Budget Plan for Interior Department Includes Harmful Measures against Wildlife Populations
The House Appropriations Committee has proposed an Interior and Environment spending bill for Fiscal Year 2026, which has drawn strong condemnation from Defenders of Wildlife due to the inclusion of several "poison pill" policy riders that significantly undermine the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and protections for individual species[1].
Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations at Defenders of Wildlife, stated that these drastic measures put America's most iconic wildlife at "serious risk of extinction" and represent extreme anti-wildlife efforts in Congress[1].
One of the bill's most concerning provisions is a two-thirds funding cut for listing threatened and endangered species under the ESA, which critically reduces the capacity to protect species at risk[1][2]. This reduction in funding could potentially jeopardise the survival of numerous species.
Furthermore, riders in the bill effectively block protections for iconic and vulnerable species such as the grizzly bear, wolverine, greater sage-grouse, northern long-eared bat, lesser prairie-chicken, and captive fish species by denying funds to enforce or implement protections[1][3].
The bill also includes provisions that prevent the Biden administration from enforcing or completing key ESA rules or assessments, including blocking rules and recovery efforts vital to species survival[3].
Broader impacts include slashing National Park Service funding by 6 percent, which deteriorates management and conservation efforts for habitats and outdoor recreation areas that wildlife depend upon[2].
Additionally, the bill enables short-sighted oil and gas lease sales that threaten crucial habitats by compromising public lands and waters[1][3].
Defenders of Wildlife's core concerns center around the bill's substantial budget cuts, policy riders that block or undermine ESA protections, and provisions that favor fossil fuel interests at the expense of wildlife habitat and species recovery, all contributing to increased extinction risks and degraded wildlife conservation in the United States[1][3][4].
Defenders of Wildlife, a leading advocate for wildlife conservation, has remained dedicated to protecting native animals and plants for over 75 years. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, visit their newsroom or follow them on social media @Defenders.
[1] Defenders of Wildlife. (n.d.). House Appropriations Committee Proposes Anti-Wildlife Interior and Environment Spending Bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Retrieved from https://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press-releases/house-appropriations-committee-proposes-anti-wildlife-interior-and-environment
[2] Defenders of Wildlife. (n.d.). House Appropriations Committee Proposes Budget Cuts to the National Park Service. Retrieved from https://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press-releases/house-appropriations-committee-proposes-budget-cuts-to-the-national-park-service
[3] Defenders of Wildlife. (n.d.). House Appropriations Committee Proposes Anti-Wildlife Interior and Environment Spending Bill for Fiscal Year 2026. Retrieved from https://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press-releases/house-appropriations-committee-proposes-anti-wildlife-interior-and-environment
[4] Defenders of Wildlife. (n.d.). House Appropriations Committee Proposes to Block Funding for Protecting Critically Endangered Marine Mammals. Retrieved from https://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press-releases/house-appropriations-committee-proposes-to-block-funding-for-protecting-critically-endangered-marine-mammals
- The proposed Interior and Environment spending bill for Fiscal Year 2026, which is being criticized by Defenders of Wildlife, contains policy riders that particularly relate to the field of environmental science and have significant implications for policy and legislation in the realm of politics, as these riders undermine the Endangered Species Act and protections for individual species.
- The bill's provisions, such as the significant funding cut for listing threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and the blocking of protections for various iconic species, have raised concerns among environmental scientists and general-news outlets, as these actions could potentially lead to the extinction of numerous species and the degradation of wildlife conservation in the United States.
