Senate Committee Proposes Budget Cuts to EPA and USFWS

In the wake of ongoing controversy over the reach of U.S. Agency jurisdiction, a Senate Appropriations Committee is taking steps to decrease funds available for many Agencies for the upcoming year, in an attempt to limit any overreach.  On June 16, 2016 the Senate Committee approved budget cuts to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”) and Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”). Sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, the bill covers funding of many agencies and topics, with specific statements relating to public land agencies and funding.

Most notably, the bill proposes to cut the USFWS’s budget by $11.9 million as compared to the 2016 budget. Proposed cuts equally would affect the EPA’s budget to the tune of $31.2 million. Interestingly, and related to the funds allocated to the EPA, the bill states that, “None of the funds made available in this Act or any other Act, may be used to develop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce any change to the regulations and guidance in effect on October 1, 2012, pertaining to the definition of waters under the jurisdiction of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act…”

While the measure is likely to be altered as it goes before the Senate, it marks a movement by many to limit funding to U.S. Agencies in charge of public lands, and seeks to limit the jurisdictional overreach the Agencies often assert. Those behind such measures believe that if the Agencies lack the funds to assert their jurisdiction, their resources will be dedicated in furtherance of the respective Agencies’ core goals, rather than working to increase their jurisdictional effect and power.

For the full text of the proposed bill, please visit https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s3068/BILLS-114s3068pcs.pdf.