This week, the House is scheduled to begin consideration of H.R. 2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2012, subject to a rule (H.Res. 337). The bill was introduced on June 24, 2011, by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill is scheduled to be considered under a rule providing for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule provides for consideration of any amendment offered that complies with the House rules. Under the rule, amendments will be considered following general debate pursuant to the five-minute rule.
H.R. 2354 would provide a total of $30.6 billion in non-emergency, discretionary budget authority for the agencies and programs funded through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. Budget authority in the bill would be a reduction of $1 billion or 3.3 percent below the spending level for FY 2011 and $5.9 billion or 16 percent below the president's request. H.R. 2354 would meet Republicans’ pledge to roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels with exceptions for seniors, veterans, and our troops by reducing budget authority by $249 million below the FY 2008 level of $30.8 billion. The bill would contribute to an overall level of discretionary budget authority of $1.019 trillion for FY 2012, a reduction of $30.3 billion below FY 2011.
H.R. 2354 would provide funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the Bureau of Water Reclamation, nuclear energy and waste disposal, technology loans, uranium enrichment, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The following is a summary of the spending highlights and other provisions in the bill.
Energy and Water FY 2012 Appropriated Budget Authority | |||||||
Program | FY 2011 | President Request | H.R. 2354 | Change from FY 2011 | Change from Request | Change from FY 2011 % | Change from Request % |
Bill Total | 31,682,000 | 36,539,809 | 30,638,727 | -1,043,273 | -5,901,082 | -3.3% | -16.1% |
TITLE I-Army Corps of Engineers
In total, H.R. 2354 would provide $4.76 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), a reduction of $88 million or 2 percent below FY 2011 and an increase of $195 million or 4 percent above the president’s request.
Construction: H.R. 2354 would provide $1.56 billion for USACE construction, a reduction of $47 million or 3 percent below FY 2011. Funding for USACE construction would be an increase of $85 million or 6 percent above the president’s request.
Mississippi River and Tributaries: H.R. 2354 would provide $210 million for the planning, construction, and maintenance of projects to reduce flood damage in the lower Mississippi River valley. Mississippi River funding in the bill would represent a decrease of $32 million or 13 percent from FY 2011 and an increase of $58 million above the president’s request.
Operations and Maintenance: H.R. 2354 would provide $2.3 billion for USACE operations and maintenance, an increase of $706,000 above FY 2011 and $52 million or 2 percent above the president’s request.
Flood Control: H.R. 2354 would provide $27 million for flood control and coastal emergencies, which received no funding from regular FY 2011 appropriations. Funding for flood control emergencies is the same amount as the president’s request.
TITLE II-Department of Interior
Bureau of Reclamation: H.R. 2354 would provide $934 million for the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), a decrease of $160 million or 15 percent from FY 2011 and $117 million or 11 percent below the president’s request. Funding for the BOR is used by the Department of Interior to manage and develop water resources in western states.
TITLE III-Department of Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: H.R. 2354 would provide $1.3 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, a reduction of $491 million or 27 percent from FY 2011 and a reduction of $1.8 billion or 59 percent from the president’s request. Funds under this section provide for renewable energy and energy efficiency research, development, and deployment activities as well as federal energy assistance programs.
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability: H.R. 2354 would provide $139 million for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Research and Development programs, a reduction of $1.5 million from FY 2011 and a reduction of $98 million or 41 percent from the president’s request.
Nuclear Energy: H.R. 2354 would provide $733 million for nuclear energy programs, an increase of $7.8 million over FY 2011 and a reduction of $20 million or 3 percent below the president’s request. The funds provide money for nuclear energy research and development, fuel cycle research and development, and radiological facilities management. According to the Appropriations Committee, funds from this account would be used “to further the next generation of safe, secure, and economically beneficial nuclear power options while ensuring the safety and resiliency of our nuclear power plants.”
Fossil Energy Research: H.R. 2354 would provide $477 million for Fossil Energy Research, an increase of $32 million or 7 percent over FY 2011 and $24 million or 5 percent above the president’s request. According to the Appropriations Committee, funds from this account would be used “for research and development to advanced coal, natural gas, and other fossil energy power generation technologies that produce more than 70 percent of the nation’s current electricity.”
Strategic Petroleum Reserve: H.R. 2354 would provide $193 million for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an increase of $69 million or 56 percent above FY 2011 and an increase of $71 million above the president’s request.
Uranium Enrichment and Decommissioning: H.R. 2354 would provide $449 million for Uranium Enrichment and Decommissioning Programs, a reduction of $48 million below FY 2011 and $55.1 million or 10 percent below the president’s request.
Yucca Mountain: According to the Appropriations Committee, “The bill rejects the Administration’s wasteful, partisan attempts to shutter the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository program and provides $35 million to support Yucca Mountain activities, including $10 million for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to continue their review of the license application. The bill also includes provisions to forbid the use of funds to close down the program.”
Science: H.R. 2354 would provide $4.8 billion for Department of Energy science programs, a reduction of $42 million below FY 2011 and a reduction of $616 million or 11 percent below the president’s request. The funding provides for the Department of Energy’s programs for high energy physics, nuclear physics, biological and environmental research, basic energy sciences, advanced scientific computing, maintenance of the laboratories physical infrastructure, fusion energy sciences, safeguards and security, workforce development for teachers and scientists, and science program direction.
Innovative Technology Loan Program: H.R. 2354 would provide $160 million for the Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program, an increase of $160 million above FY 2011 and a reduction of $900 million or 84 percent below the president’s request. Under the program, the DOE issues loan guarantees to eligible projects that “avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases” and “employ new or significantly improved technologies as compared to technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued.”
Advance Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loans: H.R. 2354 would provide $6 million for Advance Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loans a reduction of $4 million from FY 2011 and the same as the president’s request. The program was created by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to provide financing to automakers to “retool older plants and equipment to produce energy-efficient vehicles.” Under the bill, manufacturing facilities must be located in the U.S. and engineering integration must be performed in the U.S.
National Nuclear Security Administration: H.R. 2354 would provide $10.6 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration, an increase of $76 million or 1 percent above FY 2011 and a reduction of $1.1 billion or 9 percent below the president’s request. This account provides funding for the DOE’s nuclear security programs, including Weapons Activities, Nuclear Nonproliferation, and Naval Reactors. According to the Appropriations Committee, within this total, the legislation includes $7.1 billion to sustain the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile – an increase of $195 million over last year’s level.
Defense Environmental Clean-Up: H.R. 2354 would provide $4.9 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) environmental clean-up, a reduction of $42 million below FY 2011 and a reduction of $469 million or 9 percent below the president’s request.
Title IV-Independent Agencies
Appalachian Regional Commission: H.R. 2354 would provide $68 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), an increase of $137,000 over FY 2011 and a decrease of $7.6 million or 10 percent below the president’s request. The ARC was created in 1965 to give federal grants to certain geographic areas of the U.S.
Delta Regional Authority: H.R. 2354 would provide $13 million, the same as FY 2011, for the Delta Regional Authority, which uses federal funds to provide grants for projects in eight select states-Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
Energy and Water FY 2012 Appropriated Budget Authority | |||||||
Program | FY 2011 | President Request | H.R. 2354 | Change from FY 2011 | Change from Request | Change from FY 2011 % | Change from Request % |
Title I - Army Corps of Engineers | |||||||
Investigations | 126,746 | 104,000 | 104,000 | -22,746 | 0 | -17.9% | 0.0% |
Construction | 1,613,822 | 1,480,000 | 1,565,941 | -47,881 | 85,941 | -3.0% | 5.8% |
Mississippi River | 241,906 | 152,000 | 210,000 | -31,906 | 58,000 | -13.2% | 38.2% |
Operations and Maintenance | 2,365,759 | 2,314,000 | 2,366,465 | 706 | 52,465 | 0.0% | 2.3% |
Regulatory Program | 189,620 | 196,000 | 196,000 | 6,380 | 0 | 3.4% | 0.0% |
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program | 129,740 | 109,000 | 109,000 | -20,740 | 0 | -16.0% | 0.0% |
Flood Control Emergencies | 0 | 27,000 | 27,000 | 27,000 | 0 | 0.0% | |
Expenses | 184,630 | 185,000 | 185,000 | 370 | 0 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Office of Assistant Secretary of the Army | 4,990 | 6,000 | 5,000 | 10 | -1,000 | 0.2% | -16.7% |
Title I Total | 4,857,213 | 4,573,000 | 4,768,406 | -88,807 | 195,406 | -1.8% | 4.3% |
Title II - Department of Interior | |||||||
Central Utah Project Completion | 31,940 | 32,991 | 28,704 | -3,236 | -4,287 | -10.1% | -13.0% |
Water and Resources | 911,673 | 805,187 | 822,300 | -89,373 | 17,113 | -9.8% | 2.1% |
Central Valley Project Restoration | 49,914 | 53,068 | 53,068 | 3,154 | 0 | 6.3% | 0.0% |
California Bay-Delta Restoration | 39,920 | 39,651 | 35,928 | -3,992 | -3,723 | -10.0% | -9.4% |
Policy and Administration | 61,078 | 60,000 | 60,000 | -1,078 | 0 | -1.8% | 0.0% |
Title II Total | 1,094,525 | 1,051,380 | 934,000 | -160,525 | -117,380 | -14.7% | -11.2% |
Title III - Department of Energy | |||||||
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy | 1,795,641 | 3,200,053 | 1,304,636 | -491,005 | -1,895,417 | -27.3% | -59.2% |
Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability | 141,010 | 237,717 | 139,496 | -1,514 | -98,221 | -1.1% | -41.3% |
Nuclear Energy | 725,824 | 754,028 | 733,633 | 7,809 | -20,395 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
Fossil Energy Research and Development | 444,529 | 452,975 | 476,993 | 32,464 | 24,018 | 7.3% | 5.3% |
Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserve | 20,854 | 14,909 | 14,909 | -5,945 | 0 | -28.5% | 0.0% |
Strategic Petroleum Reserve | 123,141 | 121,704 | 192,704 | 69,563 | 71,000 | 56.5% | 58.3% |
Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve | 10,978 | -89,881 | -89,881 | -100,859 | 0 | -918.7% | 0.0% |
Energy Information Administration | 95,009 | 123,957 | 105,000 | 9,991 | -18,957 | 10.5% | -15.3% |
Non-Defense Environmental Clean-Up | 223,450 | 219,121 | 213,121 | -10,329 | -6,000 | -4.6% | -2.7% |
Uranium Enrichment and Decommissioning | 497,084 | 504,169 | 449,000 | -48,084 | -55,169 | -9.7% | -10.9% |
Science | 4,842,665 | 5,416,114 | 4,800,000 | -42,665 | -616,114 | -0.9% | -11.4% |
Nuclear Waste Disposal | -2,800 | 0 | 25,000 | 27,800 | 25,000 | -992.9% | |
Advanced Research Projects Agency | 179,640 | 550,011 | 100,000 | -79,640 | -450,011 | -44.3% | -81.8% |
Innovation Tech Loan Guarantee Program | -340 | 1,060,000 | 160,000 | 160,340 | -900,000 | -47158.8% | -84.9% |
Advance Tech Vehicle Manufacturing Loans | 9,978 | 6,000 | 6,000 | -3,978 | 0 | -39.9% | 0.0% |
Departmental Administration | 130,638 | 128,740 | 109,631 | -21,007 | -19,109 | -16.1% | -14.8% |
Office of the Inspector General | 42,764 | 41,774 | 41,774 | -990 | 0 | -2.3% | 0.0% |
National Nuclear Security Administration | 10,522,520 | 11,712,598 | 10,599,031 | 76,511 | -1,113,567 | 0.7% | -9.5% |
Defense Environmental Clean-Up | 4,979,738 | 5,406,781 | 4,937,619 | -42,119 | -469,162 | -0.8% | -8.7% |
Other Defense Activities | 785,020 | 859,952 | 814 | -784,206 | -859,138 | -99.9% | -99.9% |
Southeastern Power Operation and Maintenance | 13,050 | 11,892 | 11,892 | -1,158 | 0 | -8.9% | 0.0% |
Western Area Power Administration Construction | 108,963 | 95,968 | 95,968 | -12,995 | 0 | -11.9% | 0.0% |
Title III Total | 25,591,176 | 30,683,802 | 24,740,746 | -850,430 | -5,943,056 | -3.3% | -19.4% |
Title IV - Independent Agencies | |||||||
Appalachian Regional Commission | 68,263 | 76,000 | 68,400 | 137 | -7,600 | 0.2% | -10.0% |
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board | 23,203 | 29,130 | 29,130 | 5,927 | 0 | 25.5% | 0.0% |
Delta Regional Authority | 11,677 | 13,000 | 11,700 | 23 | -1,300 | 0.2% | -10.0% |
Denali Commission | -4,321 | 11,965 | 10,700 | 15,021 | -1,265 | -347.6% | -10.6% |
Nuclear Regulatory Commission | 138,072 | 128,600 | 137,613 | -459 | 9,013 | -0.3% | 7.0% |
Title IV Total | 246,981 | 267,627 | 266,575 | 19,594 | -1,052 | 7.9% | -0.4% |
0 | 0 | ||||||
Bill Total | 31,682,000 | 36,539,809 | 30,638,727 | -1,043,273 | -5,901,082 | -3.3% | -16.1% |
H.R. 2354 would provide a total of $30.6 billion in budget authority for agencies and programs funded through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.
