The Washington Post and the Oregonian reported Thursday the Trump Administration is considering a 30 percent cut in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants to states to administer federal environmental programs and a 20 percent cut to EPA staff.

The Oregonian emphasized the proposed cuts have not yet had the benefit of comments by EPA.

Among the proposed cuts are--

EPA’s complement is proposed to be cut 19 percent from 15,376 to 12,397.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told ClimateWire late Wednesday, "I am concerned about the grants that have been targeted, particularly around water infrastructure, and those very important state revolving funds.

"The importance is setting priorities as an agency and then allowing the budget to be formed around that. What's difficult, having only been there a week, is to have these kinds of recommendations made and then look at our priorities and say, 'You know what, we've got to make sure that we look at these programs.'

"What's important for us is to educate OMB on what the priorities of the agency are, from water infrastructure to Superfund, providing some of those tangible benefits to our citizens, while at the same time making sure that we reallocate, reprioritize in our agency to do regulatory reform to get back within the bounds of Congress," Pruitt said.

A copy of a summary of the proposed cuts is available online.

NewsClips:

Report: Proposed Cut To Slash EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Funds 93%

Proposed EPA Cuts Could Devastate Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan

Trump Eyes Plan To Cut EPA Staff 20%, Cut Grants To States 30%

Here Are 42 Of Trump’s Proposed EPA Budget Cuts

Trump Takes Hatchet To EPA

Trump To Propose 24 Percent Cut In EPA Spending

Pruitt Concerned About Some Specific Budget Cuts

Op-Ed: Stand Up For Clean Water

Letter: Federal Farm Bill Programs Deserve Support

Letter: Congress Should Prioritize Farm Bill Conservation Funding

Related Story:

CBF: Proposal To Cut EPA Chesapeake Bay Funding Not Consistent With President’s Statements

[Posted: March 2, 2017]

3/6/2017