EPA faces $1B budget cut

By Kevin Bogardus | 03/04/2024 01:35 PM EST

While the bulk of the decrease falls on the Superfund program, it could also hamper President Joe Biden’s push to rebuild the agency.

EPA's headquarters in Washington.

EPA's headquarters in Washington. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

EPA will have to make do with less as its core budget takes a hit in appropriations legislation set to pass this week.

EPA would receive close to $9.2 billion in fiscal 2024 under the measure, significantly less than the agency’s current funding of $10.1 billion.

Budget cuts of that size could hamper President Joe Biden’s push to rebuild EPA and end a streak of gradual funding increases for the agency in recent years during his administration.

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House Republicans contend the legislation “cuts wasteful bureaucracy” and “limits executive overreach,” according to their bill summary. In contrast, Democrats sought to emphasize that they protected key programs at EPA, retaining staff throughout the agency.

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