Environment

The Local Input Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to actively engage with the public, state and local governments, and federally recognized tribes before offering federal land for oil or gas leasing. This process mandates that officials publicly disclose leasing proposals and analyze potential impacts on land resources and other uses, while also providing a specific opportunity for community comment. The bill empowers the Secretary to decide against leasing a parcel if the gathered input suggests it should not be offered. These changes directly affect federal land management decisions and increase the role of local stakeholders in energy development on public lands.

The Cleaner Transportation Access for All Act extends federal tax credits for purchasing clean vehicles and installing charging equipment through 2031, while also allowing a higher credit amount for home charging installations. It establishes a new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to coordinate federal efforts on electric vehicle infrastructure and creates an Electric Vehicle Commission to study industry needs and safety issues. The legislation authorizes billions in funding to expand charging networks, with specific requirements that states prioritize underserved communities and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Additionally, the bill mandates that electric vehicle charging stations be permitted on public curbsides and expands access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes for clean vehicles.

The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act designates the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly as a top research priority for federal agricultural programs. It authorizes the issuance of grants to develop and share new tools and treatments aimed at controlling this pest. Additionally, the bill extends the funding period for these high-priority agricultural research initiatives from 2023 to 2028.

This bill establishes the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act, which creates new funding streams to help U.S. public schools, including those run by the Bureau of Indian Education, become environmentally sustainable and resilient to climate change. It directs billions of dollars toward retrofitting existing school buildings to be energy-efficient and zero-carbon, constructing new green schools, and hiring local educators and support staff to improve school environments and community partnerships. The legislation also mandates that a significant portion of funds be used in environmental justice communities to address inequities, while requiring contractors to pay prevailing wages and prioritize hiring from local and historically disadvantaged groups. Additionally, the bill sets up a new office within the Department of Education to coordinate these efforts and ensures that schools can serve as community centers during disasters by upgrading infrastructure for power, water, and internet access.

The FISH Act of 2026 establishes a federal list of foreign vessels and their owners engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing or forced labor, requiring the Secretary of Commerce to maintain this public registry with specific details about each entry. To enforce this list, the bill mandates that foreign owners or beneficial owners of listed vessels be denied U.S. visas and have any existing entry documentation revoked, while also directing the Coast Guard to increase patrols and boardings of suspected violators on the high seas. The legislation further requires the creation of strategies to identify seafood linked to forced labor, mandates regular reports on enforcement actions and the economic impacts of illegal fishing, and authorizes funding to support international efforts to combat these practices.

The Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act prevents the Bureau of Land Management from approving any expansion of the Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry. Specifically, it bars the processing of applications for increased mineral operations or sales contracts on specific land parcels in Garfield County, Colorado, that are currently designated for mining. This restriction directly affects the quarry's ability to grow and limits future development on the identified sections of public land.

The National Coordination on Resilience for Security Act of 2026 creates a new Chief Resilience Officer within the National Security Council to lead federal efforts in preparing for natural hazards and enhancing national security. This official will establish interagency working groups and a Partners Council on Resilience that includes representatives from state, local, tribal, and private sector entities to coordinate strategies and identify funding gaps. The bill requires the development of a National Resilience Strategy that outlines how federal agencies will collaborate with non-federal partners to improve infrastructure, reduce waste, and support vulnerable communities. Additionally, the act mandates the creation of a public clearinghouse to share resilience data and technical assistance, with all provisions set to expire after ten years or following a third independent assessment.

The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 updates the Clean Air Act to broaden the definition of renewable biomass eligible for carbon credits. It specifically allows materials from forest management, such as slash, storm debris, and wood residuals, to be counted as renewable fuel if they come from sustainably managed lands or public forests designated for fuel reduction. The bill also includes vegetation cleared from defensible space around buildings and from wildfire risk reduction projects in the wildland-urban interface. By clarifying these categories and establishing certification requirements, the legislation aims to increase the supply of biomass available for generating renewable energy credits.

The Green New Deal for Health Act establishes a comprehensive federal framework to address the intersection of climate change and public health by creating new offices, expanding funding, and mandating specific actions across the health care sector. It directly affects hospitals, health care providers, medical manufacturers, health professions schools, and communities identified as environmentally or medically underserved. Key provisions include establishing an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity to develop a national strategic action plan, requiring hospitals to provide detailed notifications and mitigation plans before discontinuing services or closing, and offering grants to modernize medical facilities for climate resilience. The bill also mandates that the health care sector disclose climate risks associated with medical supplies, expands Medicare coverage for home resiliency services like heat pumps for vulnerable patients, and allocates billions in funding to train health workers on climate-related health risks. Additionally, the legislation creates a research initiative to study climate impacts on health and establishes requirements for green, zero-emission medical manufacturing and supply chains.

The Safe Baby Formula Act of 2026 directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study the health effects of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in infant formula within one year of passing. Following this study, the agency must set specific safety limits for these toxic metals in formula products within 90 days. When establishing these limits, the law requires the department to consider how easy it is to meet the standards, its ability to enforce rules on imported goods, and the potential impact on food security. This legislation directly affects infant formula manufacturers and regulators by mandating the creation of evidence-based safety standards for heavy metals.