Environment Subcommittee Markup

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee held a markup session on May 15, 2026, to consider several environmental bills focused on brownfields revitalization and recycling infrastructure. Key procurement-related discussions centered on HR 8739, the Brownfields Revitalization for a Better Tomorrow Act, which reauthorizes the EPA's Brownfields Grants Program. The bill includes policy updates to increase grant award limits and waive cost-sharing for disadvantaged communities but controversially reduces the program's authorization funding from $200 million to $123.5 million, prompting bipartisan debate. Members emphasized the program's economic and environmental benefits, with calls to restore funding levels. Additionally, the subcommittee considered HR 2145, the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act, establishing an EPA pilot grant program to improve recycling access in underserved and rural communities, and HR 4109, the Recycling and Compost Accountability Act, aimed at enhancing data collection on recycling and composting rates. An amendment harmonizing HR 2145 with Senate-passed legislation to improve data collection was adopted. Both HR 8739 and the amended HR 2145 were approved and forwarded to the full committee for further consideration.