House Appropriations Committee’s New Energy/Water Funding Bill is a Recipe for Disaster

WASHINGTON - Today the House Appropriations Committee will begin marking up a fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill related to national energy and water infrastructure. As currently written, the bill would: increase funding for fossil fuel technology development by $58 million; increase nuclear energy funding by $128 million; decrease energy efficiency and renewable energy program funding by $243 million; and significantly weaken application of the Clean Water Act. In response, Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“By examining this spending plan, one gains a clear view of Republicans’ intentions for our future: to deepen our dependence on filthy, polluting fossil fuels so irresponsible corporations can profit, and weaken existing protections against toxic water contamination in communities across the country – again in the name of more profits for polluters. This spending plan is a recipe for disaster – climate disaster, environmental disaster and public health disaster. We’ll be working hard to see that this bill and others with similar, foolish priorities are stopped before they get started.”