Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

This bill funds the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and many related programs for fiscal year 2026. It also funds Indian health and education programs and major cultural institutions like the Smithsonian, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities .

Beyond funding, it adds practical rules people may notice. Water system projects using certain state loan funds must use U.S.-made iron and steel. The bill protects wild horses and burros, allowing longer-term care contracts and transfers to government agencies for work animals, while banning their sale for slaughter. It blocks new federal rules that would require air permits for normal livestock emissions or mandate reporting of manure-related greenhouse gases, and it prevents regulating lead in ammo and fishing tackle under chemical law. It treats forest biomass as a renewable energy source under clear conditions. It requires federal materials to use the name Denali for the Alaska peak, keeps existing national park units as federal land, and allows a small land transfer to support the Long Bridge rail and trail project between Virginia and DC .

Key points

• Who is affected:
  • Communities with drinking water or wastewater projects (Buy American requirement)
  • Ranchers and farmers (limits on livestock air permits and manure GHG reporting)
  • Hunters and anglers (no lead-ammo/tackle regulation under chemical law)
  • Public land users and tribes (wild horse care and transfers; continued park operations)
  • DC–VA travelers and cyclists (Long Bridge project support)
• What changes:
  • U.S.-made iron/steel required for eligible water projects; exceptions only if not available, not in the public interest, or too costly
  • Up to 10-year contracts for caring for excess wild horses; transfers allowed to government agencies with humane safeguards and no slaughter or sale for slaughter
  • EPA cannot require title V air permits for biological livestock emissions, require manure GHG reporting, or regulate lead in ammo/tackle under chemical law
  • Federal policy should recognize forest biomass (under conditions) as renewable and carbon neutral for energy planning
  • All federal references must use the name Denali; agencies must update maps and signs accordingly
• When:
  • Most provisions apply during FY2026; several actions (like naming updates and certain allocations) have deadlines soon after enactment .