WASHINGTON - The Bush administration on Monday
proposed a 2005 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency
which is down more than 7 percent from levels Congress enacted
in 2004, but includes more money to clean up toxic waste sites
while slashing funds for clean water projects by about $500
million.
This budget not only shortchanges our environment, it
challenges our nation's role as a global environmental leader.
Congress will not let this stand. 
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Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont |
President Bush's proposed $2.4 trillion election-year
budget includes $7.76 billion for EPA, the agency charged with
keeping the nation's air, water and land pollution-free.
Proposed funding is down from the $8.4 billion that Congress
allocated for EPA in the current budget year.
EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt, who is nearing the 90-day
mark after taking the reins of the agency from Christine
Whitman, said the budget allocates "substantially more money"
than prior years.
"With the President's budget, we can increase the velocity
of environmental protection," Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt pointed to a $133 million boost from EPA's 2004
request of $7.63 billion to remove toxic sludge from the Great
Lakes and make school buses burn cleaner fuel.
However, some lawmakers and environmental groups criticized
the budget as hindering U.S. environmental initiatives.
"This budget not only shortchanges our environment, it
challenges our nation's role as a global environmental leader,"
said independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont.
"Congress will not let this stand," said Jeffords, the
ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee, which has oversight over some EPA programs.
In a statement, Jeffords pointed out that the budget cuts
$492 million, or 37 percent, from a revolving fund which states
use to upgrade sewage and septic systems and storm-water
run-off projects.
The administration would hold steady a separate $850
million state fund for clean drinking water.
Funding for Superfund -- an industry program to clean up
toxic waste sites -- would increase by about 10 percent to
$1.38 billion. EPA will complete clean-ups at about 40 sites
this year, and begin work at up to 12 new U.S. sites in 2005,
according to budget documents.
However, Jeffords said the numbers were down from levels
seen during the second term of the Clinton administration, when
the EPA cleaned up an average of 87 sites per year.
The National Environmental Trust (NET), an environmental
group, said that Superfund should not gain at the expense of
clean water programs.
"Clean water or toxic waste -- as if Congress is going to
choose one over the other in an election year. At best, expect
the status quo," said NET President Philip Clapp.
Copyright 2004 Reuters Ltd
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