Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

# Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024: Summary This comprehensive appropriations bill allocates funding for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies for fiscal year 2024, with several key provisions and restrictions: ## Major Funding Allocations - **Indian Health Service**: $4.719 billion (becoming available October 1, 2024), including $998.755 million for Purchased/Referred Care, $74.138 million for the Indian Health Care Improvement Fund, and $291.702 million for the Electronic Health Record System. - **Indian Health Facilities**: $508.326 million (becoming available October 1, 2024), including $457.063 million for Sanitation Facilities Construction and Health Care Facilities Construction. - **Environmental Protection Agency**: Specific funding for various programs, including $85 million for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. - **National Institutes of Health**: $83 million for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. ## Key Provisions and Restrictions - **Wild Horse and Burro Protections**: Prohibits destruction of healthy, unadopted wild horses/burros and sale for commercial processing; requires humane treatment for transferred animals. - **Contract Support Costs**: Limits funds for contract support costs arising from self-determination or self-governance contracts for fiscal year 2024. - **No-Bid Contracts**: Prohibits no-bid contracts unless specifically authorized by law. - **Use of Funds**: Prohibits using funds for: - Promoting legislative proposals - Destruction of healthy wild horses/burros - Certain environmental regulations (e.g., greenhouse gas reporting requirements for manure management) - Regulating lead content in ammunition - Accepting oil and gas leasing in Chaco Canyon without cultural resources investigation ## Program Authorizations and Extensions - **National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund**: Requires allocation of funds within 45 days of enactment. - **Land and Water Conservation Fund**: Requires specific allocation of funds for projects. - **Forest Service Facility Realignment**: Extends authority through September 30, 2024. - **Tribal Leases**: Requires consultation with tribes on lease implementation. - **Wild Horse and Burro Program**: Authorizes transfer of excess animals to government agencies for use as work animals. ## Other Notable Provisions - **Funding Restrictions**: Prohibits use of funds for computer networks that don't block access to pornography websites (except for law enforcement). - **Biomass Energy Policies**: Requires interagency coordination on forest biomass energy policies. - **Timber Sales**: Sets requirements for timber sales in Alaska, including deficit sales restrictions. - **Rescissions**: Permanently rescinds $100 million from unobligated balances of National Park Service grants and $350 million from unobligated balances of other funds. The bill contains numerous technical corrections, extensions of existing authorizations, and specific program requirements designed to guide agency implementation of federal environmental and resource management programs.