The Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2026 updates federal programs to extend their funding periods through fiscal year 2031 and establishes a new Transportation Statistics Coordination Council to oversee data collection across the Department of Transportation. The bill also creates a study on the safety impacts of new headlamp technologies and requires a strategy to increase the use of reclaimed asphalt in road construction. Additionally, it expands rail research to address safety challenges in modern commuter and freight systems while ensuring data standards remain consistent.
The Federal Mechanical Insulation Act of 2026 amends existing federal energy conservation laws to formally recognize mechanical insulation as an energy efficiency measure in government buildings. This legislation defines mechanical insulation as materials used in mechanical systems that meet specific engineering standards and reduce energy loss. Under the new requirements, federal facilities must identify these insulation measures during their comprehensive energy and water assessments. The bill applies specifically to the management and reporting of energy usage within federal properties.
The Make DTE Pay Act amends the Clean Air Act to increase penalties for investor-owned electric and gas utilities that fail to comply with environmental regulations. Specifically, the bill requires that if a utility raises its rates within two years before or after receiving a penalty, the fine amount must be doubled. This provision directly affects utility companies by ensuring they cannot offset the financial cost of noncompliance with rate hikes passed on to consumers. The law aims to prevent utilities from using rate increases to recover the money they owe to the government for environmental violations.
This Senate resolution aims to raise public awareness about lake sturgeon, a large, slow-reproducing freshwater fish found across the Great Lakes and Northeastern United States. The bill encourages collaboration among federal, state, tribal, and Canadian partners to manage and restore lake sturgeon populations while protecting their habitats and controlling invasive species. It also calls for educating anglers and communities on proper handling of these fish and highlights their cultural significance to Indigenous communities.
The Advancing Water Reuse Act creates a new federal tax credit to encourage investment in water recycling infrastructure. This 30 percent credit applies to businesses and utilities that install, replace, or modify onsite water recycling systems in industrial, manufacturing, data center, or food processing facilities. Eligible projects also include those that replace freshwater with recycled municipal water or build new municipal water recycling systems. To qualify, the construction of the project must begin within ten years of the bill's enactment, and the credit is calculated based on the cost of tangible property placed in service during the taxable year.
The Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act of 2026 streamlines federal permitting for energy projects by reducing environmental review requirements and setting strict deadlines for agency actions. It modifies the Clean Water Act to limit state authority in certifying water discharges, mandates that certain energy and carbon dioxide pipeline projects be exempt from NEPA reviews, and establishes a 120-day limit for courts to decide lawsuits challenging these permits. The bill also extends nuclear reactor licenses to a maximum of 60 years, exempts new nuclear reactors at existing sites from NEPA compliance, and restricts judicial review of tribal trust resource projects to claims brought by the tribes themselves. Additionally, it creates a 150-day statute of limitations for most NEPA-related lawsuits and requires courts to issue final decisions on environmental challenges within 180 days.
The Protecting America's Drinking Water from Extreme Temperatures Act of 2026 expands the existing Safe Drinking Water Act to include extreme temperatures as a specific risk factor for midsize and large drinking water systems. By amending Section 1459F, the bill requires these systems to consider heat-related threats alongside traditional hazards like flooding when planning infrastructure improvements. Additionally, the legislation updates the program's funding timeline, shifting the covered period from 2022 through 2026 to 2027 through 2032.
The BIO-SCALE Act establishes a program to build at least three regional, nonprofit facilities designed to help bioindustrial companies test and scale up new technologies for producing chemicals, fuels, and materials. Funded by approximately $462 million over ten years, these open-access sites will provide large-scale equipment for public and private organizations to move innovations from the lab to commercial production without intellectual property barriers. The Department of Commerce will select facility locations through a competitive process that prioritizes areas near raw material sources and regions with existing biotech industries to promote economic growth and national security.
This bill establishes a federal system to protect and restore wildlife corridors on public lands, aiming to help native species move safely across fragmented habitats affected by development and climate change. It creates a new mapping and science program to identify critical wildlife pathways, designates specific federal lands as National Wildlife Corridors, and sets up a coordinating committee of federal agencies and stakeholders to manage these areas. The legislation also authorizes grants for private landowners, states, tribes, and local governments to implement conservation projects that improve habitat connectivity on non-federal lands.
The Caja del Rio Protection Act establishes two new protected areas in New Mexico: the Caja del Rio Special Management Area within the Santa Fe National Forest and the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These areas cover approximately 85,000 acres total and aim to conserve cultural, spiritual, ecological, and historical values while enhancing opportunities for local Indigenous tribes to participate in management. The bill restricts new road construction and limits motorized vehicle use to designated routes, requires the decommissioning of unauthorized roads, and withdraws the land from mining and mineral leasing operations. Additionally, the legislation facilitates a potential land swap where the federal government would transfer certain Bureau of Land Management parcels to the state in exchange for state trust land within the conservation boundary. The act also mandates the development of comprehensive management plans that incorporate Indigenous knowledge and ensure tribal access for traditional cultural and religious practices.
