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Federal budget · FY2024

Where does federal spending on natural resources and environment go?

$69 billionin FY2024 · 1.0% of all federal spending

Natural Resources and Environment covers the federal agencies that manage public lands, regulate environmental quality, and run conservation programs — about $69 billion in FY2024. Major recipients include the EPA (Clean Air and Water Act enforcement, Superfund cleanups, pesticide regulation), the Army Corps of Engineers civil works program (locks, dams, harbors, flood control), the US Forest Service (national forests + wildfire suppression), NOAA (National Weather Service, climate research, fisheries), and the National Park Service (63 National Parks + monuments).

Smaller but significant: the Bureau of Land Management (245M+ acres of public land), the US Fish & Wildlife Service (endangered species, hunting/fishing rules), USGS (earth-science research), and the Bureau of Reclamation (western water infrastructure). Conservation grants to states and tribal governments also flow through this function.

Where the money goes inside natural resources and environment

Agency- and program-level breakdown for FY2024.

  • Army Corps of Engineers (civil works)$10 billion

    Locks, dams, harbors, levees, flood control, navigable waterways. Despite the name, civilian infrastructure.

  • Environmental Protection Agency$11 billion

    Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act enforcement; Superfund cleanups; pesticide/chemical regulation.

  • US Forest Service$9 billion

    National forests management, wildfire suppression, forest research.

  • NOAA (oceans + atmosphere)$7 billion

    National Weather Service, climate research, fisheries management, ocean exploration.

  • National Park Service$4 billion

    63 National Parks + monuments, historic sites, recreation areas.

  • Bureau of Land Management & US Fish & Wildlife$6 billion

    Public lands management (245M+ acres), endangered species protection, hunting/fishing regulations.

  • USGS, Bureau of Reclamation, other Interior$12 billion

    Earth science research, western water/irrigation, mapping, mineral resources.

  • Other natural resources (state grants, conservation)$10 billion

    Conservation grants to states, fish hatcheries, wetlands restoration.

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