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Updated March 28, 2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
FY2019 Appropriations

Enacted February 15, 2019, Division E of P.L. 116-6,
request included rescissions of EPA unobligated balances in
Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2019, provided
varying amounts: $210.5 million in P.L. 116-6 and $220.5
funding for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies,
million in the request. For FY2018, P.L. 115-141 rescinded
including a total of $8.85 billion for the U.S. Environmental
$148.8 million in unobligated balances.
Protection Agency (EPA) in Titles II and IV combined.
After rescissions, Title II provided $8.06 billion for EPA,
EPA Appropriations Accounts
and Title IV appropriated an additional $791.0 million for
More than a dozen federal laws authorize EPA operations.
EPA water infrastructure program priorities and Superfund
Funding is annually appropriated to EPA among 10
emergency response, removal, and remedial actions at
accounts established by Congress over time: State and
eligible sites. Prior to enactment of P.L. 116-6, Congress
Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), Environmental Programs
passed multiple appropriations bills during the 115th and
and Management (EPM), Hazardous Substance Superfund
116th Congresses that included funding for EPA. At the
(“Superfund”), Science and Technology (S&T), Leaking
beginning of FY2019, EPA and certain other departments
Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund Program,
and agencies operated under a series of continuing
Buildings and Facilities, Office of Inspector General, Inland
resolutions until an intervening lapse in appropriations after
Oil Spill Program, Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
December 21, 2018. EPA thereafter operated under its
System Fund, and Water Infrastructure Finance and
shutdown contingency plans until another continuing
Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program. As indicated in Figure
resolution provided funding from January 25, 2019, until
2, the proportional distribution of funding among these
the enactment of P.L. 116-6 on February 15, 2019. Figure 1
accounts has remained similar for more than a decade with
illustrates requested and enacted appropriations for EPA
the exception of FY2009.
since FY2008 through FY2019, including rescissions.
Figure 2. EPA Appropriations by Account FY2008-
Figure 1. EPA Requested and Enacted Appropriations
FY2019 Enacted (Not Adjusted For Inflation)
FY2008-FY2019 (Not Adjusted for Inflation)


Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,
Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,
Senate, and conference committee reports; and EPA’s FY2013
Senate, and conference reports; and EPA’s FY2013 Operating Plan.
Operating Plan. Enacted amounts include supplemental
Enacted amounts reflect rescissions and supplemental appropriations,
appropriations but does not reflect rescissions.
including $7.22 bil ion for EPA in the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).
The STAG and EPM accounts have received the largest
share of funding, followed by the Superfund and S&T
The FY2019 enacted appropriations is $2.66 billion (43%)
above the President’s
accounts. The STAG account funds grants for water
FY2019 request of $6.19 billion and
infrastructure programs, brownfields site assessment and
$38.2 million (0.4%) less than the total $8.89 billion
remediation, diesel emissions reduction, targeted airsheds,
FY2018 enacted appropriations. The FY2018 enacted total
and “categorical” grants to states and tribes for
included $8.82 billion in Title II and Title IV of Division G
implementing federal pollution control programs. The EPM
of P.L. 115-141, enacted March 23, 2018, and $63.2 million
account funds other grants and cross-cutting activities. The
for EPA in emergency supplemental appropriations to
Superfund account funds environmental remediation of
address impacts of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in
priority sites designated for federal attention in coordination
Division B, Subdivision 1, of P.L. 115-123, enacted
February 9, 2018. P.L. 116-6 and the President’s FY2019
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
FY2019 Appropriations
with states. The S&T account funds scientific research to
Clean Water and Drinking Water SRFs in Title IV. The
inform agency regulatory decisions.
FY2018 enacted total for the SRFs included in Division G,
Titles II and IV, of P.L. 115-141 were nearly the same as
P.L. 116-6 generally continued the existing federal and state
FY2019 enacted. The President requested $1.39 billion for
framework for implementing and enforcing requirements
the Clean Water SRF grants and $863.2 million for the
under multiple federal pollution control statutes, with
Drinking Water SRF grants but not the Title IV funding.
FY2019 funding for most program activities the same as or
above FY2018 enacted levels, albeit with some decreases.
Title IV of P.L. 116-6 included $65.0 million within the
P.L. 116-6 did not approve the President’s request to
EPA STAG account for grants authorized in the Water
eliminate certain programs that would have presumed
Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (P.L. 114-
assumption of these responsibilities by the states.
322), $15.0 million more than FY2018 enacted amount
Furthermore, the act did not approve the President’s
included in Title IV in P.L. 115-141. Comparable funding
proposal to eliminate or reduce funding for numerous
was not included in the FY2019 request. P.L. 116-6 also
programs that provide federal financial assistance to
provided $68.0 million for the WIFIA account for FY2019
delegated states and other purposes for which there has
($10.0 million in Title II and $58.0 million in Title IV),
been a joint federal and state role.
$5.0 million more than the FY2018 enacted level ($10.0
million in Title II and $53.0 million in Title IV) and $48.0
Assistance to States
million more than the FY2019 request of $20.0 million.
Funding is appropriated to EPA to support the agency’s
primary responsibilities under multiple federal
P.L. 116-6 continued funding in FY2019 for geographic
environmental pollution control statutes in coordination
programs that the President proposed to eliminate,
with states and tribes. Funding for implementation through
including the National Estuary Program, the Great Lakes
delegated authorities was an issue in the FY2019
Restoration Initiative, the Chesapeake Bay Program, and
appropriations debate. EPA awards categorical grants to
other programs to restore specific water bodies.
assist delegated states and local governments in
implementing and enforcing federal requirements to control
Agency Staffing
pollution. These categorical grants provide funding for state
Although Congress does not set specific staffing levels for
and tribal implementation of federal requirements, focusing
EPA in annual appropriations acts, the size and structure of
on specific environmental media, wastes, or pollution
the agency’s workforce was a topic of debate for FY2019 as
sources. P.L. 116-6 appropriated $1.08 billion for FY2019
it was for FY2018. As with the FY2018 enacted
to fund state and tribal categorical grants, $50.0 million less
appropriations, P.L. 116-6 did not fund the President’s
than FY2018 (including $50.0 million in emergency
FY2019 request for EPA “workforce reshaping.” The
funding provided in P.L. 115-123). The President’s FY2019
conference report (H.Rept. 116-9) accompanying P.L. 116-
request would have reduced these grants to $597.3 million.
6 expressed the expectation that EPA would not
“consolidate or close any regional offices” in FY2019.
The President proposed to reduce funding to states from the
LUST Trust Fund account by more than half—from $98.9
Fee Authorization
million enacted in FY2018 (including $7.0 million in
Under the Administrative Provisions in Division E, Title II,
emergency funding provided in P.L. 115-123) to $47.5
P.L. 116-6 reauthorized the collection and use of fees under
million in FY2019. P.L. 116-6 provided $91.9 million for
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
the LUST account for FY2019, the same as FY2018 less
through the end of FY2019. Within the EPM account, P.L.
the supplemental funding.
116-6 provided $5.0 million from fees authorized in the
Toxic Substances Control Act for chemical risk reviews.
P.L. 116-6 provided $1.16 billion for the Superfund account
for FY2019, including $1.09 million in Division E, Title II,
Regulatory Prohibitions/Limitations
and $68.0 million in Title IV (§429). The FY2018 enacted
Several EPA regulatory actions received attention as in past
total of $1.21 billion for Superfund included $1.15 billion
fiscal year debates. Division E, Title IV, of P.L. 116-6
in Title II ($1.09 billion) and Title IV ($63.0 million
prohibited the use of FY2019 appropriations for certain
[§430]) of Division G of P.L. 115-141 and $6.2 million in
actions: permitting of air emissions from livestock
emergency supplemental appropriations provided in P.L.
production (§416), reporting of greenhouse gas emissions
115-123 to address impacts at Superfund sites. The FY2019
from manure management systems (§417), regulating lead
request proposed $1.01 billion for the Superfund account.
content of ammunition or fishing tackle (§418), regulating
air emissions from small remote solid waste incinerators in
Titles II and IV of Division E, P.L. 116-6, appropriated
Alaska (§430), and permitting discharges of dredged or fill
more funding than the FY2018 enacted and FY2019
material for certain agricultural activities (§431). To date,
requested levels for water infrastructure programs. Within
EPA has not pursued rulemaking in some of these areas
the STAG account, P.L. 116-6 provided $1.69 billion for
(e.g., lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle).
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) capitalization
grants and $1.16 billion for Drinking Water SRF
Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy
capitalization grants. The FY2019 totals include $1.39
David M. Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy
billion for the Clean Water SRF and $864.0 million for the
Drinking Water SRF in Division E, Title II, of P.L. 116-6
IF11067
and an additional $600.0 million ($300.0 million each) for
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
FY2019 Appropriations


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11067 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED