Environment

HR 3991, the Research for Healthy Soils Act, authorizes federal research grants to study how microplastics and PFAS chemicals (like those in firefighting foam) in agricultural compost and biosolids affect farmland. It directs research on measuring these substances in soil, developing filtration methods for compost, assessing crop uptake, and finding ways to clean contaminated soil. The bill does not regulate or ban these chemicals but funds scientific study to understand their agricultural impacts. It also extends funding deadlines for existing research programs through 2031. This affects researchers, agricultural extension services, and farmers through future scientific findings, not immediate policy changes.

HR 2122, the IMPACT Act 2.0, provides federal funding to help states adopt low-emission construction materials for highway projects. It reimburses states for the extra cost of using low-emission cement, concrete, asphalt binder, or mixtures (up to 2% of project costs) and creates a public directory of approved materials. States must update their specifications to prioritize performance and emissions data to qualify, with $15 million authorized for 2025-2027. The bill also allows states to enter multi-year contracts for innovative, domestically produced low-emission materials that meet durability and environmental standards. It directly affects state highway departments and construction material producers seeking to supply these materials.

HR 6674, the CLAIM Act of 2025, changes the annual maintenance fee for hardrock mining claims on federal land based on proximity to protected areas like National Parks and monuments. It establishes tiered fees: $1,100 for claims mostly within protected areas, decreasing to $300 for claims over 30 miles away, replacing the traditional "assessment work" requirement under the 1872 Mining Law. Small miners (holding ≤10 claims, ≤200 acres, or earning <$50,000 annually from mining) are exempt from these fees. Excess fees collected fund conservation programs, with 40% allocated to infrastructure projects, 20% to Tribal preservation, and 10% each to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and national park restoration. The bill directly affects individual miners and small operations holding claims near protected lands.

This bill modernizes the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which pays farmers to convert environmentally sensitive land to conservation uses. It clarifies definitions for "conservation buffers" (like riparian buffers, prairie strips, and wetland buffers), expands eligible land to include grasslands, wetlands (such as prairie potholes), and marginal pasture, and updates payment rules. Payments for establishing conservation practices (e.g., fencing, vegetation) remain at 50% of costs, but annual rental payments for reenrolled land decrease by 10 percentage points per renewal (starting at 85% for the first reenrollment). The changes directly affect farmers and landowners enrolled in CRP, as well as state/tribal partners proposing conservation plans.

Farmers Freedom Act of 2025 This bill excludes certain prior converted cropland from permit requirements under the Clean Water Act, including Section 404 permits for discharges of dredged materials into waters of the United States (WOTUS). The exclusion applies to areas that were converted to cropland prior to December 23, 1985. However, the bill does not exclude an area that has reverted to wetlands and has not been used for agricultural purposes in five years. In recent years, there has not been regulatory consistency about which cropland, such as cropland that has reverted to wetlands, is protected under the scope of the act as WOTUS. In 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the Navigable Waters Protection Rule that, among other provisions, defined  prior converted cropland in order to specify which cropland is excluded from the scope of the act. However, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona vacated the rule in Pascua Yaqui Tribe v. EPA . In 2023, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers issued another rule that excluded prior converted cropland from the scope of the act, but they defined the exclusion more narrowly than the exclusion in the 2020 rule.  Similar to the 2020 rule, this bill broadens the exclusion. The bill determines the scope of the exclusion by defining the term prior converted cropland in statute .

SJRES 122 is a joint resolution seeking to disapprove an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that approved Indiana's Regional Haze Plan for the second implementation period under federal air quality regulations. If passed, the resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preventing the EPA's approval of Indiana's haze reduction plan from being enforced. This follows a standard congressional disapproval process under federal law that allows Congress to halt agency rules within a specific timeframe. The resolution directly affects the EPA's ability to implement the approved plan in Indiana.

The BEACH Act of 2025 updates federal water quality monitoring for coastal areas by expanding the definition of covered waters to include nearby shallow upstream waters and areas "adjacent to or present on" public beaches. It allows states and local governments using federal grants to identify specific pollution sources in these waters, rather than just monitoring general water quality. The bill extends annual funding for the program from $30 million per year through 2029 (previously 2001-2005) and requires the Environmental Protection Agency to update guidance to reflect new water testing technologies. This directly affects coastal states managing beach water quality and public health notifications.

HR 5735, the Coastal Infrastructure Improvement Act, establishes a 6-year federal research program to develop nature-inspired erosion control technologies for coastal areas. The bill directly affects coastal communities vulnerable to flooding and erosion by funding research into alternatives to traditional hard structures like seawalls. Key provisions require the Army Corps of Engineers to study biomimetic methods (such as systems mimicking natural processes) that protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems, with research conducted across diverse geographic locations. The program mandates annual reports to Congress evaluating outcomes and recommending future action, focusing on cost-effective, habitat-friendly solutions.

The Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to conserve forest land through easements. The program provides cost-share assistance (50-75% of fair market value) for eligible entities to purchase forest land easements or for the Secretary to purchase forest reserve easements directly. It requires forest management plans for enrolled land, prioritizes protection of endangered species habitat, and sets aside 10% of annual funding for beginning, socially disadvantaged, veteran, and limited resource forest landowners. The program replaces the Healthy Forests Reserve Program and allocates $100 million annually from 2026-2030 for implementation.

HR 2063 prohibits "natural asset companies" from entering agreements related to land or natural assets in Utah. These companies are defined as corporations managing defined areas for conservation, restoration, or sustainable use, or similar organizations. The bill directly affects such companies by banning all agreements involving Utah land or its natural assets. This creates a clear legal restriction on their operations within the state.