Newhouse Votes for Responsible Land Management, Unleashing Natural Resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. 

"In my four years as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I worked hard to counter the Biden administration’s top-down regulations that threatened our public lands and natural resources across the West. This legislation is a course correction from the previous administration to unleash the resources we have under our feet, protect public lands for all who enjoy their benefits, and prioritize conservation over preservation across the United States. I also secured critical funding for three water infrastructure projects in Othello, Winthrop, and Oroville to address the water supply and distribution challenges these communities face," said Rep. Newhouse. 

Newhouse added, "I thank Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson and Full Committee Chairman Tom Cole for their leadership and commitment to funding priorities that support our rural way of life." 

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $37.971 billion, which is $2.54 billion (6%) below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level. 

The bill fully funds the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, estimated at $550 million, and prioritizes funding for Tribes and Wildland Fire Management.  

Champions American energy dominance and reduces regulatory burdens by: 

• Providing the OMB requested increase of $13.6 million for offshore oil and gas development at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the OMB requested increase of $15 million for onshore oil and gas development at the Bureau of Land Management.
• Requiring the Secretary of the Interior to conduct onshore and offshore oil and gas lease sales.
• Prohibiting the use of the social cost of carbon, which has stymied new development.
• Prohibiting the EPA from imposing the methane fee on oil and gas producers created by the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act.
• Prohibiting multiple U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rulings used to weaponize the Endangered Species Act against land users and energy producers.

Protects access to public lands by: 

• Blocking restrictions on hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.
• Preventing additional regulations on ammunition, ammunition components, or fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act or any other law.
• Prohibiting restrictions on where standard lead ammunition and fishing tackle can be used on certain federal lands or waters unless conditions are met.
• Stopping the Bureau of Land Management’s Conservation and Landscape Health rule to ensure continued access to public lands for grazing, recreation, and energy development.

Bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by:  

• Reducing our reliance on foreign countries for critical minerals by promoting access to resources here at home through blocking certain lease withdrawals in Minnesota and reinstating mineral leases in the Superior National Forest.
• Promoting domestic mining by ensuring ancillary mining activities can be approved, which is a fix to the Rosemont decision that created additional red tape and regulatory uncertainty for mining operations.
• Ensuring chemical and pesticide manufacturers are not overburdened with requirements that would drive businesses overseas and threaten American competitiveness.
• Prohibiting funds for the National Park Service to provide housing to an alien without lawful status.
• Providing $771.84 million for Tribal Public Safety and Justice programs, which is a 39% increase over the FY25 enacted level.

Newhouse secured funding for the following projects in Washington's Fourth District in this legislation:

City of Othello 

Amount Secured: $1,000,000  

The City of Othello is 100 percent reliant on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply and after several years of data collection, study completions, and pilot test studies, the City of Othello has developed an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) strategy to mitigate declining water levels in the Wanapum Basalt aquifer. The ASR method has proven to be effective, and the City has progressed to the stage of predesign. The City is requesting funding assistance with the next phase of “design” to build a permanent solution that will result in a sustainable, reliable, environmentally responsible water supply plan for the Othello region.

City of Winthrop 

Amount Secured: $1,500,000 

The proposed project will improve the reliability of the Town of Winthrop’s water source and distribution system. The town only has one functioning well (Well #1). If that well goes down, the town only has a day or two of water available in its three reservoirs. Well #2 has been approved as an emergency water source by Department of Health, but it needs to be rehabilitated to be in regular use. 

Scope of work includes: 

• Rehabilitation of Well #2, including new pump, motor, piping, electrical/controls, generator backup, and a new well house.
• Repairs to the Town’s East Reservoir, including waterproofing, concrete repairs, and altitude valve replacement. 

Community benefits include public health and safety, fire protection, and water conservation. Winthrop is ranked #6 on the Washington DNR’s burn probability list. Given the community’s vulnerability to wildfire, ensuring a resilient and redundant water supply system with reliable fire flow capacity is critical for public safety. 

City of Oroville 

Amount Secured: $1,400,000 

The project will result in new, upgraded water pipes that ensure safe and reliable drinking water to Oroville’s north end area. The City of Oroville requests $1,750,000 for construction of the first phase of the project which consists of approximately 3,500 lineal feet of aging and undersized water transmission main piping serving the “North End” of the City’s water system. The existing water t-mains consist of 4-inch and 6-inch deteriorated PVC pipe, which cannot provide adequate fire flow or service pressure and are prone to leaking. The project will replace these existing, undersized transmission mains with 12-inch transmission mains along 20th from Main St to Juniper St, and along Juniper St and Main St from 20th St to 23rd St. The project will also replace existing, undersized water transmission mains with 8-inch transmission mains along Deerpath Dr from 21st St to 23rd St, and along 23rd St from Deerpath Dr to Westlake Ave. 

Bill text before amendments can be found here. 

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