Environment (Waste Management)

The Jobs, Not Waste Act of 2026 permanently ends the federal government's effort to build a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain by withdrawing the construction application and terminating the associated licensing process. The bill prohibits the Secretary of Energy from considering the site for this purpose in the future and requires the Department of Energy to reclaim the land and mitigate any environmental damage caused by previous activities. Additionally, it mandates that the Office of Management and Budget submit a report to Congress within 180 days analyzing the economic potential and job-creation benefits of alternative uses for the site, such as defense facilities, renewable energy development, and scientific research.

The Recycling Infrastructure and Data Accountability Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency to study the feasibility of creating a national database to track recycling facilities, material flows, and program performance. This study will identify regions with limited access to recycling services, catalog major waste and recycling facilities, and analyze economic barriers that hinder the development of new processing centers. If the EPA determines the project is viable, it must establish and maintain a publicly accessible online database within a year of submitting its final report to Congress. The bill aims to improve transparency and planning for recycling infrastructure without mandating specific construction projects or funding allocations.

This bill directs the Department of Energy to create a competitive facility called the Critical Materials Processing Technology Testbed to develop and test new methods for processing essential raw materials. The Testbed will focus on improving technologies to reduce energy use, water consumption, pollution, and costs while enhancing worker safety and waste management. Funding of $150 million for 2027 and $25 million annually through 2031 is authorized to support the facility, which may be located at one or more sites involving national laboratories, universities, and private companies. The program includes requirements to transfer research results to industry and ensure that intellectual property remains within the United States.

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027 This bill provides FY2027 appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and several independent agencies. The bill provides appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, including for Investigations, Construction, Mississippi River and Tributaries, Operation and Maintenance, the Regulatory Program, Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, Expenses, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for the Central Utah Project and the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill provides appropriations to DOE for energy programs, including Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation; Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response; Electricity; Nuclear Energy; Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy; Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves; the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve; the Energy Information Administration; Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup; the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund; Science; Nuclear Waste Disposal; the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy; the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program; the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program; the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program; Indian Energy Policy and Programs; Departmental Administration; and the Office of the Inspector General. The bill also provides appropriations to DOE for Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Environmental and Other Defense Activities, and the Power Marketing Administrations. The bill provides appropriations to several independent agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an ongoing study on aluminum recycling and disposal. The study must assess how much aluminum ends up in landfills and examine related market factors. Every three years, the Secretary must submit a detailed report to Congress covering landfill amounts, export data, technology improvements, and policies to keep aluminum in the domestic supply chain. The report will also analyze how increased recycling affects U.S. dependence on foreign entities and domestic manufacturing capacity.

The FLASH Act authorizes construction of navigable roads along federal border lands to improve U.S. Customs and Border Protection access and operational control. It requires federal agencies to develop protocols for reducing trash accumulation and environmental degradation from unauthorized border crossings, while targeting illegal cannabis cultivation sites with environmental response initiatives. The bill prohibits using federal funds to provide housing for undocumented immigrants on federal lands and establishes criminal penalties for illegal pesticide use. The legislation affects how federal land management agencies (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) operate along the southern border, with specific reporting requirements for environmental impacts and trash collection.

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and several independent agencies. The bill provides appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, including for Investigations, Construction, Mississippi River and Tributaries, Operation and Maintenance, the Regulatory Program, Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, Expenses, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for the Central Utah Project and the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill provides appropriations to DOE for energy programs, including Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response; Electricity; Grid Deployment; Nuclear Energy; Fossil Energy; Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves; the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve; the Energy Information Administration; Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup; the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund; Science; Nuclear Waste Disposal; the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy; the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program; the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program; the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program; Indian Energy Policy and Programs; Departmental Administration; and the Office of the Inspector General. The bill also provides appropriations to DOE for Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Environmental and Other Defense Activities, and the Power Marketing Administrations. The bill provides appropriations to several independent agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 (S 3293) allocates approximately $13.5 billion in federal funding for energy and water infrastructure programs for fiscal year 2026. The bill provides specific funding for Corps of Engineers civil works projects including flood control, river and harbor maintenance, and aquatic ecosystem restoration, as well as for Department of Energy programs focused on energy efficiency, nuclear energy, and grid infrastructure. It establishes the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program with $5 million allocated to support dam safety projects and levee maintenance for state and local entities. The bill includes detailed provisions governing how funds can be reprogrammed across different programs, with specific limits on reprogramming amounts for various categories. This funding bill directly affects federal agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as state and local governments that receive federal funding for water infrastructure projects.

HR 466, the Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act, requires the federal government to obtain written consent from specific local entities before using Nuclear Waste Fund money for repository development. It mandates agreements with the state governor, affected local governments, contiguous local governments handling transport routes, and affected tribal nations. These agreements must be binding, in writing, and require mutual consent to amend or revoke. The bill directly affects states, local governments, and tribal nations near proposed nuclear waste repository sites by making their approval a prerequisite for federal spending on the project. This changes the process by requiring consent before funds are spent, rather than allowing the federal government to proceed unilaterally.

This bill provides new grant and low-interest loan options (zero percent or 1 percent interest) for rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal systems. It directly assists eligible rural facilities facing public health/safety needs or financial hardship in disadvantaged or economically distressed areas. Key provisions allow the Secretary to forgive loan principal/interest, modify loan terms, or refinance existing loans - though new loans cannot be combined with these modifications for the same facility. Eligibility for hardship-based assistance requires the Secretary to establish affordability metrics based on water costs relative to median household income in each area. The bill amends existing rural water programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.