Proposal for dramatic reductions in EPA staff and budget could lead to uneven environmental enforcement as states, tribes and environmental groups fill the vacuum.

Introduction -

On March 16, Donald Trump’s administration proposed a 2018 Budget Blueprint that slashes funding at a number of federal agencies, including the Department of State, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Education. But no funding cuts are quite as dramatic as the administration’s proposed 31% budget reduction for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Trump’s Budget Blueprint is more of an aspirational statement regarding this administration’s political priorities and targets than an actual federal budget, and the final budget will be subject to lengthy and intense negotiations in Congress. But with Republicans in control of the White House, House of Representatives, and Senate, EPA’s budget and staffing still appear headed for major reductions. While EPA has already undergone significant budget cuts and staff reductions over the past decade, additional cuts will likely accelerate EPA’s reliance on Next Generation Enforcement tools, including self-reporting of violations, electronic monitoring and data-sharing, and the delegation of oversight and enforcement efforts to state, tribal and citizens groups.