ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites

• Minimizes human exposure and groundwater migration at hazardous waste sites.

  • $1.3 billion for the Superfund program to clean up the Nation’s most contaminated sites; and

  • $39 million for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act cleanup program.

• Promotes economic development. $166 million to assess more than 1,000 Brownfields properties, clean up over 60 properties, and make 225 acres ready for reuse.

• Removes toxic sediments from the Great Lakes. $35 million to clean up contaminated sediment in the region in concert with non-Federal partners, reducing its negative impact on humans, wildlife, and aquatic organisms.

Protecting the Homeland

• Continues efforts to protect against terrorism. Supports critical decontamination, preparedness, response, and capacity activities, including:

  • $102 million for decontamination research and to close emergency preparedness gaps;

  • $10 million to increase lab capacity; and

  • $35 million to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Water Security activities.

• Coordinates protection of critical water infrastructure.

  • Evaluates pilot systems participating in EPA’s Water Security initiative.

  • Adds 50 partners to the Water Lab Alliance network while continuing to provide training and technical assistance to improve the capabilities and capacity of the water sector.

  • Continues outreach to increase water protection efforts and local investment in contaminant warning systems.

Providing Clean and Safe Water

• Helps State and local governments finance wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.

  • $555 million to meet the Administration’s commitment to provide a total of $6.8 billion between 2004-2011 for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). Over the long term this will result in the Clean Water SRF providing an annual average of $3.4 billion in loans for wastewater infrastructure.

  • $842 million for the Drinking Water SRF to continue the President’s commitment to capitalize the program until 2018. Over the long term this will result in the Drinking Water SRF providing an annual average of $1.2 billion in loans for drinking water infrastructure.

  • Removes the State volume cap on private activity bonds (PABs) issued for public purpose drinking water and wastewater facilities if the entity using the PABs implements full-cost pricing within five years.

Partnering to Promote Energy Efficiency and Reduce Emissions Intensity

• Addresses greenhouse gas emissions. Continues working with the Department of Transportation to implement the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

• Continues the Asia Pacific Partnership. $5 million to continue partnership of seven nations developing strategies for improving energy security, reducing pollution, and addressing the climate.

• Provides energy-efficient options to consumers and companies. $44 million to help the public make informed energy-efficient choices through Energy Star product labeling efforts and other tools.

• Supports international methane recovery efforts. $5 million to lead this international partnership that works with the private sector, multilateral development banks, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations to advance the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source.

Relying on Science

• Applies the best available science. Works closely with partners to protect human health and the environment through policies that focus on results, maintain the Nation’s economic competitiveness, and embrace collaboration.

Major Savings and Reforms

• The Budget includes five terminations and reductions representing $303 million in savings, including:

  • $133 million earmarked by the Congress for specific unrequested water infrastructure projects that circumvent normal allocation and priority setting processes.

  • $10 million for Mexico border water infrastructure assistance due to the program’s slow rate of project development over the last 10 years.

Since 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency has:

A nonprofit organization in Houston, Texas used a Brownfields grant to assess, clean up, and redevelop a former hospital. This resulted in affordable loft-style apartments that opened in October 2005 and were fully leased by November 2005.

• Initiated implementation of the Administration’s Clean Air Interstate Rule, which is projected to reduce SO₂ emissions from power plants in affected States by over 70 percent and NO_x emissions by over 60 percent from 2003 levels.

• Helped more than 8,500 drinking water utilities complete risk assessments, update emergency response plans, and improve emergency preparedness for manmade and naturally occurring events affecting water supplies.

• Supported business investment and community revitalization by tripling the number of Brownfields properties assessed during the prior Administration, making over 2,300 properties ready for reuse, and leveraging over $6.7 billion in private investment and over 31,000 redevelopment and cleanup jobs.

• Instituted a series of performance requirements that resulted in the agency earning the President’s Quality Award in 2007, the highest management award given to Executive Branch agencies for exceptional management across the entire organization.