Republicans are quietly shying away from targeting IRA money in the farm bill, Jael and Nick write.

Why it matters: Congress is barreling toward the end-of-month farm bill deadline. This could smooth the path and — for now — protect the nearly $20 billion that Democrats pumped into climate-related ag programs in the IRA.

Driving the news: With battles over appropriations and impeachment echoing across the Capitol grounds, GOP negotiators in both chambers stressed to us they want bipartisan agreement on their versions of the farm bill.

• Moving those funds is "really not" a sticking point right now, Senate Ag ranking member John Boozman told Nick.
• "There's all kinds of people who would like to do this or that," he said. But "I don't think there's any Democrats that are willing to use those dollars for anything else."

Then, last night, House Ag Chair Glenn Thompson told reporters he'd like to see IRA funds used differently but doesn't "think it's a sticking point" in getting a farm bill done.

• Thompson repeatedly emphasized that he wants "bipartisan support in the committee to repurpose" the funds: "We'll see whether there is or not."
• A House Ag spokesperson declined to comment further on Republicans' plans.

Catch up quick: The IRA authorized $19.5 billion to farm conservation programs in a bid to promote "climate-smart agriculture" practices.

• House Republicans previously said they were considering using some of that money to help raise commodity reference prices so programs like crop insurance align with inflation.

Reality check: There's a "real commitment" in the Democratic caucus to protect the money as it's authorized, said Tina Smith, a Senate Ag Democrat who helped lead the push for the money.

• "To the extent somebody might want to increase reference prices and do that by taking some of the money from climate-smart agriculture, we just won't support that," she told Jael in the Senate subway tunnels last week.

Yes, but: We don't yet know if the hardliners who've derailed funding talks and other program reauthorizations could target the IRA, which was a conflict in the debt limit fight.

• Plus, Boozman said it's a "red line" for him to make sure farmers don't have to meet climate-friendly standards to take advantage of USDA conservation programs.

What's next: They're not getting the farm bill done by Sept. 30, and pretty much everyone is eyeing December as the real deadline now.

• Don't hold your breath on bill text, either: Thompson said he's waiting for the continuing resolution drama to subside before releasing his bill.

Rep. Garret Graves thinks environmental permitting talks have a "rough path forward right now" amid implementation disputes between House Republicans and the White House, Nick writes.

Why it matters: Graves was Speaker Kevin McCarthy's top negotiator on the debt ceiling deal, and his posture suggests there's little near-term chance of a second permitting deal.

Driving the news: "The White House bastardized the new law changes that they were given to actually improve things, and now they're asking for new authority," Graves told Nick as he hustled into McCarthy's office last night.

• "Why in the hell would we give them new authority?" he said.

Context: Congress made the first major changes to the National Environmental Policy Act in decades as part of the debt deal.

• The White House Council on Environmental Quality is angering many Republicans by implementing that law alongside its own proposals to add climate change and other considerations to environmental reviews.
• If the White House revisited its implementation, "it would show integrity and trust, and I think we'd be willing to have a second round of negotiations," Graves said.
• CEQ spokesperson Alyssa Roberts said its rule "fully and faithfully implements new permitting efficiencies directed by Congress through the Fiscal Responsibility Act."

Nick's thought bubble: This isn't a new take from Graves, who has been criticizing the Biden administration's handling of the debt deal for weeks.

• But as a temperature check, it's not great for those who'd like to see another deal to overhaul environmental laws and transmission policy.

Here's what else we're following ...

1. 💵 Spending mess: The House is still struggling to pass its ag and defense appropriations bills, which ... does not bode well.

2. 👋 DeSantis IRA fight: Florida Democrats wrote the Energy Department asking them to circumvent Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of low-carbon energy rebates.

3. 🤖 AI climate disinfo: Consumer advocates are pressing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to deal with misleading information about climate change shared by artificial intelligence.

4. ♻️ EPA loves recycling: The EPA launched a $100 million recycling promotion initiative funded through the bipartisan infrastructure law.

5. 🧪 PFAS extension push: E&C Republicans have asked the EPA to give the public more time to comment on their PFOA/PFOS Superfund plans.