PA Environment Digest Blog: Environmental Council Of The States, Other State Organizations Write Congress About The Importance Of Federal Funding To State Agencies Implementing Federal Programs

On March 12, the Environmental Council of the States joined eight other state associations in sending a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership on the importance of federal funding to state environmental agencies to implement federal programs.

Because states implement more than 90% of our nation’s environmental programs, the letter notes that Congress must provide funding to help achieve clean air, water, and land under our system of cooperative federalism.

Federal implementation funding, referred to as Categorical Grants, has remained static for two decades, requiring state and local agencies to invest significantly more funds beyond statutory match requirements.

The letter notes that funding cuts below fiscal year 2024 levels will undermine environmental protections that promote prosperity and human health of people across the country.

State and local agencies have to invest significantly more funds beyond the statutory match requirements to meet their delegation commitments.

Adequate federal funding is needed for:

-- State plan development, implementation, and enforcement that drastically reduces pollution, protects public health, increases American prosperity, and improves our economy;

-- Swiftly issuing durable and defensible permits that enable companies to innovate and compete;

-- Recruitment, training, and retention of a world-class professional workforce;

-- Modernization of data, permitting, and compliance systems to improve accuracy, cybersecurity, and transparency;

-- Maintenance of, and sustainable investment in, the infrastructure that delivers cleaner air, remediated land, safe drinking and recycled water, healthy watersheds and wetlands, and effectively treated wastewater and stormwater;

-- Technical assistance for small businesses and rural communities to improve physical, operational, and financial resiliency;

-- Frontline response and on-the-ground assistance before, during, and after natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes;

-- Protection of unique and irreplaceable natural areas that enrich the flora and fauna for communities and for recreational opportunities; and

-- Research into emerging contaminants and appropriate detection and destruction practices, nonpoint source nutrient reduction and wastewater treatment technologies for difficult pollutants, air quality around wildfires and prescribed burns, and other priorities

Other signatories to the letter include the Association of Clean Water Administrators, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, National Association of Wetland Managers, Ground Water Protection Council, Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities, Association of State & Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials, Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies, and National Association of Clean Air Agencies.

[Note: In Pennsylvania, DEP receives at least $60 million a year in federal funding just to pay staff and other costs of implementing federal environmental protection programs like Air Quality, Water Quality, Mining, Storage Tanks, Waste, Safe Drinking Water and others.]

Click Here for a copy of the letter.

On February 28, ECOS also issued this statement on the reported 65% cut to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s budget--

“States carry out more than 90% of the nation’s federal environmental laws in communities around the U.S., and states and their legislatures depend on Congress to support our efforts through grants and partnerships with EPA.

“Dramatic cuts to EPA should not be made at the expense of the states who need increased federal support to provide clean and safe air, land, and water for all of our communities and to grow the economy for all of the nation.”

Click Here for more on funding to states implementing federal programs.

The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) is the national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders. The purpose of ECOS is to improve the capability of state environmental agencies and their leaders to protect and improve human health and the environment of the United States

Federal Funding Cuts, Freeze

-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited: Millions In Trout Unlimited Watershed Projects Improve The Environment, Local Economies Across The US; Federal Funding Freeze, Office Closures, Staff Cuts 'Sacrificing Our National Conservation Legacy' [PaEN]

-- Pocono Record - Brian Whipkey: Trout Unlimited Officials Worry Over Potential Impacts From Reduced Federal Funding In PA [PDF of Article]

-- WESA: PA Says Hundreds Of Fired Federal Workers Have Applied For State Jobs

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Responds To Termination Of Critical USDA Local Farm To School, Child Care Food Purchase Program [PaEN]

-- Beaver Times: USDA To Cut $36.7 Million From Local Food Purchase Assistance In PA

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: USDA Staffing Cuts Hurt Farmers And Rural Communities; Staffing Chaos Has Reigned

-- The Hill: Farmers Sue USDA Over President’s Freeze Of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency Funding [They Already Made Purchases]

-- Washington Times: New EPA Chief Sets Out To Slash The Agency’s Budget By 65%: ‘We Don’t Want The Extra Money And We Don’t Need It’

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Must Protect Citizen’s Health By Removing Lead Water Pipes - By Food & Water Watch

-- Inquirer: EPA Pulls Back $700,000 Grant To Overbrook Environmental Education Center As Part Of Federal Cuts

-- PennLive: Federal Cuts Force Shutdown Of Campgrounds, Beaches, Recreation Areas At Popular Raystown Lake (Huntingdon County), Tioga-Hammond, Cowanesque Lakes (Tioga County) [Local Recreation Economy To Take A Hit]