and nonprofit organizations. The Committee strongly supports research to develop and refine a variety of fertility-control methods, including immunocontraceptives, which allow for sustainable populations of wild horses and burros while maintaining the genetic viability of the protected herds. The Committee is concerned about the number of herds with horse and burro populations that exceed their Appropriate Management Levels. Overpopulation damages rangeland and decreases the quality of life of the herds. The Committee also is concerned about the large number of horses that are held in long-term holding. Given the increasing costs of operating the program, the Committee strongly encourages the Bureau to increase the use of existing population control measures as well as continue to implement the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences. The Committee further directs the Bureau to work cooperatively with States and other partners to control wild horse and burro herds. The bill continues a prohibition on funds to implement Section 1333(b)(2)(C) of Title 16, United States Code, requiring the humane destruction of excess animals that are not adopted. The bill also continues a general provision within Title I allowing the Bureau to enter into long-term contracts and agreements for holding facilities off the range. Wildlife and Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $114,661,000 for wildlife and fisheries, $12,750,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,658,000 below the budget request. Within the total provided, the Committee recommends $102,131,000 for wildlife management. The additional $11,750,000 is intended specifically for the Bureau to remove encroaching conifers, eradicate and control invasive weeds, restore riparian habitats, reduce fuel loads, and augment post- fire stabilization and rehabilitation efforts, as requested. The Committee recommends $12,530,000 for fisheries management. The Committee notes that the Bureau is working with States, communities and interested partners to incorporate up-to-date data and science on the greater sage-grouse in the Resource Management Plans and related Land Use Plan Amendments. However, the Committee continues to hear concerns, particularly from ranchers and mining companies, that the Bureau is failing to 1) manage for sustained yield and multiple uses and inconsistently applying long-standing, existing regulations; 2) consider the mitigation and habitat conservation successes of private entities and benefits of well-managed grazing; and 3) appreciate the role of States in managing wildlife and the economic needs of rural communities. Recognizing that thriving sage-grouse populations, rangelands, and local economies are interconnected and support healthy communities, the Committee directs the Bureau to ensure it is fairly and consistently applying its statutory mandate to manage for sustained yield and multiple use and adhering to its current regulations and processes. The Committee commends the Bureau for completing the National Seed Strategy and provides $1,000,000 to implement it. The Committee continues to believe the Bureau should focus on increasing the availability of appropriate seed to address high-priority restoration needs and to collaboratively work with other Federal agencies, States, researchers, and private partners to implement the strategy. Recreation Management.--The Committee recommends $69,461,000 for recreation management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $2,396,000 below the budget request. The bill includes a general provision in Title IV prohibiting the use of funds to close areas open to recreational hunting and shooting as of January 1, 2013. Energy and Minerals.--The Committee recommends $164,943,000 for energy and minerals, $1,661,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $26,875,000 above the budget request. The Committee does not accept the proposal to increase fees. The Committee directs the Bureau to collaboratively work with industry, other Federal agencies, States, and interested entities on methane emission issues. Resource Protection and Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $110,150,000 for resource protection and maintenance, $972,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $16,168,000 below the budget request. Soda Ash.--The Committee is concerned that other Nations provide significant subsidies to their soda ash producers and related industries, which causes U.S. companies to reduce operations and employment and negatively affects families and communities. As such, the Committee directs the Bureau to provide a report, within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, on the current state of the U.S. industry and the negative effects of State-sponsored subsidies and to work with U.S. companies to provide royalty relief, as appropriate and authorized by current law. Resource Management Planning.--The Committee recommends $48,125,000 for resource management planning, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $17,078,000 below the budget request. The Committee reminds the Bureau not to duplicate existing efforts at the U.S. Geological Survey and in the private sector. Planning Process.--The Committee urges the Bureau to extend the public comment period on the proposed ``Planning 2.0'' initiative by no less than 30 days beyond the current 90 day comment period to ensure States, local governments, and other partners have adequate time to analyze the proposal and provide comments. Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.--The Committee is concerned about the transportation routes identified in the Draft Resource Management Plan and encourages the Bureau to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service; the State of Utah; Washington County, Utah; the city of St. George, Utah; and other cooperating entities to identify a northern transportation route as directed by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, P.L. 111-11. Resource Protection and Law Enforcement.--The Committee recommends $26,616,000 for law enforcement, $1,121,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,000,000 above the budget request to fill vacant ranger positions. The Bureau is directed to focus on visitor safety and archaeological resource protection and to defer to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for investigative and other non-emergency matters of Federal law not unique to Bureau lands or property. Challenge Cost Share.--The Committee recommends no funding for the challenge cost share program, as requested, which is $2,413,000 below the fiscal year 2016 level. Although no funds are provided for this program, the Committee encourages the Bureau to continue to work with partners on outdoor ethics education and stewardship programs designed to help keep America's public lands healthy, open and accessible for opportunities to enjoy responsible outdoor recreation, especially high-impact activities such as recreational shooting and off-highway vehicle use. National Landscape Conservation System.--The Committee recommends $36,819,000 for the national landscape conservation system, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $13,826,000 below the budget request. The bill includes a general provision in Title I prohibiting the use of funds to implement Secretarial Order Number 3310 pertaining to wild lands. The Committee encourages the Bureau to continue to work with the State of Idaho to provide appropriate access to Federal lands for the purposes of aquifer recharge projects. The Committee is aware the California State office is establishing an independent monitoring pilot program for certain off-highway vehicle events and supports the Bureau's implementation of the pilot program within 120 days, as planned. The Committee requests a report on the pilot program and any recommendations to facilitate its expansion to other States. The Committee is concerned that the Bureau's actions regarding Federal oil and gas leases in the White River National Forest, including the release of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative in March 2016, are undermining the collaboration among Members of Congress, locally elected officials, and private and public partners to resolve the status of the leases. The Committee directs the Bureau to reconsider its actions and to work in a collaborative manner with all interested parties to reach a broadly supported resolution. LAND ACQUISITION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $38,630,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 43,959,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 19,400,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -19,230,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -24,559,000 The Committee recommends $19,400,000 for land acquisition, $19,230,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $24,559,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. The Committee has included language and direction on Land and Water Conservation Fund programs in the front of this report. OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $107,734,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 106,985,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 106,985,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -749,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $106,985,000 for the Oregon and California (O&C) grant lands, $749,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. The Committee is concerned with the Bureau's plan to withdraw approximately 75 percent of the O&C grant lands from sustained yield management and provide annual harvests of less than half the minimum described in the Oregon and California Revested Lands Act of 1937. The Committee reminds the Bureau that the O&C Act classified the O&C grant lands as timberlands to be managed for permanent forest production, with the timber sold in conformity with the principles of sustained yield management in an annual quantity averaging not less than 500 million board feet. The Committee directs the Bureau to implement a plan that conforms to the mandates of that Act. RANGE IMPROVEMENTS The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of not less than $10,000,000 to be derived from public lands receipts and Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act lands grazing receipts, as requested. SERVICE CHARGES, DEPOSITS, AND FORFEITURES The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $31,050,000 for Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures, as requested. MISCELLANEOUS TRUST FUNDS The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $24,000,000, as requested. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT The Committee recommendation includes the requested Administrative Provisions. United States Fish and Wildlife Service The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of people. Although the States are primarily responsible for management of fish and wildlife within their borders, the Service has been delegated responsibilities for certain threatened and endangered species, interjurisdictional fish and migratory bird species, and marine mammals, in addition to managing the National Fish Hatchery System and the National Wildlife Refuge System. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,238,771,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,309,912,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 1,255,004,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 16,233,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -54,908,000 The Committee recommends $1,255,004,000 for Resource Management, $16,233,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $54,908,000 below the budget request. Descriptions of activities below the account level are contained in the justification submitted to the Congress, except as otherwise discussed below and summarized in the table at the end of this report. Listing.--The recommendation includes $14,411,000 for Endangered Species Act listings and related activities, $6,104,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The proposed transfer of funds out of critical habitat designations is approved. The proposed transfer of funds into petitions is not approved; the number of listings and petitions to list have far outpaced the Service's ability to keep up with its other Endangered Species Act mandates, such as status reviews and consultations, so the recommendation redistributes the funds elsewhere to meet these other mandates. The Committee remains concerned that deadlines imposed by the 2011 multispecies litigation settlements may be compromising the Service's ability to be thorough in its economic impact analyses, to provide fair public notice and opportunity to comment, to base decisions upon the best available scientific evidence, and to be exceptionally transparent with the information upon which its decisions are made. The Service is directed to re-evaluate its work plans in order to meet these obligations in light of the budget, and to request deadline extensions as necessary. The Service is directed to exclude flood control reservoirs from critical habitat determinations, such as for the western distinct population segment of the yellow-billed cuckoo as described in detail in House Report 114-170. The Committee recognizes that the Service may consider species that are non-native to the U.S. for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), based on their biological status in the wild. The Committee also recognizes that captive breeding and artificial propagation of listed species can have important conservation value. Any listing of a species as threatened should not, by default, adversely impact operations that engage in captive or artificial propagation for domestic or international trade in accordance with international law governing trade in protected species. The Service is therefore urged to consider alternative exemptions under section 4(d) of the ESA for the continued commercial trade in captive or artificially propagated non-native sturgeons that are not linked to conservation activities within the range countries. Planning and Consultation.--The recommendation includes $103,650,000 for planning and consultation, $4,571,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Timely evaluations and permitting of proposed infrastructure and other development projects contribute to economic growth and job creation. The Service should distribute the increase in accordance with the backlog of requests from outside the Service for technical assistance and consultations, including habitat conservation planning (HCP) and hatchery genetic management planning. The Committee recognizes the important role of HCPs in both recovery of species and in providing economic certainty and growth to municipalities affected by listed species. The Service is encouraged to place a priority on working with partners making good faith efforts to develop and implement responsible HCPs. No additional funds are provided for planning and consultation of restoration projects funded by settlement agreements, including those associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Any such projects required by law to have technical assistance, consultation, or permits from the Service should have such costs built into the projects. The Service is directed to establish a reimbursement program consistent with similar programs across the Department. Conservation and Restoration.--The recommendation includes $32,646,000 for conservation and restoration, $250,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The increase is for expedited mapping of flood-prone coastal areas, as authorized by the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA). Funding for the National Wetlands Inventory is maintained at $3,471,000. Funding for the sagebrush steppe ecosystem is maintained at $3,250,000. Recovery.--The recommendation includes $86,198,000 for Endangered Species Act recovery planning and oversight, five- year status reviews, and associated status changes, $4,182,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Funding to eliminate the backlog of downlistings and delistings is not less than $3,000,000, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Service stated in its budget justification that limited resources force the program to make difficult tradeoffs among five-year reviews, developing recovery plans, implementing recovery actions, delisting and downlisting. The Committee therefore directs the Service to focus on only those ESA mandates which are inherently governmental, and not to engage in other activities, such as implementing recovery actions, unless the costs are at least matched by partners outside the Service. The Service is directed to develop recovery plans for all listed species as required by law; to include measurable goals in each recovery plan; and to report to the Congress on any species for which the Secretary finds that a recovery plan will not promote the conservation of the species, including the justification. The Service is directed to complete all status reviews within the five-year period required by law, and, for any determination on the basis of such review whether a species should be delisted, downlisted, or uplisted, promulgate an associated regulation prior to initiating the next status review for such species. So that trends in the endangered species recovery program may be observed, the Service is directed to include, in its next such report to Congress, ``species status'' and all other data points for each species that were included in the report entitled, ``Report to Congress on the Recovery of Threatened and Endangered Species, Fiscal Years 2009-2010''. The recommendation includes $2,500,000 for matching grants to nonprofit organizations implementing genetically-sound breeding, rearing, and reintroduction programs as prescribed in recovery plans, such as for northern aplomado falcon and California condor. Not less than $2,000,000 is recommended for the recovery of listed bat species impacted by white-nose syndrome, provided such funds are matched by partners outside the Service. The Committee is aware that the State of Utah has taken over management for the Utah prairie dog as a result of a decision by a Federal judge. The Committee is also aware that the Fish and Wildlife Service is appealing that verdict. In the event that the Fish and Wildlife Service is successful in its appeal, the Committee recognizes the importance of the Fish and Wildlife Service coordinating with the State of Utah on developing a new conservation plan that provides a mechanism for reconciling local development interests with conservation of the Utah prairie dog, consistent with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. The State of Utah and local counties have committed significant financial resources to the recovery of the Utah prairie dog and those efforts should be appropriately recognized in the conservation planning efforts. The Service is directed to brief the Committee on the Service's evaluation and strategy for the red wolf recovery program within 12 months of enactment of this Act. The bill includes language directing the Secretary to re- issue final rules delisting recovered gray wolves in Wyoming and the Great Lakes, consistent with congressional action on recovered gray wolves in Idaho and Montana in the fiscal year 2011 appropriation. The Committee is compelled to act when egregious lawsuits waste limited agency resources and threaten the integrity of the Endangered Species Act, which guarantees that the Federal government will return management authority to the States once recovery plan goals are met and scientifically- sound State management plans are in place. Upon enactment of this Act, the Service is urged to finalize its proposal to delist recovered gray wolves range-wide. Partners for Fish and Wildlife.--The recommendation includes $52,026,000 for voluntary, non-regulatory partnerships with private landowners as authorized by the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act, $250,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Service is urged to maintain ideal staffing levels for ongoing invasive species eradication efforts on private and national wildlife refuge lands, such as for nutria in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, in order to minimize the likelihood that such species will return. In addition, the recommendation includes $1,285,000 as requested for regional fisheries enhancement groups. Coastal Programs.--The recommendation includes $13,625,000 for voluntary, non-regulatory coastal habitat programs, $250,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $131,000 above the budget request. National Wildlife Refuge System.--The recommendation includes $484,861,000 for the National Wildlife Refuge System, $3,434,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include: $250,000 for invasive species control in coordination with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program; $250,000 to increase the number of volunteer hours, which have declined in recent years; and $250,000 to reduce the backlog of statutorily-required comprehensive conservation plans. The Service is commended for its efforts at certain refuges to develop plans that are strongly supported by the surrounding communities. Maintenance support is increased by $2,184,000 and deferred maintenance is increased by $500,000, as requested, to continue to reduce the maintenance backlog. The Committee directs the Service to institute signage on any individual refuge where trapping occurs. The Service is also directed to establish guidance on such signage and include it in the refuge manual. Information should be posted on the National Wildlife Refuge System website and the websites of the individual refuges where trapping is occurring so the public is informed. The Committee understands that Waterfowl Production Areas, easements, and Coordination Areas are established under different authorities and, as a result, signage may vary at these sites. The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area was created to protect one of the last remaining grassland and longleaf pine savanna landscapes in eastern North America while securing water resources for seven million people in south Florida. The Committee supports collaborative efforts to protect, restore, and conserve habitats for one of the greatest ecological treasures of the United States. The Service is reminded that solutions to recreational-use conflicts in national wildlife refuges should begin with the Refuge Manager engaging their local communities and collaborating with local officials and other representatives of recreational users to find mutually-agreeable solutions to conflicts. Failure to do so can result in significant public backlash, such as has happened with regard to proposed new recreational boating restrictions at Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. Migratory Bird Management.--The recommendation includes $48,605,000 for migratory bird management, $1,125,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Increases include $500,000 as requested to improve aviation safety, $250,000 for conservation and monitoring, and $250,000 for migratory bird joint ventures. Permitting to reduce bird-livestock conflicts is funded at $350,000, which is $100,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Service is commended for its efforts to work with landowners to reduce black vulture predation on livestock. Executive Order 13186, issued in 2001, directed Federal agencies to develop a memorandum of understanding and work together to promote the conservation of migratory bird populations, and established an interagency Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds (Council). The last annual report produced by the Council was in 2012. The Committee supports the Council's efforts to streamline the annual report development process, and to provide more detailed information on the Council web page, in order to disseminate the information in a more timely fashion. The Service is urged to update permitting requirements at section 21.12 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, to account for the addition of other accredited zoological trade organizations that did not exist at the time the regulation was last published. Law Enforcement.--The recommendation includes $75,053,000 as requested for law enforcement, $328,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Service is directed to enforce illegal logging violations pursuant to the Lacey Act. Wildlife trafficking is funded at $7,500,000, as requested. Lawful importers and exporters should not shoulder the cost burden of a Service workload that has increased as global markets have expanded and wildlife trafficking has become more sophisticated. Service inspectors not only examine legally declared packages but now must also undertake efforts to interdict illegal shipments of wildlife and wildlife products. Funds appropriated specifically to combat wildlife trafficking may be used to supplement inspections. The Committee has been made aware of concerns about expeditious inspection of perishable echinoderms, squid, octopus and cuttlefish. Due to the limited shelf life, it is imperative inspections occur in less than 48 hours. The Committee has been informed the Service is working to inspect perishable items in 24 hours or less and requests data from the Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) to document these efforts and determine if there are any obstacles toward achieving that goal. The Service is also directed to brief the Committee on steps they are taking to review the regulations to ensure no industry is operating at a disadvantage and to provide a status on harvest levels and illegal wildlife interdicted because of these inspections. International Affairs.--The recommendation includes $15,196,000 for international affairs, $500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The increase is to combat wildlife trafficking, as requested. The Committee is concerned about the recent increase of illegal trade in rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory, and harvested timber; the large sums of money that these products command on the black market; and the significant source of financing these activities provide for armed insurgencies and groups with links to transnational organized crime and terrorism. These activities threaten the stability and development of African countries and pose a threat to U.S. security interests. The Committee supports Service programs in particular that focus on: (1) site-based law enforcement protection in Africa for the most at-risk populations of forest and savannah elephants; (2) development and implementation of regional wildlife law enforcement networks in Africa and Asia; and (3) training local park guards and other wildlife law enforcement officers. These programs should be carried out in coordination with other U.S. agencies, local governments, and international conservation partners. The Committee encourages coordination between the Service and the Department of Homeland Security at U.S. ports of entry. The Committee recognizes the Service's work with Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala to conserve priority species and ecosystems, and urges the continuation of these international partnerships in fiscal year 2017. Fish and Aquatic Conservation.--The recommendation includes $153,256,000 for Fish and Aquatic Conservation, $5,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, as described below. The Service is directed to continue its tradition of improving freshwater subsistence, commercial, and recreational fishing since 1871. The recommendation includes $55,418,000 for National Fish Hatchery System Operations, $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,659,000 above the budget request. A portion of the increase should be used to fill hatchery manager vacancies. Not less than $800,000 is recommended for the aquatic animal drug approval partnership program, $400,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The national wild fish health survey program is funded at not less than $1,430,000, as requested. The Service should take economic return-on-investment into account in the allocation of National Fish Hatchery System Operations funds. The bill includes language prohibiting the termination of operations or the closure of any of the 90 units of the National Fish Hatchery System. The bill also includes language directing the Service to begin a propagation and reintroduction program for delta smelt. None of the production programs listed in the March, 2013, National Fish Hatchery System Strategic Hatchery and Workforce Planning Report, may be reduced or terminated without advance, informal consultation with affected States and Indian tribes. The Service is directed to maintain the fisheries archives, including the National Fishery Artifacts and Records Center and the Collection Management Facility, at its current location; to fill and station on site all vacant positions; and to share the costs and oversight across the fisheries program nationwide. The recommendation includes $22,920,000 as requested for Maintenance and Equipment, including a $3,000,000 increase above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog. The Service should allocate funds to facilities with the most severe health and safety deficiencies across the System as a whole, rather than by region. The recommendation includes $74,918,000 for Aquatic Habitat and Species Conservation, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Klamath agreement is funded at $1,610,000, as requested. Asian carp control is funded at $8,400,000. Quagga and zebra mussel control is funded at $2,000,000, as requested. Sea lamprey administrative costs are funded at $711,000, as requested. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $250,000 for the National Fish Passage Program and $1,140,000 to implement State and interstate aquatic invasive species plans mandated by the National Invasive Species Act. The total amount allocated to the States for implementing such plans should be not less than $3,706,000. The Service is urged to accelerate the rulemaking process under the Lacey Act to prohibit the importation of live lionfish without prohibiting the sale and purchase of lionfish filets or the possession of lionfish already in aquariums. Cooperative Landscape Conservation.--The recommendation includes $12,988,000 for landscape conservation cooperatives (LCCs), equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee continues to be concerned about a lack of State and tribal support for LCCs in certain parts of the country. The Service should focus on areas where partnerships are strongest. Science Support.--The recommendation includes $16,985,000 for science support, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Not less than $2,500,000 is recommended to continue the search for a cure for white-nose syndrome in bats. The Service should propose future increases for science within the budgets of existing programs that need the science, such as fisheries, refuges, migratory birds, and endangered species, if such science is a priority for the programs. The Service is urged to engage with Cooperative Research Units in partnership with States, universities, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in order to leverage its funding. General Operations.--The recommendation includes $145,504,000 for General Operations, $2,447,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $5,928,000 below the budget request. The recommendation includes the requested transfer of $153,000. Annual maintenance for the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) is increased by $2,600,000, as requested, in order to avoid a maintenance backlog. The Service is encouraged to continue to make the NCTC available, at cost, to other Federal, State, tribal, and non-governmental entities for the purposes of conservation training. CONSTRUCTION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $23,687,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 23,740,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 14,837,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -8,850,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -8,903,000 The Committee recommends $14,837,000 for Construction, $8,850,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $8,903,000 below the budget request. The recommendation includes requested funding for national fish hatcheries, dam safety, and the forensics laboratory. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. LAND ACQUISITION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $68,500,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 58,655,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 50,300,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -18,200,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -8,355,000 The Committee recommends $50,300,000 for land acquisition, $18,200,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $8,355,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Language and direction on Land and Water Conservation Fund programs is provided in the front of this report and includes direction on the use of recreational access funds. While the Committee does not include a directive limiting acquisition size and cost that could inadvertently discourage leveraging, the Committee expects the Service to use fiscal year 2017 recreational access funds in accordance with the defined use of recreational access funds in its fiscal year 2017 justification: to acquire small parcels of land to conserve important wildlife habitat and provide recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing. Accordingly, the Committee recommends $1,000,000 for recreational access projects. The Service is directed to notify the Committee of any land acquired with these funds. In a time when budgetary constraints allow for only a limited number of new land acquisition projects, the Committee is encouraged by programs that leverage public/private partnerships for land conservation like the Highlands Conservation Act, which has a record of more than a 2 to 1 ratio in non-Federal matching funds. Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 for the Highlands Conservation Act Grants and directs the Fish and Wildlife Service to work with the Highlands States regarding priority projects for fiscal year 2017. COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund provides matching grants to States and territories for endangered species recovery actions on non-Federal lands, and provides matching funds for non-Federal land acquisition to facilitate habitat protection. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $53,495,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 53,495,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 55,590,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +2,095,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +2,095,000 The Committee recommends $55,590,000 for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, $2,095,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The recommendation includes the requested amount for conservation grants but maintains level funding for HCP assistance grants. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FUND The National Wildlife Refuge Fund shares refuge revenues and makes payments in lieu of taxes to counties in which Service lands are located. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $13,228,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 0 Recommended, 2017..................................... 0 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -13,228,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $0 for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund, as requested, $13,228,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Payments to counties in all 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are estimated to be $5,516,000 in fiscal year 2017 from the net refuge receipts estimated to be collected in fiscal year 2016. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION FUND The North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 provided for matching grants to carry out wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the benefit of wetlands-associated migratory birds and other wildlife. Additional program funding comes from fines, penalties, and forfeitures collected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918; from Federal fuel excise taxes on small gasoline engines, as directed by amendments to the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, to benefit coastal ecosystem projects; and from interest accrued on the fund established under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937. Authorization of appropriations expired in fiscal year 2012. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $35,145,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 35,145,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 37,645,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +2,500,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +2,500,000 The Committee recommends $37,645,000 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, $2,500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Service is urged to make wetlands restoration projects that protect hunting and fishing treaty rights a higher priority. NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 authorized matching grants for the conservation of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with 75 percent of the amounts available to be expended on projects outside the United States. Authorization of appropriations expired in fiscal year 2010. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $3,910,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 3,910,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,910,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $3,910,000 for neotropical migratory bird conservation, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND The Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides technical assistance and matching grants to countries to strengthen anti-poaching activities; builds community support for conservation near these species' habitats; conducts surveys, monitoring, and applied research; and provides infrastructure and field equipment necessary to conserve habitats. These funds help to leverage work with partners and other collaborators to conserve and protect African and Asian elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, great apes, marine turtles, and their habitats. Authorizations of appropriations for the programs within this Fund have all expired. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $11,061,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 11,061,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 11,061,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $11,061,000 for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. The Committee recognizes that international wildlife trafficking has national security implications and therefore supports the Service's interagency and international cooperative efforts. STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE GRANTS The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program provides grants to States and Indian tribes, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories, to conserve fish and wildlife that are at risk of being listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The intent is to avoid the costly and time-consuming process of ESA listings and related regulatory actions. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $60,571,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 66,981,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 62,571,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +2,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -4,410,000 The Committee recommends $62,571,000 for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $4,410,000 below the budget request. The Service is directed to focus competitive grants on species the Service finds to be warranted for listing but precluded because of higher priorities, and on species proposed for listing but not yet listed. States are encouraged to do the same with the formula grants. The Service is urged to document and communicate to the Congress whenever an Endangered Species Act downlisting or delisting occurs, or whenever a listing is otherwise no longer warranted, due in large part or in whole to efforts funded through this program. National Park Service The mission of the National Park Service (Service) is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. Established in 1916, the National Park Service has stewardship responsibilities for the protection and preservation of the heritage resources of the national park system. The system, consisting of 410 separate and distinct units, is recognized globally as a leader in park management and resource preservation. The national park system represents much of the finest the Nation has to offer in terms of natural beauty and wildlife, historical and archeological relics, and cultural heritage. Through its varied sites, the National Park Service attempts to explain America's history, interpret its culture, preserve examples of its natural ecosystems, and provide recreational and educational opportunities for U.S. citizens and visitors from all over the world. In addition, the National Park Service provides support to tribal, local, and State governments to preserve culturally significant, ecologically important, and public recreational lands. The National Park Service is 100 years old in 2016. The Service embarked on a ten-year effort to enhance the national parks leading up to this historic celebration. The Committee supports this effort leading to a second century of conservation, environmental stewardship and recreation benefiting millions of visitors from throughout the world. OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,369,596,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,524,362,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,435,047,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +65,451,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -89,315,000 The Committee recommends $2,435,047,000 for Operation of the National Park System (ONPS), $65,451,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $89,315,000 below the budget request. The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the table at the end of this report. Additional Guidance.--The following additional direction and guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this account: Centennial of the National Park Service.--The Centennial of the National Park Service this year marks the beginning of a second century of stewardship, education, conservation, and recreation involving some of America's most treasured spaces. The Committee recognizes the importance of this historic national celebration and remains committed to its success. Accordingly, the Committee provides $65,451,000 in new discretionary funding within the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS) account to support the Centennial Initiative and related efforts, including funds to address deferred and cyclic maintenance needs. Specifically, the bill provides $10,672,000 as requested to support new responsibilities and critical needs across the System including critical operating needs at Park Service sites associated with the Civil Rights Movement as well as law enforcement and visitor services operations during the 2017 Presidential Inauguration; and $2,552,000 to support Service operations by providing increased communication bandwidth at parks. The bill also provides within ONPS $35,000,000 in new discretionary funding for repair and rehabilitation projects and $15,000,000 to address cyclic maintenance needs. These funds are supplemented by $30,000,000 provided within the Centennial Challenge matching grant program account dedicated to supporting signature projects and programs that provide visitor services enhancements for parks beyond amounts provided for basic operations. Given the scope of the Centennial Initiative, the Committee directs the Service to provide a report, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, detailing the distribution of funds supporting the Centennial Initiative and the anticipated return on investment on this substantial Federal investment. Resource Stewardship.--The bill provides $329,078,000 for resource stewardship. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $862,000 as requested to support new responsibilities and critical needs. The bill also includes $2,000,000 to continue zebra and quagga mussel containment, prevention, and enforcement. This funding was included in the fiscal year 2016 enacted bill but was not proposed in the budget request. Visitor Services.--The bill provides $258,516,000 for visitor services. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $3,279,000 as requested to support new responsibilities and critical needs. The bill also includes funding for the National Capital Area Performing Arts Program which was proposed for termination in the budget request. Park Protection.--The bill provides $358,672,000 for park protection. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $2,989,000 to support new responsibilities and critical needs as requested. Facility Maintenance and Operations.--The bill provides $792,721,000 for facility maintenance and operations. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $2,253,000 as requested to support new responsibilities and critical needs. The recommendation also includes $35,000,000 for repair and rehabilitation projects and $15,000,000 to address cyclic maintenance needs. Park Support.--The bill provides $515,457,000 for park support. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $1,289,000 as requested to support new responsibilities and critical needs and $2,552,000 to provide for increased communication bandwidth to support operations at national parks. The Committee recommendation for Operation of the National Park System includes the following additional guidance: Aquatic Invasive Species.--The Committee remains concerned about the spread of quagga and zebra mussels in the West. As of 2015, there were 10 western parks with established quagga/zebra mussel management or prevention programs. The Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior to continue developing and updating, using the best available science minimum protocols and training techniques for Federal, State, local, and private entities, a consistent standard of inspection and decontamination of recreational watercraft and equipment, as prescribed in the February 2010 Quagga/Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters. Further, consistent with fiscal year 2016, the Committee provides the Service with $2,000,000 for quagga and zebra mussel containment, prevention, and enforcement and directs the Service to prioritize the decontamination of watercraft and equipment leaving the watersheds of contaminated bodies, including Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Lastly, the Committee directs the Service to provide, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, a report on steps taken in recent years to address this pervasive threat to western watersheds. White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats.--The Committee remains concerned over the effects white-nose syndrome is having on the important roles bats perform in ecological functions in parks. The Committee provides funds as requested to support the Service's efforts to control the spread of the disease; protect and better inventory NPS bat and cave resources; expand research and partnerships for research on WNS management; monitor NPS resources for WNS; conduct public education about WNS; and standardize visitor WNS screening procedures across park units. Eastern Legacy Study (Lewis and Clark Trail Study).--The Eastern Legacy Study authorized to determine the feasibility of extending the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is now three years overdue. While the Committee appreciates that the study area is approximately 7,400 miles across 14 eastern States and the District of Columbia, the Committee directs the Service to work expeditiously to complete the study in a timely fashion and report back to the Committee on any impediments to completion. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.--The Committee is pleased with recent operational improvements at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. These improvements, including increased staffing and supervisory oversight, are showing tangible results and resulting in enhanced visitor experiences. The Committee also recognizes the important role that park partnerships with State and local organizations play in promoting recreational opportunities at the park, particularly during the Service's Centennial celebration. As efforts continue to improve park infrastructure, the Committee urges the Service to identify and assess the potential costs of additional needs including year- round bathroom facilities, campsite renovations, and other critical park features. Death Valley National Park.--Scotty's Castle, a historic national landmark in Death Valley National Park, has been closed to the public since flash floods damaged the landmark's visitor center, museum, and nearby roads in 2015. More rain fell in two days than normally occurs in a year resulting in mud and debris measuring four feet thick in some areas. Repairs are necessary to flood control berms, the facility's electrical, sewer, and water system, and to the physical buildings. The Committee urges the Service to provide in its fiscal year 2018 budget justification a detailed estimate of funds necessary to complete repairs to this iconic landmark in a timely manner. The Committee further directs the Service to take steps to ensure the security and protection of Scotty's Castle, and the contents of the museum, to protect from theft and trespassing at this historic site. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA).-- The Committee directs the Service to report, within 180 days of enactment of this Act, on progress in identifying potential site options and associated costs for the development of a permanent headquarters and visitor use facility at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area as described in the report accompanying P.L. 114-113. The Service shall work with government and non-government partners to determine the feasibility of potential site options and their suitability to support visitor use and park interpretation in accordance with the themes as outlined in the 2014 Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Foundation Document. James A. Garfield Memorial.--The Committee understands that the Service is undertaking a reconnaissance study to assess the eligibility of the James A. Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery for designation as an affiliated area of the national park system. The Committee supports this ongoing study and directs the Service to complete its assessment expeditiously. Sexual Harassment.--The Committee is concerned about a recent report from the Department of the Interior's Inspector General of a long-term issue of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment at the Grand Canyon National Park's River District. The Committee directs the Service to undertake a thorough review of this incident and provide a report within 90 days of enactment of this Act, of the findings and specific corrective actions needed to preclude this incident from recurring at Grand Canyon and throughout the national park System. Theodore Roosevelt Island.--The Committee directs the Service to continue working cooperatively with the Theodore Roosevelt Association to place interpretive markers on Theodore Roosevelt Island detailing President Roosevelt's work on issues related to the natural world. Biscayne National Park Marine Reserve Zone.--Biscayne National Park (BNP) is the largest marine park in the National Park System. In June 2015, BNP finalized an update of the Park's 1983 General Management Plan (GMP), approving a no- fishing marine reserve eliminating fishing and severely restricting boating in more than 10,000 acres of the park's most popular and productive marine waters. The Committee joins members of the Florida congressional delegation in expressing concern over the establishment of a marine reserve zone or other marine protected area in State waters of Biscayne National Park without rigorous scientific evidence, an adaptive management approach, and clear, science- based goals underlying its design and implementation. The Committee is also concerned by such action being taken by the Service over the objections of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and affected local stakeholders including, but not limited to, anglers and recreational fishing- and boating-dependent businesses. The Biscayne National Park GMP ignores recommendations and input received from local stakeholders and the FWC through years of public comments, public meetings, and extensive consultation with Service and BNP officials in an attempt to balance the need for conservation with the need for recreational access to the park's waters. The Service's actions also directly undermine the Fisheries Management Plan through which the FWC worked in consultation with BNP officials in good faith, and under which all sides agreed to ``seek out the less restrictive management actions necessary'' to achieve fishery management goals. Prior to implementing fishing restrictions within Biscayne National Park waters, the Service is directed to work to reestablish a mutually-cooperative and productive relationship with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as other affected stakeholders, to develop a plan that balances resource conservation with public access. Such efforts shall assess whether utilizing less restrictive fishing management actions could achieve similar goals for the park under the new General Management Plan. The Committee directs that the data and findings of the first peer-reviewed, five-year research report summarizing monitoring, research, and performance evaluation of the MRZ as described in BNP's General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision signed on August 27, 2015, shall represent baseline conditions against which all future research reports shall be compared. Furthermore, no fishing restrictions shall be imposed within the MRZ until after the public release of that first peer-reviewed, five-year research report. The Committee also recommends that BNP work to re-establish a mutually-cooperative and productive relationship with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to facilitate agreement on one or more Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) as described in BNP's General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision signed on August 27, 2015. Everglades Restoration.--The Committee notes the substantial progress made toward restoration of the Everglades ecosystem and continues to support this multi-year effort to preserve one of the great ecological treasures of the United States. The Service is directed to continue working with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and relevant Federal agencies to develop a range of options to address the water quality issues of the L-28 canal system. Vicksburg National Military Park.--The Committee is concerned about erosion and soil and ground deterioration affecting historic elements of Vicksburg National Memorial Park, including the Texas State Memorial and the Railroad Redoubt. The Committee urges the Service to assess on-the- ground conditions and take all necessary steps to ensure the park is safe for visitors and employees, and is preserved for future generations. American Discovery Trail.--The Committee urges the Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with all relevant law, regulations, and policies, to work with relevant and appropriate stakeholders to facilitate installing signage for the American Discovery Trail. Wetumpka Marine Impact Crater.--The Wetumpka Impact Crater, located in Elmore County, Alabama, is a uniquely preserved marine impact crater created approximately 80 million years ago when an asteroid measuring an estimated 350 meters in diameter struck a coastal basin under 300-400 feet of water. The crater is widely considered to be the best preserved marine impact crater ever discovered and one of only about six in the entire world. Given that the crater is an extremely rare and well- preserved geologic feature of national and international significance, the Committee urges the Service to assess the suitability of designating the Wetumpka Marine Impact Crater as a National Natural Landmark. America's First Frontier.--The Committee urges the Service to advance interpretive efforts at existing Service sites and in collaboration with other Federal, State, and local agencies, including other bureaus within the Department of the Interior, to detail the start of westward expansion through the Northwest Territory as America's First Frontier. Further, the Committee directs the Service to report back to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act on steps being taken to advance such interpretive collaboration and improve visitation across the region. World War II Memorial.--The Committee recognizes that the World War II Memorial is one of the most visited memorials in our Nation's Capital. To accommodate rising visitation and modern means of creative narrative preservation, similar to other U.S. supported World War II memorials around the world, the Committee urges the Department to report back within 90 days of enactment of this Act on ongoing plans to upgrade the premises for veterans and other visitors. Outdoor Recreation Opportunities.--The Committee encourages the Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to support outdoor recreation opportunities for economically disadvantaged communities in close proximity to national parks and national wildlife refuges. Arlington Memorial Bridge.--A recent inspection of the Arlington Memorial Bridge by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) revealed severe deterioration that had accelerated since a 2015 inspection. More than 68,000 vehicles traverse the bridge between Virginia and the District of Columbia on a daily basis. Repair and renovation costs to the bridge--the symbolic entry to Washington, DC, as well as the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery--are estimated at $250 million. The National Park Service and engineers from the FHA have been monitoring the condition of the bridge for many years, making minor repairs as needed and recently limiting vehicle weight to ensure safe operation. Federal inspectors have now determined that significant structural issues including ongoing deterioration of trunnion posts, the bascule span, and the bridge decking must be addressed within five years or, as the FHA concluded, the bridge will have to be closed in 2021. More than 50 percent of the Service's $11.9 billion in deferred maintenance needs are related to transportation assets funded outside of this bill's jurisdiction. This includes 5,500 miles of paved roads, 7,000 miles of unpaved roads, and 1,451 bridges. The Service received $268 million for its fiscal year 2016 system-wide transportation budget as a result of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act, P.L. 114-94) signed into law in December, 2015. The FAST Act also established two Department of Transportation grant programs to address large, complex, nationally significant projects like the Memorial Bridge restoration which require non-Federal matching dollars. The Committee understands that the Service and the District government have submitted a grant application seeking $150 million from the Department of Transportation for bridge repairs. The Memorial Bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction effort will require the active bipartisan support of Federal, State, and local leaders. The Committee urges the Service to pursue coalitions and partnerships, modeled after similar projects including the Tamiami Trail bridge project within Everglades National Park, to leverage and secure necessary funding to complete this critical project in a timely manner. Sale of water in disposable, recyclable plastic bottles.-- The Committee recognizes bipartisan concerns raised over the Director's Policy Memorandum 11-03 relating to disposable plastic water bottle recycling and reduction. The Director's memorandum provides national park units the option to eliminate the sale of bottled water. The memorandum requires that proposals for bans be based upon a rigorous written impact analysis, considering certain specified factors relating to health and safety, waste reduction, cost, and impacts on concessioners. The Committee understands that 22 parks have eliminated the sale of disposable water bottles as a result of this policy. The explanatory statement accompanying Division G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 included a directive for the Service to report on the justification each affected Service unit has used to ban the sale of bottled water. The report provided to the Committee in April fails to provide sufficient data to justify the Service's actions. In some instances, the analysis and effects of the bottled water ban relies on estimates and projections rather than concrete, measurable impacts and results. Eliminating water as a healthy choice for bottled drinks in national parks contradicts the Service's Healthy Parks Healthy People initiative as well as established efforts to encourage park visitors to make healthy food and beverage choices. While well-intentioned, the Service's policy simply defies common sense and is not in the public interest. Bottled water, arguably the healthiest beverage option for national park visitors, is subject to a sales ban while sales of soft drinks, juices, and sports drinks continue. The Committee maintains park visitors are entitled to purchase bottled water wherever other packaged beverages are sold in national parks. The bill includes language prohibiting the use of funds to eliminate the sale in national parks of water in disposable, recyclable plastic bottles. The Committee directs the Service to advance its stated goal of reducing the waste stream through emphasizing to the visiting public the importance of recycling plastic waste from all bottled beverages sold in parks. Further, the Committee urges the Service to partner with non- governmental entities to develop a comprehensive, effective program that uniformly addresses plastic waste recycling system-wide. NDAA evaluation.--The Committee notes that the Service is deficient in providing an evaluation as directed, not later than 90 days after enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, of Section 3040 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. The Committee directs the Service to complete the evaluation expeditiously. U.S. Capitol Concerts.--The Committee continues its longstanding support for funding for the National Capitol Area Performing Arts Program and directs the Service to maintain funding for the summer concert series staged on the U.S. Capitol grounds at the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Ozark National Scenic Riverways.--The Committee understands concerns have been expressed regarding potential access restrictions in certain areas of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. These concerns over restrictions to access points, trails, and reductions of allowable horsepower for motorized vessels in certain areas of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways merit continued examination and review by the Service. The Service is directed to work collaboratively with affected parties with the intent of honoring traditional access and ensuring that implementation of the General Management Plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways addresses the legitimate concerns of affected stakeholders including, but not limited to, local communities and businesses. Historic Dairying and Ranching.--The Service is directed to complete and implement its Ranch Comprehensive Management Plan at the Point Reyes National Seashore in a manner that supports historic beef and dairy ranches and natural and cultural resources in the pastoral zone. Until the date on which new permits or other authorizations are issued pursuant to the Ranch Comprehensive Management Plan, the Secretary is directed to continue to issue permits and authorizations for existing beef and dairy ranches in the pastoral zone. Leasing of Historic Buildings.--Leasing of historic park buildings has proven to be an effective public-private partnership that has brought private investment to the repair and maintenance of historic park resources. In previous Committee reports, the Committee has encouraged the Service to make expanded use of leasing authority. The Committee commends the Service for recent steps it has taken to increase the utilization of this tool, including establishing a leasing manager to oversee and expand the historic leasing program. The Committee renews its previous request that directs the Service to provide a report, within six months of enactment of this Act, detailing its progress towards expanding use of this authority. Included in this report should be (1) a list of structures the Service considers high-priority candidates for leasing, (2) a list of structures currently under a lease arrangement, (3) an estimate of the number of leases that have enabled private sector investments using the Service- administered historic tax credit, and (4) any statutory or regulatory impediments that now inhibit the enhanced use of leasing of historic structures. Ford's Theater.--The Committee understands that while Ford's Theater serves over 650,000 visitors annually, there are many who are unable to visit the site. The Committee supports Ford's Theater's plan to expand virtual access to the site over the next two fiscal years by investing in digital initiatives. Specifically, the theater plans to enhance interpretation and accessibility through expanded wireless connectivity and bandwidth, a new website, virtual field trips and digital interpretive tools. These initiatives will allow Ford's Theater to better serve and engage diverse audiences and create access for youth and others unable to physically visit this historic site. Bill Language.--The Committee has, since 2006, included bill language authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to acquire or lease property to facilitate the transportation of visitors to and from Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands, NY and NJ. The language was necessitated by the need to establish a screening process for visitors to the Statue of Liberty in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. While the location of future, permanent screening facilities for the ferry operation to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is now uncertain, prior-year bill language is retained as the Service reviews the security risks of alternative sites before making final decisions on the future location of permanent security screening facilities. The bill also includes language in Title I General Provisions addressing heritage areas. NATIONAL RECREATION AND PRESERVATION The National Recreation and Preservation account provides for outdoor recreation planning, preservation of cultural and national heritage resources, technical assistance to Federal, State and local agencies, and administration of Historic Preservation Fund grants. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $62,632,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 54,392,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 62,632,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +8,240,000 The Committee recommends $62,632,000 for national recreation and preservation, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $8,240,000 above the budget request. The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the table at the end of this report. Additional Guidance.--The following additional direction and guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this account: Heritage Partnership Program (HPP).--The Committee recommends $19,821,000 for the Heritage Partnership Program (HPP), equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. These funds support grants to local nonprofit groups in support of historical and cultural recognition, preservation and tourism activities. Congress has in recent years expanded from 27 to 49 the number of authorized heritage partnerships, creating additional pressure on available grant funding. The Service, as the administrator of the program, has developed a funding strategy that ensures newer areas receive Federal funding to establish themselves to a level that should eventually become self-sufficient. Under this approach, older, more established areas will continue to receive funds, but at a level that recognizes the decades of significant Federal financial support these areas have received. Heritage areas were never intended to receive Federal funding in perpetuity, yet the Committee notes they continue to depend on annual appropriations at sustained historical levels. The Committee has in the recent past provided direction for the development of self-sufficiency plans, and the Committee fully expects pressure on HPP funding to increase in future years. Accordingly, the Committee directs that participating heritage areas move expeditiously to develop plans for long- term self-sufficiency. The Committee supports the Service's efforts to allocate funding in a manner that moves all 49 areas towards self-sufficiency. Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area (MPNHA).--The Committee recognizes Snow College's Mormon Pioneer Heritage Institute (MPHI) as the academic center for the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area (MPNHA). The Service and the MPNHA are encouraged to work cooperatively with MPHI to ensure the long- term viability and sustainability of the MPNHA. Maritime Heritage Preservation.--The Committee is aware of the Service's cooperative partnership with the Maritime Administration to promote public awareness and appreciation for the Nation's maritime heritage, including the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program. The Committee supports the efforts of this grant program to advance educational efforts and address preservation of historically significant maritime properties, including historic battleships. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Grants.--The Committee supports the budget request for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Grant Program. Japanese American Confinement Site Grants.--The Committee supports the budget request for the Japanese American Confinement Site Grant Program which leverages proportional funding through partnerships with local preservation groups to preserve Japanese American World War II confinement sites. American Battlefield Protection Program Assistance Grants.--The Committee supports the budget request for the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) which assists in the preservation and protection of America's battlefields through site identification, documentation, planning, interpretation, and educational efforts. The Committee is aware of increased workload and associated delays in grant processing due to the program's expansion of eligibility to sites associated with the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and has provided funds within the Land Acquisition and State Assistance account to allow for timely review and processing of grants. HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND The Historic Preservation Fund supports the State historic preservation offices to perform a variety of functions. These include State management and administration of existing grant obligations; review and advice on Federal projects and actions; determinations and nominations to the National Register; Tax Act certifications; and technical preservation services. The States also review properties to develop data for planning use. Funding in this account also supports direct grants to qualifying organizations for individual preservation projects and for activities in support of heritage tourism and local historic preservation. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $65,410,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 87,410,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 78,410,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +13,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -9,000,000 The Committee recommends $78,410,000 for historic preservation, $13,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $9,000,000 below the budget request. Additional Guidance.--The following guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this account: State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.--The bill provides $46,925,000 for State Historic Preservation Offices and $11,985,000 for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices. The bill also provides $11,500,000 for competitive grants of which $500,000 is for grants to underserved communities and $11,000,000 is for competitive grants to document, interpret, and preserve historical sites associated with the Civil Rights Movement. The bill also includes $3,000,000 for competitive grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and $5,000,000 for the Save America's Treasures competitive grant program for preservation of nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts. National Historical Preservation Program.--The Committee recognizes the importance of enhancing the energy efficiency of historic buildings and urges the National Park Service to review and update its National Historical Preservation Program guidance to simplify the process through which owners of designated properties may undertake energy modernization efforts. CONSTRUCTION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $192,937,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 252,038,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 215,707,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +22,770,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -36,331,000 The Committee recommends $215,707,000 for Construction, $22,770,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $36,331,000 below the budget request. Line-Item Construction.--The bill provides $129,501,000 in funding for line-item construction projects. The amount provided fully funds the top 20 construction projects as prioritized by the Service in the fiscal year 2017 budget request. Requests for reprogramming will be considered pursuant to the guidelines contained in this Act. Bill Language.--The Committee has maintained bill language from prior years providing that a single procurement may be issued which includes the full scope of the project for any project initially funded in a fiscal year with a future phase indicated in the Service's five-year Line-Item Construction program. The solicitation and contract in such procurement shall be subject to availability of funds. Executing a single contract has the potential to increase economies of scale and reduce overall costs. LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND RESCISSION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... -$28,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. -30,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... -28,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +2,000,000 The Committee recommends the rescission of the annual contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 460l-10a. This authority has not been used in years and there are no plans to use it in fiscal year 2017. The Committee does not agree with the Administration's proposal to permanently cancel the authority. LAND ACQUISITION AND STATE ASSISTANCE Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $173,670,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 178,248,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 128,752,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -44,918,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -49,496,000 The Committee recommends $128,752,000 for Land Acquisition and State Assistance, $44,918,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $49,496,000 below the budget request. The recommendation includes $71,839,000 for State Conservation Grants; $5,000,000 for the competitive Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program; and $22,500,000 for acquisitions. Additionally, $10,000,000 is included for the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Funds have been provided, as requested, for ABPP grant administration, to allow for timely review and processing of grants. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Language and direction on Land and Water Conservation Fund programs is provided below, and in the front of this report. The recommendation includes $1,000,000 for acquisitions that improve access to existing Federal public lands via road, river, or trail for hunting, fishing, and other public recreation, as authorized by law or regulation. The Service is directed to notify the Committee of any land acquired with these funds. CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $15,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 35,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 30,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +15,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -5,000,000 The Committee has provided $30,000,000 for the Centennial Challenge matching grant program, a key component of the Service's Centennial Initiative. The Committee notes that the $15,000,000 in Centennial Challenge funds provided to the Service in fiscal year 2016 was matched with nearly $33,000,000 from more than 90 partner organizations nationwide. These funds are now financing 69 projects to improve visitor services at more than 63 parks in 38 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Committee commends the Service for its success in garnering non-Federal assistance for the completion of these and future projects as the Service celebrates its Centennial. The Committee understands that funds provided will be matched on at least a 1:1 basis and administered under existing Service partnership authorities. Funds provided will be dedicated to supporting signature projects and programs which provide critical enhancements for the parks beyond amounts provided for basic operations. The Committee directs that preference be given to projects that have a clear and immediate visitor benefit as well as a higher partner match. The Committee further encourages the Service to provide consideration to Centennial Challenge projects which have a deferred maintenance component in order to alleviate the sizeable deferred maintenance backlog within the System. The Committee notes that the Service has a long history of working with philanthropic partners and fully supports the use of public-private partnerships wherever feasible. United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS, or ``Survey'') was established by an Act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to support the mission of the Department of the Interior and its science requirements. The USGS also works in collaboration with other Federal, State, and tribal cooperators to conduct research and provide scientific data and information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. The USGS is the Federal government's largest earth-science research agency and the primary source of data on the Nation's surface and ground water resources. Its programs address increasingly complex societal issues such as the development of alternative and unconventional energy resources, management of critical ecosystems, understanding and adaptation to climate change, and responses to natural and human-induced hazards. For more than a century, the diversity of scientific expertise and collaborative partnerships with universities, research institutions, and major public and private laboratories has enabled USGS to carry out large-scale, multi- disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, policymakers, and the public. SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,062,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,168,803,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 1,080,006,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +18,006,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -88,797,000 The Committee recommends $1,080,006,000 for Surveys, Investigations, and Research, $18,006,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $88,797,000 below the budget request. The recommendation recognizes that the Survey's scientific work is vital to managers at Federal, State, and local levels to inform public policy decisions regarding human health, public safety, and national security. Ecosystems.--The Committee recommends $160,732,000 for ecosystem programs, $2,691,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $13,206,000 below the budget request. Increases include $250,000, as requested, for Great Lakes fisheries assessments and $250,000 for the invasive species program. The recommendation provides requested funding levels for Asian Carp control; the California Bay Delta; the Chesapeake Bay; the Everglades; and the Great Lakes. The Survey is expected to allocate Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funds in accordance with the funding allocation methodology used in fiscal year 2016. Additionally, the Committee remains concerned about white-nose syndrome and provides funds as requested for continued research on the disease, to enhance the ability of decision makers to develop management strategies to preserve vulnerable bat populations and the ecosystem services that bats provide. The Committee commends the work of the Federal Tick Borne Disease Integrated Pest Management Workgroup, in particular its recognition of the critical importance of better understanding the geographical distribution of Lyme and other tick borne diseases. The Committee requests that no later than 120 days after enactment of this Act, USGS submit to the Committee a report detailing progress in coordinating Federal research into the relationship between tick prevalence and environmental factors, including ecological changes and shifting land-use patterns. The Committee supports the continuation of USGS research on understanding the prevalence of toxins in the nation's natural bodies of water by expanding their understanding of cyanobacteria and toxins in stream and wetland ecosystems. USGS is encouraged to participate in interagency efforts to expedite the development of remote sensing tools to assist with early event warning delivered through mobile devices and web portals. Climate and Land Use Change.--The Committee recommends $145,975,000 for climate and land use change programs. The Committee supports existing Landsat operations and the accelerated launch schedule for Landsat-9 and therefore recommends $78,194,000, $6,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, for the land remote sensing account. Carryover balances from the satellite operations account should be applied to cover anticipated costs for Landsat-9 development. The Committee recognizes the benefits of a diverse workforce and encourages the Department to make an effort to diversify its workforce through outreach and recruitment programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions. Energy, Mineral, and Environmental Health.--The Committee recommends $94,511,000 for the energy, mineral and environmental health program, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $4,972,000 below the budget request. The Committee applauds USGS' Open Data policy and encourages collaborations with other Federal agencies and research partners, as appropriate, that could utilize the Survey's environmental health data. Natural Hazards.--The Committee recommends $142,863,000 for natural hazards programs, $4,024,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,838,000 below the budget request. The Committee continues to be concerned about the lack of knowledge and real-time instrumentation available for the Cascadia subduction zone and the potential devastation a major earthquake would have on the West Coast. The Committee recommends $10,200,000 for continued development, expansion, and upgrading of the infrastructure necessary for an earthquake early warning system. The Committee recommends $800,000, as requested, for USGS to assume operations of the Central and Eastern U.S. Seismic Network (CEUSN) as a permanent part of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). The network provides greatly improved earthquake detection and accuracy in the region that hosts most of the Nation's nuclear power reactors, and also in areas that have seen increased seismicity since 2009. The Committee remains concerned that systems and equipment used to monitor, detect and warn the public of volcano hazards, including lahars, on high-threat volcanoes in the United States are outdated and inadequate to address the substantial risks. The recommendation retains the $1,000,000 increase provided to the Volcano Hazards program in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, to be used for necessary work on next-generation lahar warning systems at very high threat volcanoes. Water Resources.--The Committee recommends $216,060,000 for water resources, $3,008,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommendation includes increases to the Water Availability and Use Science program for the continuity and expansion of data collection and research programs that support water planning and decision making across all States. Requested increases are also recommended for the Groundwater and Streamflow Information program, and for the Enhanced Cooperative Activities and Urban Waters initiative within the National Water Quality program. The Cooperative Matching Funds program is designed to bring State, tribal, and local partners together to respond to emerging water issues through shared efforts and funding. The recommendation provides $60,132,000 to support this collaboration, $2,422,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Core Science Systems.--The Committee recommends $113,833,000 for core science systems, of which $24,486,000 is for the National Cooperative Geological Mapping program. An increase of $2,194,000 is provided for 3-D elevation mapping within the National Geospatial program, to include $500,000 requested for landscape level assessments of the Chesapeake Bay. Bill Language.--The bill provides two-year funding authority except for satellite operations and deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects, which are no-year authority. Provisos include a funding limitation on surveys on private property and a cost-share requirement on topographic mapping and water resources activities in cooperation with States and municipalities. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is responsible for the development of the Nation's offshore energy and mineral resources. The Bureau's management of these resources helps meet the Nation's energy needs by providing access to--and fair return to the American taxpayer for--offshore energy and mineral resources through strategic planning and resource and economic evaluation. Conventional energy activities include development of the Five-Year Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program; assessment of mineral resource potential, tracking of inventories of oil and gas reserves, and development of production projections; and economic evaluation to ensure the receipt of fair value through lease sales and lease terms. OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $170,857,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 175,138,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 169,306,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -1,551,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -5,832,000 The Committee recommends $169,306,000 for Ocean Energy Management, $1,551,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $5,832,000 below the budget request. This amount will be partially offset with the estimated collection of rental receipts and cost recovery fees totaling $94,944,000. The Committee agrees to the proposed shift in receipts between BOEM and BSEE and is monitoring the continued decline in rental receipts. The Committee recommendation does not provide funding for National Ocean Policy Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is responsible for oversight of exploration, development, and production operations for oil, gas, and other marine minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Leases in Federal waters off the shores of California, Alaska, and the Gulf of Mexico provide about 16 percent of the Nation's oil production and about 5 percent of domestic natural gas production. The Bureau facilitates the safe and environmentally responsible development of oil and gas and the conservation of offshore resources. The Bureau's safety and environmental compliance activities include oil and gas permitting; facility inspections, regulations and standards development; safety and oil spill research; field operations; environmental compliance and enforcement; review of operator oil spill response plans; production and development; and operation of a national training center for inspectors and engineers. OFFSHORE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $189,772,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 189,968,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 189,968,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +196,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $189,968,000 for Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement as requested and $196,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. This amount will be partially offset with the estimated collection of offsetting rental receipts, cost recovery fees and inspection fees totaling $96,530,000. The Committee is monitoring the continued decline in rental receipts and notes that the Bureau has unobligated, unexpired carryover balances from prior years to cover the anticipated shortfall from the loss of revenue receipts in fiscal year 2017. These balances are sufficient to prevent operational impacts from the shortfall in lost receipts in fiscal year 2017. The Bureau should not expect that the Committee will substitute increased appropriated funds for lower offsetting collections in future years. The Bureau will need to prioritize program activities accordingly. OIL SPILL RESEARCH Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $14,899,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 14,899,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 14,899,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $14,899,000 for Oil Spill Research, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), through its regulation and technology account, regulates surface coal mining operations to ensure that the environment is reclaimed once mining is completed. The OSM accomplishes this mission by providing grants and technical assistance to those States that maintain their own regulatory and reclamation programs and by conducting oversight of State programs. Further, the OSM administers the regulatory programs in the States that do not have their own programs and on Federal and tribal lands. Through its Abandoned Mine Land (AML) reclamation program, the OSM provides funding for environmental restoration at abandoned coal mines based on fees collected from current coal production operations. In their un-reclaimed condition these abandoned sites endanger public health and safety, and prevent the beneficial use of land and water resources. Mandatory appropriations provide funding for the abandoned coal mine sites as required under the 2006 amendments to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGY Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $123,253,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 127,550,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 119,300,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -3,953,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -8,250,000 The Committee recommends $119,300,000 for Regulation and Technology, $3,953,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $8,250,000 below the budget request. The bill funds regulatory grants at $68,590,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee continues to reject the proposal to increase inspections and enhanced Federal oversight of State regulatory programs. Delegation of the authority to the States is the cornerstone of the surface mining regulatory program, and State regulatory programs do not require enhanced Federal oversight to ensure continued implementation of a protective regulatory framework. Accordingly, the Committee has not provided the requested funding and FTE increase for those activities within the Regulation and Technology account. Consistent with language in the bill, the recommendation includes reductions specified in the table at the end of this report that are associated with activities to revise the Stream Buffer rule. The Committee provides no funds for such activities. ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $117,303,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 30,375,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 117,303,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +86,928,000 The Committee recommends $117,303,000 for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $86,928,000 above the budget request. Of the funds provided, $27,303,000 shall be derived from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund consistent with the fiscal year 2016 appropriation, and $90,000,000 shall be derived from the General Fund. The Committee provides a total of $90,000,000 for grants to States for the reclamation of abandoned mine lands in conjunction with economic and community development and reuse goals. States shall use these funds to accelerate the remediation of AML sites with economic and community development end uses in mind. In doing so, the Committee envisions a collaborative partnership between the State AML programs and their respective State and local economic and community development programs that will explore ways to return legacy coal sites to productive reuse. The Committee notes that these grants are provided from the General Fund and are therefore separate from the estimated $174 million in mandatory payments from the Abandoned Mine Land fund in fiscal year 2017. For fiscal year 2017, $75,000,000 shall be provided to the three Appalachian States with the largest unfunded needs for the reclamation of Priority 1 and Priority 2 sites as delineated in the Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System. Consistent with fiscal year 2016 implementation, State AML programs, in consultation with State economic and community development authorities, shall develop a list of eligible AML projects in Appalachian counties that have a nexus to economic and community development, and select qualifying AML projects that have the potential to create long-term economic benefits. State AML programs should consider whether a model similar to the Appalachian Regional Commission grants process could streamline project selection, and whether an interagency agreement or other contracting mechanisms could streamline program implementation. Eligible grant recipients are limited to State and local governmental entities who may subcontract project-related activities as appropriate. Further, the Committee believes that an incremental approach is warranted to better understand programmatic impacts of proposing criteria changes to the underlying law. Each State presents unique opportunities and the Committee believes more States can contribute to the success of the pilot. As such, the Committee provides $15,000,000 for the next three Appalachian states with the largest unfunded needs for the reclamation of Priority 1 and Priority 2 sites as delineated in the Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System. The $15,000,000 shall be divided equally among the next three States. Eligible grant recipients for the $15,000,000 are also limited to State and local governmental entities who may subcontract project-related activities as appropriate. The Committee expects that the efforts of all six States under this pilot program will inform future policy discussions, possibly under a reauthorization of SMCRA, which the Committee supports. Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education The Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs (together, ``Indian Affairs''') provide services directly or through contracts, grants, or compacts to a service population of more than 1.7 million American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) who are enrolled members of 567 federally recognized tribes in the 48 contiguous United States and Alaska. While the role of the organization has changed significantly in the last four decades in response to a greater emphasis on Indian self-determination, tribes still look to Indian Affairs for a broad spectrum of services. Almost 85 percent of all appropriations expended at the local level, and over 62 percent of appropriations provided directly to tribes and tribal organizations through grants, contracts, and compacts. In preparation for the fiscal year 2017 appropriation bill, the Subcommittee held two days of hearings and received testimony from over 75 witnesses on a variety of topics pertaining to AI/AN programs. The Federal government has a legal and moral obligation to provide quality services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. On a nonpartisan basis, the Committee continues to protect and, where possible, strengthen the budgets for Indian Country programs in this bill in order to address longstanding and underfunded needs. OPERATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,267,924,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,395,786,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,335,635,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +67,711,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -60,151,000 The Committee recommends $2,335,635,000 for Operation of Indian Programs, $67,711,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $60,151,000 below the budget request. Descriptions of activities below the account level are contained in the justification submitted to the Congress, except as otherwise discussed below and summarized in the table at the end of this report. Road Maintenance.--The recommendation includes $30,000,000 for Road Maintenance, $3,217,000 above the budget request. The Committee recognizes that only 16 percent of BIA-owned roads and only 67 percent of BIA-owned bridges are in fair condition or better. The increase above the budget request is intended for BIA-owned roads and bridges in poor or failing condition, particularly along school bus routes. The Committee remains concerned by the BIA's substantial road maintenance backlog, particularly as it impacts rural tribal communities that lack adequate emergency access corridors. The Committee directs the Secretary to submit a report outlining the steps the BIA is taking to address the safety and emergency access issues experienced by remote and isolated tribal communities. Tribal Government Program Oversight.--The recommendation does not include the requested increases for the Nativeonestop.gov web portal because of the already limited funding for core tribal government programs. Indian Affairs is encouraged to coordinate with the Grants.gov web portal, to share costs with other Federal agencies, and to reconsider the need to hire regional staff, before including the proposal in the fiscal year 2018 budget request. Social Services.--The recommendation includes $55,500,000 for Social Services, $10,321,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, in order to provide culturally-appropriate services with the goals of empowering individuals and families through health promotion, family stability, and strengthening tribal communities as a whole. Indian Affairs is urged to make services available to law enforcement officers in coordination with the Indian Health Service. Indian Child Welfare Act.--The recommendation includes $18,509,000 for implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act, $2,868,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, in order to keep AI/AN children in need of foster care in AI/AN communities wherever possible. Rights Protection Implementation.--The recommendation includes $40,161,000 as requested for rights protection implementation, $2,523,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, in order to meet Federal court litigated and mitigated responsibilities in the conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources. The Committee supports the Bureau of Indian Affairs' efforts to address the resiliency needs of tribal communities by working to address threats to public safety, natural resources, and sacred sites. The Committee is particularly concerned about coastal tribal communities and Alaska Native Villages that face severe challenges to their long-term resilience. Consistent with the Federal government's treaty and trust obligations, the Committee directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to work with at-risk tribes to identify and expedite the necessary resources to support mitigation and relocation efforts. Forestry.--The Department of the Interior is encouraged to promote and expand the use of agreements with Indian tribes to protect Indian trust resources from catastrophic wildland fire, insect and disease infestation, or other threats from adjacent Federal lands, as authorized by law. Water Resources.--The recommendation includes $10,450,000 for Water Resources, $83,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, of which $390,000 is to continue the Seminole and Miccosukee water study, as requested. Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.--The recommendation includes $14,414,000 for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, $768,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Trust--Real Estate Services.--The recommendation includes $121,192,000 for Trust--Real Estate Services, $6,294,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, including the proposed reduction of $6,893,000 for completion of the Klamath River program. Indian Affairs is directed to recognize the Yakama Indian Nation's tribal boundary as the boundary established by the State of Washington and the Congress. The Committee directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to have no outstanding title conveyance requests older than 12 months, including those that have been initially rejected by the Land Titles and Record Offices for insufficient or incorrect documentation, by September, 2017. The Committee expects an update on the status of outstanding conveyances by September, 2017 and a report on what the BIA will be changing in their operations policy to ensure these backlogs and documentation related rejections do not occur in the future. Public Safety and Justice.--The recommendation includes $384,730,000 for Public Safety and Justice, $7,307,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and $11,270,000 above the budget request. Criminal investigations and police services are increased by $3,064,000 above the budget request to continue reducing the disparity in the number of patrol officers per population size in Indian Country, as compared to the Nation as a whole. Other program increases include $1,000,000 for detention/corrections and $2,600,000 for tribal courts, as requested. The $8,211,000 proposed reduction to tribal justice support has been restored. Indian Affairs is urged to improve officer safety by eliminating radio tower communications dead zones. For the purpose of addressing the needs of juveniles in custody at tribal detention centers operated or administered by the BIA, the Committee considers educational and health-related services to juveniles in custody to be allowable costs for detention/corrections program funding. Indian Affairs is further urged to provide mental health and substance abuse services when needed by juvenile and adult detainees and convicted prisoners. The Committee recommends $1,000,000 to support the development of a Cultural Items Unit within the Division of Law Enforcement tasked with investigating violations of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) (25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.), and related law. Although domestic laws such as NAGPRA can be enforced to address the theft of tribal cultural items with both criminal and civil penalties, without active Federal support, tribes are left only to do what they each can independently afford to do to stop the theft and sale of their cultural items. Therefore, the Committee supports the BIA in developing the capacity to coordinate investigations of violations of NAGPRA and related law. Community and Economic Development.--The recommendation includes $42,844,000 as requested for Community and Economic Development, $2,225,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, for job placement and training, competitive pay rates in oil and gas programs, and legal infrastructure to encourage credit and other capital transactions. Indian Affairs is encouraged to submit a budget request for fiscal year 2018 for the next phase of the energy office. Executive Direction and Administrative Services.--The recommendation includes $231,784,000 for executive direction and administrative services, $12,170,000 below the budget request, and includes the $1,300,000 program increase for safety inspections. Indian Affairs is directed to complete annual health and safety inspections of all BIE system facilities, and to submit quarterly updates on the status of such inspections to the Congress. Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).--The Committee recommends $892,886,000 for BIE system operations and maintenance, $40,519,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $19,544,000 below the budget request. The recommendation largely supports the budget request, except where discussed below. Indian education remains among the Committee's top priorities because it is a fundamental trust responsibility and because elementary and secondary students in particular have fallen far behind their peers for reasons now well documented by the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Education, and others. The BIE system is undergoing a major transformation, in direct response to these reports, in order to meet the changing needs of schools now that most schools are tribally-run, and in order to improve accountability. With the concurrence of elected tribal leaders and major intertribal organizations, the Committee continues to support this transformation. By the end of fiscal year 2017, all of the education-related responsibilities under Indian Affairs, including procurement, human resources, budget and finance, and BIE facilities operations, maintenance, and inspections, should be consolidated under the BIE, which should be led by an experienced and proven superintendent selected from a pool of qualified candidates inside and outside the BIE system. The recommendation includes $14,201,000 as requested for education program enhancements, of which $5,000,000 is for language immersion demonstration grants. The recommendation includes $3,000,000 for the development and operation of tribal departments or divisions of education (TEDs) as authorized by 25 U.S.C. 2020, $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. TEDs are instrumental in helping tribes build the capacity to oversee the high quality and culturally appropriate education of tribal members. The recommendation includes $57,245,000 as requested for Student Transportation, $4,103,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The BIE is urged to oversee and report on the safety of school bus routes. The recommendation includes $19,659,000 as requested for the Family and Child Education (FACE) program, $4,039,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The BIE is directed to conduct an annual review of the FACE program and to publish its findings in order to improve program direction and transparency. The recommendation fully funds tribal grant support costs at $75,335,000, as requested, $2,059,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Fully funding these costs is consistent with the policy of fully funding contract support costs, and is instrumental for tribal control of more BIE-system schools. The recommendation includes $125,262,000 as requested for facilities operations and maintenance. The BIE should combine the two program elements into one, recalculate the annual estimated need according to industry standards, and report any estimated shortfall in future budget justifications. The recommendation includes $14,778,000 for the Johnson- O'Malley (JOM) program, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee continues to encourage the BIE and tribal partners to establish a regular and accurate student count so that future appropriations more accurately reflect the increase and distribution of the eligible student population. The Committee directs the Bureau, in consultation with tribal leaders and in coordination with the Department of Education and the Census Bureau, to examine the feasibility of using U.S. Census or National Center for Education Statistics data to provide the JOM student count. The Committee requests that a report be provided to Congress, tribal leaders, and existing JOM contractors no later than September 30, 2017, that (i) uses this data to estimate the number of potentially eligible Indian students, and (ii) proposes a process to reconcile this data with information from eligible contracting entities and tribal enrollment to determine funding distributions. The recommendation does not include the proposed program increase for broadband access. Without question, high speed internet access is essential for student success and economic development in modern society. However, the Government Accountability Office recently identified tribal internet access as an area of fragmentation, overlap, or duplication (GAO 16 375SP). Indian Affairs is urged to coordinate with larger, existing broadband access programs funded by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The BIE is encouraged to coordinate with the Indian Health Service to integrate preventive dental care and mental health care at schools within the BIE system. The recommendation continues bill language limiting the expansion of grades and schools in the BIE system, including charter schools. The intent of the language is to prevent already limited funds from being spread further to additional schools and grades. The intent is not to limit tribal flexibility at existing schools. Nothing in the bill is intended to prohibit a tribe from converting a tribally- controlled school already in the BIE system to a charter school in accordance with State and Federal law. The recommendation continues bill language providing the Secretary with the authority to approve satellite locations of existing BIE schools if a tribe can demonstrate that the establishment of such locations would provide comparable levels of education as are being offered at such existing BIE schools, and would not significantly increase costs to the Federal government. The intent is for this authority to be exercised only in extraordinary circumstances to provide tribes with additional flexibility regarding where students are educated without compromising how they are educated, and to significantly reduce the hardship and expense of transporting students over long distances, all without unduly increasing costs that would otherwise unfairly come at the expense of other schools in the BIE system. The Committee recognizes that level funding and increasing enrollment has resulted in steadily decreasing funding for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) on a per student basis. Therefore, the Committee directs the Bureau to articulate a process in the fiscal year 2018 congressional budget justification to annually fund TCUs on a per Indian student basis, as authorized under the Tribally Controlled Colleges & Universities Assistance Act in 1978 (P.L. 95-471), and to compare that funding to the authorized level of $8,000 per student. CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $277,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 278,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 278,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +1,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $278,000,000 for Contract Support Costs, $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Bill Language.--The recommendation continues bill language making available for two years such sums as are necessary to meet the Federal government's full legal obligation, and prohibiting the transfer of funds to any other account for any other purpose. Language addressing contract funds that go unspent in a given fiscal year is discontinued. CONSTRUCTION (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $193,973,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 197,017,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 197,017,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +3,044,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $197,017,000 for Construction, as requested, $3,044,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Details are contained in the justification submitted to the Congress, except as otherwise discussed below. Education.--The recommendation includes $138,257,000 as requested for education construction, of which $45,504,000 is for campus-wide replacement, $11,935,000 is for component facilities replacement, $7,567,000 is for employee housing repair, and $73,251,000 is for facilities improvement and repair. The Committee recognizes the School Facilities & Construction Negotiated Rulemaking Committee was established under Public Law 107-110 for the equitable distribution of funds. Appropriations in this bill for campus-wide replacement are limited to the 10 schools selected via the rulemaking committee process and published by Indian Affairs on April 5, 2016 (www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/OFECR/index.htm). The BIE should submit a similar list for facilities with the fiscal year 2018 budget request. Looking ahead beyond the completion of the schools and component facilities on such lists, the Committee remains concerned that the current approach to construction focuses on only a subset of schools and requires those schools to submit applications and compete for the funding. A more comprehensive, long-term planning approach is needed for every campus and component facility in the BIE system, modeled after the Department of Defense Education Activity. Indian Affairs is therefore directed to publish a report on the status of its education construction program no later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall include, at a minimum: (1) A comprehensive list of all current BIE schools and a quality assessment of each school's facilities (including dormitories and employee housing), indicating where facilities are nonexistent, undersized, or otherwise inadequate to support education and associated wellness programs including native language and other cultural programs; (2) A comprehensive list, which shall incorporate student enrollment projections as well as space for language and other cultural programming, of all construction projects and costs required to bring entire school campuses and component facilities up to industry standards and eliminate temporary facilities; (3) An estimate of the total annual sustainment, restoration, and modernization funds required to maintain the facilities of each BIE school up to code and in good condition; and (4) A complete accounting of the process and status of facilities health, safety, and condition inspections. The Committee recognizes the tremendous costs needed to bring and maintain all BIE schools up to code and in good condition, and the futility of doing so in a reasonable timeframe with funds provided solely via this annual appropriation. The Committee continues to look for innovative ways to leverage this appropriation with other sources of Federal financing, such as existing tax credits, in order to more quickly replace the substandard facilities throughout the BIE system. To that end, the bill includes a general provision in Title I, which builds upon the President's proposal to reconstitute the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education (Fund). The Title I general provision would reconstitute the Fund as a federally chartered corporation affiliated with a 501(c)(3) national organization whose mission is to represent Native American students and educators for the improvement of schools and the education of Native children. The Fund would be authorized to leverage a portion of the annual construction appropriation with philanthropic donations of funds and property, and with other sources of Federal financing such as Qualified School Construction Bonds, New Markets Tax Credits, historical tax credits, and Federal grant programs. Public Safety and Justice.--The Committee is concerned that Indian Affairs' focus on alternatives to incarceration has come at a cost to justice facilities construction. Indian Affairs, in coordination with the Department of Justice, is therefore urged to consider including with its fiscal year 2018 budget request a legislative proposal for a joint venture demonstration program for regional justice centers, similar to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes' Justice Center, and modeled after the joint venture program for Indian health facilities. INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIM SETTLEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS TO INDIANS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $49,475,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 55,155,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 49,025,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -450,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -6,130,000 The Committee recommends $49,025,000 for Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements and Miscellaneous Payments to Indians, $450,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,130,000 below the budget request. The recommended level enables Indian Affairs to meet statutory deadlines of all authorized settlement agreements to date. Indian Affairs is directed to submit an allocation plan to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act. The Committee supports the Department's efforts to fulfill commitments relating to Indian water rights settlements and its participation in negotiations of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement. INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $7,748,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 7,757,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 8,757,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +1,009,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +1,000,000 The Committee recommends $8,757,000 for the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account, $1,009,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,000,000 above the budget request. The Indian Guaranteed Loan Program is the most effective Federal program tailored, dedicated to, and capable of facilitating greater access to private capital for Indian tribes and Indian-owned economic enterprises. Departmental Offices Office of the Secretary The Office of the Secretary supports a wide-range of Departmental business, policy, and oversight functions. In September 2010, Secretarial Order 3306 established the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONNR) as part of the reorganization of the former Minerals Management Service (MMS). This revenue collection and compliance function is now managed within the Office of the Secretary. DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $721,769,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 278,376,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 749,422,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +27,653,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +471,046,000 The Committee recommends $749,422,000 for Departmental Operations, $27,653,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $471,046,000 above the budget request. Increases above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level include $225,000 for equipment associated with monitoring classified computers and communication devices supporting the Office of the Secretary and the intelligence community in light of ongoing terrorist threats to national icons; $110,000 to support the Indian Arts and Crafts Board's law enforcement and investigation activities; $968,000 as requested for ONNR to help with certain Trust responsibilities for the Osage Nation consistent with the services ONNR already provides to every other tribe; and $480,000,000 to fully fund the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for fiscal year 2017. The Office of Valuation Services is funded at $10,000,000. National Monument Designations.--The Department is directed to work collaboratively with interested parties, including but not limited to, the Congress, States, local communities, tribal governments and others prior to planning, implementing, or making national monument designations. San Joaquin River.--The Committee directs the Secretary to carefully weigh the anticipated benefits of the Bureau of Reclamation's forthcoming plan for the Upper San Joaquin River prior to making a decision regarding a Wild and Scenic River designation for a portion of the river. Rights-of-Way.--The Committee is concerned that the Department of the Interior Solicitor General has reinterpreted long-standing policy and precedent regarding rights-of-way and directs the Department to engage all interested entities to reach a reasonable resolution to the issue. Royalty Policy Committee.--The Committee believes the Royalty Policy Committee plays an important role in determining Federal royalty rates and product valuation regulations and directs the Secretary to reconstitute the Royalty Policy Committee as chartered prior to its lapse in 2014 within 30 days of enactment of this Act. Bill Language.--The Committee has included bill language providing full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for fiscal year 2017 and a new administrative provision regarding the Solicitor General's memorandum of November 4, 2011. The bill does not include language authorizing the establishment of the Department of the Interior Experienced Services Program. The Committee urges the Department to work with the authorizing committees of jurisdiction to achieve the goals of this program. Insular Affairs ASSISTANCE TO TERRITORIES The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on August 4, 1995, through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also abolished the former Office of Territorial and International Affairs. The OIA has important responsibilities to help the United States government fulfill its responsibilities to the four U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa (AS), U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and also the three freely associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Republic of Palau. The permanent and trust fund payments to the territories and the compact nations provide substantial financial resources to these governments. During fiscal year 2004, financial arrangements for the Compacts of Free Association with the FSM and the RMI were implemented. These also included mandatory payments for certain activities previously provided in discretionary appropriations as well as Compact impact payments of $30,000,000 per year split among Guam, CNMI, AS, and Hawaii. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $86,976,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 99,399,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 86,976,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -12,423,000 The Committee recommends $86,976,000 for Assistance to Territories, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $12,423,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Regional Biosecurity Plan (RBP) for Micronesia and Hawaii.--The Committee recognizes that the Office of Insular Affairs is supportive of proposed actions contained within the RBP. The Office is directed to include with its fiscal year 2018 budget request a summary of the Office's role in the development and implementation activities of the RBP. The report should include a table of upcoming fiscal year activities, and, if applicable, estimates of funding to be used or needed for planned activities. COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $16,465,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 3,318,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,318,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -13,147,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $3,318,000 for Compact of Free Association, $13,147,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee expects the Compact will be renegotiated and therefore the discretionary stopgap funding will not be necessary in fiscal year 2017. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Office of the Solicitor SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $65,800,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 69,448,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 65,800,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -3,648,000 The Committee recommends $65,800,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Solicitor, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $3,648,000 below the budget request. Office of Inspector General SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $50,047,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 55,911,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 50,047,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -5,864,000 The Committee recommends $50,047,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $5,864,000 below the budget request. The Committee is concerned about the recent report from the Inspector General of a longterm issue of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment at the Grand Canyon National Park's River District. To assure this problem is being adequately addressed and improved practices and operating procedures are instituted, the Committee directs the Inspector General to conduct a follow up audit no later than March 31, 2017, to determine the status of actionable facts, and to report back to the Committee on how the National Park Service is moving forward to respond and remedy these very serious concerns. Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Congress has designated the Secretary of the Interior as the trustee delegate with responsibility for approximately 55 million surface acres of land, 57 million acres of subsurface mineral interests, and nearly $4.4 billion that is held in trust by the Federal government on behalf of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and federally recognized Indian tribes. The Office of the Special Trustee's trust management of these assets includes conserving, maintaining, accounting, investing, disbursing, and reporting to individual Indians and federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations on asset transactions generated from sales, leasing and other commercial activities on these lands. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $139,029,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 140,379,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 139,029,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -1,350,000 The Committee recommends $139,029,000 for Federal trust programs, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,350,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Department-Wide Programs Wildland Fire The Department's Wildland Fire Management and FLAME wildfire suppression reserve accounts support fire activities for the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Committee recommends a total of $943,945,000 for the Department's wildland fire accounts, including $92,000,000 in the FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund. This fully funds the fire accounts at the 10-year average of expenditures. Wildland Fire Management Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $816,745,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 824,624,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 851,945,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +35,200,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +27,321,000 The Committee recommends $851,945,000 for Wildland Fire Management at the Department of the Interior, $35,200,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $27,321,000 above the budget request. The detailed allocation of funding for these accounts is included in the table at the end of this report. Wildland Fire Preparedness.--The Committee recommends $332,784,000 for Wildland Fire Preparedness, $9,099,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Department should immediately notify the Committees on Appropriations if it appears that funding shortfalls may limit needed firefighting capacity. Wildland Fire Suppression.--The Committee recommends $302,701,000, for Wildland Fire Suppression, $11,028,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $26,410,000 above the budget request. Fuels Management.--The Committee recommends $180,000,000 for the Fuels Management program, $10,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $30,911,000 above the budget request. The Committee encourages the Department to increase cross- boundary collaboration through the Fuels Management Program, particularly with State Foresters and private sector organizations, in efforts to reduce hazardous fuels in high fire risk landscapes and to prioritize projects that work across ownership boundaries in landscapes, particularly those areas identified as priorities in State Forest Action Plans. Burned Area Rehabilitation.--The Committee recommends $20,470,000 for the Burned Area Rehabilitation program, $1,500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee notes that funding for emergency stabilization is meant to supplement emergency stabilization funding provided under suppression (generally ten percent), not replace it. The Committee is also concerned by the delay of emergency stabilization and rehabilitation funds to State and/or regional offices and directs the Department to more quickly allocate these funds so that critical work can be completed in a timely manner. Finally, the Department is directed to work with the Bureau of Land Management on the seed procurement direction provided in this report. The Committee is aware many National Guard installations have excellent resources, including land, for training National Guardsmen hand crews for seasonal firefighting and could support additional fire line training on their installations. The Committee encourages the Department to consider conducting joint fire training missions, where appropriate, with the National Guard. The Committee supports the Department's continuing evaluation of unmanned aerial systems to support wildland fire operations and is aware of the successful firefighting demonstration performed by an unmanned helicopter at an unmanned aircraft tehnology demonstration in October 2015. The Committee requests that the Department provide a report to coincide with the fiscal year 2018 budget request regarding its plans and recommendations for the use of unmanned aerial systems. FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $177,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 0 Recommended, 2017..................................... 92,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -85,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +92,000,000 The Committee recommends $92,000,000 for the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, $85,000,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $92,000,000 above the budget request. As discussed above, under the Wildland Fire Management account, the Committee fully funds the 10-year average expenditure for wildfire suppression. Central Hazardous Materials Fund Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $10,010,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 13,513,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 10,010,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -3,503 The Committee recommends $10,010,000 for the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $3,503 below the budget request. The Committee understands that BLM, in coordination with EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, is still in the process of developing proposed plans for remediation at Red Devil Mine and therefore does not recommend additional funds at this time. Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FUND Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $7,767,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 9,229,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 7,767,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -1,462,000 The Committee recommends $7,767,000 for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,462,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report. Working Capital Fund Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $67,100,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 111,524,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 67,100,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -44,424,000 The Committee recommends $67,100,000 for the Working Capital Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $44,424,000 below the budget request. General Provisions, Department of the Interior (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Section 101 continues a provision providing for emergency transfer authority (intra-bureau) with the approval of the Secretary. Section 102 continues a provision providing for emergency transfer authority (Department-wide) with the approval of the Secretary. Section 103 continues a provision providing for the use of appropriations for certain services. Section 104 continues a provision permitting the transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. Section 105 continues a provision permitting the redistribution of tribal priority allocation and tribal base funds to alleviate funding inequities. Section 106 continues a provision authorizing the acquisition of lands for the purpose of operating and maintaining facilities that support visitors to Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands, NJ and NY. Section 107 continues a provision allowing Outer Continental Shelf inspection fees to be collected by the Secretary of the Interior. Section 108 continues a provision allowing for the reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement only in conformance with Committee reprogramming guidelines. Section 109 continues a provision allowing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enter into long-term cooperative agreements for long-term care and maintenance of excess wild horses and burros on private land. Section 110 continues a provision dealing with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's responsibilities for mass marking of salmonid stocks. Section 111 modifies a provision addressing BLM actions regarding grazing on public lands. Section 112 continues a provision prohibiting funds to implement, administer or enforce Secretarial Order 3310 issued by the Secretary of the Interior on December 22, 2010. Section 113 continues a provision allowing the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education to more efficiently and effectively perform reimbursable work. Section 114 prohibits the use of funds to change the status of sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act and to prohibit funds to implement Federal Resource Management Plans unless certain criteria are met. Section 115 addresses Solicitor Opinion M-37025, dated November 4, 2011. Section 116 reconstitutes the National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education for the purposes of supplementing annual appropriations to the Bureau of Indian Education with other Federal and private funds. Section 117 addresses National Heritage Areas. Section 118 expands conservation fish hatcheries. Section 119 directs the Secretary to reissue two final rules removing recovered wolves in Wyoming and the Great Lakes from the endangered species list. Section 120 prohibits the use of funds to develop, carry out, or implement proposed regulations published on July 7, 2015, or any changes to regulations published on June 30, 1983. Section 121 prohibits the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce a National Park Service policy to eliminate the sale of water in disposable, recyclable bottles in national parks. Section 122 prohibits the use of funds to finalize the BLM's proposed rule titled Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation. Section 123 prohibits the use of funds to list in the National Register of Historic Places property deemed crucial to national security and military training. Section 124 prohibits the use of funds to change regulations for drilling margins and downhole mud weight as of April 1, 2015. Section 125 prohibits the implementation of a final rule for federally recognizing Indian tribes. Section 126 modifies 50 CFR 14.92(a)(1) to include echinoderms commonly known as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Section 127 prohibits the use of funds for the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management to issue, finalize, or implement a rule until certain criteria are met. Section 128 addresses land taken into trust between 1934 and February 24, 2009. TITLE II--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, which consolidated nine programs from five different agencies and departments. Major EPA programs include air and water quality, drinking water, hazardous waste, research, pesticides, radiation, toxic substances, enforcement and compliance assurance, pollution prevention, Inland Oil Spill, Superfund, Brownfields, and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank program. In addition, EPA provides Federal assistance for wastewater treatment, sewer overflow control, drinking water facilities, other water infrastructure projects, and diesel emission reduction projects. The Agency is responsible for conducting research and development, establishing environmental standards through the use of risk assessment and cost-benefit, monitoring pollution conditions, seeking compliance through enforcement actions, managing audits and investigations, and providing technical assistance and grant support to States and tribes, which are delegated authority for much of the program implementation. Under existing statutory authority, the Agency contributes to specific homeland security efforts and may participate in international environmental activities. Among the statutes for which the Environmental Protection Agency has sole or significant oversight responsibilities are: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended. Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended. Clean Water Act [Federal Water Pollution Control Act], as amended. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended. Ocean Dumping Act [Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972], as amended. Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Safe Drinking Water Act [Public Health Service Act (Title XIV)], as amended. Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Clean Air Act, as amended. Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002. Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended. Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 (amending CERCLA). Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990. Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2003. Energy Policy Act of 2005. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. For fiscal year 2017, the Committee recommends $7,976,018,000 for the Environmental Protection Agency, $163,869,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $291,181,000 below the budget request. Comparisons to the budget request and 2016 enacted levels are shown by account in the table at the end of the report. Reprogramming.--The Agency is held to the reprogramming limitation of $1,000,000. This limitation will be applied to each program area in every account at the levels provided in the table at the end of this report. This will allow the Agency the flexibility to reprogram funds within a set program area. However, where the Committee has cited funding levels for certain program projects or activities within a program area, the reprogramming limitation continues to apply to those funding levels. Further, the Agency may not use any amount of de-obligated funds to initiate a new program, office, or initiative without the prior approval of the Committee. Congressional Budget Justification.--The Committee directs the Agency to include in future justifications the following items: (1) a comprehensive index of programs and activities within the program projects; (2) the requested bill language, with changes from the enacted language highlighted, at the beginning of each account section; (3) a justification for every program/project, including those proposed for elimination; (4) a comprehensive, detailed explanation of all changes within a program project; (5) a table showing consolidations, realignments or other transfers of resources and personnel from one program project to another such that the outgoing and receiving program projects offset and clearly illustrate a transfer of resources; and, (6) a table listing the budgets and FTE by major office within each National Program Management area with pay/non-pay breakouts. Further, if EPA is proposing to change State allocation formulas for the distribution of appropriated funds, then EPA should include such proposals in the congressional justification. Science and Technology The Science and Technology (S&T) account funds all Environmental Protection Agency research (including Superfund research activities paid with funds moved into this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account). This account includes programs carried out through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements, cooperative research and development agreements, and interagency agreements, with other Federal agencies, States, universities, nonprofit organizations, and private business, as well as in-house research. It also funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, supplies and operating expenses, including rent, utilities and security, for all Agency research. Research addresses a wide range of environmental and health concerns across all environmental media and encompasses both long-term basic and near-term applied research to provide the scientific knowledge and technologies necessary for preventing, regulating, and abating pollution, and to anticipate emerging environmental issues. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $734,648,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 754,184,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 720,072,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -14,576,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -34,112,000 The bill provides $720,072,000 for Science and Technology, $14,576,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $34,112,000 below the budget request. The Committee recommends that $15,496,000 be paid to this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account for ongoing research activities. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report, and the Committee provides the following additional detail by program area: Research: Air, Climate and Energy.--The Committee recommends $88,282,000 and does not include funding for proposed additional hydraulic fracturing activities or for the Mission Innovation commitment. Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability.--The Committee recommends $132,265,000 and fully funds the request for computational toxicology. The Committee supports EPA's computational toxicology research activities to advance the next generation of risk assessment methods to enable integration of tiered toxicity evaluation strategies, advanced high throughput molecular biological assays and computational methods with exposure information to support risk-based decisions for prioritization and screening. Within the funds provided, $1,000,000 shall be used to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct the peer review of the revised draft IRIS assessment of formaldehyde. The NAS shall ensure that all recommendations and concerns raised in the April 2011 report of the NAS are fully resolved scientifically in the revised draft assessment. Further, the Committee does not accept the proposed $872,000 reduction for endocrine disruptor research. Research: National Priorities.--The bill provides $5,000,000 which shall be used for extramural research grants, independent of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program, to fund high-priority water quality and availability research by not-for-profit organizations who often partner with the Agency. Because these grants are independent of the STAR grant program, the Agency should strive to award grants in as large an amount as is possible to achieve the most scientifically significant research. Funds shall be awarded competitively with priority given to partners proposing research of national scope and who provide a 25 percent match. The Agency is directed to allocate funds to grantees within 180 days of enactment of this Act. Further, the Committee provides $5,000,000 for the Agency to further research on oil and gas development in the Appalachian Basin, of which $3,500,000 is available for extramural funding. The Committee encourages the Agency to work with the energy producing industry to explore technology to curtail fugitive emissions within the context of this research project. Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources.--The Committee recommends $107,434,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee rejects the proposed reductions for water quality and drinking water system research, and the Agency shall allocate funds consistent with fiscal year 2016. The Committee supports planned activities in fiscal year 2016 to install a mobile pipe loop rig in the Flint drinking water treatment plant to examine lead release from pipes and evaluate lead mitigation strategies and corrosion control efforts. The Committee looks forward to the findings. Further, the Committee believes augmenting drinking water supplies through artificial or enhanced recharge into aquifers could represent a cost-effective way of increasing the availability of water. Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR) also represents a key practice for the management and restoration of ecosystems. EAR may involve the use/injection of treated drinking water, treated wastewater or collected storm water. However the most promising systems have focused on the use of surface water diversion during high flow periods. Therefore, the Committee directs EPA research efforts to establish a best practices approach for EAR, and to the extent feasible, coordinate with other Federal research efforts in this area. Additional Guidance.--The Committee has included the following additional guidance with respect to funding provided under this account: Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and other assessments.--At least six critical recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) have yet to be implemented including objective evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of critical studies, the need for weight of evidence evaluation and integration, and clearer rationale for selecting studies to calculate toxicity values. Additionally, the NAS identified specific concerns that need to be addressed when evaluating the hazards of formaldehyde. The Committee believes it is essential for the NAS to peer review the revised draft assessment of formaldehyde to verify whether EPA has addressed all previous recommendations. In addition, for all draft or final EPA risk assessments issued in fiscal year 2017, the Committee directs the Agency to provide clear criteria for judging the quality of all key studies and to provide a description of how all evidence will be integrated, based on its strengths and weaknesses, in advance of releasing any future draft assessments. When evaluating the potential carcinogenic effects of substances, the Agency shall also present non-linear modeling approaches. Consistent with EPA's Risk Characterization Handbook (EPA, 2002), draft and final hazard and exposure assessments, produced by EPA offices, should also include the distribution of estimated hazards, exposures, or risks, including central tendency values. Water Security Test Bed.--Both for fiscal year 2017 and in future budget requests, the Committee recommends that EPA include adequate funding for advancing full scale applied research and testing capabilities to address threats to drinking water and drinking water infrastructure. Environmental Programs and Management The Environmental Programs and Management account encompasses a broad range of abatement, prevention, enforcement, and compliance activities, and personnel compensation, benefits, travel, and expenses for all programs of the Agency except Science and Technology, Hazardous Substance Superfund, Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, Inland Oil Spill Programs, and the Office of Inspector General. Abatement, prevention, and compliance activities include setting environmental standards, issuing permits, monitoring emissions and ambient conditions and providing technical and legal assistance toward enforcement, compliance, and oversight. In most cases, the States are directly responsible for actual operation of the various environmental programs, and the Agency's activities include oversight and assistance. In addition to program costs, this account funds administrative costs associated with the operating programs of the Agency, including support for executive direction, policy oversight, resources management, general office and building services for program operations, and direct implementation of Agency environmental programs for headquarters, the ten EPA regional offices, and all non-research field operations. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,613,679,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,852,893,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,527,470,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -86,209,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -325,423,000 The bill provides $2,527,470,000 for Environmental Programs and Management, $86,209,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $325,423,000 below the budget request. A detailed table of funding recommendations below the account level is provided at the end of this report, and the Committee provides the following additional detail by program area: Clean Air and Climate.--The Committee recommends $248,108,000 which is $25,000,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $92,866,000 below the budget request. The Committee rejects $39,738,000 in requested increases for implementation of greenhouse gas regulations, methane regulations and to disqualify products under the Significant New Alternatives Policy. Further, the amount provided does not include funding for EPA's greenhouse gas rules for stationary sources, including efforts to develop Federal Implementation Plans while the Supreme Court has stayed the regulations. The Committee is concerned that EPA continues to expend funds on related activities despite the Supreme Court ordered stay on the regulations. These funds would be better used to address the backlog of State Implementation Plans that EPA has yet to approve. As such, within the funds provided, the Committee includes $3,000,000 to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of both preconstruction and operating permitting programs. Environmental Protection: National Priorities.--The bill provides $15,000,000 for a competitive grant program to provide technical assistance for improved water quality or safe drinking water to rural and urban communities or individual private well owners. The Agency is directed to provide on a national or multi-State regional basis, $13,500,000 for grants to qualified not-for-profit organizations, including organizations authorized by Section 1442(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-1(e)(8)), for the sole purpose of providing on-site training and technical assistance for water systems in rural or urban communities. The Agency is also directed to provide $1,500,000 for grants to qualified not-for-profit organizations for technical assistance for individual private well owners, with priority given to organizations that currently provide technical and educational assistance to individual private well owners. The Agency shall require each grantee to provide a minimum 10 percent match, including in-kind contributions. The Agency is directed to allocate funds to grantees within 180 days of enactment of this Act. Geographic Programs.--The bill provides $409,709,000. The Committee has provided funding for programs that support restoration and protection of our Nation's most important water bodies, as protection of these resources continues to be a priority. From within the amount provided, the Committee directs the following: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.--The Committee recommends $300,000,000 for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $50,000,000 above the budget request. The Agency shall continue to follow the direction as provided in House Report 112-589. In addition, as EPA distributes funds across the five focus areas, tribal related activities shall be maintained at not less than the fiscal year 2016 level. Further, the Committee supports ongoing work to reduce the growth of harmful algal blooms. Chesapeake Bay.--The Committee recommends $60,000,000. From within the amount provided, $5,000,000 is for nutrient and sediment removal grants and $5,000,000 is for small watershed grants to control polluted runoff from urban, suburban and agricultural lands. Puget Sound.--The Committee recommends $28,000,000. Funds shall be allocated in the same manner as directed in House Report 112-331. The Committee directs EPA to expeditiously obligate funds, in a manner consistent with the authority and responsibilities under Section 320 and the National Estuary Program. Long Island Sound.--The Committee recommends $10,000,000, $6,060,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $7,107,000 above the budget request. Indoor Air and Radiation.--The Committee recommends $29,148,000, $1,511,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommendation includes no funding for the uranium and thorium mill tailings (Part 192) rulemaking. The Committee encourages EPA to withdraw this rulemaking and work with State regulators, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the uranium recovery industry to collect sufficient data to determine whether updates are needed to the existing generally applicable standards. Using the increase provided herein for fiscal year 2017, the Administrator shall take the following actions to meet the increased demand for radon services as a result of the National Radon Action Plan: (1) establish criteria for recognition of national proficiency certification programs that use ongoing performance review processes, with provision for discontinuation of certifications for cause, to ensure the effectiveness of private firms and individuals offering radon-related measurement and mitigation services utilizing consensus American National Standards; recognize qualified programs; and encourage States to require certification by qualified programs; (2) promote and encourage train-the-trainer courses in radon measurement, radon mitigation, and radon resistant new construction for qualified entities and certifying organizations; (3) recognize consensus American National Standards that conform to OMB Circular A-119 and the Technology Transfer Act (P.L. 104-113) and support their completion and adoption; and (4) support dialogues with organizations responsible for developing national model building codes, and respective authorities within States or political subdivisions, to add up-to-date methods of reducing radon in new buildings to model building code requirements. Information Exchange/Outreach.--The Committee recommends $115,440,000. The recommendation provides $43,638,000 for Congressional, Intergovernmental, and External Relations. From within this amount, $2,200,000 has been provided for the Administrator's Immediate Office. The bill provides $4,235,000 for the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, which is $4,000,000 below the budget request. The Committee is acutely aware that a backlog of responses to congressional letters, informal questions, and questions for the record exists as member offices have requested the Committee's assistance to obtain answers. The consistent lack of responsiveness to congressional inquiries has been a pervasive concern raised at oversight hearings throughout the year and the pattern suggests a systematic approach to hindering congressional oversight. Legal/Science/Regulatory/Economic Review.--The Committee recommends $89,234,000 and does not include funding for the Smart Growth Program. The Committee recommends $20,700,000 for the Office of Policy. Operations and Administration.--The Committee recommends $482,751,000. The Committee remains concerned about a number of management issues that have surfaced over the past year. The lack of administrative controls for employee payroll, travel, bonuses, and time and attendance has fostered several instances of waste, fraud and abuse of appropriated funds. The Committee continues to be troubled by the Agency's practice of transferring carryover amounts to fund current year payroll, fixed cost or contract needs. This practice invalidates Agency estimates of fixed cost needs and further calls into question the Agency's management of funds. Water: Ecosystems.--The Committee recommends $47,788,000. From within the amount provided, the recommendation includes $16,800,000 to provide $600,000 to each National Estuary Program (NEP) funded under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act. The Committee also provides $300,000 in competitive grants within the coastal activities and encourages EPA to work in consultation with the NEP directors to identify worthy projects and activities. In addition, the Committee recommends $21,065,000 for the Wetlands program. The Committee directs EPA to use the funds provided to accelerate the processing of mining permits with the Corps of Engineers. Further, the Committee directs EPA, in consultation with the Corps of Engineers, to continue to report monthly on the number of Section 404 permits under review according to the directive in Division G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014. Water: Human Health Protection.--The Committee recommends $100,507,000 which is $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommended level provides a $2,000,000 increase to support technical assistance activities related to integrated planning, which will be increasingly necessary as States and communities evaluate drinking water systems for lead contamination issues and pipe replacement. Water Quality Protection.--The Committee recommends $212,516,000 which is $2,099,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. In addition, the recommended level provides funding for the urban waters program, as requested. The Committee supports the proposed budget realignment of $2,200,000 to the new WIFIA account to support increased water infrastructure investment. The recommended level provides a $4,299,000 increase to support activities related to integrated planning, which will be increasingly necessary as States and communities evaluate water systems for lead contamination issues and pipe replacement. Further, the Committee is aware that more than one quarter of the U.S. population relies on onsite-decentralized systems to treat wastewater. The Committee urges the Agency to designate additional technical assistance, resources and expertise toward onsite wastewater recycling issues within the Decentralized Wastewater Program. Additional Guidance.--The Committee has included the following additional guidance with respect to funding provided under this account: Administrator Priorities.--EPA is directed to submit a report within 90 days of enactment of this Act that identifies how any fiscal year 2015 and 2016 funding was used, by account, program area, and program project. Each activity funded should include a justification for the effort and any anticipated results. Antimicrobial Solutions for Citrus Disease.--The Committee recognizes the importance of antimicrobial crop protection tools in combating citrus greening and continues to support EPA's cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Multi-Agency Coordination Group. The Committee encourages EPA to expedite and support the development, review, and registration of antimicrobial compounds that may lead to a treatment and cure for infected trees. Given the precipitous drop of citrus production, and the fact that no cure for the disease has been identified to date, the Committee directs EPA to use its resources to expedite review and approval of any treatment for this disease. Further, EPA should continue to prioritize and support ongoing research at land-grant colleges and universities. Where appropriate, the EPA should facilitate timely approval of USDA research in antimicrobial treatments and pesticide regimens. Composite Wood Products.--The Formaldehyde Standards for Composite-Wood Products Act directed EPA to develop a national standard for formaldehyde emissions that replicates the California regulations. The Committee urges EPA to finalize a rule on the national formaldehyde standard for composite wood products that is consistent with the California regulations for laminated products and consistent with the intent of the 2010 Act. Disproportionate Impacts for Small Refineries.--Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 provided direction that the Department of Energy may recommend to the Administrator a 50 percent waiver under 211(o)(9)(B) of the Clean Air Act. Under regulations promulgated by EPA, a small refinery may petition the Administrator for an extension of its small refinery exemption, based on disproportionate economic hardship, at any time (40 CFR 80.1441(e)(2)). Under those regulations the Administrator shall act on small refinery petitions not later than 90 days after the date of receipt of the petition. The Administrator is reminded that disproportionate hardship does not require a finding that the refiner or refinery is no longer profitable. Small refinery profitability does not justify a disproportionate regulatory burden where Congress has explicitly given EPA authority, in consultation with the Secretary, to reduce or eliminate this burden. Disproportionate impact may occur from several site specific factors which make it more difficult or expensive to meet the required volumes, or from a lack of blending infrastructure available to the refinery. Where the refiner or refinery shows a disproportionate economic hardship based on site specific factors and where the Secretary of Energy recommends to EPA that a waiver, in partial or full, is warranted, the Committee finds the Administrator has the necessary authority to grant a partial waiver. Should the Administrator disagree with a waiver recommendation from the Secretary of Energy, either to approve or deny, the Agency shall provide a report to the Committee on Appropriations and to the Secretary of Energy that explains the Agency position. Such report shall be provided 10 days prior to issuing a decision on a waiver petition. Exempt Aquifers.--Protecting underground sources of drinking water while ensuring robust economic development is of critical importance to the Committee. Existing criteria and procedures for aquifer exemptions under EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) regulations for all classes of injection wells are sufficiently flexible to address new and changed circumstances, including the development of significant new information regarding what can or cannot reasonably be expected to serve as a source of drinking water. The Committee believes that amendments to these criteria are not necessary or warranted for purposes of processing any pending or proposed applications. EPA is directed to work within the existing UIC regulatory framework, in a collaborative manner with the States, the energy producing industry, and all other stakeholders that rely on UIC operations, to promptly review and process all aquifer exemption applications submitted to the Agency, including applications for Class II injection by permit, to ensure robust oil and natural gas production in the States, and promote associated economic development and national security benefits, while simultaneously continuing to protect the Nation's underground sources of drinking water. Consistent with EPA's Guidance for Review and Approval of State UIC Programs and Revisions to Approved State Programs, GWPB Guidance #34, aquifer exemption applications involving underground injection authorized by permit shall not be processed as substantial program revisions, provided the injection is occurring into aquifers that meet the criteria for an exemption set forth in 40 CFR 146.4 (as in effect on April 1, 2016), and the recommendations of key State resource agencies are taken in account. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following aquifer exemption categories may be processed as substantial program revisions, irrespective of authorization by permit, to ensure consistency with GWPB Guidance #34 and 40 CFR 144.7(d), respectively: (1) exemptions involving Class I injection into aquifers containing water less than 3,000 mg/l TDS; and (2) exemptions involving expansion of the areal extent of Class II aquifer exemptions for the purpose of Class VI injection. Interagency Consultations.--The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a robust history of collecting and analyzing data related to agricultural economics and the environmental impact of farming practices upon the environment, including crop protection and pest management. Several provisions in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act require USDA and EPA to consult and coordinate together. Given the Department's expertise, the Committee directs EPA to consult with the USDA experts on regulatory decisions impacting America's farmers. Lead Test Kit.--The Committee fully supports activities by EPA, States, contractors and homeowners that result in the safe and proper reduction of lead paint in homes. The Committee believes it is incumbent upon contractors to be fully trained, certified and knowledgeable about the risks related to lead exposure especially for children and at-risk populations. It is imperative that EPA and the States continue to make those training opportunities readily available and easily accessible along with improved outreach to build awareness for homeowners during renovations. As the Committee follows EPA's implementation of the rule, the Committee raised concerns in fiscal year 2012 that EPA had not been meeting demand by offering the necessary volume and accessibility to training based upon training locations and dates offered. As such, EPA was required to adjust implementation and enforcement deadlines in the rule. In 2009, EPA stipulated that an in-home test kit could be developed along certain parameters that would allow contractors to quickly and efficiently identify whether lead paint was present during a renovation. EPA set a standard that has been unattainable to date, and redirects homeowners to solutions such as laboratory testing that are more costly and delay renovations. Those are the appropriate alternatives within the regulatory void that EPA has created, and those costs must be factored into EPA's cost/benefit analysis for the rulemaking. Further, the Committee notes that EPA's enforcement of paperwork violations has little effect on whether children have been exposed to lead paint. Therefore, the Committee finds the overall intent of the rule to have merit, but EPA's implementation and standards therein must be revisited via a formal comment period. Pharmaceutical Drug Incinerators.--The Committee understands that there are numerous mobile incinerators used for the purpose of destroying unwanted pharmaceuticals in conjunction with sanctioned drug take-back events. Many of these mobile incinerators, while once in use, currently do not meet the standards that EPA is utilizing to regulate these unique incinerators. Although EPA acknowledges that unwanted pharmaceuticals are not classified as hazardous waste, the Committee understands that EPA is regulating them as such. These standards are designed for the regulation of large hazardous waste treatment storage and disposal facilities, and not for the regulation of small-scale units such as these mobile incinerators. This misclassification results in an overly burdensome permitting process and the application of an unattainable standard, unsuitable for these small units. The Committee notes that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has characterized the abuse and misuse of opioids as a national epidemic, and therefore encourages EPA to consider the benefits of mobile incinerators to rural communities, reassess the cost and environmental impact of transporting large quantities of unwanted pharmaceuticals long distances to be incinerated, and re-examine the applicable regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act with respect to mobile incinerators. Restrictions on Certain Communications.--On December 14, 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that EPA, in association with its Waters of the United States rulemaking, violated prohibitions against publicity or propaganda and grassroots lobbying contained in appropriations Acts. Because EPA expended funds in violation of these prohibitions, the GAO further concluded that EPA violated the Antideficiency Act. The Committee has yet to see any related documentation, as required by law, and directs EPA to submit such paperwork immediately, and coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 directives. In addition, the Committee is also aware that the Inspector General is investigating the use of EPA funds to support billboards and other advertisements. This appears to be part of an alarming trend where EPA engages in funding advocacy efforts against the very entities it is seeking to regulate. EPA cannot systematically choose when it wishes to follow the law and when it does not. The Committee reminds EPA that funding may not be used in a manner contrary to Section 401 of this bill. Science Advisory Board.-- For fiscal year 2017, the Agency shall only use scientific and technical information and data that is publicly available to justify proposing, finalizing or disseminating any risk assessment or regulation so as to allow for independent analysis, verification, reproduction, and inquiries of research results by the general public. The Administrator shall ensure that the evaluation of research by the Science Advisory Board (SAB) includes a detailed summary regarding the ability to reproduce the results of the reviewed research and whether the research contains a detailed analysis of all uncertainties. Further, the Administrator shall ensure that every SAB review panel substantively addresses each technical, scientific, and associated comment received during any stage of the SAB review process. The Administrator shall only officially accept responses to SAB charge questions when the SAB has responded to all questions. State Water Quality Standards.--The Committee finds that EPA should support States proposing Clean Water Act standards using a science-based approach, which utilizes a methodology for deriving water quality criteria for the protection of human health that has been publicly vetted and scientifically peer reviewed, that have incorporated public comment regarding human health criteria for fish consumption, where the standards are based on EPA's most recent guidance. Failure to accept such State proposals runs contrary to the underlying principles of the Clean Water Act that support cooperative Federalism. Worker Protection Standards.--The Committee recognizes the importance of agricultural worker protection standards, especially for migrant farm workers, children who work on farms, and pesticide handlers, and directs the Agency to engage the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers, farm workers, industry and other interested organizations as it implements its standards. Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund This account supports all activities necessary for the development of the system established by the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (P.L. 112-195). Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $3,674,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 7,433,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,178,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -496,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -4,255,000 The bill provides $3,178,000, which is $496,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $4,255,000 below the budget request. The Committee continues to support the expeditious development of a system that would allow for the electronic tracking of hazardous waste shipments pursuant to P.L. 112-195. The Committee notes that funds provided herein for fiscal year 2017 fulfill EPA's requests for amounts to complete the system design and build. Office of Inspector General The Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides audit, evaluation, and investigation products and advisory services to improve the performance and integrity of EPA programs and operations. The Inspector General (IG) will continue to perform the function of IG for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. This account funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, and expenses (excluding rent, utilities, and security costs) for the Office of Inspector General. In addition to the funds provided under this heading, this account receives funds from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $41,489,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 51,527,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 41,489,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -10,038,000 The bill provides $41,489,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $10,038,000 below the budget request. In addition, the Committee recommends $8,778,000 as a payment to this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account. The Inspector General is directed to prioritize funds to projects that prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse at EPA. Further, the Committee directs the Inspector General to provide a report by July 1, 2017, that describes existing EPA policy, procedure and training regarding sexual harassment at the Agency and any policy and process changes it has made. The Committee also directs the Office of the Inspector General to continue to provide oversight of the Agency's civil rights and EEO activities. Buildings and Facilities The Buildings and Facilities account provides for the design and construction of EPA-owned facilities as well as for the repair, extension, alteration, and improvement of facilities used by the Agency. The funds are used to correct unsafe conditions, protect health and safety of employees and Agency visitors, and prevent deterioration of structures and equipment. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $42,317,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 52,078,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 34,467,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -7,850,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -17,611,000 The bill provides $34,467,000, which is $7,850,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $17,611,000 below the budget request. The Committee supports proposed projects that will reduce Agency operational and rent costs. EPA should prioritize projects based on anticipated cost savings and allocate funds accordingly. Hazardous Substance Superfund The Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) program was established in 1980 by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act to clean up emergency hazardous materials, spills, and dangerous, uncontrolled, and/ or abandoned hazardous waste sites. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) expanded the program substantially in 1986, authorizing approximately $8,500,000,000 in revenues over five years. In 1990, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act extended the program's authorization through 1994 for $5,100,000,000 with taxing authority through calendar year 1995. The Superfund program is operated by EPA subject to annual appropriations from a dedicated trust fund and from general revenues. Enforcement activities are used to identify and induce parties responsible for hazardous waste problems to undertake cleanup actions and pay for EPA oversight of those actions. In addition, responsible parties have been required to cover the cost of fund-financed removal and remedial actions undertaken at spills and waste sites by Federal and State agencies. Funds are paid from this account to the Office of Inspector General and Science and Technology accounts for Superfund related activities. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,088,769,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,128,989,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 1,115,929,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +27,160,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -13,060,000 The bill provides $1,115,929,000 for the Hazardous Substance Superfund program which is $27,160,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $13,060,000 below the budget request. Superfund Cleanup.--The Committee recommends $751,722,000. While the Committee understands this increase is insufficient to eliminate the backlog of unfunded new starts, the Committee expects the Agency to use the additional funds to initiate remediation at highly contaminated, orphan sites. Further, the Committee expects the additional funding will also support pipeline activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and remedial designs which are critical steps prior to construction. The Committee continues to support EPA's added financial and project management efforts that enable the Agency to de-obligate unused funds from sites and redirect those funds to new construction projects. Additional Guidance.--The Committee has included the following additional guidance with respect to funding provided under this account: Financial Assurance.--The Committee directs the Administrator to complete a thorough analysis of the capacity of the financial and credit markets to provide the necessary instruments (surety bonds, letters of credit, insurance, and trusts) for meeting any new financial responsibility requirements pursuant to section 108(b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9608(b)). The Committee provides no funds to develop, propose, finalize, implement, enforce, or administer any regulation that would establish any such new financial responsibility requirements until the Administrator demonstrates that such an analysis has been completed. Gold King Mine.--The Committee understands the EPA and the State are currently working through the process to add the Gold King mine and other nearby sites to the National Priorities List. In the interim, EPA continues to maintain and operate a temporary water treatment plant. Using funds provided herein, the Administrator shall maintain and operate the temporary water treatment plant to treat contaminated flows in the area, but only to the capacity of the plant. The Committee believes any long-term solution should be consistent with a site remediation plan following the addition to the National Priorities List. The Committee understands that such plan will take time to develop and directs the EPA to so maintain and operate the temporary water treatment plant until a more permanent water treatment solution is developed. Sediment Report.--The Committee is aware that the Government Accountability Office is auditing EPA's cleanup of contaminated sediment sites under the Superfund program. EPA was directed to provide a report within 90 days of enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 regarding the Agency's compliance with the Contaminated Sediment Guidance. The Committee directs the Agency to complete and submit the report expeditiously. Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, authorized the establishment of a response program for cleanup of releases from leaking underground storage tanks. Owners and operators of facilities with underground tanks must demonstrate financial responsibility and bear initial responsibility for cleanup. The Federal trust fund is funded through the imposition of a motor fuel tax of one-tenth of a cent per gallon. In addition to State resources, the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund provides funding to clean up sites, enforces necessary corrective actions, and recovers costs expended from the Fund for cleanup activities. The underground storage tank response program is designed to operate primarily through cooperative agreements with States. Funds are also used for grants to non-State entities, including Indian tribes, under Section 8001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 expanded the authorized activities of the Fund to include the underground storage tank program. In 2006, Congress amended section 9508 of the Internal Revenue Code to authorize expenditures from the trust fund for prevention and inspection activities. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $91,941,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 94,285,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 94,605,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +2,664,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +320,000 The bill provides $94,605,000 for the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund Program, $2,664,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $320,000 above the budget request. Inland Oil Spill Programs This appropriation, authorized by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, provides funds to prepare for and prevent releases of oil and other petroleum products in navigable waterways. In addition, EPA is reimbursed for incident specific response costs through the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund managed by the United States Coast Guard. EPA is responsible for directing all cleanup and removal activities posing a threat to public health and the environment; conducting site inspections; providing a means to achieve cleanup activities by private parties; reviewing containment plans at facilities; reviewing area contingency plans; pursuing cost recovery of fund-financed cleanups; and conducting research of oil cleanup techniques. Funds for this appropriation are provided through the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund which is composed of fees and collections made through provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Comprehensive Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act, the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended. Pursuant to law, the Trust Fund is managed by the United States Coast Guard. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $18,209,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 25,410,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 18,079,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -130,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -7,331,000 The bill provides $18,079,000 for the Inland Oil Spill program, $130,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $7,331,000 below the budget request. State and Tribal Assistance Grants The State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account provides grant funds for programs operated primarily by State, local, tribal and other governmental partners. The account includes two broad types of funds: (1) Infrastructure Assistance, which is used primarily by local governments for projects supporting environmental protection; and, (2) Categorical Grants, which assist State and tribal governments and other environmental partners with the operation of environmental programs. The account also includes specific program grants such as competitive Brownfields grants and diesel emissions reduction grants. In the STAG account, EPA provides funding for infrastructure projects through two State Revolving Funds (Clean Water and Drinking Water), geographic specific projects in Alaskan Native Villages and on the United States-Mexico Border, Brownfields revitalization projects, diesel emission reduction grants, and other targeted infrastructure projects. The State Revolving Funds (SRFs) provide Federal financial assistance to protect the Nation's water resources. The Clean Water SRF helps eliminate municipal discharge of untreated or inadequately treated pollutants and thereby helps maintain or restore the country's water to a swimmable and/or fishable quality. The Clean Water SRF provides resources for municipal, inter-municipal, State, and interstate agencies and tribal governments to plan, design, and construct wastewater facilities and other projects, including non-point source, estuary, stormwater, and sewer overflow projects. The Safe Drinking Water SRF finances improvements to community water systems so that they can achieve compliance with the mandates of the Safe Drinking Water Act and continue to protect public health. Many of the major Federal environmental statutes include provisions that allow the Federal government, through EPA, to delegate to the States and tribes the day-to-day management of environmental programs or to approve State and Tribal environmental programs. The Federal statutes were designed to recognize the States as partners and co-regulators, allowing the States to issue and enforce permits, carry out inspections and monitoring, and collect data. To assist the States in this task, the statutes also authorized EPA to provide grants to the States and tribes. These grants, which cover every major aspect of environmental protection, include those programs authorized by sections 319 and 106 of the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended) (for non-point source pollution and the water quality permits programs), sections 105 and 103 of the Clean Air Act (for State and Local air quality management programs), section 128 of CERCLA (for State and tribal response programs), section 1443(a) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (for public water system supervision), and section 3011 of RCRA (for the implementation of State hazardous waste programs). Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $3,518,161,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 3,280,400,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,370,729,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -147,432,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +90,329,000 The bill provides $3,370,729,000 for the State and Tribal Assistance Grants account, $147,432,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $90,329,000 above the budget request. The Committee provides the following additional detail by program area: Infrastructure Assistance.--The Committee has appropriated more than $25 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure assistance since 2009, and notes that more than $6 billion is currently revolving in the system and available for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure loans in fiscal year 2016. Nevertheless, little progress has been made to reduce the known water infrastructure gap. The Committee believes that EPA and the States must aggressively allocate existing funds to projects in order to address the pressing infrastructure needs facing the country. In addition, the Committee continues to encourage EPA and water infrastructure stakeholders to promote alternate financing mechanisms for water infrastructure at local, State and Federal levels as it is widely accepted that Federal financing through the State Revolving Funds remains an important yet insufficient tool to address the Nation's water infrastructure needs. Public-private partnerships, greater access to financing from private activity bonds, and improved asset management are just a few of the mechanisms that the Committee believes could serve to increase investment in a complementary way to Federal appropriations and reduce costs. In fiscal year 2017, the Committee is providing greater investment for drinking water needs. To the extent possible, States should give greater weight to projects on State Intended Use Plans that would remove lead pipes from existing infrastructure. In addition, the Committee continues bill language to allow EPA and the States to provide additional forms of subsidy to those communities which cannot afford the below market rates provided by an SRF loan. The Committee has provided additional authority to allow States to provide debt relief in areas with elevated lead levels in drinking water. Brownfields Program.--The bill provides $80,000,000 for brownfields grants and directs that at least 10 percent of such grants be provided to areas in which at least 20 percent of the population has lived under the poverty level over the past 30 years as determined by the 1990 and 2000 censuses and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. Diesel Emissions Reductions Grants (DERA).--The bill provides $100,000,000 for DERA grants. More than 10 million older, heavily polluting diesel engines remain in use that have yet to be retrofitted, repowered, or replaced, and over one million are expected to remain in use in 2030. For fiscal year 2017, the Committee directs EPA to continue to make at least 70 percent of DERA grants available to improve air quality in non- attainment areas. Targeted Airshed Grants.--The bill provides $40,000,000 for targeted airshed grants to reduce air pollution in non- attainment areas. These grants shall be distributed on a competitive basis to non-attainment areas that EPA determines are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to annual ozone or particulate matter 2.5 standards as well as the top five areas based on the 24-hour particulate matter 2.5 standard where the design values exceed the 35 g/m3 standard. To determine these areas, the Agency shall use the most recent design values calculated from validated air quality data. The Committee notes that these funds are available for emission reduction activities deemed necessary for compliance with national ambient air quality standards and included in a State Implementation Plan submitted to EPA. Not later than the end of fiscal year 2017, EPA should provide a report to the Committees on Appropriations that includes a table showing how fiscal year 2016 and 2017 funds were allocated. The table should also include grant recipients and metrics for anticipated or actual results. Categorical Grants.--For categorical grants to States and other environmental partners for the implementation of delegated programs, the bill provides $1,058,229,000. Public Water System Supervision.--The recommendation includes $109,700,000 as requested which is $7,737,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. These additional resources are critical for State oversight of drinking water systems, particularly as more communities confront the challenges associated with lead in drinking water. Radon.--The Committee continues to support State radon program efforts that raise awareness about the associated risks of radon exposure as ongoing, unmitigated exposures result in over 21,000 radon-induced lung cancer deaths per year. The Committee provides $8,051,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and directs that EPA award priority to State applicants that have adopted or seek to adopt radon building codes for single family homes, conduct programs providing radon awareness and education for homebuyers, or have certification requirements according to national consensus standards for radon measurement and mitigation professionals: $3,500,000 to promote radon awareness through health care providers and medical professionals, cancer control plans, child care providers, and real estate transactions; $1,000,000 to inform local school systems about radon exposure risk in schools and to provide sample school testing and mitigation plans consistent with national consensus standards; and $3,551,000 to offer training and technical support on radon measurement and mitigation according to national consensus standards for radon testers, mitigators and home inspectors, and radon-resistant new construction techniques and best practices for home builders and building code officials. Using these funds, the Committee also encourages EPA and the States to convene dialogues involving representatives of home builders, real estate professionals, building code officials, radon testers, mitigators, home inspectors, public health officials, and cancer prevention advocates to consider whether updated code requirements for State or local adoption may have merit. Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... 0 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 20,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 50,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +50,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +30,000,000 The bill provides $50,000,000 for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program, $50,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $30,000,000 above the budget request. The Committee notes that $2,200,000 had previously been provided in other accounts for staffing and administrative needs in order to establish the program. The Committee concurs with the consolidation of those resources into this new account. From within the amount provided, the Committee directs $5,000,000 to assist with the administrative expenses for the WIFIA program. With these funds, the Committee expects that EPA will be well positioned to issue loans for the first time in fiscal year 2017. Greater investment in the replacement of aging infrastructure will help mitigate nationwide issues the Committee is tracking related to contaminants such as lead and arsenic, help address Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, and allow systems to improve water delivery for residents. Of the recommended amount, $45,000,000 is provided for direct loan subsidization which may translate into a potential loan capacity of $3 billion to $5 billion to eligible entities for water infrastructure projects. The Committee intends to closely monitor implementation in fiscal year 2017. Administrative Provisions (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) The Committee continues bill language, carried in prior years, concerning Tribal Cooperative Authority, the collection and obligation of pesticides fees, and additional transfer authorities for the purposes of implementing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Committee has included bill language authorizing up to $150,000 to be spent for facility repairs at any one time. The Committee has included bill language clarifying policies related to biomass emissions. The Committee has included bill language clarifying policies and related to the ongoing reviews for aquifer exemptions. TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of National Forests, Grasslands, and a Tallgrass Prairie, including lands in 44 States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and cooperates with States, other Federal agencies, tribes and private landowners to sustain the Nation's forests and grasslands. The Forest Service administers a wide variety of programs, including forest and rangeland research, State and private forestry assistance, cooperative forest health programs, an international program, National Forest System, and wildland fire management. The National Forest System (NFS) includes 155 national forests, 20 national grasslands, 20 national recreation areas, a national Tallgrass prairie, six national monuments, and six land utilization projects. The NFS is managed for multiple uses, beginning with wood, water and forage, and expanded under the Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act to include recreation, grazing, fish and wildlife habitat management. The Forest Service celebrated its centennial in 2005. Forest Service Challenges.--The Forest Service is presently facing some of its greatest historical challenges. These include invasive species, regional drought and watershed degradation, fuel buildups and severe wildland fires, habitat fragmentation, and devastating outbreaks of insects and disease. More than 58 million acres (nearly one-third) of Forest Service lands are at high or very high risk of severe wildfire. At this time, there are 29 million dead and dying trees, the result of a severe four-year drought and insect and disease infestation, in California. One estimate calculates that up to 120 million trees in California are at risk of dying. This is 20 percent of the State's total. Many of these acres are at risk for catastrophic wildland fire. To help the Service address these challenges, the Committee provides an increase of $15,000,000 for forest management programs; $25,000,000 for the forest products program; and $20,000,000 for hazardous fuels treatments. The Committee also removes the limitation on funding for hazardous fuels treatments and provides a categorical exclusion for forest management activities, on 3,000 acres or less, to address insect or disease infestation; reduce hazardous fuel loads; protect a municipal water source; maintain, enhance, or modify critical habitat to protect it from catastrophic disturbances; or increase water yield. The Service is directed to aggressively work to improve the health of the forests in California and around the Nation, using all available authorities and strategies. The Service also is directed to increase its collaboration with the State of California, other States, and partners to address the forest health crisis before it worsens, putting lives and property at risk of catastrophic wildland fire. The Committee directs the Service to use the best available science that takes into account historical fire data, landscape characteristics, and forest composition as well as the effects of past and current human influences, such as development and land-use patterns, and climatic conditions to identify the highest priority areas for hazardous fuel reduction and forest health and management treatments. Forest Service Accounting, Budgeting, and Management.--The Committee believes the Service does not manage and track its budget to an adequate level of detail. In an effort to improve the Service's practices, the Committee has included bill language and directives to increase transparency and confidence in the Service's management of its programs and activities. The bill includes a new administrative provision requiring the Service to report 30 days after the close of each quarter, through the Office of Budget and Program Analysis, its current and prior year unobligated balances to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Service is directed to provide this report for all mandatory and discretionary funds, including receipts and permanent appropriations. As noted elsewhere in this report, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017 includes reprogramming guidelines in bill language. The Committee expects the Service to follow the letter and spirit of the reprogramming requirements and directs the Service to submit requests to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees through the Office of Budget and Program Analysis. In fiscal year 2016 and prior fiscal years, most of the Service's discretionary accounts were provided without a fiscal-year limitation. This bill assigns fiscal-year limitations to all accounts. This modification will require funds to be tracked by year, budget line item, and account and encourage the Service to expeditiously award contracts, settle reimbursable agreements, and conduct forest management activities. To help support integrated restoration planning and project implementation, the Committee expands the Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) pilot to Regions 2 and 5. The goal of IRR is to support greater integration and prioritization of the forest restoration program, increase the flexibility of the regions in the pilot to focus on high-priority projects, and to create budgetary and implementation efficiencies. While budgetary and implementation efficiencies have not yet been realized, the Committee believes that providing national forests the flexibility to identify and focus on high-priority projects will ultimately improve forest health and better support the communities that rely on the forests. Under the IRR pilot, budget line items are combined to allow flexibility for planning and restoration projects. In order to allow for appropriate oversight of spending, the Committee directs the Service to track and report funding by budget line item at the regional level for all regions included in the pilot. Further, the Committee encourages the Service to implement the positive outcomes, such as integrated planning and budgeting, improved priority-setting, and greater cooperation between the forests and regions, of the IRR pilot throughout the National Forest System and to continue to improve integrated performance measures. Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request.--The Committee appreciates the Service's work to provide project statements showing total available funding, including mandatory and discretionary funds; justifications of increases and decreases; and classifications of objects for each account in its fiscal year 2017 budget request and directs the Service to provide the same information in greater detail in the fiscal year 2018 budget request. The Committee encourages the Service to work with the Office of Budget and Program Analysis to conform its budget requests to those of other Department of Agriculture agencies and offices. Harassment-free Workplace.--Forest Service employees have the right to a harassment-free workplace, and the Committee recognizes the efforts the Service has taken to address past concerns. The Committee directs the Service to provide a report by July 1, 2016, that describes in detail the policy and process changes it has made. The report should be made available to the public. The Committee also directs the Office of the Inspector General to continue to provide oversight of the Service's civil rights and EEO activities. Indian Trust Lands.--The Service is encouraged to promote and expand the use of agreements with Indian tribes to protect Indian trust resources from catastrophic wildfire, insect and disease infestation or other threats from adjacent Federal lands, as authorized by law. Invasive Forest Pests.--The Committee is concerned about the threat of invasive forest pests and recognizes that more than 58,000,000 acres of the Nation's forests are at risk. The Committee encourages the Service to continue its work to assess future risks, control existing threats, research and develop new control methods, and improve the health of forest ecosystems. Knutson-Vandenberg Program.--The Committee is concerned that the Service is not fully utilizing the Knutson-Vandenberg fund as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 576b, including the amendments made by this Committee in P.L. 109-54, to accomplish important restoration activities with funds generated from timber sales. The Service is directed to fully utilize this authority and limit the deduction of any agency overhead cost pools to fund personnel of the responsible Ranger District for the planning and implementation of activities authorized and funded under the Act. FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $291,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 291,982,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 291,982,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +982,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $291,982,000 for Forest and Rangeland Research, $982,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA).--The Committee recommends $77,000,000 for the FIA program, $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee finds that State forestry agencies and their cooperators are often able to accomplish critical FIA work with equal quality at lower costs than the Service. The Service is directed to work with State foresters to identify ways to more efficiently deliver the program in all States, including timely inventory updates, and should explore opportunities to work with additional State forestry agencies and their cooperators who can accomplish necessary field work at lower cost. Forest Products Laboratory.--The Committee recommends $19,200,000, as requested, for the Forest Products Lab and its programs, including $5,200,000 for the Engineered Properties and Structures research program. Northern Long-Eared Bat.--The Committee is encouraged by the Service's research, in partnership with private landowners, State agencies and nonprofit organizations that successfully treated northern long-eared and other bats for white-nose syndrome and strongly urges the Service to continue this important effort. Urban Forest Research.--The Committee encourages the Service to support urban forest research initiatives, related social and socio-economic research, and cooperative activities that help cities monitor and care for their urban forests. The Committee directs the Service to provide information and tools, including inventories of urban forests, to help cities, towns, and metropolitan areas systematically assess the health and changing conditions of their urban forests and to plan strategic actions to sustainably maintain these forests. Bighorn Sheep Research.--The Service is urged to collaborate with the Bureau of Land Management and the Agricultural Research Service on research involving the risk of disease transmission between domestic and bighorn sheep. Wood Products.--Mass timber and other wood products, when appropriately used in the construction of buildings and other infrastructure, have been shown to withstand wind, seismic and other natural forces. The Committee acknowledges that these products should be considered for inclusion in any categorization of resilient products by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies. Forest Carbon Research.--The Committee encourages the Service to work with other U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies and offices to establish the methods and tools needed to quantify forest carbon as a resource. Water, Air, and Soil Research.--The Committee notes that the Service's research program has the potential to improve air quality monitoring technologies and air quality data and encourages the Service to collaborate with other Federal agencies and research partners in this field. Post-fire Treatment Report.--The Committee directs the Service to provide a report within 60 days of enactment of this Act regarding its salvage operations. The report should include, by fire and year for the past 10 years, the number of acres of Forest Service land burned by high-severity fires; the number of severely burned acres proposed for salvage harvest; the number of acres on which salvage harvest was actually performed; and the length of time between the fire being declared contained and 1) the completion of the NEPA process proposing and analyzing a salvage operation; 2) offer of timber sale or stewardship contract to perform a salvage operation; and 3) the number and outcome, if any, of legal proceedings against a proposed salvage operation. Technical Report Update.--The Committee requests that the Service update General Technical Report PNW-GTR-486 regarding the environmental effects of post-fire logging during fiscal year 2017. Research Program Report.--The Service is directed to update the report provided to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that describes its research program in detail. The report should be transmitted as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget request. It should include information on each research laboratory, including their relationship to the research stations, their goals and purpose, the funding provided for each of the previous five fiscal years, the funding proposed to be provided in fiscal year 2018, the allocation of funding between research and administrative costs, the allocation of funding and projects between in-house and extramural research, and the number of scientists and support staff. The report also should include similar information for each research station. Bill Language.--The Committee provides three-year spending authority for this account. STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $237,023,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 234,004,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 244,038,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +7,015,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +10,034,000 The Committee recommends $244,038,000 for State and Private Forestry, $7,015,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $10,034,000 above the budget request. Landscape Scale Restoration.--The Committee recommends $14,000,000 for Landscape Scale Restoration, equal to the fiscal year 2016 level and $9,513,000 below the budget request. The Committee supports continuing to use the majority of these resources for interstate competitive processes and recommends these projects address national and State priorities as identified in State Forest Action Plans. Forest Health Management.--The Committee recommends $114,600,000 for Forest Health Management, $15,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $22,540,000 above the budget request. As noted elsewhere in this report, the additional funds are provided to address severe insect and disease conditions, particularly in Forest Service Region 5. An additional $10,000,000 is provided for Federal forest lands, and an additional $5,000,000 is provided for cooperative lands. Forest Stewardship Program.--The Committee recommends $22,398,000 for the Forest Stewardship Program, $638,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee continues to encourage the Service to focus the program on the priorities identified in the State Forest Action Plans, to use program resources for the most efficient strategies for accomplishing results, to leverage collaborative public-private efforts, and to engage landowners to address priority resource concerns, especially landowners who are not currently engaged in active management. Forest Legacy.--The recommendation includes $55,000,000 for Forest Legacy. Not later than the start of the fiscal year, the Service is directed to notify the Committee of any changes to proposed project costs or viability. The Committee is concerned that unobligated balances may be accumulating in the Forest Legacy account. Accordingly, the Committee directs that future budget justifications include a table of Forest Legacy projects that have received appropriations for the last three fiscal years. The table should include: project name, State, fiscal year funds were appropriated, amount of funds appropriated, funds spent to date, and project status (completed, ongoing, or no longer viable). If a project is ongoing, the table should include an estimated close-out year. If the project is no longer viable, the table should include a short explanation of why and when the determination was made. Community Forest and Open Space Conservation.--The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for Community Forest and Open Space Conservation, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Urban and Community Forestry.--The Committee recommends $28,040,000 for Urban and Community Forestry, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $4,354,000 above the budget request. International Forestry.--The Committee recommends $8,000,000 for International Forestry, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account, except for the Forest Legacy Program, which will continue to be available until expended. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,509,364,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,500,996,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 1,531,443,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +22,079,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +30,447,000 The Committee recommends $1,531,443,000 for the National Forest System, $22,079,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $30,447,000 above the budget request. Integrated Resource Restoration.--The Committee supports the continuation of the pilot project established in the fiscal year 2012 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies conference report, and expands it to include Regions 2 and 5. In order to expand IRR nationwide, the Committee must see demonstrable results from the program, including management efficiencies, tangible accomplishments, and accountability prior to the consideration of expanding IRR nationwide. Land Management Planning, Inventory and Monitoring.--The Committee recommends $36,998,000 for Land Management Planning and $147,998,000 for Inventory and Monitoring. The Committee does not accept the proposed merging of the Land Management Planning and Inventory and Monitoring line items. The Committee is aware that the Service, Bureau of Reclamation and others worked together during fiscal year 2016 to initiate a multi-year study to generate new knowledge to quantitatively establish the co-benefits of forest management practices in the Sierra Nevada that could potentially generate water supply and other benefits to the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. The Committee supports the Service's continued participation, through the Western Watershed Enhancement Partnership program, in the analysis of science-based fuel reductions that are mutually beneficial to national forest health and water supply yield and, if merited, recommendations for further congressional action. Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness.--The Committee recommends $263,942,000 for Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness, $2,223,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Of the funds available to Manage Recreation Operations, $750,000 shall be for the maintenance of rural airstrips. The Committee requests a report on the funding allocated to rural airstrips in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 and directs the Forest Service to consult with Congress, State and local officials, and affected stakeholders, prior to making a determination to close or terminate the use of any rural airstrips. The Committee encourages the Service to continue long- standing partnerships that support outdoor ethics and stewardship programs. The Committee again directs the Service to conduct the appropriate analysis regarding any lands that could be incorporated into the Tahoe National Forest and reminds the Service of the importance of engaging all local stakeholders, including local government institutions, private citizens, and community groups, in its analysis. The Committee understands that the Service is conducting a wilderness inventory and evaluation for portions of the Inyo, Sierra and Sequoia National Forest. Recreation and tourism at these national forests support the economies of many communities near these forests. Under current law and regulation, any land recommended by the Service for wilderness protection will significantly restrict access and recreation in these forests, creating de facto wilderness without congressional approval. The Committee directs the Service to carefully conduct its analysis, ensuring that it takes into full account the economic effects of its decisions, the desires and needs of the local communities and their local, State and federally elected representatives. The Committee reminds the Service of the importance of making the national forests as accessible as possible to the American people and requests that the Service work with States, local officials, communities, and partners as it implements the travel analysis process. Grazing Management.--The Committee recommends $56,856,000 for Grazing Management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,856,000 above the budget request. The Committee rejects the proposal to increase fees for grazing. The Committee encourages the Service to improve its monitoring of grazing permits in allotments where riparian streamside health is a concern for listed or threatened species. The Committee also requests each Forest Service region to increase transparency and reporting on how their monitoring resources are used on the ground to satisfy monitoring requirements or for other purposes. Forest Products.--The Committee recommends $384,805,000 for Forest Products, $25,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee believes timber sales are a vital component of forest health. The budget request assumes 3.2 billion board feet of timber volume will be sold in fiscal year 2017. The Committee's recommended increase is intended to support timber sales of 4 billion board feet. Vegetation and Watershed Management.--The Committee recommends $184,716,000 for Vegetation and Watershed Management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee encourages the Service to establish a pilot program to promote voluntary vegetation management along electric transmission and distribution rights-of-way to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire. Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management.--The Committee recommends $140,466,000 for Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund.--The Committee recommends $40,000,000, for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee recognizes the need to ensure forest resiliency and support multiple uses on national forest lands. The Committee urges the Service to incorporate a variety of landscapes, including wet forests, as it develops future projects for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. Minerals and Geology Management.--The Committee recommends $75,069,000 for Minerals and Geology Management, $1,354,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee expects that the Service will not promulgate regulations under the authority provided by section 2508 of Public Law 102-486 regarding certain oil and gas activities where the Federal government has acquired an interest in surface lands but not in oil and gas deposits that may be present under these lands. The Committee intends that the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Minard Run Oil Co. v. U.S. Forest Serv., 670 F.3d 236 (3d Cir. 2011) will continue to apply to all Forest Service actions regarding oil and gas development of outstanding and reserved mineral rights on the Allegheny National Forest. Landownership Management.--The Committee recommends $71,440,000 for Landownership Management, $6,290,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Law Enforcement Operations.--The Committee recommends $129,153,000 for Law Enforcement Operations, $2,500,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $2,477,000 below the budget request. The Committee continues to be concerned about the increasing incidence of illegal marijuana cultivation on public lands and the corresponding effects it has on the environment, forest restoration and habitat, employee and public safety, tourism, and communities. As such, the Committee provides $2,500,000 to remediate cultivation sites. The Committee believes Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations should be included as an integral participant in the annual forest planning process as a means to ensure stronger collaboration among all partners and focused enforcement strategies aimed at safety, interdiction, and mitigation. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account and includes the following bill language in Title IV General Provisions: Section 407, allowing forest management plans to expire if the Forest Service has made a good faith effort to update plans commensurate with appropriated funds; Section 410, regarding timber sales of Alaskan western red cedar; Section 421, allowing the Forest Service to renew grazing permits; Section 422, extending the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act for one year; Section 428, prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to close areas open to recreational hunting and shooting as of January 1, 2013; Section 432, making available vacant allotments for permittees affected by drought or wildfire; Section 433, prohibiting the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management from requiring relinquishment of all or a portion of water rights as a condition for permit renewals (this includes all permits issued by the Bureau and the Forest Service and is not limited to grazing permits). CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $364,164,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 343,280,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 364,164,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +20,884,000 The Committee recommends $364,164,000 for Capital Improvement and Maintenance, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $20,884,000 above the budget request. Facilities Maintenance and Construction.--The Committee recommends $71,390,000 for Facilities Maintenance and Construction, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $210,000 below the budget request. Specifically, the Committee recommends $55,369,000 for facilities maintenance and $16,021,000 for facilities construction. Road Maintenance and Construction.--The Committee recommends $172,094,000 for Road Maintenance and Construction, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $22,094,000 above the budget request. Specifically, the Committee recommends $145,454,000 for road maintenance and $26,640,000 for road construction. Los Padres National Forest.--The Committee directs the Secretary of Agriculture to work with the Service and appropriate California agencies to expeditiously repair roads damaged by strong El Nino rains during the first quarter of 2016 that are most important to ensure the health and safety of local residents, the functions of adjacent military bases, and ability of Federal and State agencies to respond to emergencies. The Committee directs the Service to follow its current practices regarding maintenance on roads suitable for passenger cars. Trail Maintenance and Construction.--The Committee recommends $77,530,000 for Trail Maintenance and Construction, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,000,000 below the budget request. Specifically, the Committee recommends $69,777,000 for trail maintenance and $7,753,000 for trail construction. Deferred Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $3,150,000 for Deferred Maintenance, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Legacy Roads and Trail Remediation.--The Committee recommends $40,000,000 for Legacy Roads and Trails, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee directs the Service to allocate funding in a manner proportionate to the distribution of roads in need of attention across the National Forest System and to provide funds to regions most in need of road remediation. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account. LAND ACQUISITION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $63,435,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 65,653,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 27,280,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -36,155,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -38,373,000 The Committee recommends $27,280,000 for Land Acquisition, $36,155,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $38,373,000 below the budget request. Language and direction on Land and Water Conservation Fund programs is provided below, and in the front of this report. The Committee has become aware of the possibility for resolution of long-standing management challenges regarding school trust lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. Specifically, stakeholders have proposed a combination of sale and exchange of the school trust lands within the boundaries. The Committee understands that this approach was collaboratively designed, and that the Forest Service and the State are committed to this hybrid model. The Forest Service is encouraged to explore all avenues for funding the first phase of this project expeditiously. Prior to proceeding with any acquisitions in Skamania County, Washington, with funds from this or any other Act, the Forest Service is directed to submit to the Committee a list of specific parcels for Committee approval. ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $950,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 950,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 950,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $950,000 for Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $216,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 216,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 216,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $216,000 for Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges under the Act of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 484a), equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account. RANGE BETTERMENT FUND Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,320,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,320,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,320,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $2,320,000, for the Range Betterment Fund, equal to the fiscal year 2016 level and the budget request, to be derived from grazing receipts from national forests (Public Law 94-579) and to be used for range rehabilitation, protection, and improvements including seeding, reseeding, fence construction, weed control, water development, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement in 16 western States. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account. GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $45,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 45,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 45,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $45,000 for Gifts, Donations and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account. MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,500,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. $2,441,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,500,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +59,000 The Committee recommends $2,500,000 for the Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses in Alaska, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $59,000 above the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee provides two-year spending authority for this account. WILDLAND FIRE The Wildland Fire Management and FLAME wildfire suppression reserve accounts support the wildland fire activities of the Forest Service. The Committee recommends a total of $2,908,763,000 for the Forest Service wildland fire accounts, including $315,000,000 in the FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund. This fully funds the fire accounts at the 10-year average of expenditures. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,386,329,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,451,445,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,593,763,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +207,434,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +142,318,000 The Committee recommends $2,593,763,000 for Wildland Fire Management, $207,434,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $142,318,000 above the budget request. Wildland Fire Preparedness.--The Committee recommends $1,147,620,000 for Wildfire Preparedness, $65,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Within this amount, $65,000,000 is provided for the acquisition of next generation aircraft to safely and efficiently fight wildland fires. The Committee expects that this funding will be dedicated solely for the acquisition of aircraft. Wildland Fire Suppression Operations.--The Committee recommends $933,434,000 for Wildfire Suppression Operations, $122,434,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $59,530,000 above the budget request. The Committee recommendation fully meets the 10-year average expenditure on all suppression activities. Hazardous Fuels.--The Committee recommends $395,000,000 for hazardous fuels reduction, $20,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $10,874,000 above the budget request. The recommendation includes $5,000,000 for biomass utilization grants. The Committee recommends prioritizing funding for proactive hazardous fuels management and fire mitigation in high-priority areas to protect life and property. The Committee continues to be concerned with the pace of planning and implementation of post-fire rehabilitation by the Service. The slow pace of rehabilitation leaves communities unable to access timber resources and delays the regeneration of Federal forests. The Committee directs the Service to prioritize and expedite planning and implementation of post- fire rehabilitation projects. Fire Plan Research and Development.--The Committee recommends $19,795,000 for Fire Plan Research and Development, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Joint Fire Science Program.--The Committee recommends $6,914,000 for the Joint Fire Science Program, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $6,914,000 above the budget request. State Fire Assistance.--The Committee recommends $78,000,000 for State Fire Assistance, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Volunteer Fire Assistance.--The Committee recommends $13,000,000 for Volunteer Fire Assistance, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee is aware many National Guard installations have excellent resources, including land, for training National Guardsmen hand crews for seasonal firefighting and could support additional fire line training on their installations. The Committee encourages the Service to consider conducting joint fire training missions, where appropriate, with the National Guard. The Committee recognizes that to protect communities, homes, critical infrastructure, and watersheds from the threat of catastrophic wildfire, a landscape approach that involves both public and private landowners is necessary. The Committee encourages the Service to increase cross-boundary collaboration with States and private organizations to reduce hazardous fuels in high-risk areas. Bill Language.--The Committee provides three-year funding authority for this account. FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $823,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 0 Recommended, 2017..................................... 315,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -508,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +315,000,000 The Committee recommends $315,000,000 for the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, $508,000,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $315,000,000 above the budget request. The Committee fully funds the 10-year average expenditure for wildfire suppression. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, FOREST SERVICE (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) The Committee has included administrative provisions as requested, unless otherwise stated below. The Committee continues the administrative provision regarding Wildland Fire Management and the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund. The Committee includes new bill language regarding reporting of unobligated balances and a categorical exclusion for certain forest management activities. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Indian Health Service The provision of Federal health services to Indians is based on a relationship between Indian tribes and the U.S. Government first set forth in the 1830s by the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. Numerous treaties, statutes, constitutional provisions, and international laws have reconfirmed this relationship. Principal among these is the Snyder Act of 1921, which provides the basic authority for most Indian health services provided by the Federal government to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides direct health care services in 28 hospitals, 61 health centers, three school health centers, and 34 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups, through contracts and compacts with the IHS, operate 17 hospitals, 249 health centers, six school health centers, and 70 health stations (including 164 Alaska Native village clinics). INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $3,566,387,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 3,815,109,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,720,690,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +154,303,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -94,419,000 The Committee recommends $3,720,690,000 for Indian Health Services, $154,303,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $94,419,000 below the budget request. Details are contained in the justification submitted to the Congress, except as otherwise discussed below and summarized in the table at the end of this report. Current Services.--The recommendation includes an increase of $142,898,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level to help maintain current levels of service, $16,119,000 below the budget request. Increases for population growth are only partially funded within Hospitals and Health Clinics. The Committee recognizes the significant growth rate of the AI/AN population as a whole, but agency-estimated population growth costs are not currently linked to data on patient caseloads, by facility. Thus, the distribution of increases for population growth doesn't necessarily reflect where the patient caseloads are growing. The agency should consider alternative means of allocating increases for population growth, such as the Indian Health Care Improvement Fund, in future budget requests. Staffing for New Facilities.--The recommendation includes $32,982,000 for the staffing of newly opened health facilities, as requested. Funds for the staffing of new facilities are limited to facilities funded through the Health Care Facilities Construction Priority System or the Joint Venture Construction Program that have opened in fiscal year 2016 or will open in fiscal year 2017. None of these funds may be allocated to a facility until such facility has achieved beneficial occupancy status. Hospitals and Health Clinics.--The recommendation includes $1,928,879,000 for Hospitals and Health Clinics, $71,654,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and includes the proposed transfer of $4,000,000 from Direct Operations. The recommendation includes $1,000,000 to fund the creation of a prescription drug monitoring program authorized by Section 196 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, in order to monitor the prescription of opioid pain relievers in Indian Country on a multi-State basis. Accreditation Emergencies.--The Committee considers the loss or potential loss of a Medicare agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to be an accreditation emergency. The recommendation includes $6,000,000 for accreditation emergencies, $4,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Funds may be used for personnel or other expenses essential for sustaining operations of an affected service unit, but these are not intended to be recurring base funds. The Director should reallocate the funds as necessary to ensure that agreements with CMS are reinstated, and to restore third-party collection shortfalls. Shortfalls should be calculated relative to a baseline, which should be the average of the collections in each of the two fiscal years preceding the year in which an agreement with CMS was terminated or put on notice of termination. Dental Health.--The recommendation includes $186,029,000 for dental health, $7,743,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and includes a transfer of $800,000 to Direct Operations in order to backfill vacant dental health positions in headquarters. The Service is encouraged to coordinate with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to integrate preventive dental care at schools within the BIE system. The Committee understands that the geographic isolation of Indian tribes makes it difficult to attract and retain dentists and may limit access to care as tooth decay continues to be a problem. One way to help address access would be to allow volunteer dentists to treat patients who can provide important services that will improve access to oral health care. The Committee directs the Service to conduct a pilot project to explore establishing a centralized credentialing system to address workforce needs as well as volunteer providers similar to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs who have centralized credentialing systems. The Committee directs the Service to consult with these agencies and private organizations to include the credentialing of dentists in a pilot program. Purchased/Referred Care (formerly Contract Health Services).--The recommendation includes $960,831,000 for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC), $46,692,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The Committee remains concerned about the inequitable distribution of funds as reported by the Government Accountability Office (GAO-12-446). The Service is therefore directed to allocate the increase above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level according to the PRC allocation formula normally reserved for program increases only. The IHS is encouraged to evaluate the feasibility of entering into reimbursable agreements with Federal health facilities outside of the IHS system for patient referrals. Such agreements should be considered only when such referrals save costs and patient travel times relative to referrals to the nearest non-Federal health facilities, and when such referrals do not significantly increase patient wait times at such Federal facilities. Urban Indian Health.--The recommendation includes $48,157,000 as requested for Urban Indian Health, $3,416,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. IHS should continue to include current services estimates for Urban Indian Health in future budget requests. The Committee recognizes that seven out of ten American Indian/Alaska Natives live in urban centers, according to the latest census data. Many of these individuals are, or are descendants of, individuals encouraged by the Federal government to move to urban centers during the termination and relocation era of the 1950s and 1960s, and are thus entitled to receive vital culturally-appropriate health services from urban Indian organizations, just as they would have received health services from IHS-run and tribally-run facilities if they lived on or near a reservation. Unfortunately, urban Indian health organizations are struggling to recover their costs because they are not designated in relevant statutes as eligible providers on an equal par with IHS and Tribal Health Program facilities. The Committee urges the authorizing committees of jurisdiction to review these statutes and make any changes necessary for urban Indian organizations to receive equitable reimbursement for the culturally appropriate services they provide to Native individuals, including Native veterans. Indian Health Professions.--It is the intent of the Congress that the term ``any other health profession'' in the definition of health profession at section 1603(10) of title 25, United States Code, includes health administration. Advance Appropriations.--The Government Accountability Office is directed to report on the use of advance appropriations authority for healthcare programs across the Federal government, including problems encountered, any estimates of cost savings, and applications to the Indian Health Service. Indian Health Care Improvement Act.--It has been over five years since the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), yet many of the provisions in the law remain unfunded. Tribes have specifically requested that priority areas for funding focus on diabetes treatment and prevention, behavioral health, and health professions. The Committee directs the Service to provide, no later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, a detailed plan with specific dollar amounts identified to fully fund and implement the IHCIA. CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $717,970,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 800,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 800,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +82,030,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $800,000,000 for contract support costs incurred by the agency as required by law, $82,030,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. The recommendation continues bill language making available for two years such sums as are necessary to meet the Federal government's full legal obligation, and prohibiting the transfer of funds to any other account for any other purpose. Language addressing contract funds that go unspent in a given fiscal year is discontinued. INDIAN HEALTH FACILITIES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $523,232,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 569,906,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 557,946,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +34,714,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -11,960,000 The Committee recommends $557,946,000 for Indian Health Facilities, $34,714,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $11,960,000 below the budget request. Details are contained in the justification submitted to the Congress, except as otherwise discussed below and summarized in the table at the end of this report. Staffing for New Facilities.--The recommendation includes $3,395,000 for the staffing of newly opened health facilities. The stipulations included in the Indian Health Services account regarding the allocation of funds pertain to this account as well. Health Care Facilities Construction.--The recommendation includes $120,934,000 for health care facilities construction, $15,886,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Recognizing that inadequate and non-existent staff quarters are a significant impediment to recruitment, the recommendation includes $12,000,000 as requested for staff quarters. In order to ensure that IHS patients across the system have fairly equal access to healthcare, the IHS is directed to conduct and publish a gap analysis of the locations and capacities of patient health facilities relative to the IHS user population. The analysis should include: facilities within the IHS system, including facilities on the Health Facilities Construction Priority System list and the Joint Venture Construction Program list; and facilities within private or other Federal health systems for which agreements with IHS exist, or should exist, to see IHS patients. National Institutes of Health NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, an agency within the National Institutes of Health, was authorized in section 311(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 and in section 126(g) of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to conduct certain research and worker training activities associated with the Nation's Hazardous Substance Superfund program. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $77,349,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 77,349,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 77,349,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $77,349,000 for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, was created in section 104(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. The Agency's mission is to serve the public through responsive public health actions to promote healthy and safe environments and prevent harmful toxic exposures. ATSDR assesses hazardous exposures in communities near toxic waste sites and advises the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other government agencies, community groups and industry partners on actions needed to protect people's health. In addition, ATSDR conducts toxicological and applied research to support environmental assessments, supports health surveillance systems and registries, develops and disseminates information on hazardous substances, provides education and training on hazardous exposures, and responds to environmental emergencies. Through a national network of scientists and public health practitioners in State health departments, regional EPA offices and headquarters, ATSDR helps to protect people from acute toxic exposures that occur from hazardous leaks and spills, environment-related poisonings, and natural and terrorism- related disasters. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $74,691,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 74,691,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 74,691,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $74,691,000 for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and the budget request. The Committee encourages the Agency to collaborate with the U.S. Geological Survey, other Federal agencies, and research partners, as appropriate, to share knowledge and enhance research. OTHER RELATED AGENCIES Executive Office of the President COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) was established by Congress under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ), which provides professional and administrative staff for the Council, was established in the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970. The Council on Environmental Quality has statutory responsibility for overseeing Federal agency implementation of the requirements of NEPA. CEQ also assists in coordinating environmental programs among the Federal agencies in the Executive Branch. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $3,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 3,015,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 3,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -15,000 The Committee recommends $3,000,000 for the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $15,000 below the budget request. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board SALARIES AND EXPENSES The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent Federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The CSB conducts root-cause investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities. Root causes are usually deficiencies in safety management systems, but can be any factor that would have prevented the accident if that factor had not occurred. Other accident causes often involve equipment failures, human errors, unforeseen chemical reactions or other hazards. CSB does not issue fines or citations, but does make recommendations to plants, regulatory agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, industry organizations, and labor groups. Congress designed the CSB to be non-regulatory and independent of other agencies so that its investigations might, where appropriate, review the effectiveness of regulations and regulatory enforcement. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $11,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 12,436,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 11,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -1,436,000 The Committee recommends $11,000,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,436,000 below the budget request. Funds have not been provided for the CSB to organize an annual symposium as requested in the budget. The Committee is aware of CSB's recent announcement of a study on land use and facility siting. Prior to expending any funds for this purpose, the Committee directs CSB to provide a report detailing the intended scope and justification for the study. Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) The Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation was established by Public Law 93-531 to plan and conduct relocation activities associated with the settlement of a land dispute between the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $15,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 15,431,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 15,431,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +431,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $15,431,000 for the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (Office), as requested, $431,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Of this amount, $200,000 shall be transferred to the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior for continued oversight of planning, transition, and closure of the Office. The Office is making progress in relocations, and the fiscal year 2017 budget builds upon the fiscal year 2016 enacted level to ensure continued progress. As of June 2016, all Hopi families have been relocated; 83 Navajo families have been certified eligible and are awaiting relocation, with 19 homes currently under construction; 127 families have had their cases closed due to death or non-action on the part of the certified client to proceed with relocation; and 166 eligibility appeals are pending. The Office's administrative appeal process is ongoing, and at its current rate all pending administrative appeals could be heard and determined by December 31, 2017. However, the six- year Federal statute of limitations for seeking Federal district court review (28 U.S.C. Sec. 2415 (a)), will require another Federal agency to assume responsibility for those cases unresolved by the end of 2017. For those awaiting relocation, over 300 lots are available for relocation on the New Lands and in the Coalmine Canyon subdivision. While relocatees are not required to utilize these lots, the availability of the lots suggests there will be sufficient home site options for remaining eligible relocatees. The Committee's goal is to bring the relocation process to an orderly conclusion and ensure all eligible relocatees receive the relocation benefits and necessary support services to which they are entitled. To that end, the Committee directs the Office to continue providing quarterly reports on the status of eligibility appeals and the current appeals hearing and conference schedule; relocations pending and completed; housing construction and maintenance updates; outreach and coordination with the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe; and other significant business activities of which the Committee should be apprised. In addition, the statute provides for termination of the Office when the President determines its functions have been fully discharged. In order to have the information required for such a determination, the Office is directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for closing the Office, to be submitted with the fiscal year 2018 budget request, which lays out a timeframe and specific steps for successfully completing the relocation program and transferring any ongoing support services. This plan will provide the transparency needed for informed discussions about the path forward and a reasonable timeframe for concluding the operations of the Office, while ensuring the relocation mission is successfully completed. The plan should include the following: (1) the full range of activities currently performed or supported by the Office and any current agreements to provide services to relocatees, specifically identifying those activities which will need to be taken over by other entities for a limited period of time and others that will need to continue without an end date; (2) Federal assets and leases that must be disposed of or transferred, including any near and long-term maintenance requirements; (3) housing construction; (4) land management and infrastructure responsibilities, including stewardship of the Padres Mesa Demonstration Ranch; (5) a human capital plan for Office staff; (6) a schedule of milestones for completing eligibility appeals and relocations; (7) a schedule of meetings with appropriate successor agencies and tribal entities to plan for completion of any remaining relocation activities and transfer of ongoing support services that will continue after closure of the Office; (8) plans, developed with Inspector General input, for monitoring the transition of Office functions to successor agencies to ensure adequate services are maintained; and (9) annual funding requirements for all programs that will be transitioned. Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development PAYMENT TO THE INSTITUTE Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $11,619,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 11,835,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 11,619,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -216,000 The Committee recommends $11,619,000 in direct appropriations for the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $216,000 below the budget request. The Committee encourages the Institute to submit a budget request beginning with fiscal year 2018, in coordination with other tribal colleges and universities, to align appropriations with the school calendar instead of the Federal fiscal calendar. Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums and galleries, numerous research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoological Park. Funded by both private and Federal sources, the Smithsonian is unique in the Federal establishment. Created by an Act of Congress in 1846 to carry out the trust included in James Smithson's will, it has been engaged for 170 years in the ``increase and diffusion of knowledge.'' Last year, the Smithsonian attracted over 28 million visits to its museums, galleries, and zoological park. Additional millions also view Smithsonian traveling exhibitions and participate in the annual Folklife Festival on the National Mall. As custodian of the National Collections, the Smithsonian is responsible for more than 138 million art objects, natural history specimens, and artifacts. These scientific and cultural collections are a vital resource for global research and conservation efforts. The collections are displayed for the enjoyment and education of visitors and are available for research by the staff of the Institution and by thousands of visiting students, scientists, and historians each year. SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $696,045,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 759,224,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 712,487,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +16,442,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -46,737,000 The Committee recommends $712,487,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the Smithsonian Institution, $16,442,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $46,737,000 below the budget request. Additional Guidance.--The following additional direction and guidance is provided with respect to funding provided within this account: Collections Care.--The Committee maintains its longstanding commitment to the preservation of priceless, irreplaceable Smithsonian Institution collections and has provided funds, as requested, for the collections care initiative. The Committee is pleased by continuing efforts to improve the long-term inventory, preservation, and storage of historical collections. National Museum of African American History and Culture.-- The Committee maintains its longstanding support of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The Committee has provided funds for museum maintenance, facility operations, and security for the new museum opening in September 2016, as requested. Smithsonian Security.--The Committee commends the Smithsonian for conducting a security analysis for each of its major facilities in light of recent extremist and lone wolf shooter attacks in the United States. Facility analyses conducted to date have confirmed a need to fill existing unfunded security positions and provide a higher level of security, including visitor screening, and also in galleries and public spaces. The Committee has provided funds, as requested, to address security needs at the Smithsonian's highest risk facilities. Latino Programs, Exhibitions, Collections and Public Outreach.--The Committee supports the Smithsonian Latino Center's goal of promoting the inclusion of Latino contributions in Smithsonian Institution programs, exhibitions, collections and public outreach. The Committee urges collaboration among interested parties to advance these goals more fully by utilizing existing Smithsonian Institution museum locations for the expansion of the Smithsonian Latino Center's programming, exhibition and collection space. The Committee has provided funds, as requested, to support the Institution's Latino initiatives. Preserving Cultural Heritages.--The Committee commends the Smithsonian for taking a leadership role in the preservation of cultural heritage affected by natural and manmade disasters in the United States and around the world. The Smithsonian's work in cultural heritage preservation dates back to World War II when it worked with the U.S. military to create the Monuments Men to arrange for the evacuation and safe storage of art and artifacts in wartime. Today, the Smithsonian's efforts include recovery efforts following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the Nepal earthquake in 2015, and the continuing destruction of cultural heritage in countries like Iraq and Syria. The Committee has provided funds, as requested, which supplement funding from other governmental partners and leverage support for cultural recovery efforts from numerous private sources. FACILITIES CAPITAL Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $144,198,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 163,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 150,860,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +6,662,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -12,140,000 The Committee recommends $150,860,000 for Facilities Capital, $6,662,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $12,140,000 below the budget request. The Committee supports revitalization of Smithsonian Institution facilities and the planning and design of future projects. The Committee has provided funds to continue ongoing revitalization projects at the National Museum of Natural History, National Zoological Park, National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, Museum Support Center, and the Suitland Collections Facility. The Committee urges the Smithsonian to use remaining revitalization funds provided to support the highest priority projects on the Facilities Capital Program list. The recommendation includes funding as requested for the construction of the Dulles Storage Module at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, adjacent to Dulles International Airport. This critical addition of collections storage space at the Smithsonian's Dulles site will establish a permanent facility to gather collections from the antiquated ``temporary'' buildings at the Garber facility in Suitland, Maryland, which are being phased out after 60 years of service. In the near term, this storage module will serve the Smithsonian's immediate need for temporary collections swing space during the National Air and Space Museum's Revitalization Project, and will provide critically needed collections consolidation space for the Institution's long-term storage needs. National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Revitalization Project.--The Committee is aware of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Revitalization Project, a multi-year effort scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2018. Opened to the public on July 1, 1976 as part of our country's bicentennial celebration, the NASM is the most highly visited museum in the United States with nearly seven million annual visits, second worldwide only to the Louvre Museum in Paris. The National Air and Space Museum faces a multitude of mechanical, structural, and security challenges that necessitate action to ensure the facility's long-term viability. The Committee recognizes the critical need to address these concerns in order to protect the health and safety of both the visiting public and the museum's vast collections. The Committee is concerned, however, by the projected overall costs of this multi-year project--estimated at nearly $600,000,000--and the suggestion that the project be funded entirely through appropriated funds. The Committee, therefore, directs the Smithsonian to provide, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, 1) an independent assessment and re-estimate of the anticipated costs of the revitalization project, 2) an independent assessment examining the potential costs of rebuilding the entire NASM at its present physical location, and 3) an independent assessment examining the viability and potential costs associated with relocating the NASM to another physical location. The Committee further directs the Smithsonian to evaluate potential partnership and philanthropic opportunities that may provide non-Federal sources of funding to partially offset the overall costs of this project. Given the scope and scale of this effort, it is likely this multi-year revitalization project would place additional burdens on the Smithsonian's annual budgets for the foreseeable future. For this reason, it is essential that the Smithsonian clearly outline and communicate to the Committee its highest and greatest priorities. The Committee will endeavor to address the Smithsonian's most urgent priorities, including the revitalization needs of the National Air and Space Museum, but given the many demands and priorities within the Smithsonian Institution and across this entire bill, difficult decisions will have to be made. National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is one of the world's great galleries. Its magnificent works of art, displayed for the benefit of millions of visitors annually, and its two iconic buildings and sculpture garden, serve as an example of a successful cooperative endeavor between private individuals and institutions and the Federal government. With the special exhibitions shown in the Gallery, and through the many exhibitions which travel across the country, the Gallery brings great art treasures to Washington, DC, and to the Nation. Through its educational and teacher training programs and its website, the Gallery provides art history materials, rich online educational materials, direct loans, and broadcast programs to millions of Americans in every State. SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $124,988,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 135,801,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 130,801,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +5,813,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -5,000,000 The Committee recommends $130,801,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the National Gallery of Art, $5,813,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $5,000,000 below the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee has included bill language specifying the amount provided for Special Exhibitions. The Committee also includes in Title IV General Provisions, Section 442, revising the definition of the National Gallery of Art's buildings and grounds commensurate with the Gallery's geographic boundaries. REPAIR, RESTORATION AND RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $22,564,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 22,600,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 22,564,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -36,000 The Committee recommends $22,564,000 for Repair, Restoration and Renovation of buildings at the National Gallery of Art, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $36,000 below the budget request. Bill Language.--The Committee has included bill language, as requested, relating to lease agreements of no more than 10 years that addresses space needs created by ongoing renovations in the Master Facilities Plan. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a living memorial to the late President Kennedy and is the National Center for the Performing Arts. The Center houses nine stages and seven theaters which have a total of more than 7,300 seats. The Center consists of over 1.5 million square feet of usable floor space with visitation averaging 8,000 on a daily basis. The support systems in the building often operate at capacity 18 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $21,660,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 22,260,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 22,260,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +600,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $22,260,000 for Operations and Maintenance as requested and $600,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. CAPITAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $14,740,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 13,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 14,140,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -600,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +1,140,000 The Committee recommends $14,140,000 for Capital Repair and Restoration, $600,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1,140,000 above the budget request. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars SALARIES AND EXPENSES The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars promotes policy-relevant research and dialogue to increase understanding and enhance the capabilities and knowledge of leaders, citizens, and institutions worldwide. The Center hosts scholars and policy makers to do their own advanced study, research and writing and facilitates debate and discussions among scholars, public officials, journalists and business leaders from across the country on relevant, major long-term issues facing this Nation and the world. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $10,500,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 10,400,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 10,500,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +100,000 The Committee recommends $10,500,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $100,000 above the budget request. National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities National Endowment for the Arts GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $147,949,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 149,849,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 149,849,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +1,900,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $149,849,000 for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), $1,900,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee supports the NEA's participation in the National Initiative on Arts and the Military, a collaborative effort involving Federal agencies, the military, and nonprofit and private sector partners working to advance the policy, research, and practice of arts therapy for military veterans and their families. The Committee is pleased that the increase above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level will strengthen and support these efforts. Further, the Committee commends the NEA for its collaboration with the Walter Reed National Military Center in creating the NEA Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership. Since 2011, this unique partnership has supported creative and innovative arts therapies for service members. In 2013, this collaborative relationship expanded to bring art therapy to military patients at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Brain Injury Clinic in Virginia to evaluate the potential health benefits of creative arts therapy interventions for wounded warriors including service members with Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress. An NEA Navy Special Warfare/Special Operations (NSW) Healing Arts Partnership is also being established that will bring these benefits to the Navy SEAL community in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Committee recognizes the value of integrating Arts education into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education to foster creativity, innovation, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. The Committee encourages the NEA to continue engaging cultural institutions and arts organizations in supporting arts education as a valued educational component necessary to nurture the next generation of leaders and prepare young Americans for the 21st century economy. The Committee values greatly the longstanding collaborative relationship between the NEA and the States. State Arts Agencies support the arts for communities at the grassroots level regardless of their geographic location, providing much of their funding to smaller organizations, community groups, and schools. The Committee recognizes the importance of the arts in local communities including the display of art in public spaces including interested local postal facilities with the consent of, and at no expense to, the U.S. Postal Service. The Committee remains committed to supporting proven national initiatives with broad geographic reach. The Big Read, Challenge America, and Shakespeare in American Communities are among the cost-effective grant programs with broad, bipartisan congressional support that meet these criteria, supporting the NEA's goal of extending the arts to underserved populations in both urban and rural communities across the United States. Bill Language.--Each year, the Committee provides in bill language specific guidelines under which the Endowment is directed to distribute taxpayer dollars in support of the arts. With the exception of established honorific programs, grant funding to individual artists is strictly prohibited. The Committee directs that priority be given to providing services or grant funding for projects, productions, or programs that encourage public knowledge, education, understanding, and appreciation of the arts. Any reduction in support to the States for arts education should be no more than proportional to other funding decreases taken in other NEA programs. Reforms originally instituted by the Committee in P.L. 108- 447 relating to grant guidelines and program priorities are fully restated in Sections 413 and 414 of the bill. The Committee expects the NEA to adhere to them fully. These reforms maintain broad bipartisan support and continue to serve well both the NEA and the public. National Endowment for the Humanities GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION (INCLUDING MATCHING GRANTS) Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $147,942,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 149,848,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 149,848,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +1,906,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends a total of $149,848,000 for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), $1,906,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. The Committee commends the NEH for its support of grant programs to benefit wounded warriors and to ensure educational opportunities for veterans and service members transitioning to civilian life. In partnership with NEH, State humanities councils have developed and delivered local programs that support veterans, their families and caregivers, and that help communities better understand the experiences of veterans. The Committee encourages the NEH to fully support efforts to connect the humanities to the experience of veterans and provide educational opportunities to these American heroes. The Committee is pleased that the increase above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level will strengthen and support these efforts. The Committee commends NEH for its ongoing support to American Indian and Alaska Native communities in preserving their cultural and linguistic heritage through the Documenting Endangered Languages program and a variety of preservation and access grants that enable American Indian and Alaska Native communities to preserve cultural artifacts and make them broadly accessible. It also commends the NEH for providing educational opportunities for tribal communities through the Humanities Initiatives at Tribal Colleges and Universities program. The Committee commends the NEH Federal/State Partnership for its ongoing, successful collaboration with State humanities councils in each of the 50 states as well as Washington, DC, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. The Committee recognizes the State humanities councils for the scope and reach of public humanities programming in congressional districts across the nation, which serve rural areas, promote family literacy, and support cultural tourism that contributes to local economies. Every NEH dollar received by a council is matched by a local contribution. In recent years, the proportion of NEH program funds supporting the work of State humanities councils has grown to nearly 40 percent. The Committee urges the NEH to provide program funding to support the work of State humanities councils consistent with the guidance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. Commission of Fine Arts The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910 to advise the government on matters pertaining to the design of national symbols, and particularly to guide the architectural development of Washington, DC. The Commission's work includes advice on designs for parks, public buildings, public art, as well as the design of national monuments, coins and medals, and overseas American military cemeteries. In addition, the Commission conducts design reviews of semipublic and private structures within the Old Georgetown Historic District and within certain areas of the National Capital that are adjacent to areas of Federal interest. The Commission reviews approximately 700 projects annually. The Commission also administers the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program. SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,653,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 2,762,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,762,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +109,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $2,762,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the Commission of Fine Arts, $109,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $2,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,400,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 2,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... +600,000 The National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs (NCACA) program was established in Public Law 99-190 to support organizations that perform, exhibit, and/or present the arts in the Nation's Capital. The Committee recommends $2,000,000, equal to the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Bill Language.--The bill does not include requested language addressing limitations on grant recipient eligibility. The Committee notes that NCACA is deficient in providing a report as directed, not later than 90 days after enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, detailing the potential impact of inclusion of such bill language on those arts and cultural affairs organizations that received NCACA grant funding in fiscal year 2015. The Committee directs NCACA to complete the report expeditiously. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation SALARIES AND EXPENSES The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). The ACHP was granted permanent authorization as part of the National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 2006 (Public Law 109- 453). The ACHP promotes the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of our Nation's historic resources and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $6,080,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 6,493,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 6,480,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +400,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -13,000 The Committee recommends $6,480,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). An increase of $400,000 over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level is to be used to meet Federal requirements for cybersecurity implementation. National Capital Planning Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES The National Capital Planning Act of 1952 designated the National Capital Planning Commission as the central planning agency for the Federal government in the National Capital Region. The three major functions of the Commission are to prepare and adopt the Federal elements of the National Capital Comprehensive Plan; prepare an annual report on a five-year projection of the Federal Capital Improvement Program; and review plans and proposals submitted to the Commission. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $8,348,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 8,099,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 8,099,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -249,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $8,099,000 for Salaries and Expenses of the National Capital Planning Commission, $249,000 below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM In 1980, Congress passed legislation creating a 65-member Holocaust Memorial Council with the mandate to create and oversee a living memorial/museum to victims of the Holocaust. The museum opened in April 1993. Construction costs for the museum came solely from donated funds raised by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Campaign, and appropriated funds were used for planning and development of programmatic components, overall administrative support, and annual commemorative observances. Since the opening of the museum, appropriated funds have been provided to pay for the ongoing operating costs of the museum as authorized by Public Law 102-529 and Public Law 106-292. Private funds support educational outreach throughout the United States. Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $54,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 57,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 57,000,000 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. +3,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... 0 The Committee recommends $57,000,000 for the Holocaust Memorial Museum, $3,000,000 above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission was created by Congress in 1999 through Public Law 106-79 for the purpose of establishing a permanent national memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe in World War II and 34th President of the United States. The Commission consists of 12 members, four members of the House of Representatives, four Senators, and four private citizens appointed by the President. SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $1,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 1,800,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 0 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. -1,000,000 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -1,800,000 The bill does not include funding for the Salaries and Expenses account. The Committee strongly supports the construction of a permanent memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, the current design of the Eisenhower Memorial continues to garner a significant amount of interest and opposition. The design process was intended to be collaborative and incorporate multiple perspectives, including the views of the Eisenhower family. The Commission's continued unwillingness to entertain sensible revisions to the memorial design, as suggested by the Eisenhower family and others, to more accurately capture the essence and reflect the legacy of Eisenhower, has resulted in unnecessary and unfortunate delays. The Committee is willing to consider discretionary appropriations to support memorial construction provided that steps are taken to replace the Commission staff with professionals committed to seeking common ground with the Eisenhower family, Congress, and others. The Committee reiterates its strongly held view that it is unacceptable that a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower could be designed, approved, and built without the active support of the Eisenhower family. This position is also supported by the American Legion, the Nation's largest wartime veterans service organization, which recently passed a resolution stating it would support the memorial ``if the design is acceptable to the Eisenhower family.'' The Eisenhower family continues its longstanding willingness and desire to work in concert with the Commission on a suitable design, assist with fundraising, and actively work toward the memorial's completion. The Committee maintains that the effort to appropriately honor Eisenhower would be significantly enhanced by providing the Eisenhower family and interested legacy organizations the active role they deserve in recognizing the contributions of one of the great American leaders of the twentieth century. CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION Appropriation enacted, 2016........................... $0 Budget estimate, 2017................................. 43,000,000 Recommended, 2017..................................... 0 Comparison: Appropriation, 2016................................. 0 Budget estimate, 2017............................... -43,000,000 The bill does not include funding for the Capital Construction account. The Committee continues bill language maintaining the approved site of the memorial and preventing construction of the memorial to begin until all necessary construction funds have been appropriated. TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS Section 401 continues a provision prohibiting activities to promote public support or opposition to legislative proposals. Section 402 continues a provision providing for annual appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this Act. Section 403 modifies a provision that restricts administrative assessments, and adds new language regarding reprogrammings and submission of operating plans. Section 404 continues a limitation on accepting and processing applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands; permits processing of grandfathered applications; and permits third-party contractors to process grandfathered applications. Section 405 continues a provision regarding the payment of contract support costs for prior fiscal years. Section 406 addresses the payment of contract support costs for fiscal year 2017. Section 407 continues a provision allowing Forest Service land management plans to be more than 15 years old if the Secretary is acting in good faith to update such plans and prohibiting the use of funds to implement new wilderness directives under the planning rule. Section 408 continues a provision limiting preleasing, leasing, and related activities within the boundaries of National Monuments. Section 409 continues a provision which restricts funding for acquisition of land from being used for declarations of taking or complaints in condemnation. Section 410 continues a provision addressing timber sales involving Alaskan western red cedar. Section 411 continues a provision which prohibits no-bid contracts and grants except under certain circumstances. Section 412 continues a provision which requires public disclosure of certain reports. Section 413 continues a provision which delineates the grant guidelines for the National Endowment for the Arts. Section 414 continues a provision which delineates the program priorities for the programs managed by the National Endowment for the Arts. Section 415 continues a provision requiring the Department of the Interior, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service to provide the Committees on Appropriations a quarterly report on the status of balances of appropriations. Section 416 requires the President to submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations no later than 120 days after the fiscal year 2018 budget is submitted to Congress describing in detail all Federal agency obligations and expenditures for climate change programs and activities in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Section 417 continues a provision prohibiting the use of funds to promulgate or implement any regulation requiring the issuance of permits under title V of the Clean Air Act for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions. Section 418 continues a provision prohibiting the use of funds to implement any provision in a rule if that provision requires mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems. Section 419 continues a provision from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 modifying authorities relating to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Section 420 prohibits the use of funds to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle. Section 421 extends certain authorities through fiscal year 2017 allowing the Forest Service to renew grazing permits. Section 422 provides a one-year extension of the current recreation fee authority. Section 423 clarifies the Bureau of Land Management's stewardship contracting authority. Section 424 prohibits the use of funds to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. Section 425 prohibits the use of funds from making any change to the regulations in effect on October 1, 2012, pertaining to the definitions of the terms ``fill material'' or ``discharge of fill material''. Section 426 prohibits the use of funds to require permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material for certain agriculture activities. Section 427 prohibits the use of funds to develop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce a change or supplement to a rule or guidance documents pertaining to the definition of waters under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Section 428 prohibits the use of funds to limit recreational shooting and hunting on Federal and public lands except for public safety. Section 429 prohibits the use of funds to enforce provisions within the lead renovation rule until EPA has approved a commercially available lead test kit or solicits public comment on alternatives. Section 430 prohibits the use of funds to develop, propose, finalize, implement, enforce, or administer any regulation that would establish new financial responsibility requirements under CERCLA. Section 431 prohibits the use of funds to develop, issue, implement, or enforce any greenhouse gas New Source Performance Standards on any new or existing source that is an electric utility generating unit. Section 432 makes available vacant allotments for permittees impacted by drought or wildland fire. Section 433 clarifies the protection of water rights with regard to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management permits. Section 434 limits the use of funds for status changes of certain chemicals. Section 435 sets requirement for the use of American iron and steel for certain loans and grants. Section 436 prohibits the use of funds pertaining to certain updates to the social cost of carbon. Section 437 prohibits the use of funds to implement or enforce a provision of a rule related to designated representatives. Section 438 addresses the implementation of national ambient air quality standards for ozone. Section 439 prohibits the use of funds to develop, propose, finalize, implement, or enforce any rule or guideline to address methane emissions from sources in the oil and natural gas sector under section 111(b) or (d) of the Clean Air Act, and proposed guidelines from September 18, 2015. Section 440 prohibits the use of funds to modify existing royalty rates on coal and oil and gas leases. Section 441 establishes a deadline for the programmatic EIS review of the Federal coal program. Section 442 revises the definition of the National Gallery of Art's buildings and grounds commensurate with the Gallery's geographic boundaries. Section 443 prohibits the use of funds for the Bureau of Land Management to update its planning process regulations unless it meets certain criteria. Section 444 provides for the humane transfer of excess wild horses and burros. Section 445 prohibits the use of funds to list the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Section 446 directs the Indian Health Service to establish governance boards at certain federally operated hospitals, with the consent and participation of tribes. Section 447 addresses the Old and Middle River reverse flow operations in California. Section 448 addresses authorizing increased Old and Middle River reverse flows in California during certain times. Section 449 addresses certain water rights and water supply deliveries in California. Section 450 prohibits funds to implement the San Joaquin River Restoration program. Section 451 prohibits funds for instream flow purchases in California carried out by the Bureau of Reclamation at certain times. Section 452 addresses water storage at New Melones Reservoir. Section 453 prohibits the use of funds to designate national monuments in certain counties. Section 454 establishes a Spending Reduction Account in the bill. Bill-Wide Reporting Requirements The following items are included in accordance with various requirements of the Rules of the House of Representatives:STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following is a statement of general performance goals and objectives for which this measure authorizes funding: The Committee on Appropriations considers program performance, including a program's success in developing and attaining outcome-related goals and objectives, in developing funding recommendations. RESCISSION OF FUNDS Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following table is submitted describing the rescission recommended in the accompanying bill: Department and activity: Amounts recommended for rescission: Department of the Interior: Land and Water Conservation Fund (contract authority), $28,000,000. Department of the Interior: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, $20,000,000. TRANSFERS OF FUNDS Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following table is submitted describing the transfer of funds in the accompanying bill.
DISCLOSURE OF EARMARKS AND CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ITEMS Neither the bill nor the report contains any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined by clause 9 of rule XXI. Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule) In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012 (Public Law 112-74) * * * * * * * DIVISION E--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012 TITLE I DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR * * * * * * * bureau of land management actions regarding grazing on public lands Sec. 122. (a) Exhaustion of Administrative Review Required.-- (1) For [fiscal years 2012 through 2018,] fiscal year 2012 and each fiscal year thereafter, a person may bring a civil action challenging a decision of the Bureau of Land Management concerning grazing on public lands (as defined in section 103(e) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e))) in a Federal district court only if the person has exhausted the administrative hearings and appeals procedures established by the Department of the Interior, including having filed a timely appeal and a request for stay. (2) An issue may be considered in the judicial review of a decision referred to in paragraph (1) only if the issue was raised in the administrative review process described in such paragraph. (3) An exception to the requirement of exhausting the administrative review process before seeking judicial review shall be available if a Federal court finds that the agency failed or was unable to make information timely available during the administrative review process for issues of material fact. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term ``timely'' means within 120 calendar days after the date that the challenge to the agency action or amendment at issue is received for administrative review. (b) Acceptance of Donation of Certain Existing Permits or Leases.-- (1) During fiscal year 2012 and thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior shall accept the donation of any valid existing permits or leases authorizing grazing on public lands within the California Desert Conservation Area. With respect to each permit or lease donated under this paragraph, the Secretary shall terminate the grazing permit or lease, ensure a permanent end (except as provided in paragraph (2)), to grazing on the land covered by the permit or lease, and make the land available for mitigation by allocating the forage to wildlife use consistent with any applicable Habitat Conservation Plan, section 10(a)(1)(B) permit, or section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). (2) If the land covered by a permit or lease donated under paragraph (1) is also covered by another valid existing permit or lease that is not donated under such paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall reduce the authorized grazing level on the land covered by the permit or lease to reflect the donation of the permit or lease under paragraph (1). To ensure that there is a permanent reduction in the level of grazing on the land covered by a permit or lease donated under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall not allow grazing use to exceed the authorized level under the remaining valid existing permit or lease that is not donated. * * * * * * * ---------- INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ACT * * * * * * * TITLE VIII--NATIONAL FUND FOR EXCELLENCE IN AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION SEC. 801. NATIONAL FUND FOR EXCELLENCE IN AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION. (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this title, the Secretary of the Interior shall establish, under the laws of the District of Columbia and in accordance with this title, a [foundation] fund to be known as the ``National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education'' (hereinafter referred to as the ``[Foundation] Fund''). The Fund shall be affiliated and may contract for services with a section 501(c)(3) national organization whose mission is to represent Native American students and educators for the improvement of schools and the education of Native children. (b) Perpetual Existence.--Except as otherwise provided, the [Foundation] Fund shall have perpetual existence. (c) Nature of Corporation.--The [Foundation] Fund shall be a charitable and nonprofit federally chartered corporation and shall not be an agency or instrumentality of the United States. (d) Place of Incorporation and Domicile.--The [Foundation] Fund shall be incorporated and domiciled in the District of Columbia. (e) Purposes.--The purposes of the [Foundation] Fund shall be-- (1) to encourage, accept, and administer private or public gifts of real and personal property or any income therefrom or other interest therein for the benefit of, or in support of, the mission of the Office of Indian Education Programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (or its successor office); (2) to undertake and conduct such other activities as will further the educational opportunities of American Indians who attend a Bureau funded school; [and] (3) to participate with, and otherwise assist, Federal, State, and tribal governments, agencies, entities, and individuals in undertaking and conducting activities that will further the educational opportunities of American Indians attending Bureau funded schools[.]; (4) to promote and facilitate public-private partnerships that maximize the involvement of the private sector, including nonprofit organizations and for-profit entities, in providing financial and in-kind support for the improvement or replacement of facilities and infrastructure and for the enhancement of telecommunications and technological capacity in Bureau-funded schools; and (5) to facilitate interagency agreements between the Department of the Interior and other Federal agencies in furtherance of the purposes of the Fund. (f) Board of Directors.-- (1) In general.--The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the [Foundation] Fund. The Board may exercise, or provide for the exercise of, the powers of the [Foundation] Fund. (2) Selection.--[The number of members of the Board, the manner of their selection (including the filling of vacancies), and their terms of office shall be as provided in the constitution and bylaws of the Foundation. However, the Board shall have at least 11 members, two of whom shall be the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, who shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members, and the initial voting members of the Board shall be appointed by the Secretary not later than 6 months after the date that the Foundation is established and shall have staggered terms (as determined by the Secretary).] The number of members of the Board, the manner of their selection (including the filling of vacancies), and their terms of office shall be as provided in the constitution and bylaws of the Fund. The Board shall have nine members, including the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs who shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members and who shall appoint three voting members to staggered terms, and including the President and Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) national organization referenced in subsection (a) who shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members and who shall appoint two voting members to staggered terms. (3) Qualification.--The members of the Board shall be United States citizens who [are knowledgeable or experienced in American Indian education and shall, to the extent practicable,] shall, to the extent practicable, be drawn from various disciplines related to the purposes of the Fund, and represent diverse points of view relating to the education of American Indians. (4) Compensation.--Members of the Board shall not receive compensation for their services as members, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel and subsistence expenses incurred by them in the performance of the duties of the [Foundation] Fund. (g) Officers.-- (1) In general.--The officers of the [Foundation] Fund shall be a secretary, elected from among the members of the Board, and any other officers provided for in the constitution and bylaws of the [Foundation] Fund. (2) Secretary of foundation.--The secretary shall serve, at the direction of the Board, as its chief operating officer and shall be knowledgeable and experienced in matters relating to education in general and education of American Indians in particular. (3) Election.--The manner of election, term of office, and duties of the officers shall be as provided in the constitution and bylaws of the [Foundation] Fund. (h) Powers.--The [Foundation] Fund-- (1) shall adopt a constitution and bylaws for the management of its property and the regulation of its affairs, which may be amended; (2) may adopt and alter a corporate seal; (3) may make contracts, subject to the limitations of this Act; (4) may acquire (through a gift or otherwise), own, lease, encumber, and transfer real or personal property as necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of the [Foundation] Fund; (5) may sue and be sued; and (6) may perform any other act necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of the [Foundation] Fund. (i) Principal Office.--The principal office of the [Foundation] Fund shall be in the District of Columbia. However, the activities of the [Foundation] Fund may be conducted, and offices may be maintained, throughout the United States in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the [Foundation] Fund. (j) Service of Process.--The [Foundation] Fund shall comply with the law on service of process of each State in which it is incorporated and of each State in which the [Foundation] Fund carries on activities. (k) Liability of Officers and Agents.--The [Foundation] Fund shall be liable for the acts of its officers and agents acting within the scope of their authority. Members of the Board are personally liable only for gross negligence in the performance of their duties. (l) Restrictions.-- (1) Limitation on spending.--Beginning with the fiscal year following the first full fiscal year during which the [Foundation] Fund is in operation, the administrative costs of the [Foundation] Fund may not exceed 10 percent of the sum of-- (A) the amounts transferred to the [Foundation] Fund under subsection (m) during the preceding fiscal year; and (B) donations received from private sources during the preceding fiscal year. (2) Appointment and hiring.--The appointment of officers and employees of the [Foundation] Fund shall be subject to the availability of funds. (3) Status.--Members of the Board, and the officers, employees, and agents of the [Foundation] Fund are not, by reason of their association with the [Foundation] Fund, officers, employees, or agents of the United States. (m) Transfer of Donated Funds and Property.--The Secretary may transfer to the [Foundation] Fund funds and property held by the Department of the Interior under the Act of February 14, 1931 (25 U.S.C. 451), if the transfer or use of such funds is not prohibited by any term under which the funds were donated. (n) Audits.--The [Foundation] Fund shall comply with the audit requirements set forth in section 10101 of title 36, United States Code, as if it were a corporation in part B of subtitle II of that title. * * * * * * * ---------- SECTION 140 OF PUBLIC LAW 108-108 Sec. 140. (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Act of 2003''. (b) Findings and Purpose. (1) Findings. Congress finds that: (A) The Blue Ridge Mountains and the extensive cultural and natural resources of the Blue Ridge Mountains have played a significant role in the history of the United States and the State of North Carolina. (B) Archaeological evidence indicates that the Blue Ridge Mountains have been inhabited by humans since the last retreat of the glaciers, with the Native Americans living in the area at the time of European discovery being primarily of Cherokee descent. (C) The Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, including the Great Smoky Mountains, played a unique and significant role in the establishment and development of the culture of the United States through several distinct legacies, including-- (i) the craft heritage that-- (I) was first influenced by the Cherokee Indians; (II) was the origin of the traditional craft movement starting in 1900 and the contemporary craft movement starting in the 1940's; and (III) is carried out by over 4,000 craftspeople in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, the third largest concentration of such people in the United States; (ii) a musical heritage comprised of distinctive instrumental and vocal traditions that-- (I) includes stringband music, bluegrass, ballad singing, blues, and sacred music; (II) has received national recognition; and (III) has made the region one of the richest repositories of traditional music and folklife in the United States; (iii) the Cherokee heritage-- (I) dating back thousands of years; and (II) offering-- (aa) nationally significant cultural traditions practiced by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; (bb) authentic tradition bearers; (cc) historic sites; and (dd) historically important collections of Cherokee artifacts; and (iv) the agricultural heritage established by the Cherokee Indians, including medicinal and ceremonial food crops, combined with the historic European patterns of raising livestock, culminating in the largest number of specialty crop farms in North Carolina. (D) The artifacts and structures associated with those legacies are unusually well- preserved. (E) The Blue Ridge Mountains are recognized as having one of the richest collections of historical resources in North America. (F) The history and cultural heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains are shared with the States of Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia. (G) there are significant cultural, economic, and educational benefits in celebrating and promoting this mutual heritage. (H) according to the 2002 reports entitled ``The Blue Ridge Heritage and Cultural Partnership'' and ``Western North Carolina National Heritage Area Feasibility Study and Plan'', the Blue Ridge Mountains contain numerous resources that are of outstanding importance to the history of the United States. (I) it is in the interest of the United States to preserve and interpret the cultural and historical resources of the Blue Ridge Mountains for the education and benefit of present and future generations. (2) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to foster a close working relationship with, and to assist, all levels of government, the private sector, and local communities in the State in managing, preserving, protecting, and interpreting the cultural, historical, and natural resources of the Heritage Area while continuing to develop economic opportunities. (c) Definitions. (1) In this section: (A) Heritage area. The term ``Heritage Area'' means the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area established by subsection (d). (B) Management entity. The term ``management entity'' means the management entity for the Heritage Area designated by subsection (d)(3). (C) Management plan. The term ``management plan'' means the management plan for the Heritage Area approved under subsection (e). (D) Secretary. The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior. (E) State. The term ``State'' means the State of North Carolina. (d) Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. (1) Establishment. There is established the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in the State. (2) Boundaries. The Heritage Area shall consist of the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey in the State. (3) Management entity. (A) In general. As a condition of the receipt of funds made available under subsection (i), the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership shall be the management entity for the Heritage Area. (B) Board of directors. (i) Composition. The management entity shall be governed by a board of directors composed of nine members, of whom-- (I) two members shall be appointed by AdvantageWest; (II) two members shall be appointed by HandMade In America, Inc.; (III) one member shall be appointed by the Education Research Consortium of Western North Carolina; (IV) one member shall be appointed by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians; and (V) three members shall be appointed by the Governor of North Carolina and shall-- (aa) reside in geographically diverse regions of the Heritage Area; (bb) be a representative of State or local governments or the private sector; and (cc) have knowledge of tourism, economic and community development, regional planning, historic preservation, cultural or natural resources development, regional planning, conservation, recreational services, education, or museum services. (e) Management Plan. (1) In general. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, the management entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a management plan for the Heritage Area. (2) Consideration of other plans and actions. In developing the management plan, the management entity shall-- (A) for the purpose of presenting a unified preservation and interpretation plan, take into consideration Federal, State, and local plans; and (B) provide for the participation of residents, public agencies, and private organizations in the Heritage Area. (3) Contents. The management plan shall-- (A) present comprehensive recommendations and strategies for the conservation, funding, management, and development of the Heritage Area; (B) identify existing and potential sources of Federal and non-Federal funding for the conservation, management, and development of the Heritage Area; and (C) include-- (i) an inventory of the cultural, historical, natural, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area, including a list of property that-- (I) relates to the purposes of the Heritage Area; and (II) should be conserved, restored, managed, developed, or maintained because of the significance of the property; (ii) a program of strategies and actions for the implementation of the management plan that identifies the roles of agencies and organizations that are involved in the implementation of the management plan; (iii) an interpretive and educational plan for the Heritage Area; (iv) a recommendation of policies for resource management and protection that develop intergovernmental cooperative agreements to manage and protect the cultural, historical, natural, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area; and (v) an analysis of ways in which Federal, State, and local programs may best be coordinated to promote the purposes of this section. (4) Effect of failure to submit. If a management plan is not submitted to the Secretary by the date described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall not provide any additional funding under this section until a management plan is submitted to the Secretary. (5) Approval or disapproval of management plan. (A) In general. Not later than 90 days after receiving the management plan submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the management plan. (B) Criteria. In determining whether to approve the management plan, the Secretary shall consider whether the management plan-- (i) has strong local support from landowners, business interests, nonprofit organizations, and governments in the Heritage Area; and (ii) has a high potential for effective partnership mechanisms. (C) Action following disapproval. If the Secretary disapproves a management plan under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall-- (i) advise the management entity in writing of the reasons for the disapproval; (ii) make recommendations for revisions to the management plan; and (iii) allow the management entity to submit to the Secretary revisions to the management plan. (D) Deadline for approval of revision. Not later than 60 days after the date on which a revision is submitted under subparagraph (C)(iii), the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the proposed revision. (6) Amendment of approved management plan. (A) In general. After approval by the Secretary of a management plan, the management entity shall periodically-- (i) review the management plan; and (ii) submit to the Secretary, for review and approval, the recommendation of the management entity for any amendments to the management plan. (B) Use of funds. No funds made available under subsection (i) shall be used to implement any amendment proposed by the management entity under subparagraph (A) until the Secretary approves the amendment. (f) Authorities and Duties of the Management Entity. (1) Authorities. For the purposes of developing and implementing the management plan, the management entity may use funds made available under subsection (i) to-- (A) make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, the State (including a political subdivision), nonprofit organizations, or persons; (B) hire and compensate staff; and (C) enter into contracts for goods and services. (2) Duties. In addition to developing the management plan, the management entity shall-- (A) develop and implement the management plan while considering the interests of diverse units of government, businesses, private property owners, and nonprofit groups in the Heritage Area; (B) conduct public meetings in the Heritage Area at least semiannually on the development and implementation of the management plan; (C) give priority to the implementation of actions, goals, and strategies in the management plan, including providing assistance to units of government, nonprofit organizations, and persons in-- (i) carrying out the programs that protect resources in the Heritage Area; (ii) encouraging economic viability in the Heritage Area in accordance with the goals of the management plan; (iii) establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits in the Heritage Area; (iv) developing recreational and educational opportunities in the Heritage Area; and (v) increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the cultural, historical, and natural resources of the Heritage Area; and (D) for any fiscal year for which Federal funds are received under subsection (i)-- (i) submit to the Secretary a report that describes, for the fiscal year-- (I) the accomplishments of the management entity; (II) the expenses and income of the management entity; and (III) each entity to which a grant was made; (ii) make available for audit by Congress, the Secretary, and appropriate units of government, all records relating to the expenditure of funds and any matching funds; and (iii) require, for all agreements authorizing expenditure of Federal funds by any entity, that the receiving entity make available for audit all records relating to the expenditure of funds. (3) Prohibition on the acquisition of real property. The management entity shall not use Federal funds received under subsection (i) to acquire real property or an interest in real property. (g) Technical and Financial Assistance. (1) In general. The Secretary may provide to the management entity technical assistance and, subject to the availability of appropriations, financial assistance, for use in developing and implementing the management plan. (2) Priority for assistance. In providing assistance under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to actions that facilitate-- (A) the preservation of the significant cultural, historical, natural, and recreational resources of the Heritage Area; and (B) the provision of educational, interpretive, and recreational opportunities that are consistent with the resources of the Heritage Area. (h) Land Use Regulation. (1) In general. Nothing in this section-- (A) grants any power of zoning or land use to the management entity; or (B) modifies, enlarges, or diminishes any authority of the Federal Government or any State or local government to regulate any use of land under any law (including regulations). (2) Private property. Nothing in this section-- (A) abridges the rights of any person with respect to private property; (B) affects the authority of the State or local government with respect to private property; or (C) imposes any additional burden on any property owner. (i) Authorization of Appropriations. (1) In general. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section [$10,000,000] $12,000,000, of which not more than $1,000,000 shall be made available for any fiscal year. (2) Non-federal share. The non-Federal share of the cost of any activities carried out using Federal funds made available under subsection (a) shall be not less than 50 percent. (j) Termination of Authority. The authority of the Secretary to provide assistance under this section terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of this section. ---------- SECTION 810 OF DIVISION B OF PUBLIC LAW 106-554 SEC. 810. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In General.-- (1) Corridor.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the Corridor not more than $1,000,000 for any fiscal year, to remain available until expended. Not more than a total of [$10,000,000] $12,000,000 may be appropriated for the Corridor under this title. (2) Matching requirement.--Federal funding provided under this paragraph may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any activity carried out with such funds. The non-Federal share of such support may be in the form of cash, services, or in-kind contributions, fairly valued. (b) Other Funding.--In addition to the sums authorized in subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums as are necessary for the Secretary for planning and technical assistance. ---------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000 * * * * * * * TITLE VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS * * * * * * * Sec. 8162. Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. (a) Findings.-- Congress finds that-- (1) the people of the United States feel a deep debt of gratitude to Dwight D. Eisenhower, who served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe in World War II and subsequently as 34th President of the United States; and (2) an appropriate permanent memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower should be created to perpetuate his memory and his contributions to the United States. (b) Commission.--There is established a commission to be known as the ``Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission'' (referred to in this section as the ``Commission''). (c) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of-- (1) four persons appointed by the President, not more than two of whom may be members of the same political party; (2) four Members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate, of which not more than two appointees may be members of the same political party; and (3) four Members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, of which not more than two appointees may be members of the same political party. (d) Chair and Vice Chair.--The members of the Commission shall select a Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission. The Chair and Vice Chair shall not be members of the same political party. (e) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers if a quorum is present, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. (f) Meetings.-- (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 45 days after the date on which a majority of the members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall hold its first meeting. (2) Subsequent meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair. (g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number of members may hold hearings. (h) No Compensation.--A member of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the Commission. (i) Duties.--The Commission shall consider and formulate plans for such a permanent memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower, including its nature, design, construction, and location. (j) Powers of the Commission.-- (1) In general.-- (A) Powers.--The Commission may-- (i) make such expenditures for services and materials for the purpose of carrying out this section as the Commission considers advisable from funds appropriated or received as gifts for that purpose; (ii) solicit and accept contributions to be used in carrying out this section or to be used in connection with the construction or other expenses of the memorial; (iii) hold hearings and enter into contracts; (iv) enter into contracts for specialized or professional services as necessary to carry out this section; and (v) take such actions as are necessary to carry out this section. (B) Specialized or professional services.-- Services under subparagraph (A)(iv) may be-- (i) obtained without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, including section 3109 of that title; and (ii) may be paid without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, including chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title. (2) Gifts of property.--The Commission may accept gifts of real or personal property to be used in carrying out this section, including to be used in connection with the construction or other expenses of the memorial. (3) Federal cooperation.--At the request of the Commission, a Federal department or agency may provide any information or other assistance to the Commission that the head of the Federal department or agency determines to be appropriate. (4) Powers of members and agents.-- (A) In general.--If authorized by the Commission, any member or agent of the Commission may take any action that the Commission is authorized to take under this section. (B) Architect.--The Commission may appoint an architect as an agent of the Commission to-- (i) represent the Commission on various governmental source selection and planning boards on the selection of the firms that will design and construct the memorial; and (ii) perform other duties as designated by the Chairperson of the Commission. (C) Treatment.--An authorized member or agent of the Commission (including an individual appointed under subparagraph (B)) providing services to the Commission shall be considered an employee of the Federal Government in the performance of those services for the purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, relating to tort claims. (5) Travel.--Each member of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission. (k) Reports.--The Commission shall-- (1) report the plans under subsection (i), together with recommendations, to the President and the Congress at the earliest practicable date; and (2) in the interim, make annual reports on its progress to the President and the Congress. (l) Applicability of Other Laws.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission. (m) Authority to Establish Memorial.-- (1) In general.--The Commission may establish a permanent memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior in the District of Columbia or its environs. (2) Compliance with standards for commemorative works.--The establishment of the memorial shall be in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.). (3) Expiration.--Any reference in section 8903(e) of title 40, U.S.C. to the expiration at the end of, or extension beyond, a 7-year period shall be considered to be a reference to an expiration on, or extension beyond, [September 30, 2016] September 30, 2017. (n) Memorial Fund.-- (1) Establishment.--There is created in the Treasury a fund for the memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower that includes amounts contributed under subsection (j)(2). (2) Use of fund.--The fund shall be used for the expenses of establishing the memorial. (3) Interest.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall credit to the fund the interest on obligations held in the fund. (o) Staff and Support Services.-- (1) In general.-- (A) Powers.--The Commission may-- (i) make such expenditures for services and materials for the purpose of carrying out this section as the Commission considers advisable from funds appropriated or received as gifts for that purpose; (ii) solicit and accept contributions to be used in carrying out this section or to be used in connection with the construction or other expenses of the memorial; (iii) hold hearings and enter into contracts; (iv) enter into contracts for specialized or professional services as necessary to carry out this section; and (v) take such actions as are necessary to carry out this section. (B) Specialized or professional services.-- Services under subparagraph (A)(iv) may be-- (i) obtained without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, including section 3109 of that title; and (ii) may be paid without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, including chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title. (2) Gifts of property.--The Commission may accept gifts of real or personal property to be used in carrying out this section, including to be used in connection with the construction or other expenses of the memorial. (3) Federal cooperation.--At the request of the Commission, a Federal department or agency may provide any information or other assistance to the Commission that the head of the Federal department or agency determines to be appropriate. (4) Powers of members and agents.-- (A) In general.--If authorized by the Commission, any member or agent of the Commission may take any action that the Commission is authorized to take under this section. (B) Architect.--The Commission may appoint an architect as an agent of the Commission to-- (i) represent the Commission on various governmental source selection and planning boards on the selection of the firms that will design and construct the memorial; and (ii) perform other duties as designated by the Chairperson of the Commission. (C) Treatment.--An authorized member or agent of the Commission (including an individual appointed under subparagraph (B)) providing services to the Commission shall be considered an employee of the Federal Government in the performance of those services for the purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, relating to tort claims. (5) Travel.--Each member of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission. (p) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out this section. (q) Appropriation of Funds.--In addition to amounts provided elsewhere in this Act, there is appropriated to the Commission $300,000, to remain available until expended. * * * * * * * ---------- FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT * * * * * * * DIVISION J--OTHER MATTERS * * * * * * * TITLE VIII--FEDERAL LANDS RECREATION ENHANCEMENT ACT * * * * * * * SEC. 810. SUNSET PROVISION. The authority of the Secretary to carry out this Act shall terminate [September 30, 2017] September 30, 2018. * * * * * * * ---------- HEALTHY FORESTS RESTORATION ACT OF 2003 * * * * * * * TITLE VI--MISCELLANEOUS * * * * * * * SEC. 604. STEWARDSHIP END RESULT CONTRACTING PROJECTS. (a) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Chief.--The term ``Chief'' means the Chief of the Forest Service. (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. (b) Projects.--The Chief and the Director, via agreement or contract as appropriate, may enter into stewardship contracting projects with private persons or other public or private entities to perform services to achieve land management goals for the national forests and the public lands that meet local and rural community needs. (c) Land Management Goals.--The land management goals of a project under subsection (b) may include any of the following: (1) Road and trail maintenance or obliteration to restore or maintain water quality. (2) Soil productivity, habitat for wildlife and fisheries, or other resource values. (3) Setting of prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of stands or to improve wildlife habitat. (4) Removing vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forest stands, reduce fire hazards, or achieve other land management objectives. (5) Watershed restoration and maintenance. (6) Restoration and maintenance of wildlife and fish. (7) Control of noxious and exotic weeds and reestablishing native plant species. (d) Agreements or Contracts.-- (1) Procurement procedure.--A source for performance of an agreement or contract under subsection (b) shall be selected on a best-value basis, including consideration of source under other public and private agreements or contracts. (2) Contract for sale of property.--A contract entered into under this section may, at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture, be considered a contract for the sale of property under such terms as the Secretary may prescribe without regard to any other provision of law. (3) Term.-- (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Chief and the Director may enter into a contract under subsection (b) in accordance with section 3903 of title 41, United States Code. (B) Maximum.--The period of the contract under subsection (b) may exceed 5 years but may not exceed 10 years. (4) Offsets.-- (A) In general.--The Chief and the Director may apply the value of timber or other forest products removed as an offset against the cost of services received under the agreement or contract described in subsection (b). (B) Methods of appraisal.--The value of timber or other forest products used as an offset under subparagraph (A)-- (i) shall be determined using appropriate methods of appraisal commensurate with the quantity of products to be removed; and (ii) may-- (I) be determined using a unit of measure appropriate to the contracts; and (II) may include valuing products on a per-acre basis. (5) Relation to other laws.--Notwithstanding subsections (d) and (g) of section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a), the Chief may enter into an agreement or contract under subsection (b). Notwithstanding section 2 of the Act of July 31, 1947 (commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947; 30 U.S.C. 602), the Director may enter into an agreement or contract under subsection (b). (6) Contracting officer.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior may determine the appropriate contracting officer to enter into and administer an agreement or contract under subsection (b). (7) Fire liability provisions.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Chief [and the Director] shall issue for use in all contracts and agreements entered into by the Chief under this section fire liability provisions that are in substantially the same form as the fire liability provisions contained in-- (A) integrated resource timber contracts, as described in the Forest Service contract numbered 2400-13, part H, section H.4; and (B) timber sale contracts conducted pursuant to section 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a). (e) Receipts.-- (1) In general.--The Chief and the Director may collect monies from an agreement or contract under subsection (b) if the collection is a secondary objective of negotiating the contract that will best achieve the purposes of this section. (2) Use.--Monies from an agreement or contract under subsection (b)-- (A) may be retained by the Chief and the Director; and (B) shall be available for expenditure without further appropriation at the project site from which the monies are collected or at another project site. (3) Relation to other laws.-- (A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the value of services received by the Chief or the Director under a stewardship contract project conducted under this section, and any payments made or resources provided by the contractor, Chief, or Director shall not be considered monies received from the National Forest System or the public lands. (B) Knutson-vanderberg Act.--The Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly known as the ``Knutson- Vanderberg Act'') (16 U.S.C. 576 et seq.) shall not apply to any agreement or contract under subsection (b). (f) Costs of Removal.--Notwithstanding the fact that a contractor did not harvest the timber, the Chief may collect deposits from a contractor covering the costs of removal of timber or other forest products under-- (1) the Act of August 11, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 490); and (2) the Act of June 30, 1914 (16 U.S.C. 498). (g) Performance and Payment Guarantees.-- (1) In general.--The Chief and the Director may require performance and payment bonds under sections 28.103-2 and 28.103-3 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, in an amount that the contracting officer considers sufficient to protect the investment in receipts by the Federal Government generated by the contractor from the estimated value of the forest products to be removed under a contract under subsection (b). (2) Excess offset value.--If the offset value of the forest products exceeds the value of the resource improvement treatments, the Chief and the Director may-- (A) collect any residual receipts under the Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly known as the ``Knutson-Vanderberg Act'') (16 U.S.C. 576 et seq.); and (B) apply the excess to other authorized stewardship projects. (h) Monitoring and Evaluation.-- (1) In general.--The Chief and the Director shall establish a multiparty monitoring and evaluation process that accesses the stewardship contracting projects conducted under this section. (2) Participants.--Other than the Chief and Director, participants in the process described in paragraph (1) may include-- (A) any cooperating governmental agencies, including tribal governments; and (B) any other interested groups or individuals. (i) Reporting.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Chief and the Director shall report to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives on-- (1) the status of development, execution, and administration of agreements or contracts under subsection (b); (2) the specific accomplishments that have resulted; and (3) the role of local communities in the development of agreements or contract plans. ---------- TITLE 40, UNITED STATES CODE * * * * * * * SUBTITLE II--PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WORKS * * * * * * * PART C--FEDERAL BUILDING COMPLEXES * * * * * * * CHAPTER 63--SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, AND JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS * * * * * * * Sec. 6301. Definition In this chapter, the term ``specified buildings and grounds'' means-- (1) Smithsonian institution.--The Smithsonian Institution and its grounds, which include the following: (A) Smithsonian buildings and grounds on the national mall.--The Smithsonian Building, the Arts and Industries Building, the Freer Gallery of Art, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the National Museum of African Art, the S. Dillon Ripley Center, and all other buildings of the Smithsonian Institution within the Mall, including the entrance walks, unloading areas, and other pertinent service roads and parking areas. (B) National zoological park.--The National Zoological Park comprising all the buildings, streets, service roads, walks, and other areas within the boundary fence of the National Zoological Park in the District of Columbia and including the public space between that fence and the face of the curb lines of the adjacent city streets. (C) Other smithsonian buildings and grounds.--All other buildings, service roads, walks, and other areas within the exterior boundaries of any real estate or land or interest in land (including temporary use) that the Smithsonian Institution acquires and that the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution determines to be necessary for the adequate protection of individuals or property in the Smithsonian Institution and suitable for administration as a part of the Smithsonian Institution. (2) National gallery of art.--[The National Gallery of Art] (A) The National Gallery of Art and its grounds, which extend-- [(A)] (i) to the line of the face of the south curb of Constitution Avenue Northwest, between Seventh Street Northwest, and Fourth Street Northwest, to the line of the face of the west curb of Fourth Street Northwest, between Constitution Avenue Northwest, and Madison Drive Northwest; to the line of the face of the north curb of Madison Drive Northwest, between Fourth Street Northwest, and Seventh Street Northwest; and to the line of the face of the east curb of Seventh Street Northwest, between Madison Drive Northwest, and Constitution Avenue Northwest; [(B)] (ii) to the line of the face of the south curb of Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, between Fourth Street and Third Street Northwest, to the line of the face of the west curb of Third Street Northwest, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Drive Northwest, to the line of the face of the north curb of Madison Drive Northwest, between Third Street and Fourth Street Northwest, and to the line of the face of the east curb of Fourth Street Northwest, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Drive Northwest; and [(C)] (iii) to the line of the face of the south curb of Constitution Avenue Northwest, between Ninth Street Northwest and Seventh Street Northwest; to the line of the face of the west curb of Seventh Street Northwest, between Constitution Avenue Northwest and Madison Drive Northwest; to the line of the face of the north curb of Madison Drive Northwest, between Seventh Street Northwest and the line of the face of the east side of the east retaining wall of the Ninth Street Expressway Northwest; and to the line of the face of the east side of the east retaining wall of the Ninth Street Expressway Northwest, between Madison Drive Northwest and Constitution Avenue Northwest. (B) All other buildings, service roads, walks, and other areas within the exterior boundaries of any real estate or land or interest in land (including temporary use) that the National Gallery of Art acquires and that the Director of the National Gallery of Art determines to be necessary for the adequate protection of individuals or property in the National Gallery of Art and suitable for administration as a part of the National Gallery of Art. (3) John f. kennedy center for the performing arts.-- The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which extends to the line of the west face of the west retaining walls and curbs of the Inner Loop Freeway on the east, the north face of the north retaining walls and curbs of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge approaches on the south, the east face of the east retaining walls and curbs of Rock Creek Parkway on the west, and the south curbs of New Hampshire Avenue and F Street on the north, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Transfer of John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts'', numbered 844/82563 and dated April 20, 1994 (as amended by the map entitled ``Transfer of John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts'', numbered 844/ 82563A and dated May 22, 1997), which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the National Capital Region, National Park Service. * * * * * * * CHANGES IN APPLICATION OF EXISTING LAW Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following statements are submitted describing the effect of provisions in the accompanying bill, which directly or indirectly change the application of existing law. In most instances these provisions have been included in prior appropriations Acts. The bill includes the following changes in application of existing law: OVERALL BILL Providing that certain appropriations remain available until expended or extends the availability of funds beyond the fiscal year where programs or projects are continuing but for which legislation does not specifically authorize such extended availability. This authority tends to result in savings by preventing the practice of committing funds on low priority projects at the end of the fiscal year to avoid losing the funds. Limiting, in certain instances, the obligation of funds for particular functions or programs. These limitations include restrictions on the obligation of funds for administrative expenses, travel expenses, the use of consultants, and programmatic areas within the overall jurisdiction of a particular agency. Limiting official entertainment or reception and representation expenses for selected agencies in the bill. Continuing ongoing activities of those Federal agencies, which require annual authorization or additional legislation, which has not been enacted. TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES Providing funds to the Bureau for the management of lands and resources. Providing funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation under certain conditions. Permitting the use of fees for processing applications for permit to drill. Permitting the use of mining fee collections for program operations. Permitting the use of fees from communication site rentals. LAND ACQUISITION Requiring that funding for the program is derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS Providing funds for the Oregon and California Grant Lands. Authorizing the transfer of certain collections from the Oregon and California Land Grants Fund to the Treasury. RANGE IMPROVEMENTS Allowing certain funds to be transferred to the Department of the Interior for range improvements. SERVICE CHARGES, DEPOSITS, AND FORFEITURES Allowing the use of certain collected funds for certain administrative costs and operation of termination of certain facilities. Allowing the use of funds on any damaged public lands. Authorizing the Secretary to use monies from forfeitures, compromises or settlements for improvement, protection and rehabilitation of public lands under certain conditions. MISCELLANEOUS TRUST FUNDS Allowing certain contributed funds to be advanced for administrative costs and other activities of the Bureau. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Permitting the Bureau to enter into agreements with public and private entities, including States. Permitting the Bureau to manage improvements to which the United States has title. Permitting the payment of rewards for information on violations of law on Bureau lands. Providing for cost-sharing arrangements for printing services. Permitting the Bureau to conduct certain projects for State governments on a reimbursable basis. Prohibiting the use of funds for the destruction of wild horses and burros. United States Fish and Wildlife Service RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Limiting funds for certain Endangered Species Act programs. LAND ACQUISITION Requiring that funding shall be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Providing that funding for projects may not be used for administrative costs. COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND Providing that a portion of the appropriation shall be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE GRANTS Providing for a State and Tribal wildlife grants program. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Providing that programs may be carried out by direct expenditure, contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and reimbursable agreements with public and private entities. Providing for repair of damage to public roads. Providing options for the purchase of land not to exceed $1. Permitting cost-shared arrangements for printing services. Permitting the acceptance of donated aircraft. Providing that fees collected for non-toxic shot review and approval shall be available without further appropriation for the expenses of non-toxic shot review related expenses. National Park Service OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM Designating funds for Everglades restoration. Providing for repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of National Park Service assets. NATIONAL RECREATION AND PRESERVATION Providing for expenses not otherwise provided for. HISTORIC PRESERVATION Providing for expenses derived from the Historic Preservation Fund. CONSTRUCTION Providing funds for construction, improvements, repair or replacement of physical facilities, and management planning and compliance for areas administered by the National Park Service. Providing that a single procurement may be issued for any project funded in fiscal year 2017 with a future phase indicated in the National Park Service 5-year Line Item Construction Plan. LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND Rescinding Land and Water Conservation Fund contract authority. LAND ACQUISITION AND STATE ASSISTANCE Requiring that funding for the program is derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE Providing funds for Centennial Challenge projects with no less than 50 percent of the cost of each project derived from non-Federal sources. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Allowing certain franchise fees to be available for expenditure without further appropriation to extinguish or reduce liability for certain possessory interests. Providing for the retention of administrative costs under certain Land and Water Conservation Fund programs. Allowing National Park Service funds to be transferred to the Federal Highway Administration for purposes authorized under 23 U.S.C. 204 for reasonable administrative support costs. United States Geological Survey SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH Providing funds to classify lands as to their mineral and water resources. Providing funds to give engineering supervision to power permittees and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensees. Providing funds to publish and disseminate data relative to the foregoing activities. Limiting funds for the conduct of new surveys on private property without permission. Limiting funds for cooperative topographic mapping or water resource data collection and investigations. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Allowing funds to be used for certain contracting, construction, maintenance, acquisition, and representation expenses. Permitting the use of certain contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. Recognizing students and recent graduates as Federal employees for the purposes of travel and work injury compensation. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Permitting funds for mineral leasing and environmental study; enforcing laws and contracts; and for matching grants. Providing that funds may be used which shall be derived from non-refundable cost recovery fees collected in 2017. Permitting the use of certain excess receipts from Outer Continental Shelf leasing activities. Providing for reasonable expenses related to volunteer beach and marine cleanup activities. Prohibiting the use of funds for regulating non-lease holders. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Permitting funds for mineral leasing and environmental study; enforcing laws and contracts; and for matching grants. Providing that funds may be used which shall be derived from non-refundable cost recovery fees collected in 2016. Permitting the use of certain excess receipts from Outer Continental Shelf leasing activities. Permitting the use of funds derived from non-refundable inspection fees collecting in 2017. Requiring that not less than 50 percent of inspection fees expended be used on personnel, expanding capacity and reviewing applications for permit to drill. OIL SPILL RESEARCH Providing that funds shall be derived from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGY Permitting payment to State and tribal personnel for travel and per diem expenses for training. Permitting the use of certain offsetting collections from permit fees. ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND Allowing the use of debt recovery to pay for debt collection. Allowing that certain funds made available under title IV of Public Law 95-87 may be used for any required non-Federal share of the cost of certain projects. Allowing funds to be used for travel expenses of State and tribal personnel while attending certain OSM training. Providing that funds shall be used for economic and community development in conjunction with reclamation priorities. Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education OPERATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS Limiting funds for official reception and representation expenses. Limiting funds for welfare assistance payments, except for disaster relief. Allowing tribal priority allocation funds to be used for unmet welfare assistance costs. Providing forward-funding for school operations of Bureau- funded schools and other education programs. Providing that limited funds shall be available until expended for certain purposes. Limiting funds for education-related administrative cost grants. Allowing the transfer of certain forestry funds. Allowing the use of funds to purchase uniforms or other identifying articles of clothing for personnel. CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS Providing for such sums as are necessary to fully fund contract support costs. Prohibiting the transfer of funds from any other account within the Indian Health Service to fund contract support costs. CONSTRUCTION Providing for the transfer of Navajo irrigation project funds to the Bureau of Reclamation. Providing that six percent of Federal Highway Trust Fund contract authority may be used for construction management costs. Providing Safety of Dams funds on a non-reimbursable basis. Requiring the use of administrative and cost accounting principles for certain school construction projects and exempting such projects from certain requirements. Requiring conformance with building codes and health and safety standards. Specifying the procedure for dispute resolution. Limiting the control of construction projects when certain time frames have not been met. Allowing reimbursement of construction costs from the Office of Special Trustee. INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT Limiting funds for administrative expenses and for subsidizing total loan principal. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Allowing the use of funds for direct expenditure, contracts, cooperative agreements, compacts, and grants. Allowing contracting for the San Carlos Irrigation Project. Limiting the use of funds for certain contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. Allowing tribes to return appropriated funds. Prohibiting funding of Alaska schools. Limiting the number of schools and the expansion of grade levels in individual schools. Specifying distribution of indirect and administrative costs for certain tribes. Limiting the expansion of satellite school locations. Departmental Offices OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SALARIES AND EXPENSES Allowing the use of certain funds for official reception and representation expenses. Permitting payments to former Bureau of Mines workers. Designating funds for mineral revenue management activities. Designating funds for consolidated appraisal services to be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Designating funds for mineral revenue management activities. Allowing certain refunds of overpayments in connection with certain Indian leases. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Allowing certain payments authorized for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program to be retained for administrative expenses. Providing that no Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program payment be made to otherwise eligible units of local government if the computed amount of the payment is less than $100. Providing that a payment made to a unit of general local government for fiscal year 2016 may be reduced by the Secretary to correct overpayments, and increased by the Secretary to correct underpayments, to such unit of local government for the previous fiscal year. Extending funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Insular Affairs ASSISTANCE TO TERRITORIES Designating funds for various programs and for salaries and expenses of the Office of Insular Affairs. Allowing audits of the financial transactions of the Territorial and Insular governments by the GAO. Providing grant funding under certain terms of the Agreement of the Special Representatives on Future United States Financial Assistance for the Northern Mariana Islands. Providing for capital infrastructure in various Territories. Allowing appropriations for disaster assistance to be used as non-Federal matching funds for hazard mitigation grants. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, INSULAR AFFAIRS Allowing, at the request of the Governor of Guam, for certain discretionary or mandatory funds to be used to assist securing certain rural electrification loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Office of Special Trustee for American Indians FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS Limiting the amount of funding available for the historical accounting of Indian trust fund accounts. Allowing transfers to other Department of the Interior accounts. Providing no-year funding for certain Indian Self- Determination Act grants. Exempting quarterly statements for Indian trust accounts $15 or less. Requiring annual statements and records maintenance for Indian trust accounts. Limiting use of funds to correct administrative errors in Indian trust accounts. Permitting the use of recoveries from erroneous payments pursuant to Indian trust accounts. Exempting reconciliation of Special Deposit Accounts with low balances in certain circumstances. Allowing for limited aggregation of trust accounts of individuals whose whereabouts are unknown. DEPARTMENT WIDE PROGRAMS Wildland Fire Management Providing funds for wildland fire management. Designating funds for renovation or construction of fire facilities and designating funds for Wildfire suppression operations. Permitting the repayments of funds transferred from other accounts for firefighting. Designating funds for hazardous fuels and burned area rehabilitation. Permitting the use of funds for lodging and subsistence of firefighters. Permitting the use of grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for hazardous fuels reduction, including cost- sharing and local assistance. Permitting cost-sharing of cooperative agreements with non- Federal entities under certain circumstances. Providing for local competition for hazardous fuel reduction activities. Permitting reimbursement to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for consultation activities under the Endangered Species Act. Providing certain terms for leases of real property with local governments. Providing for the transfer of funds between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for wildland fire management. Providing funds for support of Federal emergency response actions. Allowing for international forestry assistance to or through the Department of State. FLAME WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION RESERVE FUND Providing funds for the FLAME fund. CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND Providing funds for response action, including associated activities, performed pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. WORKING CAPITAL FUND Allowing funds for the financial and business management system and information technology improvement. Prohibiting use of funds to establish reserves in the working capital fund with exceptions. Allowing assessments for reasonable charges for training services at the National Indian Program Center and use of these funds under certain conditions. Providing space and related facilities or the lease of related facilities, equipment or professional services of the National Indian Program Training Center to state, local and tribal employees or other persons for cultural, educational or recreational activities. Providing that the Secretary may enter into grants and cooperative agreements to support the Office of Natural Resource Revenue's collection and disbursement of royalties, fees, and other mineral revenue proceeds, as authorized by law. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION Allowing acquisition and sale of certain aircraft. General Provisions, Department of the Interior Allowing transfer of funds for certain reconstruction of facilities, aircraft or utilities in emergency situations. Allowing transfer of funds in certain emergency situations, including wildfires and oil spill response, if other funds provided in other accounts will be exhausted within 30 days and a supplemental appropriation is requested as promptly as possible. Permitting the Department to use limited funding for certain services. Permitting the transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians and limiting amounts for historical accounting activities. Authorizing the redistribution of Tribal Priority Allocation funds to address unmet needs. Authorizing the acquisition of lands and leases for Ellis, Governors and Liberty Islands. Providing the authority for the Secretary to collect nonrefundable inspection fees. Permitting the reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Enforcement and Regulation. Permitting the Secretary of the Interior to enter into long-term agreements for wild horse and burro holding facilities. Requiring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to mark hatchery salmon. Addressing BLM actions regarding grazing on public lands. Prohibiting the use of funds to implement, administer or enforce Secretarial Order 3310. Allowing for the more efficient use of reimbursable funding agreements. Prohibiting the use of funds to change the status of sage- grouse under the Endangered Species Act and to prohibit funds to implement Federal Resource Management Plans unless certain criteria are met. Addressing Solicitor Opinion M-37025, dated November 4, 2011. Reconstituting the Indian Education Fund. Providing authorities for heritage areas. Expanding conservation fish hatcheries. Requiring the reissuance of certain final rules and prohibiting such rules from further judicial review. Prohibiting the use of funds to develop, carry out, or implement proposed regulations published on July 7, 2015, or any changes to regulations published on June 30, 1983. Prohibiting the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce a National Park Service policy to eliminate the sale of water in disposable, recyclable bottles in national parks. Prohibiting the use of funds to finalize the Bureau of Land Management's proposed rule titled Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation. Prohibiting the use of funds to list in the National Register of Historic Places property deemed crucial to national security and military training. Prohibiting the use of funds to change regulations for drilling margins and downhole mud weight as of April 1, 2015. Prohibiting the implementation of a final rule for federally recognizing Indian tribes. Modifying 50 CFR 14.92(a)(1) to include echinoderms commonly known as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Prohibiting the use of funds for the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management to issue, finalize, or implement a rule until certain criteria are met. Adressing land taken into trust between 1934 and February 24, 2009. TITLE II--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Science and Technology Providing for operating expenses in support of research and development. Designating funding for National Priorities research as specified in the report accompanying this Act. Environmental Programs and Management Allowing hire and maintenance of passenger motor vehicles and operation of aircraft and purchase of reprints and library memberships in societies or associations which issue publications to members only or at a price to members lower than to subscribers who are not members. Limiting amounts for official representation and reception expenses. Providing two-year funding availability for administrative costs of Brownfields program. Designating funding for National Priorities as specified in the report accompanying this Act. Designating funding for Geographical programs as specified in the report accompanying this Act. Providing for the use of funds to assist with States Solid Waste management plans. Providing for the use of funds for a report on the effectiveness States Solid Waste management plans toward the intended purpose. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE SUPERFUND Allowing distribution of funds to purchase services from other agencies under certain circumstances. Providing for the transfer of funds within certain agency accounts. LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROGRAM Providing for grants to Federally-recognized Indian tribes. STATE AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS Limiting funding amounts for certain programs. Specifying funding for capitalization grants for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and allowing certain amounts for additional subsidies. Designating funds for specific sections of law. Providing waivers for certain uses of Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for State administrative costs for grants to federally-recognized Indian tribes and grants to specific Territories and Freely Associated States. Requiring that 10 percent Clean Water and 20 percent of Drinking Water funds shall be used by States for forgiveness of principal or negative interest loans. Prohibiting the use of funds for jurisdictions that permit development or construction of additional colonia areas. Providing certain grants under authority of Section 103, Clean Air Act. Providing funding for environmental information exchange network initiatives grants, statistical surveys of water resources and enhancements to State monitoring programs, tribal grants, and underground storage tank projects. WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE AND INNOVATION PROGRAM ACCOUNT Defining costs of loans and costs of modifying loans. Providing availability of funds. Designating the deposit and availability of fees. Providing administrative expenses to carry out the programs. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Allowing awards of grants to federally-recognized Indian tribes. Authorizing the collection and obligation of pesticide registration service fees. Allowing the transfer of funds from the ``Environmental Programs and Management'' account to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and providing for certain interagency agreements and grants to various entities in support of this effort. Providing amounts for construction, alteration, repair, rehabilitation, and renovation of facilities. Designating the policy for treatment of biomass emissions as carbon neutral. Designating the policy for review of exempt aquifer applications. Providing for grants to federally recognized tribes. TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES Forest Service FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH Providing funds for forest and rangeland research. Designating funds for the forest inventory and analysis program. STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY Providing for forest health management, including treatments of certain pests or invasive plants, and for restoring damaged forests, and for cooperative forestry, education and land conservation activities, and conducting an international program. Deriving certain funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM Providing funds for the National Forest System. Depositing funds in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund. Designating funds for forest products. Designating funds in the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE Providing funds for construction, reconstruction, and maintenance and acquisition of buildings and other facilities and infrastructure; and for construction, capital improvement, decommissioning, and maintenance of forest roads and trails. Requiring that funds becoming available in fiscal year 2016 for the road and trails fund (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be transferred to the Treasury. Providing for the transfer of funds to the National Forest System for the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program. LAND ACQUISITION Requiring that funding for the program is derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS Requiring that funding for the program is derived from forest receipts. ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES Requiring that funding for the program is derived from funds deposited by State, county, or municipal governments and non-Federal parties pursuant to Land Sale and Exchange Acts. RANGE BETTERMENT FUND Providing that fifty percent of monies received for grazing fees shall be used for range improvements and limiting administrative expenses to six percent. GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS Providing for gifts, donations and bequest per Federal law. MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FORESTS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES Providing funds for subsistence uses per the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT Permitting the use of funds for emergency rehabilitation and restoration and hazardous fuels reduction to support emergency response and wildfire suppression. Allowing the use of wildland fire funds to repay advances from other accounts. Allowing reimbursement of States for certain wildfire emergency activities. Designating funds for the Joint Fire Sciences Program and extending authorities for Fire Science Research. Allowing funds to be available for emergency rehabilitation, hazardous fuels reduction and emergency response. Designating funds for suppression, hazardous fuels reduction and national fire plan research. Designating funds for State fire assistance and volunteer fire assistance Federal and State and private lands. Providing for cooperative agreements and grants. Allowing funds available for Community Forest Restoration Act to be used on non-Federal land. Limiting the transfer of wildland fire management funds between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture. Designating the use of hazardous fuels reduction funds for biomass grants. Providing that funds transferred from the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund shall be assessed for cost pools. Permitting the transfer of funds for the Integrated Resources Restoration pilot. FLAME WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION RESERVE FUND Providing funds for the FLAME fund and authorizing transfers under certain conditions. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Permitting the purchase of passenger motor vehicles and proceeds from the sale of aircraft may be used to purchase replacement aircraft. Allowing funds for certain employment contracts. Allowing funds to be used for purchase and alteration of buildings. Allowing for acquisition of certain lands and interests. Allowing expenses for certain volunteer activities. Providing for the cost of uniforms. Providing for debt collections on certain contracts. Allowing transfer of funds in certain emergency situations if all other funds provided for wildfire suppression will be obligated within 30 days and the Secretary notifies the Committees. Allowing funds to be used through the Agency for International Development for work in foreign countries and to support other forestry activities outside of the United States. Allowing the Forest Service, acting for the International Program, to sign certain funding agreements with foreign governments and institutions as well as with certain domestic agencies. Authorizing the expenditure or transfer of funds for wild horse and burro activities. Prohibiting the transfer of funds under the Department of Agriculture transfer authority under certain conditions. Limiting the transfer of funds for the Working Capital Fund and Department Reimbursable Program (also known as Greenbook charges). Limiting funds to support the Youth Conservation Corps and Public Lands Corps. Limiting the use of funds for official reception and representation expenses. Providing for matching funds for the National Forest Foundation. Providing for matching funds for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Allowing funds to be used for technical assistance for certain rural communities. Allowing funds for payments to counties in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Allowing funds to be used for the Older Americans Act. Permitting funding assessments for facilities maintenance, rent, utilities, and other support services. Limiting funds to reimburse the Office of General Counsel at the Department of Agriculture. Permitting eligible employees to be considered a Federal Employee. Requiring regular report of all unobligated balances. Providing a categorical exclusion for certain forest management activities. Indian Health Service INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES Providing that tribal contract and grant funding is deemed obligated at the time of grant or contract award and remains available until expended. Providing no-year funds for contract medical care including the Indian Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund. Providing for loan repayment under sections 104 and 108 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act with certain conditions and making the funds available for certain other purposes. Providing for operational funds for leased space and accreditation emergencies. Providing for the allocation of certain funds. Providing that certain contracts and grants may be performed in two fiscal years. Providing for use of collections and reporting of collections under Title IV of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Providing no-year funding for scholarship funds. Providing for the collection of individually identifiable health information relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Permitting the use of Indian Health Care Improvement Fund monies for facilities improvement and providing no-year funding availability. CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS Providing for such sums as are necessary to fully fund contract support costs. Prohibiting the transfer of funds from any other account within the Indian Health Service to fund contract support costs. INDIAN HEALTH FACILITIES Providing that facilities funds may be used to purchase land, modular buildings and trailers. Providing for TRANSAM equipment to be purchased from the Department of Defense. Prohibiting the use of funds for sanitation facilities for new homes funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Allowing for the purchase of ambulances. Providing for a demolition fund. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Providing for per diem expenses for senior level positions. Providing for payments for telephone service in private residences in the field, purchase of motor vehicles, aircraft and reprints. Providing for purchase and erection of modular buildings. Providing funds for uniforms. Allowing funding to be used for attendance at professional meetings. Providing that health care may be extended to non-Indians at Indian Health Service facilities, subject to charges, and for the expenditure of collected funds. Providing for transfers of funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Indian Health Service. Prohibiting limitations on certain Federal travel and transportation expenses. Requiring departmental assessments to be identified in annual budget justifications. Allowing de-obligation and re-obligation of funds applied to self-governance funding agreements. Prohibiting the expenditure of funds to implement new eligibility regulations. Permitting certain reimbursements for goods and services provided to tribes. Providing that reimbursements for training, technical assistance, or services include total costs. Prohibiting changes in organizational structure without advance notification to Congress. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH Providing for the conduct of health studies, testing, and monitoring. Providing deadlines for health assessments and studies. Limiting the number of toxicological profiles. Executive Office of the President COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Limiting the use of funds for official reception and representation expenses. Designating the appointment and duties of the chairman. Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Providing that funds in this and prior appropriations Acts shall be used to relocate persons certified as eligible. Providing that no person can be evicted unless a replacement home is provided. Providing that no relocatee is provided with more than one new or replacement home. Providing for the transfer of funds to the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General. CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD Permitting use of funds for hire of passenger vehicles, uniforms or allowances with per diem rate limitations. Limiting the number of senior level positions. Designating the individual appointed to the position of Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency as the Inspector General of the Board. Directing use of personnel and limiting position appointments within the Board. Smithsonian Institution SALARIES AND EXPENSES Limiting certain lease terms. Providing for purchase of passenger vehicles and certain rental, repair and cleaning of uniforms. Designating funds for certain programs including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and providing no-year funds. Providing that funds may be used to support American overseas research centers. Allowing for advance payments to independent contractors performing research services or participating in official Smithsonian presentations. FACILITIES CAPITAL Designating funds for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and construction and for consultant services. National Gallery of Art SALARIES AND EXPENSES Allowing payment in advance for membership in library, museum, and art associations or societies. Allowing for purchase, repair, and cleaning of uniforms for guards and employees and allowances therefor. Allowing purchase or rental of devices for protecting buildings and contents thereof, and maintenance, alteration, improvement, and repair of buildings, approaches, and grounds. Providing for restoration and repair of works of art by contract under certain circumstances. Providing no-year funds for special exhibitions. REPAIR, RESTORATION, AND RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS Providing lease agreements of no more than 10 years addressing space needs created by renovations under the Master Facilities Plan. Permitting the Gallery to perform work by contract under certain circumstances. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE Providing funds to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Kennedy Center for operational and maintenance costs. CAPITAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION Providing funds to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Kennedy Center for facility repair. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars SALARIES AND EXPENSES Providing funds to the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars. Allowing for hire of passenger vehicles and services. National Endowment for the Arts GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION Providing funds for the support of projects and productions in the arts, including arts education and public outreach activities. National Endowment for the Humanities GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION Specifying funds to carry out the matching grants program. Allowing obligation of National Endowment for the Humanities current and prior year funds from gifts, bequests, and devises of money for which equal amounts have not previously been appropriated. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES Prohibiting the use of funds for grants and contracts which do not include the text of 18 U.S.C. 1913. Prohibiting the use of appropriated funds and permitting the use of non-appropriated funds for reception expenses. Allowing the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts to approve small grants under certain circumstances. Commission of Fine Arts SALARIES AND EXPENSES Permitting the charging and use of fees for its publications and accepting gifts related to the history of the Nation's Capital. Providing that one-tenth of one percent of funds provided may be used for official reception and representation expenses. NATIONAL CAPITAL ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS Providing funding for the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs. NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION Providing funding for the National Capital Planning Commission. Providing that one-quarter of one percent may be used for official reception and representational expenses. UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM Designating funds for equipment replacement. Designating funds for repair, rehabilitation and for exhibition design and production and providing no year availability for these funds. TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS Prohibiting the use of funds to promote or oppose legislative proposals on which congressional action is incomplete. Providing for annual appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this Act. Providing for reprogramming procedures, disclosure of administrative expenses, assessments and requirements for operating plans. Continuing a limitation on accepting and processing applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands; permitting processing of grandfathered applications; and permitting third-party contractors to process grandfathered applications. Continuing a provision regarding the payment of contract support costs for prior fiscal years. Addressing the payment of contract support costs for fiscal year 2017. Continuing a provision allowing Forest Service land management plans to be more than 15 years old if the Secretary is acting in good faith to update such plans and prohibiting the use of funds to implement new wilderness directives under the planning rule. Limiting leasing and preleasing activities within National Monuments. Limiting takings for acquisition of lands except under certain conditions. Continuing a provision addressing timber sales involving Alaskan western red cedar. Prohibiting funds to enter into certain no-bid contracts except under certain conditions. Requiring reports to Congress to be posted on public agency websites. Continuing a provision that delineates grant guidelines for the National Endowment for the Arts. Continuing a provision that delineates program priorities for the programs managed by the National Endowment for the Arts. Requiring that the Department of the Interior, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service provide the Committees on Appropriations a quarterly report on the status of balances of appropriations. Requiring a government-wide report regarding expenditures on climate change. Continuing a provision prohibiting the use of funds to promulgate or implement any regulation requiring the issuance of permits under title V of the Clean Air Act for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions. Continuing a provision prohibiting the use of funds to implement any provision in a rule if that provision requires mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems. Modifying authorities relating to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Prohibiting the use of funds to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle. Extending certain authorities allowing the Forest Service to renew grazing permits. Providing a one-year extension of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Making a technical correction regarding stewardship contracting authority. Prohibiting the use of funds to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. Prohibiting the use of funds from making any change to the regulations in effect on October 1, 2012, pertaining to the definitions of the terms ``fill material'' or ``discharge of fill material''. Prohibiting the use of funds to require permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material for certain agriculture activities. Prohibiting the use of funds to develop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce a change or supplement to a rule or guidance documents pertaining to the definition of waters under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Prohibiting the use of funds to limit recreational shooting and hunting on Federal and public lands except for public safety. Prohibiting the use of funds to enforce provisions within the lead renovation rule until EPA has approved a commercially available lead test kit or solicits public comment on alternatives. Prohibiting the use of funds to develop, propose, finalize, implement, enforce, or administer any regulation that would establish new financial responsibility requirements under CERCLA. Prohibiting the use of funds to develop, issue, implement, or enforce any greenhouse gas New Source Performance Standards on any new or existing source that is an electric utility generating unit. Making available vacant grazing allotments for permittees impacted by drought or wildfire. Clarifying the protection of water rights with regard to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management permits. Limiting the use of funds for status changes of certain chemicals. Setting requirements for the use of American iron and steel for certain loans and grants. Prohibiting the use of funds pertaining to certain updates to the social cost of carbon. Prohibiting the use of funds to implement or enforce a provision of a rule related to designated representatives. Addressing the implementation of national ambient air quality standards for ozone. Prohibiting the use of funds to develop, propose, finalize, implement, or enforce any rule or guideline to address methane emissions from sources in the oil and natural gas sector under section 111(b) or (d) of the Clean Air Act, and proposed guidelines from September 18, 2015. Prohibiting the use of funds to modify existing royalty rates on coal and oil and gas leases. Establishing a deadline for the review of the Federal coal program. Revising the definition of the National Gallery of Art's buildings and grounds commensurate with the Gallery's geographic boundaries. Prohibiting the use of funds for the Bureau of Land Management to update its planning process regulations unless it meets certain criteria. Providing for the humane transfer of excess wild horses and burros. Prohibiting the use of funds to list the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Directing the Indian Health Service to establish governance boards at certain federally operated hospitals, with the consent and participation of tribes. Addressing the Old and Middle River reverse flow operations in California. Addressing increased Old and Middle River reverse flows in California during certain times. Addressing certain water rights and water supply deliveries in California. Prohibiting funds to implement the San Joaquin River Restoration program. Prohibiting funds for instream flow purchases in California carried out by the Bureau of Reclamation at certain times. Addressing water storage at New Melones Reservoir. Prohibiting the use of funds to designate national monuments in certain counties. Establishing a Spending Reduction Account in the bill. Appropriations Not Authorized by Law Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following table lists the appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not authorized by law:
COMPARISON WITH BUDGET RESOLUTION Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, requires that the report accompanying a bill providing new budget authority contain a statement detailing how the authority compares with the reports submitted under section 302 of the Act for the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal year. This information follows:
FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, the following table contains five-year projections associated with the budget authority provided in the accompanying bill:
ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, the financial assistance to State and local governments is as follows:
PROGRAM DUPLICATION No provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. DIRECTED RULE MAKING Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5 (114th Congress), the Committee estimates that the bill directs two rule makings in section 119. TABLE OF FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS The following table provides the amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by account.
DISSENTING VIEWS The Interior, Environment and Related Agencies (Interior) Appropriations bill provides $32.095 billion for most of the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other related agencies. This allocation is $64 million less than the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. Environmental Protection The most significant programmatic cut is to the Environmental Protection Agency, which would receive $164 million less than the FY 2016 enacted level. This cut will impact the Agency's ability to protect public health and the environment, and will jeopardize clean air and water for our families and future generations. Draconian cuts to EPA would undermine EPA's ability to effectively regulate pollution. The bill starves EPA of resources for enforcement and legal services, cutting $37 million below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $115 million below the Administration's request. These cuts would reduce EPA's capacity to enforce and litigate environmental laws that are in place to protect individuals and create an unfair playing field in which big corporations are the winners and regular citizens are left unprotected. Disappointingly, the bill reduces the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by $394 million below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level. This cut is both austere and irresponsible. EPA's most recent Clean Watersheds Needs Survey estimated the investment required to meet wastewater and stormwater treatment and collection to be $271 billion. The bill's disinvestment in wastewater infrastructure is at odds with addressing this need. While funding for water infrastructure is woefully inadequate, the bill appropriately provides additional authority for states to offer debt relief in areas with elevated levels of lead in drinking water. However, this bill does not provide any funding specifically to assist the residents of Flint, Michigan, even though thousands of children and adults were poisoned by contaminated water as a result of corroded lead pipes. The situation in Flint is a culmination of years of weakening EPA through budget cuts and over-reliance on state agencies to manage federal environmental laws. All of our communities deserve and expect their government to provide clean water and basic public health protections. Residents of Flint were betrayed by their state government and to this day still do not have safe drinking water available from their taps. That is why it is imperative the Appropriations Committee provide additional funds for Flint, Michigan, under an emergency designation. A Federal State of Emergency was declared for Flint, yet the Committee voted down, along party lines, an amendment offered by Representatives McCollum and Wasserman Schultz to provide emergency funding to begin to address these responsibilities. It is unconscionable that American citizens have been victimized first by their state government and now by the Federal government. Resource Conservation The majority continues its assault on the Endangered Species Act in this bill, reducing funding for endangered species listing by 30 percent. This irresponsible cut opens the door for litigation and delays protecting and recovering vulnerable species. This bill also shortchanges the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which since its inception has protected conservation and recreation land in every State and supported tens of thousands of State and local projects. Yet, despite its merits, this bill slashes the LWCF program by a third. This successful program enjoys bipartisan support, as evidenced by the amendment offered and withdrawn by Republican Representative Fortenberry. Unfortunately an inadequate overall allocation does not provide sufficient resources for this important program. In light of the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, we strongly reject the majority's policy decision to leave the National Wildlife Refuge System vulnerable to those who seek to harm the refuge. Representative Kilmer's amendment, which failed, 20-29, would have saved taxpayer dollars by allowing the Fish and Wildlife Service to recover costs from any responsible party who has inflicted damage or injury to a National Wildlife Refuge and use those funds for the repair, restoration, or replacement of the refuge. Currently, fines and penalties resulting from litigation against responsible parties who damaged a refuge go to the U.S. Treasury. This amendment would have brought parity between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the other land management agencies in the Department of the Interior. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, as well as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration all have this authority. The costs associated with the recent 41 day illegal occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge highlight the importance of this authority. The current cost to the American taxpayer of this illegal occupation is $6.9 million, almost three times the annual appropriation of $2.5 million to operate Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The House majority's opposition to this amendment further supports their agenda to undermine federal management of public lands. Native American Issues Despite this bill's shortcomings in environmental protection and resource conservation, the subcommittee continues to maintain a non-partisan approach to addressing Native American issues, and the bill recommends an increase of $343 million for programs critical to Indian Country. The increased funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service is critical to fulfilling our federal trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations, including support for health care, education, and public safety. American Indian and Alaska Native populations face substantial hardships, and when compared to the total population, have poorer health, lower earnings, and higher poverty rates. The bill maintains the subcommittee's commitment to providing Native American students with safe schools that are conducive to learning and to fully funding contract support costs so tribes are not penalized for exercising their self- determination rights. National Park Service Another bright spot in this bill is the continued support for the National Park Service's Centennial Initiative. The bill recommends an additional $80 million for the Centennial, which will strengthen the foundation for visitor services and make essential infrastructure investments. We praise the Chairman for working with us to resurrect the Save America's Treasures program. This program funds preservation of nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts. Additionally, we note that the bill provides $11 million for the Civil Rights Initiative grant program, an increase of $3 million above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, but $14 million below the budget request. The bill also provides $3 million for grants-in-aid to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which is $3 million above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the request. Wildland Fire Funding Once again the majority has failed to adopt the common sense reforms requested by the Administration and championed in Representative Simpson's wildfire disaster funding bill. Every member of the Interior subcommittee is a cosponsor of that bill, yet the majority has balked, citing committee jurisdiction. The majority should adopt the Administration's proposal so costs associated with wildfires can be responsibly met without usurping base funding of other agencies in the Interior bill. Legislative Riders The bill includes numerous harmful funding limitations and legislative riders. The number and outrageous nature of the riders included in this bill pander to special interests at the expense of the public good. Once again the bill is loaded with veto-bait provisions that seek to derail the Administration's effort to combat climate change, restrict control of greenhouse gas emissions, and undermine clean water and clean air protections. This bill contains provisions that would undermine worker protections for agricultural workers and offshore oil rig workers. This includes a provision that would effectively and functionally deny workers information regarding pesticide application and hazard information. There is also a provision that would reverse the safety improvements developed following the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. Eleven lives were lost in that explosion. It is unconscionable this bill puts the profits of big agricultural and oil companies ahead of worker safety. The bill carries several harmful policy provisions that block the federal government's ability to use the Endangered Species Act and effectively repeals major federal land management statutes like the Federal Land Management Policy and Management Act and the National Forest Management Act by subordinating federal authority to undefined state land use plans. Democrats attempted to address many inadequacies through the amendment process in Committee. Ranking Member McCollum offered an amendment to remove thirty-three partisan riders, including those affecting the Department of the Interior, EPA and U.S. Forest Service. The majority strongly rejected these efforts. Ranking Member Lowey offered an amendment to strike section 429, which delays implementation of EPA's lead renovation, repair, and painting rule. The amendment failed along party lines, and the majority effectively stripped EPA of one of its tools for addressing lead paint in homes. Instead, more controversial riders were added during Committee mark-up, including one that undermines the Antiquities Act, prohibiting the use of funds to make a Presidential declaration of a national monument in several specific counties across the country. There were also several Republican amendments adopted that delayed the Administration from finalizing rules related to land use and energy use. The majority also offered and approved an amendment related to California's complex water challenges, which would inject ill- considered and controversial language that preempts state water law, court decisions, and statutory environmental protections, and has no place on an appropriations bill. Finally, the majority once again rejected an amendment to provide the full $1.9 billion requested by the Administration to protect Americans from the Zika virus. We cannot support this bill given in its current form given the inclusion of ideological riders, dramatic cuts to environmental protection, and the insufficient allocation for the overall bill. Despite our current opposition, we intend to continue to work with Chairman Calvert through this year's appropriations process to produce a responsible bill that both parties can support. Nita M. Lowey. Betty McCollum.