The budget includes a $2.3B increase in funding to the agency.
President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget calls for $11.88 billion to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This will be used to address the climate crisis, deliver environmental justice and equity, reduce water pollution, and rebuild core operations at the agency.
The proposed budget is approximately $2.3 billion larger than the $9.56 million Congress authorized for FY22. It reflects Bidens Justice40 commitment which dedicates 40% federal investments in climate and clean energies to underserved communities.
The proposed budget of the EPA is $4 billion. This represents an increase of $1 million over the level of 2021. $1 billion of this amount would go towards fully funding the Drinking water and Wastewater infrastructure Acts water grant programmes.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated that although there has been progress, many people still don’t have access to clean water and are not equipped to handle wastewater. He also spoke before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. America’s water system is also facing new challenges like cybersecurity threats, climate changes, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances).
The proposed budget of the EPA focuses on improving air quality. It includes $1.1 billion to reduce radiation exposure and pollution. This includes $152million to develop and implement national standards on vehicle, engine, and fuel emissions. $299 million is allocated to establish standards to reduce air toxins.
Regan stated that poor air quality in the country has negative economic and health consequences for millions of people. The agency will reduce emissions of particulate matter, ozone-forming pollutants and air taxes in fiscal year 2023. The president’s budget includes $1.1 million to improve air quality and establish standards that reduce pollution from stationary and mobile sources. These standards are a guarantee to the industry and build on technological advances. They also reinforce market movements towards a cleaner, more reliable, and cheaper energy system.
The EPA is also responsible in preventing and addressing environmental damage and hazardous waste. Budget request would provide $1.15Billion for EPAs Superfund programs, which clean up contaminated land and respond quickly to environmental emergencies. It also provides $215M for EPAs Brownfields Program to assist communities in recovering and reusing contaminated property.
The budget would also provide $124 million and 449 equivalents (FTEs), for Toxic Substances and Control Act(TSCA) implementation. $126 million would go to research on the health and ecological effects PFAS contaminants on human health, as well as limiting their use and cleaning up PFAS pollution.
The budget would allocate $100 million to local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission to address the climate crisis. The White House proposes an additional $35million to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act and continue to phase out hydrofluorocarbons. HFCs are a powerful greenhouse gas. This is in comparison to the 2021 enacted levels. The White House also increased wildfire prevention and readiness allocations by $13 million. This is to increase the EPA’s ability forecast and communicate smoke events.
The White House also allocated funds for enforcement of environmental laws. The budget provides $213 million to civil enforcement for cases of illegal pollution. It also includes increased funding in compliance programs, monitoring efforts, and inspection programs. $69 million would be used to support criminal enforcement efforts. This includes the EPAs partnership and the Department of Justice in the development of a specialized enforcement program.Criminal Enforcement Task ForceTo address environmental justice problems
Regan said that communities of color and communities of indigenous communities, rural communities, and economically disadvantaged communities are the most affected by climate change, pollution, and climate change. These communities have been suffering from higher levels of pollution over the years. This inequity in environmental protection isn’t just an environmental justice issue; it’s also a civil rights issue. EPA will increase its holistic investments in civil rights and environmental justice for fiscal year 2023 to reduce the historically disproportionate effects of pollution on communities with environmental justice concerns. EPA has spent more than $1.4 Billion to advance environmental justice, eliminate legacy pollution, and create high-paying jobs.
The EPA proposed a national environmental justice office to coordinate programs for underserved communities. After staffing cuts under the previous administration, this budget adds more that 1,900 FTEs for EPA to expand its capacity to protect human and environmental health.
