Colorado Wildlife Federation The White House budget for FY 2018 shortchanges natural resources values.
Here is the statement from NWF:
WASHINGTON D.C. (May 23, 2017) – Today, the White House released its full budget for
the 2018 fiscal year. Some of the largest cuts are proposed for programs that
restore America’s natural resources, protect public health, and revitalize rural
America. The proposed budget includes deep cuts to the Environmental Protection
Agency, Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and the reduction or elimination of key collaborative
conservation programs.
Collin
O’Mara
president and chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation, released
the following statement:
“If you want to see someone’s values, look at their budget – and this budget shows
that America’s air and waters, wildlife, rural communities, and the outdoor economy
are simply not priorities for the administration.
“All Americans deserve clean water that is drinkable, swimmable, and fishable –
regardless of their zip code. The drastic cuts or eliminations of programs
supporting the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Everglades,
Chesapeake, Puget Sound, Colorado, and Sacramento, if adopted, would make it
impossible for the president to fulfill his campaign pledge of ‘crystal clear
water.’ These budget cuts put the health of all Americans who depend upon clean
water at risk.
“The proposed cuts to the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture
undermine the President’s campaign commitments to America’s hunters and anglers and
would harm America’s $887 billion outdoor economy. The cuts would reduce access and
allow further degradation of America’s public lands and leave behind rural
communities across our nation. Most troubling are the deep cuts to collaborative,
bipartisan programs that help recover wildlife populations through non-regulatory
approaches, including USDA conservation programs, the Land and Water Conservation
Fund, and other collaborative recovery programs.
“The most draconian cuts are targeted at the EPA – the agency that protects public
health and air and water quality. It’s one thing to disagree with various regulatory
approaches, it’s a dereliction of duty to remove the funding that is necessary to
protect Americans from toxic air and water pollution, hazardous waste, and unsafe
chemicals. America’s public health will suffer if the EPA is not able to do its job.
“Now that the administration has released its proposed budget, we call upon
bipartisan champions from both parties to reject this budget and speak up for
America’s natural resources, our public health, rural communities, and the growing
outdoor economy. Communities across our nation need Congress to invest in America’s
natural resources and support the hundreds of millions of Americans and the growing
outdoor economy that depend upon them.”