Environment

Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 This bill (commonly known as the farm bill) reauthorizes through FY2031 and modifies Department of Agriculture programs that address commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, energy, horticulture, crop insurance, livestock and other animals, and foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land.

The FIRE Act amends the Clean Air Act to clarify when air quality monitoring data affected by wildfires or prescribed fire (a state-approved wildfire risk mitigation practice) can be excluded from compliance calculations with air quality standards. It expands the definition of "exceptional events" to include natural wildfires and human activities mimicking natural events (like prescribed burns), while excluding common weather patterns and pollution from noncompliance. The bill requires the EPA to conduct regional analysis for multistate wildfire events and create a public website tracking state petitions for data exclusion. This change primarily affects how states and the EPA handle air quality data during wildfire seasons and when using prescribed fire as a management tool.

HR 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, repeals specific energy efficiency standards for federal buildings. It directly affects federal agencies and buildings subject to the repealed standards under Section 305(a)(3)(D) of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6834(a)(3)(D)). The bill removes these standards from federal law, stating they "shall have no force or effect," and updates related provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to eliminate references to the repealed standards. This is a procedural repeal focused solely on removing existing requirements, not creating new infrastructure or policy.

Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations Act or the RED Tape Act This bill removes the requirement under the Clean Air Act that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review and comment on newly authorized federal construction projects and other major federal agency actions that already require review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and proposed federal regulations.

The FENCES Act clarifies that states can avoid penalties under the Clean Air Act for failing to meet air quality standards if pollution originates from outside U.S. borders (regardless of human activity). It allows states to demonstrate to the EPA that nonattainment areas (for ozone or particulate matter) would meet standards but for pollution from outside their borders, exceptional events, or mobile sources beyond their control. States must renew this demonstration every five years to maintain the exemption from sanctions or fees. The bill does not change air quality standards but prevents penalties for pollution sources outside a state’s jurisdiction. It applies directly to states and local areas struggling with air quality due to external pollution sources.

This resolution allows the House of Representatives to consider four separate pieces of legislation without certain procedural objections. It directly affects the legislative process by streamlining how specific bills and a resolution move through the House. The first three items are bills that amend the Clean Air Act to address air quality monitoring during wildfires, EPA review procedures, and international emissions standards. The fourth item is a resolution expressing support for tax policies aimed at helping working families. This procedural measure does not change policy itself but enables the House to vote on these underlying proposals.

Mining Regulatory Clarity Act This bill allows mining operators to use federal lands for activities ancillary to mining, such as waste disposal, regardless of whether those lands contain mineral deposits valuable enough to be mined (mineral validity). It also establishes the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund. The bill addresses a 2022 decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit related to the Rosemont Copper Mine in Arizona (commonly known as the Rosemont decision , described further in CRS Report R48166 ). The court held that mining claims are only allowed where mineral validity has been established and that mill site claims are more appropriate means for establishing a mining waste disposal site under the Mining Act. The bill allows a mining operator to (1) locate and include within its plan of operations as many mill site claims (e.g., areas for waste rock disposal) as are reasonably necessary for its operations, and (2) use or occupy public land in accordance with an approved plan of operations. Additionally, the bill requires any revenue generated from fees for such mill site claims to be deposited into the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund. The Department of the Interior must use the fund for certain abandoned hardrock mine reclamation activities.

Homeowner Energy Freedom Act This bill repeals the Department of Energy's (1) high-efficiency electric home rebate program for certain electrification projects in low- or moderate-income households, (2) state-based home energy efficiency contractor training grants, and (3) assistance for states and local governments to adopt specified building energy codes. It also rescinds any unobligated balances available for the rebates or adopting the building energy codes. (The unobligated balances for the contractor training grants were previously rescinded by the 2025 reconciliation act.)

This bill, titled "Pet and Livestock Protection Act," is misleading; it actually focuses on gray wolf management. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a 2020 rule removing gray wolves from the endangered species list within 60 days of enactment. The bill also prohibits courts from reviewing this reissuance. This directly affects gray wolf populations and management policies in states where wolves are present, shifting regulatory control away from federal endangered species protections.

The PERMIT Act (HR 3898) amends the definition of "navigable waters" under the Clean Water Act to exclude specific water features from federal regulation. It explicitly removes waste treatment systems, ephemeral streams (flowing only after rain), prior converted cropland, groundwater, and other features designated by regulators. This change directly affects federal agencies like the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, reducing their jurisdiction over these excluded water bodies. The bill aims to streamline permitting by clarifying which waters fall under federal Clean Water Act oversight.