The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development held a markup of their fiscal year (FY) 2015 appropriations bill, which allocates a total of $34 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE), the Army Corps of Engineers, and other related agencies. The bill includes $50 million less than FY 2014, but $327 million more than the President’s FY 2015 request.

Within DOE, the bill allocates $593 million for fossil fuel energy development, approximately $31 million more than FY 2014, and $1.8 billion for renewable energy, approximately $113 million less than FY 2014. The bill supports the Yucca Mountain nuclear repository, allocating $150 million for the Nuclear Waste Disposal program. The bill also provides $5.1 billion for basic science research, the same as last year.

Subcommittee leadership applauded the bipartisan approach in crafting the bill, though party disagreements were still apparent. Full Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) argued that the Obama administration’s energy and environmental regulations are overreaching and hurt American jobs, while Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) was disappointed with the Clean Water Act riders in the bill.

The bill has since passed the House Appropriations Committee and the House Rules Committee with a modified open rule.

Sources: E&E News, House Committee on Appropriations