Environment: North Dakota Congressional Delegation

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 15, 2026

S 4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026

The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct numerous feasibility studies and modify existing projects focused on flood risk management, coastal storm protection, navigation improvements, and ecosystem restoration across the United States. It establishes new grant programs and funding authorizations for the Environmental Protection Agency to support drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including specific provisions for small and disadvantaged communities, lead reduction, and cybersecurity resilience. The legislation also directs the EPA to create initiatives for water sector cybersecurity, combats plastic waste, and updates regulations regarding nonpotable aquifer use for industrial wells.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Drinking Water

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 22, 2026

S 4851: SCALE Act of 2026

The SCALE Act of 2026 creates a new grant program to help states and eligible Indian tribes improve soil health and wildlife habitat on agricultural lands. Between fiscal years 2027 and 2031, the Department of Agriculture will provide up to $10 million annually to recipients that meet specific performance standards, with a total funding pool of $250 million. To receive these funds, applicants must submit a plan detailing their goals and agree to match federal dollars with their own state or tribal funds, unless they cannot provide the full match. The law also sets strict rules on how the money can be spent, limiting administrative costs and prohibiting conditions that would force changes to existing local programs. Recipients must submit annual audit results and could be disqualified from future funding if they fail to comply with the grant terms.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Wildlife

in committee · United States · House Jun 24, 2026

HR 9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250

This bill redesignates the existing National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund as the America's Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance on federal lands. It directs revenue from recreation fees and a portion of energy development income into the fund, which must be used primarily for repairing critical infrastructure like roads, trails, and buildings managed by agencies such as the National Park Service and the Forest Service. The legislation establishes strict rules requiring that most funds go toward non-transportation projects, mandates transparency through public dashboards tracking project status, and sets aside a small percentage for matching private donations. Additionally, the bill increases entrance fees for foreign visitors to ensure they contribute to the fund, while prohibiting the use of these specific funds for land acquisition or employee bonuses.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Forestry Parks & Recreation Public Lands

in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 7954: Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act

This bill establishes a framework for the Department of the Interior to work with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to restore and manage buffalo populations on Indian lands. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide contracts, grants, and technical assistance to support tribal buffalo restoration programs, commercial buffalo activities, and mobile meat processing facilities. The legislation also requires ongoing consultation between the Department and tribes on buffalo management initiatives and ensures that culturally sensitive tribal information remains confidential. Additionally, the bill allows for the transfer of surplus buffalo from federal lands to Indian lands and explicitly preserves existing treaty rights of Indian Tribes, with all provisions set to expire seven years after enactment.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Public Lands Wildlife Tags Tribal Nations

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 5, 2026

S 4023: America’s Living Library Act

This bill establishes the America's Living Library Project, a pilot program within the Department of the Interior to collect and analyze genomic data from species found in National Park System units. The program will create a publicly available genomic database while protecting sensitive location information and requires coordination with multiple federal agencies including the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and Department of Agriculture. It authorizes funding through fiscal year 2031 to support genome sequencing, sample storage, and data management, with initial implementation at five selected parks and potential expansion to twenty additional units within two years. The bill also mandates tribal consultation, establishes cybersecurity safeguards for genomic data, and includes provisions for long-term sample storage in U.S. facilities only.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 3931: Kids on the Go Act of 2025

HR 3931, the Kids on the Go Act of 2025, requires states to appoint a "Safe routes to school coordinator" for transportation projects. If a state hires such a coordinator, the federal government will cover 95% of eligible project costs under the relevant transportation program (previously a lower percentage). This bill directly affects state transportation agencies and school districts receiving federal funds for safe routes to school initiatives. The key change is the increased federal funding rate tied to the coordinator position, aiming to improve student safety during school commutes. The bill does not mandate hiring but offers a significant funding incentive for states that choose to implement this role.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics School Safety School Transportation Bicycle Infrastructure Pedestrian Safety Roads & Highways

in committee · United States · House Jul 21, 2026

HR 6633: High-Capacity Grid Act

This bill requires public utilities to use the most efficient and high-capacity power line conductors available when building new transmission lines or making major upgrades to existing lines under federal jurisdiction. It creates a legal presumption that costs for these "best-available" conductors will be approved in rate cases, while costs for less efficient conductors will likely be denied. The rule applies only to projects overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC must issue specific rules within 180 days to define what qualifies as a "best-available" conductor based on capacity, efficiency, and thermal performance.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Electric Grid Transmission Utility Regulation

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 6, 2025

S 456: STEAM Act

S 456, the STEAM Act, amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include geothermal resources under existing environmental review requirements for energy projects. It updates Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act to explicitly add "geothermal" alongside "gas" in provisions governing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews for exploration and development. This change directly affects geothermal energy developers by extending the same federal permitting and environmental review processes currently applied to gas projects. The bill modifies legal language to ensure geothermal projects undergo the same federal environmental assessments as gas projects, without creating new programs or altering funding.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Oil & Gas Pipeline Infrastructure

passed · United States · Senate Sep 10, 2026

S 1377: Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act

This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to maintain a genetically diverse herd of at least 150 wild horses in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Secretary must develop a management plan within 120 days of the bill's enactment, focused on cost-effective horse management that protects park resources. It prohibits removing horses from the park except to maintain genetic diversity, in emergencies, or to protect public health and safety. The Secretary must also annually monitor and publicly report on the herd's population, structure, and health.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 17, 2026

S 1547: America the Beautiful Act

The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through 2033, increasing its annual funding from $1.9 billion to $2 billion. It requires that projects funded by the Legacy Restoration Fund must secure at least 15% of their costs from public donations, which will be solicited through public awareness campaigns, donation locations at recreation sites, and during the purchase of recreation passes. The bill also mandates new reporting requirements for deferred maintenance and disposal of assets no longer serving public interest, while ensuring donations are credited to the Fund and allocated to specific projects.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Conservation Parks & Recreation Public Lands

All environment bills