An internal memo from Environmental Protection Agency officials late last month provided additional details into the depth of agency cuts planned by the Trump administration.
The document, dated March 21 and signed by acting chief financial officer David Bloom, was released to numerous media outlets in subsequent weeks.
A preliminary budget proposal from the White House called for sweeping funding and staffing cuts to the EPA and suggested that dozens of programs could be on the chopping block. The memo signed by Bloom, however, identified more than 200 programs set to see reduced funding or outright eliminated.
Bloomberg reported that cuts would impact the EPA programs for oil spill prevention, criminal enforcement and climate change and protection research. Programs facing elimination, meanwhile, include those targeting coastal waterways, indoor radon, radiation protection and underground storage tank leaks.
The plan also axes the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), a program used to analyze toxic chemical exposure risks. The agency typically uses IRIS to know how much pollution is safe, which can affect cleanup plans when there’s a spill. While IRIS has drawn criticism across the industry for being slow in its assessments, the proposal to eliminate IRIS has left many wondering if the EPA will be able to fulfill its obligations under the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act — a comprehensive revision of America’s chemical safety laws, passed last year.
The good news is that the memo suggests a possible increase in funding of $13.8 million to help fulfill other aspects of the new regulations under Lautenberg.
Safety evaluations for pesticides could also get quicker under the proposal outlined in the memo. To help fund that effort, the fees from manufacturers would increase from $27.5 million to $31 million.
Bloom wrote in the memo that the proposed cuts would refocus the agency on its core functions and support state-level enforcement efforts.
"While many in Washington insist on greater spending, EPA is focused on greater value and real results," EPA spokesman John Konkus told the publication.
The White House is scheduled to provide a more detailed budget next month. The proposal, however, remains likely to see significant changes during the congressional budget process.