Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: S. 3293
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-12-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Last Updated: 2026-07-12T06:38:26Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill, S. 3293, appropriates funds for the U.S. Department of the Army's Corps of Engineers (civil works), the Department of the Interior (water projects), the Department of Energy (various energy programs), and independent agencies related to energy, water, and regional development. It covers fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026) and supports activities like infrastructure maintenance, energy research, environmental cleanup, and disaster response. The goal is to fund authorized civil and energy functions while imposing oversight on spending.

Key Provisions

The bill is structured into five titles, allocating billions in funding (totaling over $50 billion across programs) with many amounts available until expended (no strict yearly expiration). Key allocations include:

Title I: Corps of Engineers—Civil (Department of the Army)
Investigations: $97.5 million for studies on rivers, harbors, flood control, shore protection, and ecosystem restoration.
Planning, Engineering, and Design: $151.3 million for pre-construction surveys and plans.
Construction: $2.48 billion for building authorized projects, including $203.4 million from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for dredged material disposal.
Mississippi River and Tributaries: $468.2 million for flood reduction.
Operation and Maintenance: $5.99 billion for upkeep of existing infrastructure, including $3.26 billion from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund; 1% reserved for emergencies.
Regulatory Program: $225 million for regulating navigable waters and wetlands (available until September 30, 2027).
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program: $100 million for cleaning up early atomic energy sites.
Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies: $40 million for disaster preparation and response.
Expenses and Office of Assistant Secretary: $220 million for administration and $7 million for the Assistant Secretary's office.
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program: $5 million for dam and levee safety loans/guarantees (up to $500 million in total loans), expanding eligibility to non-federal owners; requires certifications and notifications.
General provisions limit reprogramming (e.g., 15-25% caps per activity) and prohibit reorganizing civil works functions.

Title II: Department of the Interior
Central Utah Project Completion: $23 million for water activities and mitigation.
Bureau of Reclamation—Water and Related Resources: $1.42 billion for water management, restoration, and Native American responsibilities; includes $200 million transfer from prior Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds.
Central Valley Project Restoration Fund: Funds collected for habitat restoration (no new appropriation specified).
California Bay-Delta Restoration: $32 million for water supply and environmental improvements.
Policy and Administration: $64 million for Bureau operations.
General provisions include reprogramming limits (e.g., 15% caps) and extensions of authorizations (e.g., to 2026 for certain acts). Amendments increase funding caps for projects like the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects ($1.815 billion total) and extend deadlines (e.g., Fort Peck Reservation to 2028).

Title III: Department of Energy
Energy Programs: Over $16 billion total, including:
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: $3.29 billion (with IIJA transfers).
Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains: $19 million.
Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response: $190 million.
Electricity and Grid Deployment: $310 million combined.
Nuclear Energy: $1.69 billion (with transfers for advanced reactors).
Fossil Energy: $875 million.
Science: $8.25 billion (with transfers).
Other: Funds for petroleum reserves ($214.3 million for Strategic Petroleum Reserve), environmental cleanup ($337.9 million non-defense), uranium decontamination ($875 million from dedicated fund), and loan programs (e.g., $35 million administrative for innovative technology loans).
Atomic Energy Defense Activities (National Nuclear Security Administration): $24.5 billion for weapons ($20.1 billion), nonproliferation ($2.43 billion), and naval reactors ($1.97 billion).
Environmental and Other Defense Activities: $8.08 billion for cleanup and uranium enrichment decommissioning.
Power Marketing Administrations: Funding for Bonneville, Southeastern, Southwestern, and Western (e.g., $311 million for Western operations, mostly from collections).
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: $520 million (from fees).
General provisions restrict new programs, require notifications for awards over $1 million, and repurpose IIJA funds (e.g., $2.4 billion to nuclear energy). Section 310 authorizes a consent-based program for interim nuclear waste storage facilities, funded from the Nuclear Waste Fund.

Title IV: Independent Agencies
Regional commissions (e.g., Appalachian: $200 million; Delta: $31.1 million; Northern Border: $46 million).
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board: $42 million.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission: $952.7 million (mostly from fees) for licensing and oversight.
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board: $4 million from Nuclear Waste Fund.

Title V: General Provisions
Bans influencing Congress (except basic communication), limits fund transfers, requires blocking pornography on networks, and mandates two-day notice for terminating agency heads. Funds must follow the bill's allocations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Expands Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program to include non-federal dams and levees, amends regulations (33 CFR 386.2), and requires funding notices within 90 days.
Repurposes IIJA funds (e.g., $2.4 billion to nuclear programs, $75 million to grid deployment for transformers).
Amends acts like the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to authorize federal interim storage for spent nuclear fuel/high-level waste via consent-based siting (Section 310).
Increases/extends authorizations (e.g., Calfed Bay-Delta to 2026; Omnibus Public Land Management Act caps raised).
Rescinds $39 million from prior nonproliferation funds; amends small business and Pacific Northwest power acts for inflation adjustments and contracting.
Prohibits certain nuclear project approvals without independent cost estimates or oversight.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Provides stable funding for operations (e.g., Corps' $10+ billion for infrastructure), enabling maintenance of dams, rivers, and energy facilities; enhances DOE's research in renewables/nuclear ($10+ billion), potentially speeding clean energy transitions. Reprogramming limits ensure congressional oversight but may slow emergency responses.
Citizens: Improves flood protection, water supply, and energy reliability for millions (e.g., Mississippi Valley, Western states); supports jobs in construction/research (thousands via projects); lowers disaster risks but could raise energy costs if fees/collections fund programs. Nuclear waste storage may reduce utility storage burdens.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but DOE nonproliferation ($2.43 billion) aids global nuclear security; petroleum reserves enhance U.S. energy independence amid global oil volatility.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Energy (including National Nuclear Security Administration), Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
State/Local Governments and Tribes: Benefit from water projects, regional commissions (e.g., Appalachian, Delta), and dam/levee funding; must provide consents for nuclear sites.
Private Sector: Energy companies (nuclear, fossil, renewables), utilities (via loan guarantees), and contractors for construction/cleanup.
Citizens and Communities: Residents in flood-prone/rural areas (e.g., Mississippi, Utah, Alaska via Denali Commission); nuclear waste stakeholders (utilities, host states/tribes).
Environmental/Advocacy Groups: Impacted by wetland regulations, restoration funds, and waste storage plans.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Strengthens oversight via reprogramming caps and notifications, aligning with Congressional Budget Act definitions; consent-based nuclear siting respects state/tribal sovereignty under federalism principles. Complies with Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing but waives some rules for emergencies.
Constitutional: Funds civil works/defense under Congress's spending power (Article I); no major challenges, but restrictions on agency reorganizations preserve separation of powers.
Political: Balances priorities like clean energy ($3.3 billion renewables) and defense ($24.5 billion nuclear security) amid budget debates; repurposing IIJA funds (non-emergency) avoids new deficits but may spark partisan views on spending (e.g., fossil vs. nuclear emphasis). Extends programs without full reauthorization, potentially inviting future negotiations. Neutral implementation focuses on authorized activities, reducing litigation risks.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]

Recent Actions

2025-12-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
2025-12-01: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-12-01 — PDF (86 pages)