White House proposes slashing funds to clean up toxic sites despite EPA's pleas
Source: The Guardian
White House proposes slashing funds to clean up toxic sites despite EPA's pleas
EPA plan to focus on hazardous areas that pollute air and water,
often near low-income communities and minorities, was dashed
by president’s budget proposal
Oliver Milman
Monday 22 May 2017 19.23 BST
Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt’s vow to shift the agency back towards the “vital” work of dealing with toxic sites that pollute air and water has been dashed by a White House budget plan that would slash funding for the clean-ups.
Donald Trump’s 2018 budget plan proposes severe cuts to clean-up programs targeting some of the most toxic sites in the US, which are invariably situated near low-income communities and minorities, despite a push by the EPA to prioritize these hazardous areas.
This month, Pruitt issued a directive that instructed the agency to quicken its response to polluted areas known as Superfund sites, where industrial activity or toxic accidents have tainted the air, water or soils.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
But Trump’s budget proposal, set to be fully unveiled on Tuesday, would reduce funding for those clean-ups by nearly a third, while the budget for enforcing Superfund remedies with businesses would be slashed by almost 40%. The EPA budget documents were obtained and released by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/22/toxic-sites-environment-cleanup-trump-budget-plan
__________________________________________________________________________
Related: EPA FY 2018 Proposed Budget (National Association of Clean Air Agencies)
