Bill > S1245

This bill, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014, outlines funding and sets specific rules for various government agencies, primarily focusing on energy and water development. A key provision restricts how funds appropriated for agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation can be reprogrammed, meaning moved from one project or activity to another. Generally, these agencies cannot create new programs, eliminate existing ones, increase funding for restricted programs, or shift funds to different purposes without prior approval from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, though specific dollar thresholds and percentage limits are provided for different types of projects and activities. The bill also addresses specific projects, such as authorizing the Secretary of the Army to take measures to prevent aquatic nuisance species from spreading between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin, and allows for the transfer of funds to the Fish and Wildlife Service to mitigate fisheries lost due to Corps of Engineers projects. Furthermore, it modifies existing laws related to water resource projects, including those in California, and adjusts funding authorizations for drought relief and water infrastructure programs. For the Department of Energy, the bill appropriates funds for various programs like energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear energy, and environmental cleanup, while also establishing rules for managing its national laboratories and implementing a pilot program for consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Finally, it includes general provisions covering lobbying restrictions, inter-agency fund transfers, and reporting requirements for conference expenses.