Ag Policy Blog
Confederate Flag Debate Stalls EPA Budget Bill
A bill that would make significant cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget was grounded Thursday, after Republican members objected to an amendment passed by voice vote Tuesday night to ban the Confederate flag at national cemeteries, according to The Hill, http://tinyurl.com/…
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told reporters during a press call earlier this week that the bill that includes policy riders designed to cut the agency's budget by about 14% would hamper EPA's ability to conduct its "core mission."
The cuts, by and large, are proposed in response to what Republicans see as regulatory overreach on a number of agency rules, including the waters of the United States rule that now faces multiple legal challenges.
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"These reductions would delay implementation of the clean water rule," McCarthy told reporters. "It would create more costly permitting delays. Congress is trying to legitimately legislate science."
One of the ways opponents of the waters of the United States rule are attempting to stop implementation of the rule is to deny funding to EPA.
McCarthy said the cuts would be "extreme" and would cut at the heart of the EPA mission.
"By attacking the agency the current bill goes way beyond the agency's ability to finalize rules," she said. "We strenuously object."
EPA already has experienced spending cuts that have required the agency to make cutbacks in employees and other services.
Within in the proposed bill that calls for EPA cuts would be a 40% reduction in the land and water conservation fund.
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