It provides funding for Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies (except for the Bureau of Reclamation, funded in Energy and Water Development appropriations laws), many of which manage land and other natural resource or regulatory programs. The bill also provides funds for agencies in two other departments—the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture, and the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the Department of Health and Human Services—as well as funds for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). FY2008 Budget and Appropriations

		Current Overview

FY2008 funding for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2008 ( P.L. An additional $500.0 million in emergency appropriations for FY2008 for wildfires was included in an earlier law, P.L. 110-116 , for an FY2008 total of $27.39 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. This would be about the same as enacted for FY2007 (including funds for Secure Rural Schools), $240.2 million (0.9%) lower than passed by the House for FY2008 in H.R. 2643 , and $205.0 million (0.8%) higher than recommended by the Senate Committee on Appropriations for FY2008 in S. 1696 . The FY2008 level was an increase of $1.70 billion (6.6%) over the Administration's request. The FY2008 appropriations level was higher for some agencies than the FY2007 level, but lower for others. Among the FY2008 increases over FY2007 were the following:
$292.6 million (6.2%) for the Forest Service (FS); $185.2 million (9.7%) for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); $166.0 million (5.2%) for the Indian Health Service (IHS); $90.4 million (3.9%) for the National Park Service (NPS); $47.7 million (7.5%) for the Smithsonian Institution (SI); and $28.1 million (2.1%) for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Among the FY2008 decreases from FY2007 were the following:
-$263.6 million (3.4%) for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); -$124.2 million (42.2%) for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM); -$43.6 million (27.3%) for the Minerals Management Service (MMS); and -$33.9 million (15.2%) for the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST). (For more information, see the " Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program (PILT) " section in this report.) 110-161 . During consideration of FY2008 Interior appropriations, the House considered other amendments related to the OCS.
The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill includes funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), except for the Bureau of Reclamation, and for two agencies within other departments—the Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Health Service (IHS) within the Department of Health and Human Services. It also includes funding for arts and cultural agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and numerous other entities.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2008 (P.L. 110-161) included $26.89 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies for FY2008. An additional $500.0 million in emergency appropriations for wildfires was included in P.L. 110-116, for an FY2008 total of $27.39 billion. This would be about the same as enacted for FY2007 (including funds for Secure Rural Schools), $240.2 million (0.9%) lower than passed by the House for FY2008 in H.R. 2643, and $205.0 million (0.8%) higher than recommended by the Senate Committee on Appropriations for FY2008 in S. 1696. The FY2008 level was an increase of $1.70 billion (6.6%) over the Administration's request for FY2008.
The FY2008 appropriations level was higher for some agencies than the FY2007 level, but lower for others. Among the FY2008 increases over FY2007 were the following:
$292.6 million (6.2%) for the Forest Service (FS); $185.2 million (9.9%) for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); $166.0 million (5.2%) for the Indian Health Service (IHS); $90.4 million (3.9%) for the National Park Service (NPS); $47.7 million (7.5%) for the Smithsonian Institution (SI); and $28.1 million (2.1%) for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
Among the FY2008 decreases from FY2007 were the following:
-$263.6 million (3.4%) for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); -$124.2 million (42.2%) for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM); -$43.6 million (27.3%) for the Minerals Management Service (MMS); and -$33.9 million (15.2%) for the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST).
Congress debated a variety of funding and policy issues during consideration of FY2008 Interior appropriations legislation. They included appropriate funding for BIA construction, education, and housing; IHS construction and urban Indian health; wastewater/drinking water needs; land acquisition; the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program; the Superfund program; the Smithsonian Institution; and wildland fire fighting. Other issues included Indian trust fund management, leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf, and royalty relief. This report is not expected to be updated.