President’s Budget for FY2025 Released

[Laura Bies]

The Biden Administration has released its budget request for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins on October 1. This proposed budget provides a starting point for the annual federal budget process; actual appropriations are determined by Congress and included in the annual appropriations bills. (Despite the fact that the current fiscal year is half over, Congress is still in the process of finalizing this year’s appropriations.)

The administration’s budget request for FY 2025 includes increases for most programs involving bird conservation, research, and management. Under the request, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed budget would include an increase of $113 million above the 2023 enacted level (which is also $163 million above the FY 2024 continuing resolution). The USFWS Migratory Bird Management Program would receive $73.1 million under the request, $19.2 million more than the appropriated amount from FY 2023 enacted amount (and $19.8 million above FY 2024 CR). This would include $8 million to support staff handling migratory bird permitting in the USFWS regional offices. The request would also consolidate funding for the ePermits system into one line item, and includes an additional $6 million for system development activities.

The USFWS budget request also includes a $60.8 million increase for the National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as $338.2 million for the Ecological Services program to support conservation of species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

While most USFWS programs would see an increase, some grant programs would see reduced funding. For the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, the 2025 budget request is $33.0 million, $17.0 million less than the FY 2024 level.

The FY 2025 USGS budget request is $1.6 billion, an increase of $81.1 million above FY 2024, and includes $326.1 million for the ecosystems programs ($18.9 million above FY 2024). The USGS Cooperative Research Units are funded at $29.8 million, $1.6 million above FY 2024.

Learn more about the FY2025 budget request -

Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release.

Read the USFWS FY25 Budget Highlights. 

Read the USFWS FY25 Budget Justification. 

Read the Department of the Interior’s press release here and DOI Budget in Brief for FY2025 here.  

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