U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2023 Appropriations

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2023 Appropriations

March 16, 2023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2023 Appropriations
Enacted on December 29, 2022, the Consolidated
Figure 2. EPA Requested and Enacted Discretionary
Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) provided funding
Appropriations, FY2014-FY2023
for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies, including funding for the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). P.L. 117-328,
Division G, Title II provided a total of $10.14 billion in
appropriations for EPA, including rescissions. In addition,
Division N, Title VII, of P.L. 117-328 provided $1.67
billion in supplemental appropriations for EPA for FY2023
in 2 of EPA’s 10 appropriations accounts. Division J, Title
VI of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L.
117-58), enacted on November 15, 2021, provided an
additional $11.21 billion for EPA in advanced

appropriations for FY2023. Together, P.L. 117-328 and
Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,
P.L. 117-58 provided a total of $23.01 billion for EPA for
Senate, and conference reports; and EPA’s FY2023 Congressional
FY2023. Error! Reference source not found. shows the
Budget Justification. Enacted amounts reflect relevant supplemental
breakdown of FY2023 EPA regular, supplemental, and
appropriations and rescissions. Figure does not include $41.46 bil ion
advanced appropriations.
in FY2022 mandatory appropriations provided to EPA in P.L. 117-
169.
Figure 1. EPA FY2023 Enacted Appropriations
EPA Appropriations Accounts
Funding for discretionary spending is annually appropriated
to EPA among 10 statutory accounts established by
Congress over time. These include State and Tribal
Assistance Grants (STAG), Environmental Programs and
Management (EPM), Hazardous Substance Superfund

(“Superfund”), Science and Technology (S&T), Leaking
Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record;
Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program, Buildings
House, Senate, and conference reports.
and Facilities, Office of Inspector General, Inland Oil Spill

Program, Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System
Fund, and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
EPA’s FY2023 regular annual appropriations of $10.14
Program accounts.
billion, including rescissions, are $1.74 billion (14.7%) less
than the President’s FY2023 request for EPA of $11.88
As indicated in Error! Reference source not found., the
billion and $575.9 million (6.0%) more than FY2022
proportional distribution of funding among these accounts
regular enacted appropriations of $9.56 billion. Total EPA
has remained similar for more than a decade, except for
FY2023 enacted appropriations of $23.01 billion (including
FY2022 with IIJA supplemental appropriations.
supplemental and IIJA advanced appropriations) were
Historically, the STAG and EPM accounts have received
$605.8 million (2.6%) less than total FY2022 enacted
the largest share of funding, followed by the Superfund and
appropriations of $23.62 billion (including IIJA
S&T accounts. The STAG account funds grants for water
supplemental appropriations). Note: for the purposes of
infrastructure, brownfields site assessment and remediation,
comparisons in this report, FY2022 enacted amounts do not
diesel emissions reduction, targeted airsheds, and
include $41.46 billion in mandatory appropriations
“categorical” grants to delegated states and tribes for
provided to EPA for FY2022 in P.L. 117-169, the measure
implementing pollution control programs. The EPM
commonly referred to as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
account funds additional grants and many cross-cutting
Trends in requested and enacted appropriations for EPA
agency activities. The Superfund account supports the
since FY2014 are shown in Error! Reference source not
environmental remediation of priority sites on non-federal
found..
lands designated for federal attention in coordination with
the states in which the sites are located. The S&T account
From the beginning of FY2023 to the enactment of P.L.
funds research that supports agency regulatory decisions.
117-328, EPA (and other federal departments and agencies)
operated under the terms and conditions of a series of three
FY2023 total appropriations in P.L. 117-328 and P.L. 117-
continuing resolutions, generally at FY2022 regular enacted
169 funded increases in 7 of the 10 EPA appropriations
levels.
accounts and a decrease in 1 account compared with the
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2023 Appropriations
FY2022 enacted appropriations. For example, total FY2023
Air Quality and Climate Change
appropriations were $16.97 billion for the STAG account,
Congress also appropriates funds to EPA for addressing air
including rescissions and $10.82 billion in IIJA advanced
pollution and climate change, including assistance to states,
appropriations. This is a $2.48 billion (17.1%) increase
local governments, and tribes. Air quality and climate
compared with FY2022 total enacted appropriations of
change have been a subject of congressional appropriations
$14.50 billion for the STAG account.
discussions in recent years. For FY2023, P.L. 117-328
provided $556.8 million within the S&T and EPM accounts
Figure 3. EPA Enacted Discretionary Appropriations
for clean air and climate, a $36.7 million (7.1%) increase
by Account: FY2014-FY2023
compared with FY2022 appropriations of $520.0 million.
This funding supports programs for climate change research
and adaptation, air monitoring networks, federal support for
air quality management, renewable fuel standards,
greenhouse gas monitoring, and wildfire smoke research,
among others. In addition, in the Explanatory Statement
accompanying P.L. 117-328, Congress directed specific
funding within the STAG account to air-related grants, such
as the diesel emissions reduction, wildfire smoke
preparedness, and categorical grants specifically related to
air quality.
Environmental Justice
Source: CRS using information from the Congressional Record; House,
Funding levels for EPA environmental justice-related
Senate, and conference committee reports. Enacted amounts reflect
programs and activities have been a long-standing issue in
rescissions and supplemental appropriations.
appropriations discussions. Two executive orders (E.O.

12898 and E.O.14008) generally direct EPA and other
Total FY2023 appropriations were $3.67 billion for the
agencies to integrate environmental justice into their
EPM account (including $386.8 million in IIJA advanced
respective missions to “the greatest extent practicable and
appropriations). This is a $297.3 million (8.8%) increase
permitted by law.” Congress has recently increased specific
compared with FY2022 total enacted appropriations of
allocations for environmental justice activities at EPA. For
$3.38 billion for the EPM account. FY2023 appropriations
FY2022, enacted EPA appropriations for environmental
were $1.28 billion for the Superfund account. This is a
justice were $100.0 million, an $88.2 million increase from
$3.45 billion (72.9%) decrease compared with FY2022
FY2021 enacted appropriations for the program area. For
enacted appropriations of $4.73 billion for the Superfund
FY2023, P.L. 117-328 provided EPA with $108.0 million
account (which included $3.50 billion in supplemental IIJA
for environmental justice within the EPM and Superfund
appropriations).
accounts, an increase of $8.0 million (8.0%) above FY2022
Selected EPA Funding Issues
appropriations.
In recent years, a variety of EPA funding issues have been
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
the subject of congressional debate during the annual
Legislation has been enacted and other bills have been
appropriations process. These issues are likely to continue
considered in recent Congresses to address potential risks
to be the subject of discussion in the 118th Congress.
associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS). Multiple departments and agencies, including
Assistance to States and Other Entities
EPA, are involved in responding to the potential risks
Congress appropriates funds to EPA to support the agency’s
associated with PFAS. The Explanatory Statement
primary responsibilities under multiple federal
accompanying P.L. 117-328 (Congressional Record,
environmental pollution control statutes in coordination
December 20, 2022, pp. S8655-S859) allocated $8.0
with states and tribes. The adequacy of funding for this
million within the S&T account for EPA to conduct
support has been a perennial issue. EPA awards categorical
“research that will help farmers, ranchers, and rural
grants to states and tribes (and local governments under
communities manage PFAS impacts in agricultural settings
certain statutes) with delegated authority to implement and
and communities.” The Explanatory Statement also
enforce federal pollution control requirements. Typically,
allocated $12.0 million in EPA Public Water System
Congress allocates the largest categorical grant amounts for
Supervision categorical grants to address PFAS and other
EPA assistance to states and territories for two state
contaminants of emerging concern. EPA may also use
revolving funds for water infrastructure: the Clean Water
funds from other appropriations accounts for eligible
State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State
activities related to addressing PFAS in the environment.
Revolving Fund. For FY2023, Congress appropriated $2.76
billion total for these funds and appropriated $1.16 billion

for other categorical grants in the STAG account. EPA also
awards competitive grants for a range of programs and
Angela C. Jones, Analyst in Environmental Policy
purposes. Entities eligible for assistance and other
eligibility requirements vary among the competitive grants.
IF12349

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2023 Appropriations

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