House GOP pushes steep EPA and Interior cuts in 2026 budget plan

House Republicans proposed a 23% cut to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and reduced funding for the U.S. Interior Department in a new 2026 spending bill that escalates a partisan clash over environmental and climate policy.

Kevin Bogardus, Garrett Downs, and Michael Doyle report for E&E News.

In short:

• The House bill proposes $7 billion for EPA, a $2.1 billion cut from current levels, and $14.8 billion for the Interior Department, both figures well below 2025 enacted amounts but above the Trump administration’s budget request.
• The legislation includes dozens of policy riders reversing Biden-era environmental regulations, including Clean Air Act rules and protections for endangered species like the gray wolf and northern long-eared bat.
• Programs supporting water infrastructure, state environmental grants, and environmental justice would face significant funding reductions, though some bipartisan programs like diesel emissions reductions remain level-funded.

Key quote:

“House Republicans are once again pushing an agenda that accelerates the climate crisis, upends our National Parks system, and leaves local communities to fend for themselves — all while undermining the power of the Appropriations Committee and of Congress.”

— Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), ranking member, House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee

Why this matters:

Congressional control over federal environmental spending shapes everything from clean air enforcement to the protection of endangered species. Deep cuts to the EPA and Interior Department could weaken oversight of industrial pollution, delay cleanups of toxic Superfund sites, and reduce federal support for state and tribal environmental efforts. Slashing funds for climate initiatives and environmental justice programs may also limit resources for communities already burdened by pollution and extreme weather. Policy riders rolling back Clean Air Act enforcement and endangered species protections signal a broader deregulatory push that could have long-lasting impacts on public health, biodiversity, and U.S. climate resilience.

Read more: EPA budget cuts may weaken wildfire smoke protections as air pollution worsens