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Updated September 6, 2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Appropriations:
FY2020 President’s Budget Request
Since FY2006, Congress has funded the U.S. Environmental
Authorization of Appropriations
Protection Agency (EPA) in the Interior, Environment, and
The statutory authorization of appropriations for many of
Related Agencies appropriations bills. Including amendments the programs and activities administered by EPA has
submitted to Congress May 13, 2019, for FY2020 the
expired, but Congress has continued to fund them through
President requested $6.22 billion for EPA. The request was
the appropriations process. Authorization of appropriations
$3.04 billion (32%) less than the total $9.26 billion FY2019
is a procedural matter. Congress may appropriate funding
enacted appropriations for EPA (after rescissions) provided
for a program or activity for which the authorization of
in Titles II and IV of Division E of the Consolidated
appropriations has expired if no Member raises a point of
Appropriations Act, FY2019 (P.L. 116-6), and the Additional order or the rules are waived for consideration of a bill.
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019.
Congress has typically done so to continue appropriations.
The FY2020 request was $3.4 million (2%) more than the
FY2019 request of $6.19 billion for EPA.
History of EPA Budget Authority
Figure 2 presents EPA discretionary “budget authority”
The White House amendments to the initial FY2020 request
since FY1976 in nominal dollars and adjusted for inflation.
included an increase within the EPA Environmental
Budget authority is provided through annual appropriations
Programs and Management (EPM) appropriations account
and constitutes the amount of funding available to an
for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from $30.0 million
agency for obligation in a fiscal year to carry out a specific
to $300.0 million, the same as the FY2019 enacted level.
purpose authorized in law. The trend in nominal dollars
Also included were adjustments to the proposed
presented in Figure 2 is based on a history of agency
“cancellation” of unobligated balances, increasing the total to budget authority prepared by the White House Office of
$377.0 million, $150.0 million more than initially proposed.
Management and Budget (OMB). Congress has funded
Trends in requested and enacted appropriations for EPA
EPA since the agency’s creation in 1970, but OMB
since FY2008 are shown in Figure 1.
histories do not include fiscal years prior to FY1976.
Figure 1. EPA Requested and Enacted Appropriations,
Figure 2. EPA Discretionary Budget Authority,
FY2008-FY2020
FY1976-FY2020 (Request)
($ nominal not adjusted for inflation)
($ in bil ions nominal and adjusted for inflation)
Source: CRS based on the White House Office of Management and
Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,
Budget (OMB), Budget of the United States Government Fiscal Year
Senate, and conference reports; and EPA’s FY2020 Congressional
2020, Historical Tables, Table 5.4; CRS calculated for inflation using
Budget Justification. Enacted amounts reflect rescissions and
OMB deflators presented in Table 10.1. FY2009 funding level reflects
supplemental appropriations, including $7.22 bil ion included for EPA
the supplemental appropriations included for EPA in the American
in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5).
Funding is appropriated to EPA to support the agency’s
EPA Appropriations Accounts
primary responsibilities under several federal pollution
Funding is annually appropriated to EPA among 10
control statutes in coordination with states. EPA also
accounts established by Congress over time. In addition to
awards grants to assist delegated states and local
the EPM account referenced earlier, these include State and
governments to support implementation and compliance
Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), Hazardous Substance
with federal requirements to control pollution.
Superfund (“Superfund”), Science and Technology (S&T),
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program,
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Appropriations:
FY2020 President’s Budget Request
Buildings and Facilities (B&F), Office of Inspector
is described in EPA’s FY2020 Congressional Budget
General, Inland Oil Spill Program, Hazardous Waste
Justification under its Cooperative Federalism Goal. The
Electronic Manifest System Fund, and Water Infrastructure
FY2019 consolidated appropriations did not adopt the
Finance and Innovation Program.
President’s requested eliminations and many of the
proposed FY2019 reductions.
As indicated in Figure 3, the proportional distribution of
funding among these accounts has remained similar for
Compared to FY2019 enacted levels, the FY2020 request
more than a decade with the exception of FY2009. The
would have reduced funding across many EPA functions
STAG and EPM accounts have received the largest share of
that have been the focus of congressional debate in recent
funding, followed by the Superfund and S&T accounts. The
fiscal years. These include federal financial assistance to
STAG account funds grants for water infrastructure,
states for clean water and drinking water infrastructure
brownfields site assessment and remediation, diesel
projects through capitalization grants for state revolving
emissions reduction, targeted airsheds, and “categorical”
funds; categorical grants to support the implementation and
grants to states and tribes for implementing pollution
enforcement of federal environmental statutes delegated to
control. The EPM account funds additional grants and
the states; funding for the agency’s implementation and
many cross-cutting agency activities. The Superfund
research support for air pollution control requirements;
account supports the environmental remediation of priority
EPA actions to address climate change and greenhouse gas
sites designated for federal attention. The S&T account
emissions; funding for environmental remediation; and
funds research that supports agency regulatory decisions.
federal assistance for the Chesapeake Bay program and
other geographic-specific programs.
Figure 3. EPA Appropriations by Account, FY2008-
FY2020 (Request)
Appropriated and requested funding for these various
($ nominal not adjusted for inflation)
program areas are typically presented as line items below
the EPA appropriations account level in EPA’s budget
justifications as well as committee reports and explanatory
statements accompanying annual appropriations bills.
EPA Staff Levels
The President’s FY2020 request proposed 12,415 full-time
equivalents for EPA to administer federal environmental
statutes in coordination with delegated states. Based on
EPA-reported staffing levels, the request would be the
lowest since 1985. Congress does not set EPA staffing
levels in annual appropriations acts. EPA generally
determines staffing levels based on the availability of
annual appropriations enacted each fiscal year to fund the
Source: Prepared by CRS using information from the Congressional
agency. The FY2020 request proposed a total of $31.0
Record; House, Senate, and conference committee reports; and EPA’s
million for “workforce reshaping” in the EPM and S&T
FY2020 Congressional Budget Justification. Enacted amounts include
accounts. The FY2019 enacted appropriations did not fund
supplemental appropriations but not rescissions.
a similar proposal. Figure 4 presents “full-time
equivalents” as reported by EPA for FY2008
The President’s FY2020 request proposed funding
-FY2020.
reductions below FY2019 enacted levels for all EPA
Figure 4. EPA-Reported Full-Time Equivalent,
appropriations accounts except B&F, although funding for
FY2008-FY2018 Enacted, FY2019 “annualized
some program areas within the accounts would remain
continuing resolution (CR),” and FY2020 Requested
constant or increase. For example, the FY2020 amended
request recommended $300.0 million for the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative, the same as the FY2019 enacted
level, and proposed $50.0 million for a new “Healthy
Schools Grant Program” to address environmental hazards
in schools.
Funding and Policy Issues
The President’s proposed FY2020 funding reductions have
garnered attention from Members of Congress; states; U.S.
territories; tribes; and industry, health, and environmental
stakeholder organizations. Proposed reductions and
eliminations are distributed across EPA operational
Source: CRS using information from EPA’s FY2018 and FY2020
functions and activities as well as grants for states, tribes,
Budget in Brief.
and local governments. Similar to the FY2019 request, the
President has again proposed to increase the responsibilities
Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy
of states and their associated costs to carry out this
David M. Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy
delegated authority. The proposed increased responsibility
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Appropriations:
FY2020 President’s Budget Request
IF11153
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11153 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED