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July 31, 2019
U.S. EPA FY2020 Appropriations
EPA FY2020 Proposed Appropriations
The funding in H.R. 3055 would generally support the
As passed by the House on June 25, 2019, Division C of the
existing federal and state framework for implementing and
five-bill omnibus appropriations bill H.R. 3055 included
enforcing requirements under multiple federal pollution
FY2020 funding for the Department of the Interior,
control statutes. The bill would not approve the President’s
Environment, and Related Agencies, which includes the
request to eliminate funding for certain programs and
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Reported
activities or to return some federal responsibilities to states.
June 3, 2019, Title II of H.R. 3052 (H.Rept. 116-100)—the
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related
EPA Appropriations Accounts
Agencies Appropriations, 2020—provided the foundation
More than a dozen federal laws authorize EPA operations.
for the funding for EPA included in H.R. 3055.
Funding is annually appropriated to EPA among 10
accounts established by Congress over time: State and
Title II of Division C in H.R. 3055 would provide $9.53
Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), Environmental Programs
billion for EPA for FY2020, $3.31 billion (53.1%) above
and Management (EPM), Hazardous Substance Superfund
the FY2020 request of $6.22 billion and $264.2 million
(“Superfund”), Science and Technology (S&T), Leaking
(28.5%) more than the FY2019 total enacted appropriations
Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund Program,
of $9.26 billion after rescissions. The FY2019 enacted total
Buildings and Facilities, Office of Inspector General, Inland
included $8.85 billion in Division Title II and Title IV E of
Oil Spill Program, Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
P.L. 116-6 enacted February 15, 2019, and $414.0 million
System Fund, and Water Infrastructure Finance and
in emergency supplemental appropriations in Title VII of
Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program.
P.L. 116-20 enacted June 6, 2019.
As indicated in Figure 2, the proportional distribution of
Figure 1 presents trends in requested and enacted
funding among these accounts has remained similar over
appropriations for EPA since FY2008 through FY2019 and
the past decade. H.R. 3055 would fund each account
proposed for FY2020.
generally at the FY2019 level or greater.
Figure 1. EPA Requested and Enacted Appropriations:
Figure 2. EPA Appropriations by Account: FY2008-
FY2008-FY2019, FY2020 Requested, and H.R. 3055
FY2019 Enacted, FY2020 Requested, and H.R. 3055
(Not Adjusted for Inflation)
(Not Adjusted for Inflation)

Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,

Senate, and conference reports; and EPA’s FY2020 Congressional
Source: Prepared by CRS using information from the Congressional
Budget Justification. Enacted amounts reflect rescissions and
Record; House, Senate, and conference committee reports; and EPA’s
supplemental appropriations, including $7.22 bil ion for EPA in the
FY2020 Congressional Budget Justification. Enacted amounts include
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).
supplemental appropriations—including $7.22 bil ion for EPA in the
Unlike recent proposed and enacted appropriations, H.R.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) and
3055 does not include rescissions of unobligated balances
across-the-board rescissions—but do not include additional
for EPA. The President’s FY2020 request proposed a
rescissions of prior-year funds among specific accounts.
$337.0 million rescission, and P.L. 116-6 rescinded a total
The STAG and EPM accounts have received the largest
of $210.5 million in unobligated balances for FY2019.
share of funding, followed by the Superfund and S&T
accounts. The STAG account funds grants for water
https://crsreports.congress.gov

U.S. EPA FY2020 Appropriations
infrastructure, brownfields site assessment and remediation,
million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a $20.0
diesel emissions reduction, targeted airsheds, and
million increase above the President’s FY2020 request and
“categorical” grants to states and tribes for implementing
FY2019 enacted. The FY2020 request had proposed to
federal pollution control programs. The EPM account funds
eliminate other geographic programs, including the
additional grants and many cross-cutting agency activities.
National Estuary Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program,
The Superfund account supports the environmental
and other programs to restore specific water bodies.
remediation of priority sites elevated for federal attention.
The S&T account funds scientific research to inform
Agency Staffing
agency regulatory decisions.
Although Congress does not set specific staffing levels for
EPA in annual appropriations acts, the size and structure of
Assistance to States
the agency’s workforce was a topic of debate for FY2020 as
Congress appropriates funds to EPA to support the agency’s
it was for FY2019 and FY2018. As with the FY2019
primary responsibilities under multiple federal
enacted appropriations, H.R. 3055 would not fund the
environmental pollution control statutes in coordination
President’s FY2020 request for EPA “workforce
with states and tribes. This funding was an issue again in
reshaping.” The House Committee on Appropriations report
the FY2020 appropriations debate. EPA awards categorical
(H.Rept. 116-100) accompanying H.R. 3052, as reported,
grants to states with delegated authority, as well as tribes
expressed the expectation that EPA would not “consolidate
and local governments, to implement and enforce federal
or close any regional offices” in FY2020. Similarly, H.R.
pollution control requirements. These categorical grants
3055 would prohibit the use of FY2020 appropriations for
generally focus on specific environmental media, wastes, or
closure or relocation of EPA offices that house emergency
pollution sources. H.R. 3055 would provide $1.11 billion
responders or criminal investigation units or offices in
for FY2020 for state and tribal categorical grants, 3.5%
regions that contain designated sulfur dioxide
more than the $1.08 billion enacted for FY2019. The
nonattainment areas, (Division C, Title IV “General
President’s request proposed to reduce these grants to
Provisions”).
$580.3 million for FY2020.
Fee Authorization
The President’s request also proposed to reduce funding to
H.R. 3055 would reauthorize the collection and use of
states from the LUST Trust Fund account by more than half
registration and service fees under the Federal Insecticide,
to $47.8 million in FY2020, compared to $93.4 million
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act through the end of FY2020
enacted for FY2019 (including $1.5 million in emergency
(“Administrative Provisions” for Division C, Title II).
funding provided in P.L. 116-20). H.R. 3055 would provide
Within the EPM account, H.R. 3055 would provide $5.0
$94.4 million for the LUST account for FY2020.
million from fees authorized in the Toxic Substances
Control Act for chemical risk reviews.
Within Title II of Division C, the STAG account would
provide a total of $1.78 billion for the Clean Water State
Regulatory Prohibitions/Limitations
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) capitalization grants and $1.30
Although EPA regulatory actions received attention during
billion for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
the FY2020 appropriations debate, General Provisions
capitalization grants for FY2020. The FY2019 total of
included in Division C, Title IV of H.R. 3055 did not
$1.74 billion for the CWSRF and $1.46 billion for the
contain provisions similar to recently enacted EPA annual
DWSRF included $1.39 billion for the CWSRF and $864.0
appropriations that prohibited the use of funds for certain
million for the DWSRF in Division E, Title II, of P.L. 116-
regulatory actions. In such prior years’ appropriations,
6 and an additional $300.0 million each in Title IV.
provisions restricted the use of funds for permitting of air
Subsequently, P.L. 116-20 provided an additional $53.3
emissions from livestock production, reporting of
million for the CWSRF and $296.1 million for the DWSRF
greenhouse gas emissions from manure management
in emergency funding. The FY2020 request proposed $1.12
systems, regulating lead content of ammunition or fishing
billion and $863.2 million for the CWSRF and DWSRF,
tackle, regulating air emissions from small remote solid
respectively.
waste incinerators in Alaska, and permitting discharges of
dredged or fill material for certain agricultural activities.
The STAG account in Division C, Title II, would provide a
combined total of $182.0 million for grant programs
Title IV in Division C of H.R. 3055 does include provisions
authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for
that would restrict the use of FY2020 funds for finalizing
the Nation Act (P.L. 114-322) and America’s Water
certain other EPA proposed rulemakings. These include
Infrastructure Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-270). Within the
standards of performance for emissions from electric utility
WIFIA account, H.R. 3055 would provide $50.0 million for
generating units (the power plant greenhouse gas rule) and
FY2020 for loan subsidization and related administrative
finalizing supplemental “appropriate and necessary”
expenses, $18.0 million less than the FY2019 combined
findings regarding national greenhouse gas emission
total of $68.0 million included in Titles II and IV in
standards for hazardous air pollutants.
Division E of P.L. 116-6 and $25.0 million more than
requested for FY2020 within the WIFIA account.
Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy
The House-passed bill would also continue funding in
IF11276
FY2020 for certain geographic programs, including $320.0

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U.S. EPA FY2020 Appropriations



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