Spending Bill Weakens Health, Environment Protections, Cuts EPA Budget

WASHINGTON (December 10, 2014) -- House and Senate appropriators have put forward a bill that includes substantial cuts in the enforcement budget of the Environmental Protection Agency and a number of provisions that would thwart efforts to protect health and the environment.  But the bill does not include the most damaging proposals Republicans had made to undermine environmental protection.

Scott Slesinger, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council legislative, made the following statement:

“This bill is clear evidence – if more were needed – of the Republican leadership’s polluter-funded goal of rolling back protections for air, climate, water and wildlife.  Thankfully, the White House and Congressional Democrats were able to keep the worst items out of the bill and to dilute many of those that made it in.  But the public will be worse off from provisions weakening protections of waters; attempting to block actions to help cut carbon pollution in other countries (despite frequent Republican demands that other countries do more); blocking endangered species decisions that are based on science, and preventing enforcement of effective energy efficiency measures. 

“This bill is just a preview of the broader battle next year.”