Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission is to protect human health and the environment. The President’s 2012 Budget includes $9 billion to continue to deliver on this mission, a decrease of $1.3 billion. Funding is maintained for core priorities, such as enforcement of environment and public health protections. As part of a government-wide effort to reduce spending, savings are achieved through reductions in funding for the State Revolving Funds, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and water infrastructure earmarks. 

Prepares the US to be a Global Leader in the Clean Energy Economy

• Supports the 2012 implementation of a historic national program to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) from cars and trucks by about 21 percent by 2030, saving an estimated 1.8 billion barrels of oil.

Revitalizes Ecosystems and Communities

• Supports restoration of the Gulf Coast ecosystem following the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  The Administration is working with the Gulf States to restore the area's natural resources to pre-spill conditions.  A portion of civil penalties obtained from parties responsible for the oil spill, if approved by Congress to be dedicated to the Gulf Coast restoration, will be an important resource for funding additional critical ecosystem activities.
• Supports restoration of the Chesapeake Bay with an investment of $67 million to support implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order and help Bay watershed States reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and restore this economically important ecosystem. 
• Provides $350 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a $125 million reduction from 2010, but a level that allows for continued ecosystem restoration efforts.
• Stimulates economic growth in areas stymied by Brownfields with $125.4 million for technical assistance and integration of sustainable community development with environmental remediation activities. 

Improves the Way Federal Dollars Are Spent and Programs Work

• Eliminates about $160 million in water infrastructure earmarks.
• Reduces funding for State Revolving Funds by $947 million, consistent with the long-term SRF goal of implementing a Sustainable Water Infrastructure Policy that focuses on working with states and communities to enhance technical, managerial, and financial capacity.  Important to the technical capacity will be enhancing alternatives analysis to expand “green infrastructure” options and their multiple benefits.  Future year budgets gradually adjust, taking into account repayments through 2016 with the goal of providing, on average, about 5 percent of water infrastructure spending annually.  When coupled with increasing repayments from loans made in past years by states the annual funding will allow the SRFs to finance a significant percentage in clean water and drinking water infrastructure.  Federal dollars provided through the SRFs will act as a catalyst for efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of sustainable water infrastructure.  Overall, the Administration requests a combined $2.5 billion for the SRFs. 
• Using $621 million in funds, the budget provides additional funding that strengthens enforcement and compliance efforts by targeting activities more effectively and enhancing monitoring and electronic reporting capabilities.

Protects Americans’ Health and Safety

• Ensures clean air and water for American families and enables States and Tribes to implement their environmental programs with $1.2 billion in funding, an increase of $85 million.
• Promotes chemical safety by increasing the Agency's pace in developing hazard assessments for highly produced industrial chemicals, and improving information management and transparency.
• Improves air quality in America’s communities by establishing, updating, and implementing risk-based standards for air toxics.
• Increases the number and frequency of inspections at oil and chemical facilities with an increase of $4.5 million for the Oil Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response program and $1.3 million for the State and Local Prevention and Preparedness program
• Increases funding for the Office of Children’s Health Protection by $3.7 million to ensure that children’s environmental health impacts are carefully considered in EPA program implementation, science policy, and regulatory development.