ESA Policy News June 17: Congress advances bills funding NSF, Interior appropriations, Captive chimpanzees get endangered species protections
Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. 
APPROPRIATIONS: HOUSE, SENATE CJS BILLS ADVANCE
Over the past few weeks, the House and Senate have moved their Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) appropriations bills, which include funding for key science agencies. The House FY 2016 CJS appropriations bill reached a floor vote and passed June 3 by a vote of 242–183. Twelve Democrats joined all but ten Republicans in voting for the bill.
The House bill would fund NSF at $7.4 billion in FY 2016, a $50 million increase over FY 2015, but $300 million less than the president’s request for the agency. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would receive $5.2 billion, $274 million below the FY 2015 enacted level. The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) would receive $18.5 billion in FY 2015, a $519 million increase over FY 2015. NASA science programs would decrease by $7 million compared to the FY 2015 enacted level.
The accompanying committee report language on the House bill states “The Committee directs NSF to ensure that Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Engineering; and Biological Sciences comprise no less than 70 percent of the funding within Research and Related Activities.” This would result in sharp cuts to the NSF directorates that fund social and geosciences.
In addition to objecting to the funding levels for NSF and other federal agencies, the White House Statement of Administration policy also expressed concern with language in the committee report for the bill that targets geosciences and the social and behavioral sciences.
The Ecological Society of America recently joined with other scientific societies in a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee reiterating concern with efforts to legislatively direct funding to NSF by directorate.
While the Senate FY 2016 CJS appropriations bill does not include accompanying committee report language directing NSF funding by directorate, House and Senate leaders will need to negotiate a final conference report compromise bill that resolves differences between the House and Senate CJS bills this fall.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its CJS bill June 11 by a heavily bipartisan vote of 27–3, although it has yet to be considered on the Senate floor. Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Jon Tester (D-MT) opposed the bill.
In the Senate bill, NSF would receive $7.3 billion in FY 2016, comparable to the FY 2015 enacted level. NOAA funding in the Senate bill would be funded at $5.4 billion, also similar to the FY 2015 enacted level. NASA would receive a $279 million increase over FY 2015. NASA science would be funded at $50 million above FY 2015.
Click here to view the scientific society letter. Click here to view the White House statement. Click here to view a summary of the House FY 2016 CJS bill. Click here to view a summary of the Senate FY 2016 CJS bill.
APPROPRIATIONS: HOUSE, SENATE COMMITTEES MOVE FY 2016 INTERIOR BILLS
On June 9, the House Appropriations Committee unveiled its Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The bill includes several provisions that would block funding for Obama administration environmental protection regulations.
The bill includes $30.17 billion for the Department of Interior (DOI), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Forest Service, $3 billion less than the president’s FY 2016 request for the agency and $246 million below the FY 2015 enacted level.
EPA would receive $7.4 billion in FY 2016, a $718 million reduction in funding. The bill prohibits funding to implement the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan as well as clarify federal jurisdiction over “navigable waters.”
The House bill does increase wildland fire prevention activities by $52 million over the FY 2015 enacted level. The US Forest Service is funded at $5 billion, a $13 million reduction from FY 2015.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service would be prohibited from preparing a potential Endangered Species Act listing rule for sage grouse. The agency is under a court mandate to decide by Sept. 30 whether to propose listing the bird.
Many US Department of Interior bureaus budget includes slight increases or are flat funded.
The Senate Interior and Environment Subcommittee also approved its Interior Appropriations bill this week. The Senate bill provides $30.01 billion in funding and also would prohibit funding to implement the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. It also prohibits EPA from implementing its Clean Water rule. The bill also would continue a prohibition on the Fish and Wildlife Service listing the greater sage grouse as a threatened or endangered species, but follows the House bill’s lead by meeting the president’s $60 million request to conserve the species throughout its 11-state Western range.
On June 15, the White House submitted a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) expressing opposition to the spending cuts in the bill as well as the policy riders that would prohibit implementation of the administration’s Clean Power Plan and other environmental protection efforts.
Click here to view the White House statement. Click here for additional information on the House FY 2016 Interior and Environment appropriations bill. Click here for additional information on the Senate FY 2016 Interior and Environment appropriations bill.
AIR POLLUTION: EPA CONSIDERS REGULATION OF AIRLINE EMISSIONS
On June 10, the US Environmental Protection Agency began its process for considering whether to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for commercial airlines.
The effort is spurred by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations body that has been working with the aviation industry to develop greenhouse gas emissions standards for aircraft. The standards are expected to be adopted in early 2016.
According to EPA, US aircraft comprises 11 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and 29 percent of all aircraft globally. The EPA actions will not apply to small recreational piston-planes or military aircraft.
Click here for additional information.
EPA: HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR SEEKS RECORDS ON AGENCY REGULATORY EFFORTS
On June 15, House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) sent a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demanding records of communications and documents related to its regulatory efforts.
The letter sets a deadline of June 22 for the agency to submit requested documents and a June 29 for EPA staff members to make themselves available for a transcribed interview with committee staff.
Earlier this year, the agency did send Chairman Smith a large number of documents in response to a subpoena over EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s various methods of communication, including text messages.
Click here to view Chairman Smith’s letter. Click here to view EPA’s response to past communications inquiries.
FWS: CAPTIVE CHIMPANZEES GET ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTIONS
On June 12, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a rule that classifies wild and captive chimpanzees as endangered.
The rule effectively removes the captivity exemption for chimpanzees, giving individuals in zoos and research facilities the same endangered species protections as wild chimpanzees, which are already listed. FWS will restrict the import, export and sale of chimpanzees in the United States, but will grant permits for scientific and research purposes. The rule does not apply to owners of legally acquired chimpanzees or to those held in zoos and sanctuaries.
In cases of biomedical research where chimps, laboratories will be required to demonstrate the research promotes the survival of the species in the wild. The new rule will go into effect Sept. 14.
Click here for additional information.