# Environmental Protection — Program Element 0603721N

**Program element:** 0603721N  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603721N

## Summary

U.S. Navy funding falls 15% to a $19.3M request in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. EXWC leads the industry work, though an unusually large share flows to government labs and warfare centers.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 22.8 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 22.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 19.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 21.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 22.6 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 22.9 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 23.2 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 19.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 19.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 19.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 19.3 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (3)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0401 | Shipboard Waste Mgmt | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.9 | −5% |
| 9204 | Marine Mammal Research | 6.6 | 6.6 | 5.4 | −19% |
| 0817 | Environmental Sustainability Development (NESDI) | 5.0 | 5.9 | 4.1 | −30% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 0401 — Shipboard Waste Mgmt

Navy ships and submarines operate and visit U.S. and international waters and ports where shipboard waste management restrictions impact the movements and operations of Navy vessels. The Navy must be able to conduct its national security mission in compliance with applicable waste management requirements in U.S. and international waters without compromising performance, safety, or health, while simultaneously minimizing the cost of compliance. PE 0603721N Project 0401, Shipboard Waste Management, supports efforts that enable Navy ships and submarines to comply with laws, regulations, and policies in six major areas: (1) Technical Authority, (2) Liquid Wastes, (3) Hazardous Material Control and Management, (4) Ballast Water Management, (5) Solid Waste Management, and (6) Copper-Free and Low Copper Antifouling. The Shipboard Waste Management Program supports two designated Technical Warrant Holders for Waste Systems & Materials Engineering, with responsibility and accountability for ensuring that ships and submarines are designed and upgraded, and can be operated, in compliance with existing and anticipated environmental requirements while minimizing total ownership cost and manning. This responsibility encompasses legacy platforms and new vessel designs, as well as fleet operations exercises, and training. Major performers are Naval Surface Warfare Centers at Carderock, MD, and Philadelphia, PA, where engineering agents execute research and development responsibilities for Navy surface ship and submarine environmental engineering, which includes reviewing/updating various military specifications, ship specifications, DoW and Chief of Naval Operations documentations, and maintaining the technology identification and assessment process.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NRL,Wash,DC (0.3, 3.0%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Authority | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Liquid Wastes | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Ballast Water Management | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Solid Waste Management | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Hazardous Material Control and Management | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Copper-Free and Low Copper Antifouling | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 9204 — Marine Mammal Research

The Navy has been and will continue to be subject to litigation with regard to the potential injuring, killing or biologically significant disturbance of marine animals by the use of intense underwater sound. Since Fleet operation and training areas coincide with known or probable habitats, migration routes, or breeding areas of marine mammals and other protected marine species, the possibility exists that such incidents are likely to continue in the future. The increasing public interest and pressure has resulted in escalating Fleet costs. For example, Fleet and SYSCOM development activities have been interrupted; modified, or altogether cancelled and environmental regulations have, among other things, required new ship construction shock trials to obtain Federal permits and conduct extensive environmental planning that can take several years to complete. The incorporation of mitigation measures in Fleet training operations to minimize the potential adverse effects on protected marine animals can significantly reduce the realism of these operations. In addition, the testing, evaluation, and deployment of new sonar detection and monitoring systems that use active acoustics are under intense public scrutiny for their potential adverse effects on whales and other marine mammals. Navy needs scientific evidence to substantiate its claims of limited or inconsequential adverse effects to marine life from operations. This project primarily focuses on the development of planning, monitoring, and mitigating tools to aid the Fleet in minimizing contact with and the potential harassment of protected marine animals during operations, exercises, training, and undersea surveillance and weapons testing. These new capabilities will encompass historical and newly acquired data and analytical models that together can predict marine animal habitats (where they are likely to be), and their natural and expected behavior (diving patterns, prey localization, calling activity, etc.). This project consists of three major areas that will help ensure Navy compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA). These areas are (1) Marine Ecology and Population Dynamics - determine the likelihood of the presence of marine mammals or other protected species by developing habitat and ecological models.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** EXWC PH (2.4, 44%), EXWC CA (1.1, 21%), EXWC (0.7, 14%), NPGS (0.0, 0.6%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Ecology and Population Dynamics | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Criteria and Thresholds, Physiology and Behavior, and Effects of Sound | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| Mitigation Methodologies: Monitoring, New Technology, and Risk Assess | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 0817 — Environmental Sustainability Development (NESDI)

The Navy Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration (NESDI) program develops and transitions mission-critical environmental technologies and processes that reduce operational risk, support compliance environmental regulations, and preserves access to essential shore infrastructure essential to Fleet readiness. As the Department of the Navy's environmental shoreside RDT&E program, NESDI ensures that Fleet and shore operations can meet environmental obligations under key statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, and NEPA, without disrupting mission execution. Aligned with the strategic direction of the Chief of Naval Operations' Navigation Plan 2022, the 2022 National Defense Strategy, and SECNAVINST 5400.15D, NESDI supports Naval SYSCOMS maintain operational effectiveness under increasing environmental constraints. Program investments directly address technical challenges across ranges, maintenance facilities, and shore activities to reduce compliance costs, avoid mission delays, and address emerging risks, ensuring continued support across the shore enterprise. Environmental Enabling Capabilities-2 (EEC-2) MAXIMIZE TRAINING AND TESTING RANGE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS: Ensures continued access to and use of Navy land and sea ranges by mitigating operational constraints driven by environmental regulations. Investments areas include modeling, risk assessments, and best management practices to address challenges related to UXO, munitions constituents, wetlands, and range management, tailored to the unique needs of Navy training and testing environments. Environmental Enabling Capabilities-3 (EEC-3) PLATFORM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR WITH MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT: Supports the environmentally responsible maintenance and repair of Navy and Marine Corps platforms, including ships, submarines, aircraft, and unmanned systems. Investment areas reduce the use of hazardous materials, waste, and discharges at maintenance facilities, airfields, and ports. Resulting technologies include alternative coatings, process substitutions, and waste minimization approaches that reduce lifecycle costs, lower compliance burdens, and enhance the long-term supportability of operational platforms. Environmental Enabling Capabilities-4 (EEC-4).

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NIWC (1.7, 42%), EXWC (1.7, 41%), NAWC (0.3, 7.2%), NAWCWD (0.2, 5.0%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEC-2,Maximize Training & Testing Requirements Within Environmental Constraints | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| EEC-3,Platform Maintenance and Repair With Minimal Environmental Footprint | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| EEC-4, Support Shore Readiness within Environmental Constraints | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| EEC-5,Cost-Effective Management of Environmental Regulatory Requirements | 2.4 | 4.4 | 2.9 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 45% | 8.6 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 55% | 10.7 |

**Top named industry performers:** EXWC ($2.4M, 12%), EXWC PH ($2.4M, 12%), NIWC ($1.7M, 8.9%), EXWC CA ($1.1M, 5.7%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This program develops and evaluates processes, hardware, systems, operational procedures, scientific methods, and environmental studies that will allow the Navy to operate in U.S., foreign, and international waters, air, space, and land areas while complying with environmental laws, regulations, Executive Orders, policies and international agreements. Many environmental laws, regulations, and policies impose restrictions on Navy training and testing, vessels, aircraft, and facilities that interfere with operations and/or increase the cost of operations. The Navy must be able to conduct its national security mission in compliance with applicable environmental requirements in the U.S.

This project is categorized as Non-ACAT (Non Acquisition). The project delivers a broad spectrum of products that require a variety of acquisition processes to implement. Equipment products for naval stations and other mission funded activities are often procured directly through the base operating budget. Equipment products for Shipyards and other Navy Working Capital Fund (NWCF) activities costing over $350K are procured through their Capital Investment Program (CIP). For both types of activities, equipment products costing less than $250K, and process changes not requiring the purchase of new equipment such as consumable material or product substitutions, are funded through the activity's operating budgets.

## Related program elements

- [0603712S — Logistics Research and Development Technology (Log R&D)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603712S) (Defense-Wide)
- [1160480BB — SOF Tactical Vehicles](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160480BB) (Defense-Wide)
- [1203269SF — GPS III Follow-On (GPS IIIF)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203269SF) (Space Force)
- [0208030F — Operational Weaponeering and Analysis](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0208030F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0603721N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0603721N")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*