From Preservation Action:

Last week, Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum testified before the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the President's FY26 budget request for the Department of Interior. During the hearings, lawmakers questioned the Secretary on the significant cuts for the Department of Interior and the National Park Service included in the President's budget request. They also pressed the Secretary for more information on ongoing reductions in force at the National Park Service, proposals to sell federal lands, and the delay in dispersing congressionally-approved FY25 funds, including for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

At the House Natural Resources Committee hearing, Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) questioned Secretary Burgum on the continued delay in the release of FY26 HPF funds and the impact this is having on State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and preservation efforts across the country. Rep. Elfreth highlighted that the delay has caused SHPOs to layoff staff in multiple states and asked the Secretary for answers in where the hold-up in funds is happening. Importantly, the Congresswoman also pointed out that funding for HPF doesn't come from tax dollars but rather from offshore drilling lease revenue.

We appreciate Rep. Elfreth and other members of Congress who continue to push Secretary Burgum and others for the urgent need to release FY25 HPF funding. The longer the delay continues, the more severe the impact will be across the country. Without funding, staff won't be able to carry-out federally required functions like Section 106 reviews, Historic Tax Credit reviews, and more- delaying federal projects, slowing economic development and threatening jobs. 

Keep up your advocacy! Reach out to your members of Congress and ask them to help facilitate the release of FY25 HPF funds and adequately fund the HPF in FY26. You can also help by spreading the word, sharing the delay and impact with relevant stakeholders and media outlets. Check out our Action Alert to learn more.