	Introduction and Overview

The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill includes funding for civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior's Central Utah Project (CUP) and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Department of Energy (DOE), and a number of independent agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). FY2017 funding for energy and water development programs was provided by Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 ( P.L. 115-31 ), an omnibus funding measure passed by Congress May 4, 2017, and signed into law the following day. (This followed a series of continuing resolutions.) Total funding for Division D was $38.89 billion, offset by $436 million in rescissions. That total was $1.27 billion above the Obama Administration request and $1.54 billion over the FY2016 level, excluding rescissions. The Obama Administration also had proposed $2.26 billion in new mandatory funding for DOE, which was not approved. Proposed reductions for the Corps, Reclamation, and CUP were also rejected. Figure 1 compares the major components of the Energy and Water Development bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2017 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill on April 14, 2016 ( S. 2804 , S.Rept. 114-236 ). The House Appropriations Committee completed action on April 19, 2016 ( H.R. 5055 , H.Rept. 114-532 ). As passed by committee, the House bill would have provided an increase of $4 million over the request. Definition of "Fill Material" Under the Clean Water Act

As approved by the Senate, H.R. 2028 (§103) prohibited the Corps during FY2017 from changing the definition of "fill material" or "discharge of fill material" in relation to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. However, the prohibition was included in the enacted measure. Large Proposed Increase for Energy Efficiency and Renewables

The Obama Administration requested an increase of $829.2 million (40.1%) in discretionary funding for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for FY2017, for a total of $2.898 billion. Both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate voted to reject the Administration's proposed FY2017 budget increases for EERE, with the House panel approving a cut from FY2016 and the Senate approving level funding. Nuclear Waste Management

DOE proposed to triple its funding for the Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS) in FY2017—from $22.5 million to $76.3 million. In contrast, the Senate approved $61.0 million for IWMS and included an authorization (§306) and a $10.0 million appropriation for DOE to develop a consent-based waste storage pilot facility. The Consolidated Appropriations Act provided $22.5 million for IWMS and nothing for Yucca Mountain. The Obama Administration's proposed restructuring of the fossil fuels budget and the proposed funding reduction were mostly rejected by the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate, and in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which provided a total of $668 million for fossil energy R&D. Surplus Plutonium Disposition

The Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF), which would make fuel for nuclear reactors out of surplus weapons plutonium, has faced sharply escalating construction and operation cost estimates. The Senate approved the Obama Administration's funding request, while the House panel voted to continue construction at the FY2016 funding level.
The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Central Utah Project (CUP), and the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and several other independent agencies. DOE typically accounts for about 80% of the bill's total funding.
FY2017 funding for energy and water development programs was provided by Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31), an omnibus funding measure passed by Congress May 4, 2017, and signed into law the following day. (This followed a series of continuing resolutions.) Total funding for Division D was $38.89 billion, offset by $436 million in rescissions. That total was $1.27 billion above the Obama Administration request and $1.54 billion over the FY2016 level, excluding rescissions. The Obama Administration also proposed $2.26 billion in new mandatory funding for DOE, which was not approved. Proposed reductions for the Corps, Reclamation, and CUP were also rejected.
The Senate approved its version of the FY2017 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill on May 12, 2016 (H.R. 2028, S.Rept. 114-236), which would have increased budget authority for energy and water programs by $261 million over the request (0.7%), including adjustments. The House Appropriations Committee completed action on April 19, 2016 (H.R. 5055, H.Rept. 114-532), but the bill was defeated on the House floor on May 26, 2016. As passed by the Appropriations Committee, the House version would have provided $4 million more than the request, after offsets and other adjustments.
Major Energy and Water Development funding highlights for FY2017 include
Definition of "Fill Material" Under the Clean Water Act. The Senate-passed bill included provisions to prohibit the Corps during FY2017 from changing the definition of "fill material" in relation to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The restriction was included in the enacted omnibus measure. 40% Requested Boost for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Obama Administration requested an increase of $829.2 million (40.1%) in discretionary funding for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for FY2017, which the House committee and the Senate did not approve. The omnibus measure provided a 0.9% funding increase. Nuclear Waste "Consent-Based Siting." The Obama Administration proposed to triple funding in FY2017 for DOE to develop a consent-based nuclear waste siting program, to $76.3 million. The House Appropriations Committee rejected the proposal, instead providing $170 million to pursue a waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. The Senate approved $61.0 million for consent-based siting. The omnibus measure provided $22.5 million for consent-based siting, $62.5 million for used fuel R&D, and no funds for Yucca Mountain. Surplus Plutonium Disposition. Construction of the Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF), which would make fuel for nuclear reactors out of surplus weapons plutonium, would have been terminated beginning in FY2017 by the Obama Administration's budget request. The Senate approved the Administration halt, while the House panel voted to continue construction. The omnibus measure continued construction with a 1.5% funding cut from FY2016.