Source: USA Today
The new 2018 budget proposed by the Trump administration includes budget cuts to environmental programs across the country, of up to $500 million, but in addition states will also be penalized financially for not meeting standards – including “loss of highway aid [funds],” reported USA Today.
Furthermore, state and tribal assistance grants will be slashed from over a billion dollars, to $597 million, which are funds that are used to ensure environmental safety through federal directives, such as beach protection and lead testing.
States will be expected to take on the responsibility of funding such initiatives entirely on their own in cases where funding is completely removed, such as for beach protection.
Major EPA budget cuts are in line with Trump’s promise to remove environmental regulations that “limit” job growth.
Last month during an interview Scott Pruitt told Fox News that states had the “resources and expertise” to deal with environmental issues, despite budget cuts.
Read full story at: USA Today