Trump Budget Seeks 23 Percent Cut At EPA, Ending Dozens Of Programs

"The White House is seeking to cut more than $2.5 billion from the annual budget of the Environmental Protection Agency — an overall reduction of more than 23 percent.

The fiscal 2019 proposal released Monday marks the Trump administration’s latest attempt to shrink the reach of an agency the president once promised to reduce to “little tidbits.” The EPA already has lost hundreds of employees to buyouts and retirements over the past year, and its staffing is now at Reagan-era levels.

Under the latest budget, the agency would continue to shrink in size and ambition, leaving much more of the work of environmental protection to individual states. The administration said Monday that its proposal will help “return the EPA to its core mission,” reduce “unnecessary reporting burdens on the regulated community,” and eliminate programs that “create unnecessary redundancies or those that have served their purpose and accomplished their mission.”"

Brady Dennis reports for the Washington Post February 12, 2018.

SEE ALSO:

"Trump Budget Targets EPA, Interior for Cuts" (The Hill)

"Trump Budget Would Fund Interior Projects By Selling Energy From Public Lands" (The Hill)

"Trump Seeks To Cut Energy Department Loan, Research Programs" (The Hill)

"Cut EPA to 1990-Level Funding, Trump Proposes" (McClatchy)

"Trump Budget Again Targets Regional Water Cleanup Programs" (AP)

"Trump Seeks To Shift Energy Dept. Priorities With Clean Energy Cuts, $2 Billion Boost To Nuclear Spending" (Washington Post)

"Water Infrastructure Among Few EPA Winners in Trump Budget Plan" (Bloomberg BNA)

"Interior: Land Buying Out; Energy And Reorganization In" (Greenwire)

"DOE: White House Requests More Funding For Some Programs" (Greenwire)

"Zinke 'Supportive' Of LWCF But Gives Budget The Ax" (E&E Daily)