The USEPA’s proposed budget for 2018 cuts grants to state environmental programs yet states are still expected to meet the federal monitoring and compliance targets or face severe sanctions from Washington. The 2017 federal budget cycle ends September 30, 2017 and the 2018 budget begins October 1, 2017.
The budget proposal shows that overall 2018 funding for the USEPA drops over thirty (30) percent to $5,700,000,000.00. State and tribal assistance grants would be slashed almost forty-five (45) percent and some programs have been zeroed out completely (beach protection, radon monitoring and lead testing). It is these assistance grants that allow states to carry out a number of the USEPA directives. Additional hits in the USEPA budget are to the science and technology programs, the Superfund program and a number of regional programs (Great Lakes, Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades).
The double-hit comes because the USEPA still expects the states to carry out many of the delegated tasks on behalf of the USEPA. So even if the states cannot enforce the environmental rules because of the budget cuts, the states will face penalties by not enforcing the law. For instance, by not meeting clean air rules could cause a state to lose millions in federal highway funds or face limits on new construction. And Scott Pruitt is on record as having stated that the states have the resources and the expertise to deal with these delegated tasks even with the USEPA budget cuts.
Earlier this month, Congress did approve $8,240,000,000.00 for the USEPA in 2017.
More later.
As always, feel free to contact me at walter.james@jamespllc.com
WDJiii