Looking Ahead: Advancing Habitat and Climate Progress After the Budget Bill

The recently passed comprehensive budget reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, created consequential setbacks in some areas like climate progress, and simultaneously maintained safeguards for our nation’s public lands and investments in habitat conservation on working farms and ranches. While provisions of the budget reconciliation bill will significantly transform funding for conservation and clean energy programs in the near term, our critical work continues to ensure policy progress in advancing Audubon’s priorities and bending the curve on migratory bird declines across the hemisphere.

From federal appropriations to the Farm Bill and beyond, the months ahead offer important opportunities to shape policies that benefit both birds and people:

Habitat Conservation: Federal Public Lands. Keeping public lands whole is only part of putting good habitat conservation into action, and it is likely that proposals of public land sales will return in the future. Also, still needed are durable investments in responsible management, effective restoration, and supportive stewardship programs. Through the upcoming federal appropriations process, where Congress sets the budget for federal agencies, there are opportunities to champion funding and support of programs and agencies charged with effectively stewarding our natural resources. Making progress with advancing Audubon's FY26 bird budget remains a top priority in the months ahead.

Habitat Conservation: Alaska. In Alaska, places like Teshekpuk Lake and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain face pressure from mandated lease sales. These are areas of global importance for migratory birds and continued engagement is essential to protect these fragile ecosystems from expanding development.

Habitat Conservation: Wings Over Working Lands. For conservation-forward agricultural investments, all eyes are on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.  A new Farm Bill with updated programs and incentives is critical to ensure ranchers, farmers, and foresters have tools that reward habitat restoration and bird-friendly practices. Audubon is working across the aisle to build support for key habitat incentive programs to include in a 2025 Farm Bill.

Climate Solutions: Renewable Energy. There remains strong bipartisan public support for renewable energy, despite the final bill eliminating many of the incentives that helped catalyze clean energy markets. While renewable energy remains among the most affordable energy available on the grid, the provisions from the reconciliation bill risk slowing U.S. progress at a pivotal moment. States like New York, with strong clean energy goals and policy, are likely to lead the way, but federal support is necessary to ensure momentum for clean energy continues over the next decade and beyond. Audubon will continue to press for policies that support the deployment of renewable energy and transmission infrastructure through the federal appropriations process and the upcoming reauthorization of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

As Congress continues its work to advance federal funding and important policy, Audubon remains focused on pushing forward the policies that science and experience show are best for birds, people, and our communities.