Energy and Water Development: FY2020 Appropriations.

The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill provides funding for civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Central Utah Project (CUP); the Department of Energy (DOE); the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); and several other independent agencies. DOE typically accounts for about 80% of the bill's funding. President Trump submitted his FY2020 detailed budget proposal to Congress on March 18, 2019 (after submitting a general budget overview on March 11). The budget requests for agencies included in the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill total $37.956 billion--$6.705 billion (15%) below the FY2019 appropriation. The largest exception to the overall decrease proposed for energy and water programs is a $1.309 billion increase (12%) for DOE nuclear weapons activities. The House Appropriations Committee approved the FY2020 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill on May 21, 2019, by a vote of 31-21 (H.R. 2960, H.Rept. 116-83). The reported bill would provide a total of $46.478 billion, which is $1.817 billion (4%) above the FY2019 enacted appropriation and $8.522 billion (22%) above the Administration request. The reported Energy and Water Development bill is to be considered on the House floor as Division E of an "Appropriations Minibus" (H.R. 2740). Major Energy and Water Development funding issues for FY2020 are listed below. They were selected based on the total funding involved, the percentage of proposed increases or decreases, the amount of congressional debate engendered, and potential impact on broader public policy considerations. • Water Agency Funding Reductions. The Trump Administration requested reductions of 29% for USACE and 28% for Reclamation for FY2020 from the FY2019 enacted levels. The largest reductions would be from USACE Operation and Maintenance (-48%) and Reclamation's Water and Related Resources account (-31%). The House Appropriations Committee recommended that USACE and Reclamation each receive a 5% increase over their FY2019 funding levels. Debate may also focus on the potential use of FY2020 USACE civil works appropriations for barrier infrastructure along the U.S. southern border, and efforts to shape the USACE's administration of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. • Termination of Energy Efficiency Grants. DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program and State Energy Program would be terminated under the FY2020 budget request. The House Appropriations Committee recommended that the two grant programs be increased by $52 million (17%) over their combined FY2019 funding level. • Reductions in Energy Research and Development. Under the FY2020 budget request, DOE research and development appropriations would be reduced for energy efficiency and renewable energy (EERE) by 83%, nuclear energy by 38%, and fossil energy by 24%. The House Appropriations Committee recommended an increase of 11% for EERE, level funding for fossil energy, and a decrease of 1% for nuclear energy from the FY2019 enacted amounts. • Nuclear Waste Repository. The Administration's budget request would provide new funding for the first time since FY2010 for a proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. DOE would receive $116 million to seek an NRC license for the repository and develop interim waste storage capacity. NRC would receive $38.5 million to consider DOE's repository license application. The House Appropriations Committee did not approve the Administration's funding request for Yucca Mountain and interim storage, although it included $25 million within the DOE nuclear energy program for interim storage activities. • Elimination of Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy (ARPA-E). The Trump Administration proposes no new appropriations for ARPA-E in FY2020, but House Appropriations Committee recommended a funding increase. • Weapons Activities. The FY2020 budget request for DOE Weapons Activities is 12% greater than it was in FY2019 ($12.4 billion vs. $11.1 billion), in contrast to a proposed 10% reduction in DOE's total funding. Notable proposed increases would be used for warhead life extension programs and preparations for increase production of plutonium pits (warhead cores). The House Appropriations Committee recommended a 6% increase in Weapons Activities over the FY2019 funding level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]