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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ON HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP OF FY 2001 BUDGET

Release Date: 05/23/2000
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Unfortunately, the House Appropriations Subcommittee failed to honor President Clinton’s request to provide adequate funding for EPA to protect the nation’s public health and environment. The effect of today’s actions would be a nine percent cut to EPA’s basic environmental and public health programs, which are the backbone of the Agency’s work. A cut of this magnitude will seriously affect the Agency’s ability to fulfill its promise to the American people to protect public health and the environment through sound science, environmental enforcement and programs to provide American communities cleaner water, cleaner air and an improved quality of life.

By continuing to reduce the amount available for Superfund cleanups, the Subcommittee would delay the cleanup of toxic waste sites. In addition, the Subcommittee has refused to endorse a number of important initiatives proposed by the President, including $50 million to clean up the Great Lakes, the drinking water source for 25 million Americans, and efforts to build a strong information system between EPA and the States. Once again, the Subcommittee has failed to address the challenge of global warming by cutting in half the support for the Administration’s Climate Change Technology Initiative.

In addition, the Subcommittee included an anti-environmental rider that would prevent the Agency from fulfilling its responsibility under the Clean Water Act to work with states to develop waterbody-specific pollution cleanup plans.

The Agency remains concerned about earmarks and is hopeful that -- as this bill moves through the appropriations process -- it will remain unfettered by funding for special projects.

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